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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: onmybikedrunk on Mon, 12 December 2016, 15:16:24
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So I just got this in the mail today... I got lucky. I am in contact with a vintage tech blogger who let me know that someone in Finland had emailed him about converting this for modern-day PC use. Luckily for me, the blogger told this guy it wasn't gonna happen. He then forwarded his info to me, I made an offer and it was excepted - I got a really good deal. Two weeks later I have this beauty.
Unbeknownst to me at the time of purchase, it is NOS. This thing still has the protective plastic on it and he shipped it to me in the original box!! If I would have known he had the original packaging I would have made sure that he double-boxed it. I've also never seen an SE (actually it's FI - same thing) version of this before. It even came with extra caps! The pics he originally sent me were of very poor quality and it appeared as if it had quite a bit of wear and tear. This is certainly not the case - the o-rings on the stems look like they just came out of the factory. Unfortunately during this guy's quest to make it work with PC he had cut part of the cable housing away to reveal the insulation. He did include the piece he cut away thankfully, so maybe it can be somewhat repaired.
I was planning on stripping the switches and replacing them with normal vintage blacks, but now... now I don't know. It sucks because I had plans for these switches and I'm not sure if I have the heart to tear it down. I guess my take on it is this, as long as it's reassembled with the correct era vintage blacks it's ok to take the original switches. There is no way I'm going to convert this for use with a modern PC so I'd argue the switches should be enjoyed rather than sit on a shelf. A lot of vintage collectors will strongly disagree with this though. Opinions? It is pristine. The pics just don't do it justice. Anyway, enough rambling, pardon the cell pics, I'm not a photographer and don't own a nice camera. See below:
(http://i.imgur.com/WdQ3Ol8.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/SIsi3Xz.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/oGA5fnR.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/K0bHLzB.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/JRKu4LW.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/YpC9nY0.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/3AKfkLh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/zu5C171.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/iVd4xFy.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/8bm2Psw.jpg)
From my excitement, I felt the need to document this. I hope you guys enjoy the pics.
Full Imgur Post (http://imgur.com/gallery/Do0JV) (no other pics)
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I've only ever seen this board beat up. I never realized how great those keycaps looked
These pictures are fantastic, thanks for sharing
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:eek: :eek: :eek:
You are SUPER LUCKY!
It's a very beautiful board in a pristine condition.
I always wonder what kind of boards do the buyers of Nixies use them to build. Are those yet some other flashy blinky boards?
Converting vintage things for modern day use is not easy, it takes effort of engineers who can do some reverse-engineering. Obviously a form of investment.
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Wow! This is great! Those caps are fabulous.
The question is: how do NOS Nixies feel, compared to vintage blacks? With all the ruckus about vintage blacks vs modern blacks going on in Haata's thread, It'd be interesting to see how these fare.
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Compared to vintage blacks I have on hand there is a definite improvement. Do I think that paying $5-$7 a switch for Nixies is justified? I don't think so... Maybe more of a collectors item than anything. However, they are incredibly smooth with very little wobble. The caps are also gorgeous, no doubt. I've never seen one in this good of shape either, you can imagine my shock when I opened the box.
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Ooooh fancy!
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Very tasty!
Are the keycaps doubleshots or laser engraved with black infill?
I've seen both ... seems to be pretty random...
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Doubleshots! :thumb:
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Oh ****, that's quite a wow right there. These are pretty fantastic boards, but as mentioned before, these always turn up really beat up for some reason. Noice!
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Oh ****, that's quite a wow right there. These are pretty fantastic boards, but as mentioned before, these always turn up really beat up for some reason. Noice!
Thanks man... Love your videos! Keep em coming...
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Oh ****, that's quite a wow right there. These are pretty fantastic boards, but as mentioned before, these always turn up really beat up for some reason. Noice!
Thanks man... Love your videos! Keep em coming...
Glad you like the videos :) . I did one on one of these, actually:
It's a cool board, and I really liked doing the video on it, but it's pretty beat-up, as usual. Still got a key though! :D
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I've seen it before! I really loved the nuclear launch-code theme! It's funny because you have a very reassuring voice and to be talking about a nuclear holocaust it was just ironic. No key/lock with mine unfortunately - that would have just set it over the top. Yeah I really enjoy them and have learned a lot about classic keyboards I would have never known otherwise.
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So the nixie white for the spacebar is linear, not clicky? That has to be about the most obscure Cherry switch in existence.
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Yeah it is... There was a dude on DT that had like half a 60% keyboard plate full of them. That's a lot of Softkeys boards! His goal was to fill the whole thing. Not sure if he ever did it tho...
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Congrats man! This keyboard is a thing of beauty for sure! I actually had 2 Nixdorf keyboards that looked very similar to your. They were the only Softkeys keyboards with the Siemens logo that I had seen up until now.
I had the same excitement like you when I first got them. Took dozens of pics and posted them over at DT :D, you can see them here: http://imgur.com/a/Mcdrd
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In case anyone is looking for a new Nixdorf life goal:
https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/nixdorf-ct11-t14322.html (https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/nixdorf-ct11-t14322.html)
Plate mounted Nixies! TINY RICK!!!
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In case anyone is looking for a new Nixdorf life goal:
https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/nixdorf-ct11-t14322.html (https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/nixdorf-ct11-t14322.html)
Plate mounted Nixies! TINY RICK!!!
Talking about life goals, you can always assemble all your upcoming customs with plate mounted Nixies... Do it!
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Dang, those keycaps are amazing.
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Need some of these Nixies. Why do they have to be so hard to find.
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Need some of these Nixies. Why do they have to be so hard to find.
Stay away from this board! No-one's taking that board apart! D;
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Here's a few more pics of the switches... When I first purchased it I thought I was gonna have to give them a bath, guess not! Also, talked to the guy about the history. He found it in a closed down shoe factory in Finland "behind a door that hadn't been opened in over 20 years".
(http://i.imgur.com/6DlyiXa.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Rg0sowR.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/3XVGBUT.jpg)
I had the same excitement like you when I first got them. Took dozens of pics and posted them over at DT :D, you can see them here: http://imgur.com/a/Mcdrd
I'm pretty sure I've seen these before... I'm a little obsessed with these boards. Great photos! I need to get a DSLR.
In case anyone is looking for a new Nixdorf life goal:
https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/nixdorf-ct11-t14322.html (https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/nixdorf-ct11-t14322.html)
Plate mounted Nixies! TINY RICK!!!
I love the CT11... There's only 2 known right?
What about this guy? (https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/i-heard-you-guys-like-nixies-d-t15252.html) Found 16 of these bad boys in his dad's office warehouse!
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Holy cow, my heart leapt up as soon as I behold this Nixie.
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Here's a few more pics of the switches... When I first purchased it I thought I was gonna have to give them a bath, guess not! Also, talked to the guy about the history. He found it in a closed down shoe factory in Finland "behind a door that hadn't been opened in over 20 years". ......
20 years...
Hope in the same room, the Finnish who rediscovered this board also found some 20+ years aged rotten fish Scandinavian delicacy which can be more useful to them.
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Wow!! That is nice.
If you really want nixies I'll give you nixies + cash for that board if it comes to that.
If I were you I would keep it. The offer is there only if you need it.