Hello everybody - I'm John from Manchester in North West England.
First of all I wanted to thank you all for finally identifying the old keyboard that I used in the mid 80's - a 1391406.
I couldn't for the life of me remember the make or the model number until I discovered this forum. I just recall that it was big, heavy and utilitarian looking but was absolutely terriffic to type on.
You are so lucky in America to be able to source new and used IBM model M and their clones for peanuts.Importing say an International keyboard layout 1391406 would cost at least $50 for kb itself another $40-50 shipping then the really big cost when the customs and excise man slaps another $100+ import duty on it!
This is really Rip Off Britain and I'm sick of it - I went to Monaco in May for the Grand Prix and it was miles cheaper in the South Of France than here for everything.
After scouring the web for weeks I found at least three separate places to buy a keyboard and they are all computer surplus stores.
I ordered one on Friday afternoon on the phone and it came today - Monday - amazing - total price £43.13 delivered.Obviously they are used but in a good refurbished condition.It was £25 for the model M plus £12.50 delivery and 15% V.A.T. If anybody is trying to source a good used model M I recommend R & R DMS Ltd.
I also ordered another new in box 1391406 from a place down south because I wanted a backup board and I have two computers which I don't want to swap keyboards on all the time.
My old keyboard is a BTC - 5123S which was my original keyboard that came with my junk Patriot computer from PC World in 2000.The poor little keyboard has been absolutely hammered - it is filthy, worn bent in the middle and the back riser leg is snapped but it still works after being used every day for over nine years - amazing considering its a rubber dome cheapy that must of cost £3.
I just wanted a proper buckling electro-mechanical for my new pc - A Dell Vostro 200 which I got for a song and I have already done surgery on it because I like everything customised even though I've only had it a week.
My first model M came from:
http://www.datarecovered.com R & R DMS Ltd
R&R House
Normandy Lane
Stratton Business Park
Biggleswade
Bedfordshire
SG18 8QB
UK
Telephone +44 (0) 1767 319888
24hr Hotline +44 (0) 845 257 8181
Fax +44 (0) 1767 319889
IBM 1391406 - total price including VAT and P&P - £43.13
£25.00 for kb + £12.50 delivery + VAT tax
Ask for Andy Kempster or John Hyde
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http://www.spares4it.co.uk25 Bankside
Kidlington
Oxfordshire
OX5 1JE
Tel: 0044-845 026 0505
uksales@visioncomputer.nl
IBM 1391406 - total price including VAT and P&P - £70.44
£49.00 for kb + £12.25 shipping + VAT tax
Ask for Stephen Gibbs
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http://www.bluegoosesystems.co.uk/index.phpBlueGoose Systems
44 Whitebridge Road
Onchan
Isle of Man
IM3 4HR
United Kingdom
Telephone: 01624 671719
IBM 1391406 - total price including VAT and P&P - £61.00
£51.50 for kb + £9.50 courier delivery and VAT
Ask for Julian Kirby
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Now about this keyboard - It's been cleaned and some of the letters and the
spacebar is worn, it is shiny and it came with an original detachable IBM coiled PS/2 cable.
For some reason the label on the back of the 'board is missing so I don't know exactly how old it is but I do know that it was made in Greenock Scotland between '85 - '96.
It is a pleasure to type on especially for me as I am a heavy-handed typer.I wouldn't call myself a typist exactly because I usually just use one or two fingers but I can still type over 30 wpm with one finger.
I think it's about time I learnt to touch type and this wonderfull Human Interface Device - haha - (who coined THAT mad term?) will help me immeasurably.