IBM Model M Clicky Keyboard 1395682 Space Saver Industrial starting at $40

[Alessandro]

This is a pretty unique industrial SSK because it has the blue caps.  Too bad you can't really tell the condition of it with the crappy pictures.  With better pictures to prove that it is indeed in good condition, it could fetch even more money for the seller.

How many have there been with the blue caps? Would I be right in saying that Webwit has both of them?

[vivalarevolución]

I asked him for some less obscure photos - and this was his reply:

'I'm sorry I do not have any other means other than a camera phone. There are no deep scratches or cracks. It's just a little dirty. Sorry and thanks for interest.'


there are no DEEP scratches? does that mean that there are scratches?
can this guy be any more vague? He could easily just take it out into the sun where, even with a crappy camera, you could still get a much clearer view of the board.
what this tells us - it has scratches, basically, and he wants to take the most obscure photo to hide these defects.

Translation:  I'm too lazy to take any more photos and it's at $400 already, so I don't really care, anyways.

[vivalarevolución]

You know some Canadians.....just bypass ebay, slip the guy some poutine and get a deal at the same time.

You must not know many Canadians. Why do Americans always assume Canadians are eating poutine all the time? In my entire life, I've never eaten poutine, none of my family has and I've never actually seen another Canadian eat it. That's one of those myths, like Canada is covered in snow in summer, polar bears walk through major Canadian cities and everybody is calling each other a "hoser".

So many of my illusions about Canadians were just shattered.  Thanks.

And poutine is mostly a Quebec thing, isn't it?

[Photoelectric]

"Keyboard pulled from a working machine". Where the hell was this "working" - in a cow shed? Not only is the winning bidder going to be losing a lot of cash, but he'll be cleaning for quite a while.

You know some Canadians.....just bypass ebay, slip the guy some poutine and get a deal at the same time.

You must not know many Canadians. Why do Americans always assume Canadians are eating poutine all the time? In my entire life, I've never eaten poutine, none of my family has and I've never actually seen another Canadian eat it. That's one of those myths, like Canada is covered in snow in summer, polar bears walk through major Canadian cities and everybody is calling each other a "hoser".

Don't feel bad--people say very similar things about Russia. ...and any other country they don't know well

[JPG]

You know some Canadians.....just bypass ebay, slip the guy some poutine and get a deal at the same time.

You must not know many Canadians. Why do Americans always assume Canadians are eating poutine all the time? In my entire life, I've never eaten poutine, none of my family has and I've never actually seen another Canadian eat it. That's one of those myths, like Canada is covered in snow in summer, polar bears walk through major Canadian cities and everybody is calling each other a "hoser".

So many of my illusions about Canadians were just shattered.  Thanks.

And poutine is mostly a Quebec thing, isn't it?

Yea, mostly Quebec for the poutine. But in Quebec, probably that 90%+ of the population at least tried the poutine once, and a vast majority eat it at least a few times a year. Even McDonald has been selling it here for 20 years.


And it's true that most of Canada has a very hard and cold climate, but most of the population (like 99%) lives near the border with the US (like less than 2 hours by car). So even if we get a good winter every year, it's not the north pole either.

[SpAmRaY]

"Keyboard pulled from a working machine". Where the hell was this "working" - in a cow shed? Not only is the winning bidder going to be losing a lot of cash, but he'll be cleaning for quite a while.

You know some Canadians.....just bypass ebay, slip the guy some poutine and get a deal at the same time.

You must not know many Canadians. Why do Americans always assume Canadians are eating poutine all the time? In my entire life, I've never eaten poutine, none of my family has and I've never actually seen another Canadian eat it. That's one of those myths, like Canada is covered in snow in summer, polar bears walk through major Canadian cities and everybody is calling each other a "hoser".

Don't feel bad--people say very similar things about Russia. ...and any other country they don't know well

You mean like iri only eats potatoes and drinks vodka?

[Photoelectric]

I'm sure he does    Vodka mixed with kefir.

[SpAmRaY]

I'm sure he does    Vodka mixed with kefir.

Yes can't forget the kefir.

[Pacifist]

holy ****

multiply $400 of SSK with $400 of industrial with whatever the blue caps are and you have the final price )

[dorkvader]

already over 400$...

Yes, that escalated quickly.

Oh. My. God. 

By the way, is that a custom detachable cord modification?

I'm thinking thats just an SDL slot...

I did not think that Lexmark made any detachable Model M's and what seems like free space on the edges is throwing me off.

They made a few.

[E TwentyNine]

[terran5992]

Holy sheet

[TacticalCoder]

It looks filthy and the pictures are terribly bad but... Is it normal that you can't even see the "numpad" numbering that SSKs typically have on the keys 789 / uio / jkl / m<> etc.?

[E TwentyNine]

It looks filthy and the pictures are terribly bad but... Is it normal that you can't even see the "numpad" numbering that SSKs typically have on the keys 789 / uio / jkl / m<> etc.?

You don't see it because it's not there.  The Industrial SSK's with the blue keys do not have side legends on the embedded numberpad keys.

Though the functionality is still there.

[REVENGE]

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/electronics-recycling/22291-old-ibm-keyboards.html

Aha, aha, ahahahahahaha...

"Heres the one that got saved... Lets see what happens all"

XD

These are the guys disassembling the SSKs, tossing the plastics in the recycling bin, and scraping the traces off of the mylar sheets for recovery.

[rowdy]

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/electronics-recycling/22291-old-ibm-keyboards.html

Aha, aha, ahahahahahaha...

"Heres the one that got saved... Lets see what happens all"

XD

These are the guys disassembling the SSKs, tossing the plastics in the recycling bin, and scraping the traces off of the mylar sheets for recovery.

Ouch!

[Pacifist]

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/electronics-recycling/22291-old-ibm-keyboards.html

Aha, aha, ahahahahahaha...

"Heres the one that got saved... Lets see what happens all"

XD

These are the guys disassembling the SSKs, tossing the plastics in the recycling bin, and scraping the traces off of the mylar sheets for recovery.

oh god

[Alessandro]

Eugh.

[Halverson]

 Lol "you may end up with a record price for a keyboard".

If they only knew....

[mr_a500]

"Keyboard pulled from a working machine". Where the hell was this "working" - in a cow shed? Not only is the winning bidder going to be losing a lot of cash, but he'll be cleaning for quite a while.

Maybe it was working in an industrial environment.

Either way, these clean up easy.

You're right. It looks like it was connected to an automotive diagnostic machine. So no cow **** to clean up then - just grease.

[xmagusx]

TIL -- put in a standing order at the local scrap metal yards.

[smknjoe]

Holy shnikies! It's up to $800.

[fohat.digs]

Look at the regular Model Ms - if the industrials are going for 10x the price of the standards, this one going at double or triple would be entirely plausible.

I said this last week.

[REVENGE]

Odd, I don't see the Korean bidding agencies yet.

[E TwentyNine]

Holy shnikies! It's up to $800.

Gooood.....gooood.....

But I don't want to know how many those guys stripping down electronics have thrown out over the years.

[EverythingIBM]

I didn't know you folks were talking about this one. I'm the lunatic that boosted it to $800 (I was curious); I'm debating how high I want to go.
--> I know the present autobidder is set to $800.

And for the record, I'm surprised a lot of the new-comers here are shocked at the prices for these things. Webwit paid $800 or so for an Industrial F XT-- and just a few days ago one went for $51.

And what about the M15s that went for $1500?

[127001]

I didn't know you folks were talking about this one. I'm the lunatic that boosted it to $800 (I was curious); I'm debating how high I want to go.
--> I know the present autobidder is set to $800.

And for the record, I'm surprised a lot of the new-comers here are shocked at the prices for these things. Webwit paid $800 or so for an Industrial F XT-- and just a few days ago one went for $51.

And what about the M15s that went for $1500?

It wasn't an F and the top bidder dropped out so it went for less.

[ebacho]

I didn't know you folks were talking about this one. I'm the lunatic that boosted it to $800 (I was curious); I'm debating how high I want to go.
--> I know the present autobidder is set to $800.

And for the record, I'm surprised a lot of the new-comers here are shocked at the prices for these things. Webwit paid $800 or so for an Industrial F XT-- and just a few days ago one went for $51.

And what about the M15s that went for $1500?

For what it's worth, the Industrial F XT that sold a few days ago wasn't the capacitive buckling spring variant.  Having said that, I think most people are also over the M15 craze a few years back.

[EverythingIBM]

It wasn't an F and the top bidder dropped out so it went for less.

Okay so my suspicions were correct, it was a 'domer like the one Webwit bought. For $800.

[dorkvader]

It wasn't an F and the top bidder dropped out so it went for less.

Okay so my suspicions were correct, it was a 'domer like the one Webwit bought. For $800.

The one webwit has photos of on his website looks like it has OAK switches. side view

[EverythingIBM]

It wasn't an F and the top bidder dropped out so it went for less.

Okay so my suspicions were correct, it was a 'domer like the one Webwit bought. For $800.

The one webwit has photos of on his website looks like it has OAK switches. side view

I stand corrected good sir.

Regarding the scrap metal forums post, that's hilarious.

--> I was the one who boosted it to $548. If I didn't, it would have just remained at like $200. The guy who got it was (presumably) a German collector. Poor guy... he's going to have to pay a lot for shipping.

[smknjoe]

And for the record, I'm surprised a lot of the new-comers here are shocked at the prices for these things. Webwit paid $800 or so for an Industrial F XT-- and just a few days ago one went for $51.

And what about the M15s that went for $1500?

I know the industrial Ms go for several times more than standard Ms. Everyone knows that. What I'm so shocked about is how much the price has risen for the standard models. Standard SSKs in fair to very good condition are regularly going for over $300 and up to $500 now. I bought a NIB for $140 and another in "like new" condition for $170 right around May or June of last year. One was found on Craigslist and the other was from Ebay.

I'm also surprised at how these auctions are being bid up very quickly when several days are left on them. It may weed out the less serious bidders but it also reduces the chance of you getting it a better price.

[litster]

Once I bought an SSK for $30 on ebay.  Best of all it was a local pick up from 1 mile from my home.  It was in very, very good condition.  The most I paid was a NIB SSK with box and all for $350.  I don't think it is truly NIB, but it smells new still.  Other SSKs with unique print keycaps I paid between $120 to $200.  The best thing about Model M is they can all look like new after a good cleaning.

[EverythingIBM]

And for the record, I'm surprised a lot of the new-comers here are shocked at the prices for these things. Webwit paid $800 or so for an Industrial F XT-- and just a few days ago one went for $51.

And what about the M15s that went for $1500?

I know the industrial Ms go for several times more than standard Ms. Everyone knows that. What I'm so shocked about is how much the price has risen for the standard models. Standard SSKs in fair to very good condition are regularly going for over $300 and up to $500 now. I bought a NIB for $140 and another in "like new" condition for $170 right around May or June of last year. One was found on Craigslist and the other was from Ebay.

I'm also surprised at how these auctions are being bid up very quickly when several days are left on them. It may weed out the less serious bidders but it also reduces the chance of you getting it a better price.

Well that's because I *don't* wait at the last moment. I just dump a huge bid then and there. I did that with some other IBM and Roland stuff.

For this thing, I need some time to think as to if I really want to spend over a grand on a piece of alternatively coloured plastic. I sort of would rather have a full one than an SSK (I already have a stupid SSK). Ehhhh whatever. We'll see.

I know if I don't boost the bid, no one else will.

[smknjoe]

It's a very unique and rare board and in the current market $800 is a good price. I hope it stays there! I really want to see that puppy cleaned up like new...like Litster said.

[EverythingIBM]

It's a very unique and rare board and in the current market $800 is a good price. I hope it stays there! I really want to see that puppy cleaned up like new...like Litster said.

There are a few problems with this keyboard.
First and foremost is that it's not a standard SDL connector (I'm surprised no one other than myself bothered to look at the pins).
Next up there is *no* integrated numpad functionality. Forget it. It's some weird terminal board.

Finally, when I get this POS, I'm swapping out its guts and putting in my '91 IBM ones. Uhhh, after it has been cleaned.

The existing controller on this SSK is probably for some terminal junk.

EDIT: and I'm probably going to remove all of the blue keys except the arrow ones

EDIT 2: Then I'll need a controller to replace the industrial SSK guts to make my regular SSK work with a normal computer again. I guess I could painstakingly develop a controller, but it would have to be PS/2 because... I use these keyboards with old crappy Personal System/2s. Or I guess I could boltmod it with USB and then sell it and buy a regular SSK once again...

[dorkvader]

EDIT: and I'm probably going to remove all of the blue keys except the arrow ones

Give them to me when you do.

about the controller, I think a normal model M controller will work. I haven't looked at an ssk matrix in depth though. You wont get the embedded numpad, but you won`'t have had that anyway.

about the sdl: I cant see the pins at all (wrong angle). All I see are the the retention springs that help to hold the connector in place. There's a decent chance it's normal PS/2.

[smknjoe]

about the sdl: I cant see the pins at all (wrong angle). All I see are the the retention springs that help to hold the connector in place. There's a decent chance it's normal PS/2.

Same here. I don't see the pins either. I think the board looks pretty cool the way it is. If the controller and the pin-out work as-is I'd clean it and keep it original, but it's your board...almost.

[vivalarevolución]

This auction shocks me.  It's over $800 now.  All we have here is a different colored plastic with some blue caps.   It's later model SSK made by Lexmark, so it will not have as thick of a plate as older Model M's, and, consequently, a worse feel than earlier Model M's.

Then we have a nice bolt mod SSK available on Ebay for $325 flat, lower than the recent selling price, from a guy that loves Model's M, has done plenty of bolt mods, cleans them meticulously, offers a return period, and stands behind his product.  It's a great board.  You could buy it and paint the darn thing to the color of your choice.

[EverythingIBM]

This auction shocks me.  It's over $800 now.  All we have here is a different colored plastic with some blue caps.   It's later model SSK made by Lexmark, so it will not have as thick of a plate as older Model M's, and, consequently, a worse feel than earlier Model M's.

Then we have a nice bolt mod SSK available on Ebay for $325 flat, lower than the recent selling price, from a guy that loves Model's M, has done plenty of bolt mods, cleans them meticulously, offers a return period, and stands behind his product.  It's a great board.  You could buy it and paint the darn thing to the color of your choice.

And don't forget the lack of integrated numpad functionality!

[E TwentyNine]

And don't forget the lack of integrated numpad functionality!

It has integrated numpad functionality.

[E TwentyNine]

about the controller, I think a normal model M controller will work. I haven't looked at an ssk matrix in depth though. You wont get the embedded numpad, but you won`'t have had that anyway.

about the sdl: I cant see the pins at all (wrong angle). All I see are the the retention springs that help to hold the connector in place. There's a decent chance it's normal PS/2.

The matrix for the SSK is the same as one for a fullsize M as if you had chopped off the numpad and reconnected the cut traces.

Doesn't matter in this case though as this is the standard SDL connector and standard SSK controller inside.

[vivalarevolución]

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/electronics-recycling/22291-old-ibm-keyboards.html

Aha, aha, ahahahahahaha...

"Heres the one that got saved... Lets see what happens all"

XD

These are the guys disassembling the SSKs, tossing the plastics in the recycling bin, and scraping the traces off of the mylar sheets for recovery.

That thread is hilarious.  Those guys had no idea what they were getting into.

[EverythingIBM]

And don't forget the lack of integrated numpad functionality!

It has integrated numpad functionality.

I don't believe it does. This SSK I have right now lacks the numpad characters and I was told the numpad features didn't work. Like that industrial one, this SSK was also meant for some alternative terminal junk.

[litster]

It depends.  The numpad feature is all in the controller.  If you have the right controller in it, it will work. 

I have a couple of SSKs that have custom keycaps on them and the numpad feature still works on them even though some of the caps are replaced with custom caps and don't have the numpad numbers printed on them.  I also have another SSK that has a controller from a full size Model M, and that SSK doesn't have the numpad feature as expected.

The auction winner will be able to tell us :-).

[E TwentyNine]

And don't forget the lack of integrated numpad functionality!

It has integrated numpad functionality.

I don't believe it does. This SSK I have right now lacks the numpad characters and I was told the numpad features didn't work. Like that industrial one, this SSK was also meant for some alternative terminal junk.

According to clickykeyboards it does: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9523/subcatid/0/id/169994

What's the model on the SSK you have?  Have you tried the shift+scroll lock on your keyboard to see if it activates the embedded numpad?

[EverythingIBM]

And don't forget the lack of integrated numpad functionality!

It has integrated numpad functionality.

I don't believe it does. This SSK I have right now lacks the numpad characters and I was told the numpad features didn't work. Like that industrial one, this SSK was also meant for some alternative terminal junk.

According to clickykeyboards it does: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9523/subcatid/0/id/169994

What's the model on the SSK you have?  Have you tried the shift+scroll lock on your keyboard to see if it activates the embedded numpad?

Yeah I tried, doesn't work.
Part 1394540
ID 5033919

[E TwentyNine]

What's the model on the SSK you have?  Have you tried the shift+scroll lock on your keyboard to see if it activates the embedded numpad?

Yeah I tried, doesn't work.
Part 1394540
ID 5033919

1394540 is not an SSK part number, it's a RS/6000 keyboard;  Link

You didn't happen to get that keyboard from Kishy did you?

[EverythingIBM]

Okay before someone calls me a nutter, this is the weird brian o'neil special. I guess he really did swap on a regular M badge to this weird SSK?
Anyways, he probably threw in a regular controller too, I never bothered to analyze it closely.

[EverythingIBM]

What's the model on the SSK you have?  Have you tried the shift+scroll lock on your keyboard to see if it activates the embedded numpad?

Yeah I tried, doesn't work.
Part 1394540
ID 5033919

1394540 is not an SSK part number, it's a RS/6000 keyboard;  Link

You didn't happen to get that keyboard from Kishy did you?

Yep that would be the one
I still have to get around to bolt modding it and removing the epoxy.