My newly acquired IBM PS/1 2168-594 came with an accessory box sitting on top of the central unit. Inside was an enclosed section which once lifted revealed the typing device.
The previous owner had customized it with stickers. It did not have that solid feel typical of the model M. The keys were not even clicky. Most importantly it was a 104-key full-sized keyboard.
The model of keyboard I really wanted was a SSK (Space Saving Keyboard). I never use the keypad anyway so it is perfect for the small desk where the PC was going to be placed. I lucked out again and found exactly what I was looking for on eBay. I won the auction and once again started to pray the seller would not put a stamp on the box and ship it as is.
Shipped on December 10, 2024 from Suzka (Japan), the parcel found its way to Sunnyvale (USA) on December 20th.
The package was a work of art, with thick strong adhesives and plenty of padding inside to protect the actual box.
The seller had gone above and beyond by including a letter providing the keyboard's "pedigree".
The brown and blue box will not be to everybody's taste. Personally I love it. They are variants using a blue and white color scheme.
Seeing the date "February 1993" brought a smile to my face. Both the computer and the keyboard had been manufactured the same year.
It is at this point in my 2168 journey that I encountered the love and care of people sharing the same passion as mine. The letter was quite something. The text was inline with the spirit of Christmas.
It was not just a few words. The seller, Patrick, had taken the time to write a kind note and two full pages tracing the keyboard's history.
The love and passion were palpable.
"Screw-Modding" is a practice I was not aware of before I researched the topic of Model M keyboard. It consist in replacing aging plastic rivet (responsible for key ghosting and key not registering[1]). Once again, Epictronics has a pretty good video[2] about it.
Artists sign their work. It was honored to see Patrick had autographed the birth-certificate with the screw-mod date.
Notice how the part number on the birth certificate matches the box.
This Model M does not have soldered cable but instead a SDL (Shielded data link connector[3]) connector. I found it neat.
Not much else to say about this. This keyboard is perfect and I will own it until I die.
| ^ | [1] | https://theretrodev.substack.com/p/ultimate-guide-to-bolt-modding-the |
| ^ | [2] | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojcext1HWq8 |
| ^ | [3] | Shielded data link connector |
