Hi, Everyone.
This is my first post, as I only recently discovered this forum.
I've received from clickykeyboards.com today a 1988 MMSS and it had some key return issues. F4 and F11--somewhat important keys!--would intermittently stick to the point it was intolerable. The rest of the keys on the 'board feel better than any of my other nine model Ms of various types, so I informed Mr. Ermita I was determined to repair and keep this keyboard. :lol:
He suggested swapping key stems with Print Screen and Pause, which I did, and it made no difference: the keys still stuck intermittently. He then suggested washing the interior of the key stems in warm, soapy water to dislodge any potential gunk, which I did; again, no difference: the keys still stick! I replied to Mr. Ermita a third time, and followed his final suggestion of a minute amount of lubricant, e.g., WD-40, which I gently applied to the inside of the offending key switches. Like others here, I inspected the packaging, inner springs and other keys and found no other defects, so I was quite flustered and at a loss as to what to do with this enigmatic (but wonderful) piece of hardware. I applied the WD-40, wiped away small amounts of excess lubricant, reattached the key stems, and pressed each key 100 times; neither of them stuck once.
I gleefully informed Mr. Ermita that the WD-40 seemed to solve my problem, but that I would continue to bang on the keyboard over the holidays and get back to him re: keeping the keyboard. He did inform me that he is at the end of his supply of MMSS's, and that procuring one that is suitable for sale is increasingly difficult--this situation may account for his price increases that others have mentioned.
I hope my account helps others who may have trouble with their boards. For reference, this is the tenth product I've purchased from Mr. Ermita/clickykeyboards.com and the first issue I've ever had with any of them. Mr. Ermita himself, as some may know, is also quite customer-friendly and affable. I'd recommend him if you're not willing to chance whatever garbage some ebay seller may try to foist upon you (if you can justify to yourself the slightly inflated prices Mr. Ermita charges; I saw it thus: the keyboard is my most often used component and is essential to me, so I'll pay a bit more and know I've a reasonably good product and a real return policy should anything bad happen along the way).
Cheers,
~rnak92a