I`ve deduced roughly how old my 1391306 is

[roaduck]

First of all a big Thank You to the mods and Rajagra and InSanCen for welcoming me to the famous Geekhack Keyboard club.

       I posted some information on where to buy model M`s in the UK because it is increasingly difficult to source good examples and getting one from ebay is a bit of a lottery.
       It`s brilliant to be able to discuss keyboard specifications and weigh up the pros and cons of each with the enormously helpful reviews and reference links.

       My first model M came with no identifying label on the back for some reason.I`ve got a British layout 1391406 with a grey oval IBM label and it came with a beige detachable PS/2 coiled and straight cable that looks like the long one - 10-12 foot.

If I`m correct these beasts were made between 1986-1993 because after that IBM subcontracted manufacture to Lexmark or whatever; so my kb is at least 15 years old - but it still works fabulously.

       I'm still looking for a second model M as I have been let down.

[ch_123]

IBM still made keyboards in their plant in Greenock, Scotland even after they sold their US keyboard factory to Lexmark. The Greenock plant made European and US (particularly after Lexmark sold their keyboard division to Unicomp) Model Ms up until 1999.

From about 1995 onwards, IBM changed the design of their European Model Ms to be more like the Lexmark 42H1292, but rather confusingly, didn't change the model number. Consequently, later 1391406s looked similar to this (this is a 42H with a US layout) -



Compared with the original models, they had a non-detachable cable, slightly different case, and single piece keycaps. They were also somewhat lighter than the orignals.

Models made between 1992 - 1995 were pretty much identical to the old models, with the black oval label replaced with a blue one.



(One I rescued, made in 1993. Beside my Model F)

If I`m correct these beasts were made between 1986-1993 because after that IBM subcontracted manufacture to Lexmark or whatever; so my kb is at least 15 years old - but it still works fabulously.

To be more specific, it would have been made from 1987-1992. What happened after 1992 is described above. From 1985 - 1987, the UK Model M was the 1390136, which would have looked like this, except in a UK layout -



The UK layout version is rather rare, I've only ever seen one pic of one in the wild, and never any on eBay.

[roaduck]

Hello ch_123 Thanks so much for the information on the model M keyboards manufactured at IBM United Kingdom in Greenock Scotland.The pictures and the dates clarified things for me.My 1391406 looks older than the IBM/Lexmark `boards as it has the long 10 foot SDK to PS/2 coiled and straight cable and the IBM logo is a cream oval with black IBM logo printed in dark grey stripes to form the registered trademark.Because my keyboard was delivered sans back paper label I can only assume that it was removed in the cleaning/refurbishing process or to disguise and obfuscate the true date of manufacture.

[ch_123]

If you open the keyboard up, there's usually a 'birth cert' on the back of the keyboard assembly. Either way, from the sounds of it, your keyboard is probably closer to 20 years old than 15. Also, the 10' PS/2 cable was an optional extra, I'm pretty sure you had to pay IBM extra if you wanted one for your PC.

[roaduck]

Thanks for the tip ch_123.My kb does look twenty years old and the spacebar is uneven and shiny in places.I haven`t got a camera to take pictures of it but I do have a new camera phone - I just need to suss it out and install the software on my new pc.Aparently I just need a 5.5mm / 7/32" thin-walled socket to get to the keyboard`s inards which i`ll buy because I`ll have two model M`s to maintain.