IBM Space Saver - NIB

[Dirty Bint]

There is an IBM Space Saver (NIB) currently listed on eBay USA. It looks a very clean example and the vendor is stating that it is "Collector Grade"

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-Model-M-Space-Saver-Clicky-Keyboard-NIB-/180495742132?cmd=ViewItem&pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item2a066274b4

Has anyone bought from the vendor? I am possibly thinking of bidding with a view to shipment to the UK.


Thx
Dirty Bint

[iMav]

Already over $200.

[phototristan]

Can't believe these prices. You can get a perfectly good used one for less than $100.!

In fact, the one I just got and cleaned up was less than $40. at a local surplus place.

Granted, it took me 2.5 hours to get it cleaned to my satisfaction, but now it feels and looks nearly brand new.

[platon]

Can't believe these prices. You can get a perfectly good used one for less than $100.!

In fact, the one I just got and cleaned up was less than $40. at a local surplus place.

Granted, it took me 2.5 hours to get it cleaned to my satisfaction, but now it feels and looks nearly brand new.

Sometimes it is not that easy. There is no local surplus store where i live. I doubt there is a normal model M for sale in a store throughout the whole country.

[skcheng]

Can't believe these prices. You can get a perfectly good used one for less than $100.!

In fact, the one I just got and cleaned up was less than $40. at a local surplus place.

Granted, it took me 2.5 hours to get it cleaned to my satisfaction, but now it feels and looks nearly brand new.

I like the board enough to spring for a NEW one.   And at this point, I've seen a bunch of these in varying quality.   I think you got lucky which is nice.  Some of the boards that I've seen sell for over $100 are actually very dirty and crappy.  Missing keys, worn out springs.  Cracked frames etc....  

2.5 hours for me is worth $100 easily.  I just happen to enjoy cleaning and refurbishing these wonderful keyboards.  As they always say, "one man's junk is another man's treasure".

[J888www]

Has anyone bought from the vendor? I am possibly thinking of bidding with a view to shipment to the UK.

I purchased two from this same seller, they are as described NIB. These do not travel well, the plastic rivets break easily but you can modify them to be even better than original by using Sandy55/Ripster "Nut and Bolt" guides.

If you intend to use the item then do the Mod, if you intend it for your collection then leave it in original NIB state.

Also, the seller is very professional and will not falsify Customs Documentations for Tax evasion purposes, so expect to pay another £50 on Tax duty.

My 1st. NIB was so delightful that I went and got a 2nd, but that's just my own opinion. Whether or not it is worth the cost ? that's your decision.

[kishy]

The nature of the Model M design...in any of the keyboards that use it with any combination of gadgets attached or number of keys...is such that even NIB will have a high probability of having at least some broken rivets.

The stress of simply EXISTING causes them to break, whether the board has been typed on or not.

Consequently, it seems to someone like myself who recognizes this fact that "NIB" should really not increase the value too much on these keyboards, where it should and would increase the value on others. The fact is a Model M just won't stay "new".

[TexasFlood]

Nice asshat you're wearing there.

I thought you said ass clown for a moment there, had an office space flashback I guess.

[kishy]

Well, as they (I) like to say, theory isn't everything.

Then we have my beat-to-death ex-school unit with consistent spring feel and only one missing rivet...

There are more variables at play than just NIB/non-NIB. The fact is that the Model M construction technique is of "questionable goodness" so NIB doesn't guarantee it'll even have a usable number of rivets left. Certainly, NIB is more likely to be in good shape than obviously abused, but the way some of you people talk, you act like it's a guarantee.

Consider that NIB can, without dishonesty of any sort, include "dropped off a third floor balcony before it was given to us to sell".

[kishy]

Doesn't stop me paying $76 for two.

[didjamatic]

When it comes to collectibles, MOP/NIB/NSIB/MINT... whatever you want to call it is in a league of it's own above opened models, regardless of condition.  If you're merely looking to use it, then you probably don't care.  But finding something vintage in the original package is rare and frequently gets several times the price of opened clean models.

[skcheng]

Yup.  And there's nothing like buying a NIB 20 yr. old keyboard to keep sealed in the box sitting on the shelf forever  :-))

[kishy]

What? That's an extra feature. Noise padding, don'tcha know?

[itlnstln]

THAT's how you list a keyboard.

[trievalot]

where are the rivets?

[itlnstln]

You can see them on the underside of the "guts."  That would be a good pic to add to the listing.

[iMav]

where are the rivets?

The "money shot" is missing.  That's the one pick I'd really care about (the underside).

[kishy]

I'd like to ask him just to be able to show you the response...

[ch_123]

The "money shot" is missing.  That's the one pick I'd really care about (the underside).

Usually BON does the epoxy resin trick on broken rivets.

One thing to bear in mind when reading BON's listings is to pay attention not to what he says, but what he doesn't say. For example, some will say "Great spring tension", and the ones that presumably don't will not say anything. He'll have close in shots of the keys if the keyboard is in good condition, but will omit these (particularly with Black M13) if they have wear or tear. There are other example of this, but these are the most pertinent ones.

[skcheng]

So I'm a little confused.  Do the members of this forum like or dislike BON??  I'm getting some mixed signals here.  I just picked up a Model AT F and Brian emailed me and told me that he would have loved to keep the board since it's in MINT condition??

[ch_123]

There are some people here who don't like him for various reasons. People who've actually bought things from him (like myself) usually have nothing but praise for him...

[J888www]

I like BON BON.

Always had a sweet tooth, but family was too poor when I was a child to afford treats, it has given me a perpetual yearning for Bon Bon.

[ricercar]

Kishy has an obligation to dis any vendor who's displeased him, once, in each thread in which that vendor is mentioned. It's a Kishy thing.

I'm so glad I didn't **** up when I had him ship a dead keyboard to me. I'd never be able to taunt him if he was really mad at me.

[ricercar]

Maybe Kishy sent Comptek2wk email that was never returned. Or maybe it was answered "I wont' sell to you if you're gonna mod my precious keyboard."

[J888www]

Maybe Kishy sent Comptek2wk email that was never returned. Or maybe it was answered "I wont' sell to you if you're gonna mod my precious keyboard."

Or maybe Trixie replied:- "I will not falsify the Customs Tax Form so you can evade your Tax Duty for my already inexpensive keyboard".

Whereas a certain ncRoy would write {Old Keyboard $25 US}, which is a great help for those who have never sucked a Silver Spoon.

[ricercar]

Damn, I lost my silver spoon; it's somewhere in my yacht.

[itlnstln]

No, I think you left it in the Bentley.

[kishy]

When did I rag on who?!?

I fear there's been a corruption of reality in this thread (but then, it is geekhack...)

It's one thing to sell an item as broken or incomplete and be completely up front about it, while providing at least decent communication in the process...another to respond to prospective customers (alright, customer, if I truly am an isolated incident) rudely.

(on a substantially more serious note, ricercar, it's my impression you had nothing but good thoughts after that transaction)

[ricercar]

I'm teasing kishy. You're one of my favorites.

My transaction with kishy was one of the smoothest evah. He gave me stuff for the price of shipping, and then got all worried and apologetic when I discovered they were not precisely exactly what he said they were.

HEY! Almost back on thread: this is my first post on my new used IBM Model M Space Saving keyboard. Love it. Significantly more fun than the full-sized Ms I've owned. Probably do some pre-emptive bolt mod this weekend.

[skcheng]

Is that a record high??   That's really expensive for a sawed off Model M  )))