Author Topic: Which Model M?  (Read 4989 times)

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Offline Belfong

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Which Model M?
« on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 05:25:33 »
So, I have also been on a quest to try the ultimate in mechanical keyboard and send words out in the streets and a couple came back with these model M (are they even Model M?, Deskthority wiki think so):
Partno 82G2383 (clearly labelled Model M behind) - date is 16 Mar 94
Partno 42H1292 - date is 25-2-97
Partno 1394540 (also clearly labelled Model M) - date is 6 Mar 92

Which should I consider. All of them are missing one or two key caps. They are dirty, the 1394540 being the 'cleanest'. I am not sure how functional are these. All have PS/2 except 1394540 which has a PS/2 like thingy but is attached to the keyboard via a detachable cable. The detachable cable doesn't look like you can find them anywhere.

Thanks!
 

Offline rowdy

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 06:07:40 »
I'll let someone more knowledgable advise which one to get, but will note that the detachable cable is an SDL cable, and you can get SDL to USB cable here: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270955553909?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D270955553909%26_rdc%3D1

That cable is highly recommended by quite a few people around here, including me who uses one to connect a Model M to a Mac.
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

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Offline snoopy

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 06:30:25 »
I'll let someone more knowledgable advise which one to get, but will note that the detachable cable is an SDL cable, and you can get SDL to USB cable here: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270955553909?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D270955553909%26_rdc%3D1

That cable is highly recommended by quite a few people around here, including me who uses one to connect a Model M to a Mac.

do the leds on your model m work with that cable connected to your mac? I use the bluecube adapter in combination with the original sdl cable and the leds dont work when connected to my mac. they only light up once when I connect it.

Offline Belfong

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 06:32:27 »
Will such old keyboard work via USB? That would be great then but I suppose no NKRO.
 

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 06:50:55 »
Orihalcon's USB cables work well but the Model M has only 2KRO.

I would recommend a 139xxxx over the later models, but I like the older ones in general.

If you do not mind taking them apart, they are easy to clean and rehabilitate.
"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline Findecanor

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 06:57:47 »
You can buy only one of them? ... Otherwise mix and match keycaps to get a full set, choose the assembly with the most plastic rivets intact and the controller with detachable cable.
🍉

Offline Belfong

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 07:31:51 »
Yeah I can only buy one. Because of the costs and because I won't know what to do with so many, otherwise. Resell them? Ha ha.
 

Offline 1391406

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 07:54:34 »
I'd go for the 1394540. It's the earliest M listed and, unlike almost every other Model M, has an integrated speaker.
Unicomp Classic | Chicony KB-5181 (Monterey Blues) | IBM Model M (1391401) | IBM XT Model F | IBM AT Model F | Dell AT101W | 122-key IBM Model F
IBM Model M13 | Apple Extended Keyboard | Apple Extended Keyboard II | MTEK K104 | NTC KB-6251/2 | Realforce 87U | Realforce 104U | Type Heaven

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 08:03:34 »
Yeah I can only buy one. Because of the costs and because I won't know what to do with so many, otherwise. Resell them? Ha ha.

At some point you realize that it is worth having a parts donor. Unicomp and clickykeyboards sell sets of keycaps for $30. At that price point, it often makes sense to buy a whole keyboard to harvest caps and other parts from.
"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline TimIsABat

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 08:13:31 »
Crystals yo
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Offline Belfong

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 09:01:24 »
That's a good point foghast. Thing is, if I were to buy all 3 I might as well clean, then resell them to buy the newer key cap set from Unicomp. But the base cost is quite high for me to afford all 3.

How rare are these?

And cleaning them should be easy right. Do I have to unplug both layers of the keys? There are two layers for every key, which was a good way to change key cap, I suppose.
 

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 09:16:10 »
then resell them to buy the newer key cap set from Unicomp.

Do I have to unplug both layers of the keys? There are two layers for every key, which was a good way to change key cap, I suppose.

Keys are easily removed, separated, and cleaned.

You may not be able to get the same $30 that the established stores charge, and many people consider the old IBM caps to be superior to Unicomp's.

Unicomp has a dazzling array of color choices, etc, but if you want more than a small handful of "accent" keys they get very pricey in a hurry.

clickykeyboards sells old reclaimed stock.

Buying 3 keyboards might be a good way to get 2 that you really like, perhaps one to mod and decorate, and one to keep stock.

Sell off the 3rd at a low price, perhaps missing caps, to recoup some of your costs.
"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline 1391406

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 12:08:12 »
the base cost is quite high for me to afford all 3.

What are they asking for all three?

Unicomp Classic | Chicony KB-5181 (Monterey Blues) | IBM Model M (1391401) | IBM XT Model F | IBM AT Model F | Dell AT101W | 122-key IBM Model F
IBM Model M13 | Apple Extended Keyboard | Apple Extended Keyboard II | MTEK K104 | NTC KB-6251/2 | Realforce 87U | Realforce 104U | Type Heaven

Offline 1391406

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #13 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 12:10:53 »
Unicomp Classic | Chicony KB-5181 (Monterey Blues) | IBM Model M (1391401) | IBM XT Model F | IBM AT Model F | Dell AT101W | 122-key IBM Model F
IBM Model M13 | Apple Extended Keyboard | Apple Extended Keyboard II | MTEK K104 | NTC KB-6251/2 | Realforce 87U | Realforce 104U | Type Heaven

Offline rowdy

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #14 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 17:13:25 »
I'll let someone more knowledgable advise which one to get, but will note that the detachable cable is an SDL cable, and you can get SDL to USB cable here: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270955553909?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D270955553909%26_rdc%3D1

That cable is highly recommended by quite a few people around here, including me who uses one to connect a Model M to a Mac.

do the leds on your model m work with that cable connected to your mac? I use the bluecube adapter in combination with the original sdl cable and the leds dont work when connected to my mac. they only light up once when I connect it.

Caps Lock LED - definitely.

Num Lock - nope, as the Mac does not have num lock functionality.

Scroll Lock - can't remember, but probably not - no equivalent Mac functionality.

All LEDs work when the keyboard is connected to a Windows-based PC.
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

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Offline Belfong

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 19:26:27 »

the base cost is quite high for me to afford all 3.

What are they asking for all three?
It's from two different sellers. They are asking around $70-$80. Is that a fair price?

Since I have to do some cleaning, any special chemical I should use or just warm water and soap?

 

Offline fohat.digs

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« Last Edit: Mon, 23 September 2013, 20:36:39 by fohat.digs »
"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline vivalarevolución

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #17 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 20:43:23 »
All of the above.  Except the rubber domes that look like Model M's
Wish I had some gif or quote for this space, but I got nothing

Offline 1391406

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #18 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 20:57:08 »
Since I have to do some cleaning, any special chemical I should use or just warm water and soap?

You can use water, but some stains aren't water soluble(eg. ink). Some people recommend detergent, however I prefer alcohol, although I wouldn't use it on labels that aren't laminated. After I open the case, I use compressed air to blow out any debris.
Unicomp Classic | Chicony KB-5181 (Monterey Blues) | IBM Model M (1391401) | IBM XT Model F | IBM AT Model F | Dell AT101W | 122-key IBM Model F
IBM Model M13 | Apple Extended Keyboard | Apple Extended Keyboard II | MTEK K104 | NTC KB-6251/2 | Realforce 87U | Realforce 104U | Type Heaven

Offline Belfong

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #19 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 21:40:39 »
$70-80 for 3 is a good price. For 1 it is not. You could get a new Unicomp for that.

It looks to me like the going price on ebay for a good used 1391401 is $40-50 + shipping.
What do you mean for 1 it is not - do you mean that the 13xxx is not worth $70?

Thanks for the ebay links!! I can use that to negotiate; much much appreciated!


Edit: I get it .. you mean $80 for all 3 keyboards.
Unfortunately no; the sellers are asking $70 each. So I will use the ebay links to negotiate. Of course, I am in Malaysia, in which Model M is relatively rarer, so the seller has an edge!
« Last Edit: Mon, 23 September 2013, 22:45:43 by Belfong »
 

Offline ch_123

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #20 on: Tue, 24 September 2013, 03:40:50 »
I'd go for the '4540 because it's unique (they're not exactly rare, but they're less common than the run of the mill Ms)

Offline dorkvader

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #21 on: Tue, 24 September 2013, 09:24:53 »
I'd go for the '4540 because it's unique (they're not exactly rare, but they're less common than the run of the mill Ms)

I agree, and the older model lexmark keyboards are really quite good. I have a beige label lexmark 1391401 from 6-11-92 (lexmark branding only exists on the controller) and I find it of acceptable quality when compared with my much older 1390120.

That said, $70 is maybe a little high for a model M. You can get them commonly for much less in the USA, though internationally they are less common, and often $70 is a good price.

Offline Belfong

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #22 on: Wed, 25 September 2013, 06:38:40 »
I'm embarrassed to admit that I bought the Code when it was available yesterday just because I have a feeling I will like Clear and because it's so hard to grab one; yesterday was like a chance in a lifetime. As such I have way, way overspent and will not be able to afford these Model M, which now seemed so easy to obtain. Alas!!
 

Offline snoopy

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #23 on: Wed, 25 September 2013, 08:43:05 »
decided to buy a crappy mx board instead of a Model M? - bad decision... But you're new... so its ok to learn it the "normal" way... ;)

Offline Belfong

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #24 on: Wed, 25 September 2013, 09:13:31 »
LOL.. I may be new to GH and new to collecting keyboard but I am not new to mech keyboard. Have used the Model M for 5 years, 20 year ago in my first job. But I know how noisy and clumsy it will be in my quiet PC room.
 

Offline rowie

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #25 on: Wed, 25 September 2013, 13:39:56 »
Interesting to hear that they are "clumsy" to you since I feel it would be my fingers that would be clumsy instead of the keys. I do however regret getting a model m2 keyboard because they are known to have capacitor problems, and yes it is true I had to replace the capacitors two times so I moved on to a silver label model m which is expected to arrive today.  :thumb:

Offline rowie

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #26 on: Wed, 25 September 2013, 13:42:50 »
I'm embarrassed to admit that I bought the Code when it was available yesterday just because I have a feeling I will like Clear and because it's so hard to grab one; yesterday was like a chance in a lifetime. As such I have way, way overspent and will not be able to afford these Model M, which now seemed so easy to obtain. Alas!!

I am also tempted to get a clear switch, but I think what is first on my wishlist is a Ducky Shine 3 in either blue or green switch.  ;D

Offline Belfong

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #27 on: Wed, 25 September 2013, 19:31:16 »
By clumsy I meant the size of the whole keyboard, not the keys. I love them. Just that in this modern era of tight and clean workspace, having a model M would be so out of place.
 

Offline rowie

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Re: Which Model M?
« Reply #28 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 18:35:52 »
I suppose aesthetically it will vary on an individual case. Here I was poking fun at the Ducky Mini and now i'm considering getting one just so that I can have that ultra "modern" look and ultimate in spacesaver. However, when I am at home in my own office I go back to my reliable model M keyboard. Can I say I retired my model M2 keyboard and I now love typing on the silver label. It's like typing on a bouncy gymnastic spring floor. Still, i'll probably rotate using keyboards knowing me since I don't think I can just settle using just one type thanks to this forum. ;D