Compare prices, policies, and customer reviews of www.clickykeyboards.com
The overall satisfaction based on ResellerRatings algorithm that factors in recency of reviews. (Learn More).
How recently the merchant has reached out to customers.
Customers can change a negative review to positive after a helpful interaction with these merchants.
Positive reviews found most helpful by ResellerRatings users
Critical reviews found most helpful by ResellerRatings users
www.clickykeyboards.com
"So they take IBM model M keyboards one could find on eBay for ~$100, jack up the price 2, 3, or 4x and sell them as "refurbished"... although they don't call it that. Their process involves tearing apart these historic 30+ year-old keyboards, destroying the internal assembly, and installing screws where there used to be plastic rivets. They will do this whether all the original rivets need replaced or not. The keyboards are ostensibly cleaned, and then the reassembled keyboard goes up for sale.
.
The process ClickyKeyboards uses is irreversible... once that internal plastic assembly plate is broken apart, it can never be rebuilt using original (OEM) materials. There's some debate in vintage computing circles as to whether these "screw-modded" keyboards type or sound the same after all this is done to them. I vote no, which is why I have learned to stay away from these destructive methods.
.
The steel backplates on these keyboards sold by ClickyKeyboards are often very rusty, which makes one wonder who their supplier(s) is/are. I mean I live on a sandy/salty beach in Belmar, NJ with outdoor parking, and my car's engine isn't this rusty.
.
There are disciples who nearly worship these keyboards, and sure, I'm a fan, but they really are no better than a good Das Keyboard or even a vintage Zenith Data Systems board. So it makes me wonder what kind of business ClickyKeyboards is in? They're not preservationists (see the aforementioned details about their "refurbish" process). They're not getting these keyboards into the hands of vintage computing aficionados. The best I can see is they're selling these model Ms as "business/industrial" equipment... sort of e-recycling for a very limited market. But again, we're talking keyboards that were produced in the millions upon millions. Model Ms are not exactly rare, and they're certainly not worth the $250 to $450 you will pay ClickyKeyboards for one.
.
So buy your model M on eBay for much cheaper, and if by some twist of fate your keyboard needs to be "screw-modded," there are resources online to show you how to do that. Stop paying the keyboard scalpers. Don't feed the monster."
See how each seller ranks within their respective category. Category rank is computed by comparing the aggregate rating of each merchant with more than 150 reviews.