deskthority

Take care when cleaning your IBM keyboard cases. The IBM logo on the metal badge can disappear!

I have an XT that was in excellent shape -- the foam was remarkably well preserved and the barrel plate was almost free of corrosion. However, the case was rather dirty and someone had put self-adhesive velcro on both sides. I immersed the case in a basin of hot water with laundry detergent ("Tide") overnight. This morning to my dismay, while rinsing off the detergent, I saw the IBM logo (the letters "IBM" with "Personal Computer" underneath) break apart and float away. Now all that remains of the badge is the bare metal.
I had mistakenly assumed that the lettering on the badge was etched into the metal. However, it appears to be painted or printed onto the badge, and it is obviously subject to removal by harsh detergents.

Therefore, for those of you who did not know this before about IBM metal badges, please take care to protect the badge when you are cleaning your IBM keyboard cases. (Note that sometimes you will find that there is a clear plastic decal covering the badge; if this is still intact, it will provide some protection of the lettering. Nevertheless, additional precautions should be taken to ensure that the lettering is not solubilized or dislodged by contact with strong detergents or organic solvents.)

If anyone is willing to sell a spare badge for an XT keyboard with the IBM logo intact, please let me know.

I'm looking into using this method to replace the lettering. I'll let you know how it works out.

quantalume wrote:I'm looking into using this method to replace the lettering. I'll let you know how it works out.

Looks promising. I look forward to learning how it turns out. Too bad I can't just scan the logo and run the metal badge through my laser printer!

I have always been told to use Dawn. I wonder if that would have damaged the logo?

I guess the best solution for heavy duty cleaning is to pull the badge off and then glue it back again after the cleaning is done.

EDIT: Actually I do have a spare square IBM badge, but I'm not sure it's the size you're looking for (2 cm wide). I can't remember wether it came from a keyboard or a monitor.

Paralel wrote:I have always been told to use Dawn. I wonder if that would have damaged the logo?

I've used Tide laundry detergent before on IBM keycaps, but those are dye-sub PBT and so the legends are not going to come off. I've also used the same detergent on another XT case, but I did not allow it to stand overnight. I think that the liquid dish detergents are milder than the powdered laundry detergents.

Alternative cleaning procedures include hand-scrubbing with a sponge and dish detergent solution, taking care when cleaning the badge. I don't think it would be necessary to remove the badge for cleaning, unless the case needed severe measures.

When sanding and painting an IBM case, however, I have seen a post that described removing the badge and then gluing it back in place after the case was painted. The badge was done by carefully drilling through the case behind the badge. However, I have removed IBM badges by very carefully inserting a sharp chisel along one edge of the badge.

Grond wrote:I guess the best solution for heavy duty cleaning is to pull the badge off and then glue it back again after the cleaning is done.

EDIT: Actually I do have a spare square IBM badge, but I'm not sure it's the size you're looking for (2 cm wide). I can't remember wether it came from a keyboard or a monitor.

The badge on the IBM XT keyboard is square with an edge length of 1.0 inches (2.5 cm). The printing is as follows:

IBM
Personal
Computer

Sorry, mine is smaller and just says IBM. Probably from a screen, then.

The old Model Ms and Model F terminal boards all had the plain square IBM badges with nothing else. I believe my monitors say "IBM Personal Computer Display" and "IBM Colour Monitor" for the 5151 and 5153s I have.

Compgeke wrote:The old Model Ms and Model F terminal boards all had the plain square IBM badges with nothing else. I believe my monitors say "IBM Personal Computer Display" and "IBM Colour Monitor" for the 5151 and 5153s I have.

Yep. I have an F-122 with a smaller badge than the one on my XT, and it just has "IBM" with no other lettering.

I've never had a problem using 91% isopropyl alcohol to clean the case, including the badge.

1391401 wrote:I've never had a problem using 91% isopropyl alcohol to clean the case, including the badge.

Yes, I have cleaned numerous IBM cases in various ways, including isopropyl alcohol (although I use 70% v/v). This is the first time I have had a problem with the IBM badge.