Dyed IBM SDL to ps/2 cable

Ir0n · 23 Jan 2017, 01:12

I don't know if anyone has done this before, but I sure the hell couldn't find anything on it so I just went for it because I wanted black cable!

I didn't take any photos before hand, but basically I made cable condoms out of the finger tips of latex gloves to put on the ends and then zip tied them and folded over the ends into the zip tie..

the color looks kind of weird because my phones camera is awful.. but it's jet black and looks amazing in person.

fohat · 23 Jan 2017, 01:42

Ir0n wrote: ↑
basically I made cable condoms out of the finger tips of latex gloves to put on the ends and then zip tied them and folded over the ends into the zip tie.

I have never dyed a cable but I have washed quite a few. I am very nervous about wetting the ends because I fear that capillary action will wick water into the wires and connections and cause corrosion. I double- or triple-cover the ends, usually with cut pieces of plastic bags and rubber bands, and it is generally effective.

Decades-old cables are often nasty and disgusting as the plasticizers degrade, and they are very hard to clean properly, let alone age well afterwards.

And the black coiled IBM cables from XT, AT, and early SDL-AT cables are some of the very worst. I don't think that I have ever run across one that didn't make me cringe when I touched it. Except for one AT that I have kept all-original, I have gotten rid of them as fast as I could.

Chyros · 23 Jan 2017, 01:45

That's nice, but if you really want a black cable you can buy one of the older AT ones

. They're made out of a shiny black plastic that never gets dirty and they look amazing:

EDIT: I'm not sure what Fohat means, the plasticisers in the old black cables appear to be different from those in later cables because they don't get sticky or nasty.

Ir0n · 23 Jan 2017, 02:00

I used all 4 finger tips of the gloves on each end they didn't get wet so I think I'm good!

I actually have a big AT cable from my Model F AT that I'm going to have converted to USB for my Model MF Lol
I could even reuse it on my AT after that.

Those cables are amazing..really wish you could still buy cables like that.. Mine is in great shape it looks almost new.

Elrick · 23 Jan 2017, 03:44

Chyros wrote: ↑

EDIT: I'm not sure what Fohat means, the plasticisers in the old black cables appear to be different from those in later cables because they don't get sticky or nasty.

Yeah my old cable within the recent Model-M I've bought off Ellipse, is perfect and works with my PC without any problems.

The shiny black plastic that covers this IBM cable is like new, with no aged tackiness like most other plastics and sub standard rubber based products. IBM really knew what to use in the beginning before going all cheap later on using garbage material to save costs.

fohat · 23 Jan 2017, 04:41

Clearly I have been unlucky.

I have had upwards of a dozen of the old coiled black IBM cables from XTs, ATs, and early Ms and every one was horrible.

Even the best one was far worse than the worst of the beige ones that I have gotten.

y11971alex · 23 Jan 2017, 06:37

The beamspring cables are black, but they're inflexible, tacky, and unpleasant to the touch.

seebart · 23 Jan 2017, 10:16

y11971alex wrote: ↑The beamspring cables are black, but they're inflexible, tacky, and unpleasant to the touch.

No, two of mine are beige and non-flexible.

Chyros · 23 Jan 2017, 11:14

fohat wrote: ↑Clearly I have been unlucky.

I have had upwards of a dozen of the old coiled black IBM cables from XTs, ATs, and early Ms and every one was horrible.

Even the best one was far worse than the worst of the beige ones that I have gotten.

Really?! xD I've had three but even though some of the boards were filthy, the cables all remained fantastically shiny and nice. The one thing that I found above all was that they hadn't plasticised any further, which is what turns cables into sticky messes. I'm really surprised to hear you had so many that got so crap xD .

seebart · 23 Jan 2017, 11:52

fohat wrote: ↑Clearly I have been unlucky.

I have had upwards of a dozen of the old coiled black IBM cables from XTs, ATs, and early Ms and every one was horrible.

Even the best one was far worse than the worst of the beige ones that I have gotten.

I'd have to disagree. The best coiled IBM cable I own is that on my F AT. The ones that came with my square badge M's come in second, all have DIN connectors. I do own one really long beige IBM SDL to PS/2 that came with my original SSK, in quality terms it's good but still secondary to the black DIN cables.

dokyun · 23 Jan 2017, 19:47

I recently picked up a VTCL 2269 and it comes with one of the nice shiny, un-plasticized cables. The cable itself is stamped 'PVC', so I'm guessing that's the trick here.

ohaimark · 23 Jan 2017, 19:55

It also depends on what solvents they're exposed to over their lifetime. My F AT cable is pretty damn sticky, even after a thorough cleaning.

elecplus · 24 Jan 2017, 02:37

Brand new SDL to DIN shiny black cables

https://www.elecshopper.com/ibm-sdl-to- ... e-new.html

Ir0n · 24 Jan 2017, 03:38

I got trolled. x(
Those are nice cables though!

seebart · 24 Jan 2017, 10:56

elecplus wrote: ↑Brand new SDL to DIN shiny black cables
https://www.elecshopper.com/ibm-sdl-to- ... e-new.html

Yeah that's the cable I'm talking about, good price too!

Chyros · 24 Jan 2017, 11:44

elecplus wrote: ↑Brand new SDL to DIN shiny black cables
https://www.elecshopper.com/ibm-sdl-to- ... e-new.html

...that's fantastic, and a great price, too. Lovely!

wobbled · 24 Jan 2017, 18:32

elecplus wrote: ↑Brand new SDL to DIN shiny black cables
https://www.elecshopper.com/ibm-sdl-to- ... e-new.html

Wow such a reasonable price and then I saw the postage... Why is it so expensive to live in the UK sometimes

elecplus · 24 Jan 2017, 18:41

wobbled wrote: ↑
elecplus wrote: ↑Brand new SDL to DIN shiny black cables
https://www.elecshopper.com/ibm-sdl-to- ... e-new.html
Wow such a reasonable price and then I saw the postage... Why is it so expensive to live in the UK sometimes

Put them on the EU GB? Send a PM to andrewjoy.
It should ship by next Monday.
Waiting for 1 keyboard to get back from refurb, which is my fault.

Chyros · 24 Jan 2017, 19:54

Where did you even get these, Cindy? I can't imagine NOS AT SDL cables are easy to find xD .

elecplus · 24 Jan 2017, 20:00

Chyros wrote: ↑Where did you even get these, Cindy? I can't imagine NOS AT SDL cables are easy to find xD .

Old friend said he had no use for them any more

Part of the huge haul from a couple weeks ago.

POTV · 25 Jan 2017, 17:07

I once had a black IBM cable belonging to a 1986 Model M. And it needed an adapter before I could plug it into a Blue cube active converter. Cindy, do your black cables also need such adapters?

Chyros · 25 Jan 2017, 17:18

POTV wrote: ↑I once had a black IBM cable belonging to a 1986 Model M. And it needed an adapter before I could plug it into a Blue cube active converter. Cindy, do your black cables also need such adapters?

Yes, they are AT-based, so if you use a PS/2 active converter you'll also need an adapter. Those are piss cheap, though.

POTV · 25 Jan 2017, 17:58

Thanks, Chyros