Author Topic: Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!  (Read 16607 times)

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Offline ricercar

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #50 on: Sun, 26 June 2011, 22:18:44 »
Quote from: Bryan_twizzle;368580
How would you like them shipped? I always put insurance on them.

UPS Ground is the only error free delivery service in my experience. So far.
I trolled Geekhack and all I got was an eponymous SPOS.

Offline False_Dmitry_II

  • Posts: 1107
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #51 on: Mon, 27 June 2011, 03:37:46 »
lol, ups.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin (11 Nov. 1755)

Offline False_Dmitry_II

  • Posts: 1107
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #52 on: Mon, 27 June 2011, 03:39:34 »
lol, ups

Somewhere in their micetype I read one time it said something along the lines of "all packages subject to at least 6 foot drops"
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin (11 Nov. 1755)

Offline MissileMike

  • Posts: 280
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #53 on: Mon, 27 June 2011, 06:16:08 »
I once sent an M13 to another member here USPS, and they managed to punch a hole in the case.  Do you realize the amount of impact required to do that to a Model M keyboard!?!  I think it would take a hammer and a screwdriver to do it.
BS: 5 Space Savers  ||  9 42H  ||  10 1391401 or similar  ||  1x 1390131  || AT&T 305b  ||  Dell Model M
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Offline didjamatic

  • Posts: 1352
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #54 on: Mon, 27 June 2011, 07:25:55 »
I sent this thinkpad to someone in the middle east and it arrived with the whole freaking corner busted off and the rest of it looked like it had been sledgehammered... and the box was fine.

The taliban prob found the porn on the laptop and after wacking off for a few days, used it to flog an infidel.
IBM F :: IBM M :: Northgate :: Cherry G80 :: Realforce :: DAS 4

Offline Mazora

  • Posts: 252
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #55 on: Mon, 27 June 2011, 16:24:17 »
is comptek2wk actually selling a spacesaver every 2weeks?
HHKB Pro 2: black case white keys
Filco Masjestouch v2 / MX-Reds / hard lending pads /Dye-sub keycaps
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Offline Bryan_twizzle

  • Posts: 7
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #56 on: Mon, 27 June 2011, 20:42:16 »
Quote from: MissileMike;368784
I once sent an M13 to another member here USPS, and they managed to punch a hole in the case.  Do you realize the amount of impact required to do that to a Model M keyboard!?!  I think it would take a hammer and a screwdriver to do it.


OMG!!! Are you serious?? That's insane!!! I know I'm definitely shipping UPS with insurance.

Offline Bryan_twizzle

  • Posts: 7
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #57 on: Tue, 28 June 2011, 17:59:37 »
Quote from: acfrazier;369557
I've seen worse. Far, far worse. For example, one time I had ordered a bunch of IBM Model F terminal keyboards. These things are from '84 and '85, so they are brittle. When I got them? Cases annihilated. And they were packed decently. Internally they were fine because they're metal. But those cases are irreplaceable as Unicomp does not make them anymore. Same with an SSK case if yours were to get owned.

Oh, and if you are shipping with UPS/insured be prepared to pay $12 per hundred dollars at the UPS store.

That's wild! Actually they only charged me $1.25 per one hundred for insurance.

Offline Bryan_twizzle

  • Posts: 7
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #58 on: Tue, 28 June 2011, 19:46:30 »
Quote from: acfrazier;369674
Hm, thought it was $12.. perhaps they overcharged me. Will have to ring them on that.

Sure thing. When you said $12, I was like, "Whoah!"

Offline Tennobanzai

  • Posts: 109
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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #59 on: Tue, 28 June 2011, 19:57:42 »
Thanks, got the packing slip email!

Offline Bryan_twizzle

  • Posts: 7
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #60 on: Tue, 28 June 2011, 20:01:31 »
Quote from: Tennobanzai;369709
Thanks, got the packing slip email!

Your very welcome!!

Offline False_Dmitry_II

  • Posts: 1107
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #61 on: Tue, 28 June 2011, 22:37:45 »
I think as long as you pay for insurance or at least tracking they'll at least to halfass get it there intact, no matter the carrier. If you send something untracked and uninsured I fully expect it to either never make it or not make it in one piece.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin (11 Nov. 1755)

Offline Bryan_twizzle

  • Posts: 7
Have to keep the inside of the keyboards clean too!
« Reply #62 on: Wed, 29 June 2011, 20:23:23 »
Here is an example of how clean the keyboards are that I sell.
[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 19869[/ATTACH]

Other than the dust you can see in the photo, lol.

I like to take all the keys off and clean underneath and clean each key individually.
I found a few more keyboards and I have one person interested in one of them.
« Last Edit: Wed, 29 June 2011, 20:27:22 by Bryan_twizzle »

Offline Bryan_twizzle

  • Posts: 7
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #63 on: Sat, 23 July 2011, 19:33:25 »
It seems to me that the IBM Space Saver Keyboard is presently losing it's value due to so many people having them right now.

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #64 on: Sat, 23 July 2011, 21:53:49 »
Yes, it looks like the market for SSKs is saturated at the moment.  The two of yours that just ended sold for $80.33 and $86 for used boards in working condition.  I think that's a new low in recent history of eBay auctions.  Then there were two problem SSKs sold by a different seller earlier in the day, selling for $66 and $82.62.  Also record lows for recent auctions of problem SSK on eBay.  Then a third seller had one on eBay which sold today for $163.50, plus another from the same seller a used SSK in the original box which went for $200, both of which were the exceptions to the extreme downward trend.  Both of those were originally purchased from Clickykeyboards, as referenced by the serial numbers.  The one without the box had the very low serial number, 2000010, which I'm guessing means it's the 10th production SSK made of that particular model.

Then there's a NIB SSK ending in less than 24 hours, which will naturally go for significantly more.

Seems there's a real glut of SSKs for sale these days, meaning probably most who have been looking for an SSK have had a chance to get one by now, unless their budget is extremely limited.  So I'd expect prices to remain depressed until the supply dries up a bit and some new buyers enter the market.

Offline litster

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #65 on: Sat, 23 July 2011, 23:48:08 »
Very good analysis, Sam.

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #66 on: Sun, 24 July 2011, 00:18:03 »
Also worth noting that there were six SSK auctions all ending on the same day.  I think that's a new record.  Plus two other SSKs auctions ending soon.  Fairly recently we had another period where there were I think eight SSKs up for auction, the same as today, but I think this is by far the biggest concentration of them ending on a single day.  Combined with it being summer in the northern hemisphere, and many people are away on vacation, it was a real buyer's market.

Offline sordna

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #67 on: Sun, 24 July 2011, 00:20:08 »
Quote from: Bryan_twizzle;386026
It seems to me that the IBM Space Saver Keyboard is presently losing it's value due to so many people having them right now.

Why are you selling multiple ones at the same time, and why set the starting price at under $100?
It seems you are shooting yourself in the foot...
Kinesis Contoured Advantage & Advantage2 LF with Cherry MX Red switches / Extra keys mod / O-ring dampening mod / Dvorak layout. ErgoDox with buzzer and LED mod.
Also: Kinesis Advantage Classic, Kinesis Advantage2, Data911 TG3, Fingerworks Touchstream LP, IBM SSK (Buckling spring), Goldtouch GTU-0077 keyboard

Offline Sam

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #68 on: Sun, 24 July 2011, 00:41:21 »
I disagree with starting the auction at $100.  I think that would have generated even less interest, and they might possibly not have even sold at all.  If they ended up selling for under $100, then obviously nobody, except possibly the winning bidder, was willing to pay even $100.  So if they were listed for $100, they would have either sold for exactly that amount, or not sold at all.  In my opinion, history shows again and again that starting an auction too high has a negative effect on generating interest.  That said though, there wasn't a whole lot of interest in these period.  I think it was up until the last hour that one of them still only had about $1 bid on it.

Prior to these, the lowest prices on eBay auctions for used SSKs this month were $131, $121, and $107.50.  So there was already a definite downward trend, being $200-$250 was the going rate just a few months ago.

As for putting two up for sale at the same time, I agree that normally isn't the best tactic if you want to get a higher price.  But there were two other sellers who did the very same thing.  Out of the six SSKs sold today, there were three sellers with two each.

Offline sordna

  • Posts: 2248
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #69 on: Sun, 24 July 2011, 01:13:16 »
Quote from: Sam;386093
I disagree with starting the auction at $100.  I think that would have generated even less interest, and they might possibly not have even sold at all.  If they ended up selling for under $100, then obviously nobody, except possibly the winning bidder, was willing to pay even $100.  So if they were listed for $100, they would have either sold for exactly that amount, or not sold at all.

Well, if you look at it differently, selling at $100 would be better for the seller than $80, and even if they did not sell at all, it might actually be a lot better for the seller (if he waits a bit and sells them during a time the prices go up again).
Bryan has sold several of these at double these prices. I guess it all has to do with whether the seller is interested in a fast sale, or has the luxury to wait things out for a few weeks/months.
Kinesis Contoured Advantage & Advantage2 LF with Cherry MX Red switches / Extra keys mod / O-ring dampening mod / Dvorak layout. ErgoDox with buzzer and LED mod.
Also: Kinesis Advantage Classic, Kinesis Advantage2, Data911 TG3, Fingerworks Touchstream LP, IBM SSK (Buckling spring), Goldtouch GTU-0077 keyboard

Offline False_Dmitry_II

  • Posts: 1107
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #70 on: Sun, 24 July 2011, 03:16:43 »
If he's got any more I'd suggest doing the one every two weeks or so thing.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin (11 Nov. 1755)

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #71 on: Mon, 25 July 2011, 03:11:54 »
Quote from: ripster;386632

Is that why the latest NIB IBM Mini sold for $300?


Those used ones were pretty funky if I remember correctly.  Missing keys and stuff.


NIB and used are two different animals.  I was referring to used SSKs with my comments.  NIB are still quite rare, though the one that just sold went for less than they typically do.

There weren't any missing keys on any of the recent SSKs that sold on eBay that I saw.  The two from Bryan had all the keys, and they all worked.  The two problem ones from sliznike also had all the keys.  But one of them had a non-functioning left control key, while the other had a problem with the keys on the left side generating multiple key codes.  There were several SSKs back around the end of last year I think which had lots of missing keys, but I don't recall off-hand seeing any since then.

Offline Bryan_twizzle

  • Posts: 7
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #72 on: Mon, 25 July 2011, 15:47:13 »
Quote from: sordna;386089
Why are you selling multiple ones at the same time, and why set the starting price at under $100?
It seems you are shooting yourself in the foot...


Yeah that's true. I had promised my wife that I would take her up to Ohio to see her dad for her birthday and I still can't get her up there because of my car payment.

Offline sordna

  • Posts: 2248
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #73 on: Mon, 25 July 2011, 15:56:04 »
Quote from: Bryan_twizzle;386928
Yeah that's true. I had promised my wife that I would take her up to Ohio to see her dad for her birthday and I still can't get her up there because of my car payment.

I think you should try selling a few keyboards here, in the geekhack classifieds section, so you can name your price and avoid surprises.
Kinesis Contoured Advantage & Advantage2 LF with Cherry MX Red switches / Extra keys mod / O-ring dampening mod / Dvorak layout. ErgoDox with buzzer and LED mod.
Also: Kinesis Advantage Classic, Kinesis Advantage2, Data911 TG3, Fingerworks Touchstream LP, IBM SSK (Buckling spring), Goldtouch GTU-0077 keyboard

Offline Bryan_twizzle

  • Posts: 7
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #74 on: Mon, 25 July 2011, 17:06:44 »
Quote from: sordna;386933
I think you should try selling a few keyboards here, in the geekhack classifieds section, so you can name your price and avoid surprises.

That would be a good idea and I use a keyboard testing program called Keyboard Test by a company named Pass Mark to test each keyboard. I also have plenty of new springs and lots of keys.

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #75 on: Mon, 25 July 2011, 18:20:52 »
Quote from: ripster;386783
Seems to me getting over $50 for a nonfunctional keyboard isn't bad.

Well, even if you bought two nonfunctional keyboards for $60 each, and they each had different problems, you ought to be able to easily combine working parts from the two and make a working SSK for $120, plus have a bunch of spare parts for the future.  $120 would have been a good deal up until very recently.

The problem might be something very simple, such as resetting a keycap/spring, a loose connector, etc, in which case you got a pretty good deal.  It might require a bolt-mod, in which case you end up doing a bit of work, but still got a good deal.  Of course if you know nothing about keyboards and how to repair them, then you ought to stay away from purchasing such keyboards.

I personally don't really see that selling a nonfunctional SSK for over $50 "isn't bad" unless the keyboard has multiple problems and is basically completely worthless.

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #76 on: Mon, 25 July 2011, 18:30:10 »
Quote from: sordna;386933
I think you should try selling a few keyboards here, in the geekhack classifieds section, so you can name your price and avoid surprises.

I've been following SSK sales for a while, and during that time the auctions on eBay have almost always brought better prices than on Geekhack.  I'm not 100% sure why that is, but perhaps it's just because eBay just reaches a much larger group of potential buyers.  Also, typically on Geekhack a seller just asks for a certain price (BIN), whereas on eBay an actual auction has much more potential.  However, with the used SSK market in a near freefall lately, I'm not sure if this price differential will still hold true.  You might be able to get more for a board here than on eBay.  Whatever the case, it doesn't hurt to try here first, and if it doesn't sell, then try it on eBay.

Offline litster

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #77 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 14:58:09 »
Maybe the next space saver will be sold at a higher price.  There is currently no space saver that I can find on ebay.  Hasn't been for a few days now.  Well except those M4-1s.

Offline BiNiaRiS

  • Posts: 486
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #78 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 17:31:18 »
Quote from: litster;388898
Maybe the next space saver will be sold at a higher price.  There is currently no space saver that I can find on ebay.  Hasn't been for a few days now.  Well except those M4-1s.

One just ended for $107. The seller did not list it as a space saver though.
Check out my sales thread.

KMAC 2 w/ErgoClears
KBC w/Reds and Cherry doubleshots in imsto\'s case
G80-1800HAU w/ErgoClears
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Offline prd

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #79 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 17:41:39 »
Quote from: BiNiaRiS;388984
One just ended for $107. The seller did not list it as a space saver though.

Have link?


Offline wanabe

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #81 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 18:30:26 »

Offline prd

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #82 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 18:38:52 »
Shall we bet on the price?

Offline dreamingftw

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #83 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 18:39:04 »
I tried to buy the one for 107... was bidding till the last minute too...

Offline prd

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #84 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 18:40:58 »
Quote from: dreamingftw;389016
I tried to buy the one for 107... was bidding till the last minute too...

It was a sniper carnage, as far as I can see. 50. Bang, bang, bang. Bang, bang. 107.
« Last Edit: Thu, 28 July 2011, 18:43:07 by prd »

Offline Sam

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #85 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 19:03:07 »
Given that the same seller just sold a different NIB SSK for $300, my guess is that this one will go for a similar price.  My wild guess is $310.

Offline prd

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #86 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 19:14:38 »
Hehe. I'll risk a guess for 320.

Offline cactux

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #87 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 20:04:02 »
Quote from: wanabe;389012
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320735372490

this one should be cheap


so far more than 100 USD and left more than 9 days. I can tell this guys are kind of stupid
[FS]☠ The temple lol ->HERE<-

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #88 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 20:08:39 »
Only 4 bids and it's already up to $200.  That sure was fast.  Perhaps I underestimated how much this one will go for in the end.

Offline cactux

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #89 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 20:25:45 »
Quote from: Sam;389079
Only 4 bids and it's already up to $200.  That sure was fast.  Perhaps I underestimated how much this one will go for in the end.

These guys  are either rich , they are completely stupid, or they are the typical macho man
« Last Edit: Thu, 28 July 2011, 20:27:50 by cactux »
[FS]☠ The temple lol ->HERE<-

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #90 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 20:39:20 »
I don't see it as being stupid.  If you use your keyboard a lot, it's well worth paying extra to get the keyboard that best suites you.  Let's say that you use your keyboard five days a week.  A NIB keyboard like this will likely last you for well over 10 years, and that's being conservative.  The cost per day would be under 8 cents (USD) in that case.  I know for me I'd certainly pay 8 cents a day to be able to type on the keyboard of my choice.

Offline cactux

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #91 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 20:47:25 »
Quote from: Sam;389090
I don't see it as being stupid.  If you use your keyboard a lot, it's well worth paying extra to get the keyboard that best suites you.  Let's say that you use your keyboard five days a week.  A NIB keyboard like this will likely last you for well over 10 years, and that's being conservative.  The cost per day would be under 8 cents (USD) in that case.  I know for me I'd certainly pay 8 cents a day to be able to type on the keyboard of my choice.

You lost the whole point. I have several keyboards already and I spend a lot of money. My point here is YOU SHALL NEVER START BEADING TO EARLY otherwise the price is going to go high and high. If you have the money to start your biding at 300 USD the first day and if you think that is smart enough be my guest
« Last Edit: Fri, 29 July 2011, 18:57:52 by cactux »
[FS]☠ The temple lol ->HERE<-

Offline Sam

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #92 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 20:55:12 »
You're right, I did miss your point.

Offline TexasFlood

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #93 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 20:56:31 »
Quote from: cactux;389093
You lost the whole point. I have several keyboards already and I spend a lot of money. My point here is YOU SHALL NEVER START BEADING TO EARLY otherwise the price is going to go high and high. If you have to money to start your biding at 300 USD the first day, and you think that is smart enough be my guest
Unless you're the seller, in which case this must be wonderful.  Seems like it's financially better to be an SSK seller than a buyer.  If only I'd known and camped out an the dumpsters of an IBM site at the right time, :wink:

Offline BiNiaRiS

  • Posts: 486
Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #94 on: Fri, 29 July 2011, 01:52:10 »
told my buddy to buy this when i saw it since he's been looking for a nice one in the $150 range:
http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-Clicky-Keyboard-PS2-Model-M-1391472-RARE-Fun-/120756248146?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1da21e52#ht_500wt_1413

I think it was listed for maybe 60min
Check out my sales thread.

KMAC 2 w/ErgoClears
KBC w/Reds and Cherry doubleshots in imsto\'s case
G80-1800HAU w/ErgoClears
Realforce 87UB 55g
KMAC Titanium/Winkeyless (in the mail)

Offline dreamingftw

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #95 on: Sun, 31 July 2011, 22:15:18 »

Offline Sam

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #96 on: Sun, 31 July 2011, 22:52:03 »

Offline Tastybyte

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Model M SSKs are popping out of the woodwork!
« Reply #97 on: Mon, 01 August 2011, 01:43:58 »
Yeah I was watching that one. My rule is I'll spend about 70 total to get one of these. And that is why I will never have one T_T
Keyboards -
Model M (silver logo)
Rosewill RK-9000RE
Apple Aluminium Fullsize keyboard
Logitech G15 v2 <- Selling this off.