What is this switch

Macence · 29 Mar 2018, 23:21

I have seen a nice keyboard on a local ad webiste. One key is broken (keycap missing) and the seller has provided me a picture of the switch to help me identify it. Though I have not been lucky checking Deskthority database.
It looks like a Sasse series 25, though the cross in the middle is not protruding but recessed ... (or head of switch broken)
Not very sure...

Here is the switch :

: c5a86ea8-3de0-4f43-8ad7-8772da70a9a0.jpg (2.79 MiB) Viewed 5750 times

Daniel Beardsmore · 29 Mar 2018, 23:29

Since you are in France, it will be [wiki]Clare/Pendar low profile reed[/wiki]. Clare-Pendar Series S880, the US series, is virtually identical.

Should anyone want to replace the switch, they need to de-solder and remove it from the keyboard; it should have the part number printed on the side.

https://www.nsi-be.com/ still have old stock of various types of these (if you need help I can enquire directly with my contacts there, as these parts are not listed).

Myoth · 29 Mar 2018, 23:31

Macence wrote: I have seen a nice keyboard on a local ad webiste. One key is broken (keycap missing) and the seller has provided me a picture of the switch to help me identify it. Though I have not been lucky checking Deskthority database.
It looks like a Sasse series 25, though the cross in the middle is not protruding but recessed ... (or head of switch broken)
Not very sure...

Here is the switch :

c5a86ea8-3de0-4f43-8ad7-8772da70a9a0.jpg

I was eyeing that intercom ! thought it was too expensive for what it was, I hope you'll post more picture of that keyboard !

edit : hrm not intercom, the K-4722, my bad

Macence · 29 Mar 2018, 23:37

I am very new to keyboards. I have a Topre that I like and diving into oldies on websites. This keyboard is really lovely, very nice spherical keycaps. I was thinking of doing something with it but it looks like something way above me for now.
The keyboard is indeed ISO FR but the brand is American (Pesa) and no reference (at all) can be found on the internet. Not even a picture. So not very sure where it has been manufactured.
It is a video editing keyboard.

It's not cheap but this is the kind of mistakes a beginner can afford I guess

I will post pictures once I get it.

Though if it is Clare, it says some type of them only lasts 1 millions actuations and I think this keyboard has been heavily professionaly used ...

Myoth · 29 Mar 2018, 23:41

nice ! I also am from France and am always happy to see other enthusiast from my country !

if it's yours then you probably should try to sell it on ebay, you'll get a much larger audience and more people might be interested ...

as you mentionned it was a editing software keyboard, so it might be interesting to try to contact France3 to know where it came (though I doubt they will answer about a 40 years old keyboard

)

Macence · 29 Mar 2018, 23:46

Ahah no it's not mine but I see it tomorrow. You probably have the picture in front of you then Myoth

. It is indeed a video editing board from a French TV company who is branded under a name that has been changed around 2 decades ago. So this keyboard is probably from the 80's.
I guess this is the kind of oddities that keep you entertained for a long time. Which for a beginner like me ... can be a lifetime

Daniel Beardsmore · 29 Mar 2018, 23:48

The momentary switches are rated at 50 million (France/Belgium) and 100 million (US) cycles. It's the alternate action switches that have a low rating (1 million for the European series), which will be the limit of the latching mechanism. It's normal for alternate action switches to have a much lower rating than momentary switches. 1 million is fairly high for alternate action; even Cherry's super smooth locking system was only rated at 500 thousand cycles. For Datanetics DC-50 series, it was 100 million for momentary and 50 thousand for alternate action!

By the way, this may be the first ever keyboard we have ever found with these switches (certainly true if they're the European-made variety).

Macence · 30 Mar 2018, 00:02

"Unfortunately" I am sure it is a US switch, probably wiki/Clare-Pendar_Series_S880 All the case has english video editing text around keys and the brand is American. I was hoping the keycaps were Cherry MX compatible but very unlikely, yet eager to push the keys and see.

Daniel Beardsmore · 30 Mar 2018, 00:23

I am not sure I've ever seen the US ones in a keyboard either (except one keyboard that has S882 alternate action). The tall US ones (S820) have been found in exactly one keyboard to date.These are very rare switches!

Macence · 31 Mar 2018, 18:09

Hello. Well it was indeed a board with aforementionned switches. Though I didn buy it eventually.

Here are a few pics from my phone :

: IMG_20180330_185104.jpg (2.81 MiB) Viewed 5599 times

: IMG_20180330_185059.jpg (3.08 MiB) Viewed 5599 times

: IMG_20180330_185050.jpg (4.78 MiB) Viewed 5599 times

2 reasons that me hesitate :
* The caps colors were not as vivid as on the ad ( https://www.leboncoin.fr/collection/137 ... tm?ca=12_s ). Actually the top right keys are more of an 8o's brown, rather than a deep purple that I thought it was based on the pics. Red keys and yellow keys are really nice though.
* The switches are not that much satisfying. They are light linear switches such as MX reds but with mushier feeling. I guess the age of the keyboard is helping here. One huge drawback is the keys stability: keycaps were very wobbly and moving a lot when pushed laterally. Actually I have never seen such in an SA profile ( but I haven't been able to have a big experience with mechanical keyboards yet). Also I could't remove caps from the large keys but they felt even mushier.

Other info : caps are very close from Cherry MX compatible and connector is a RJ 11 / RJ 45.

Daniel Beardsmore · 31 Mar 2018, 18:20

These switches are damped, either with little damping prongs (something I've yet to photograph — my photography is just not sufficient to do justice to my collection of ~41 Clare/Pendar types, so that job remains pending) or with a rubber mat (as seen on the wiki under S880). This may be what gives the mushy feeling. The rubber mats can be removed easily.

It's still an interesting find regardless, due to the extreme rarity of these switches. As for the colours, they look a lot better in your photos under natural light. The photo in the advert seemed to be some kind of light source with terrible colour rendering.

Macence · 31 Mar 2018, 18:29

I took the pictures under natural light but my phone is a bit flattering also. They definitely look like 80ish colors and not as shiny. Though the keycaps were a bit dirty and needed a good cleaning. Also the price of 80 Euros and my yet little experience deter me in buying it. Yet I am sure that if this keyboard is purchased it is from a someone with knowledge of keyboards and that it won't disappear but restored. (current owner saved it from a dump truck years ago). Seller said he will put on Ebay in about 2 weeks.

Daniel Beardsmore · 31 Mar 2018, 18:52

Oh, so you visited his house and photographed it, but did not buy it?

Macence · 31 Mar 2018, 18:55

He presented me the keyboard in the street and no I didn't buy it.

Daniel Beardsmore · 31 Mar 2018, 18:56

You were walking in town, and he stalked you, tracked you down and pushed it in your face? :P

Macence · 31 Mar 2018, 19:05

It was a one hour tube ride ^^ I guess I am just not collector enough yet. But I already bought 2 Apple keyboards with cream alps this week. I am waiting for the keyboard in this thread also photos-f62/ibm-wheelwriter-system-40-ke ... 15276.html and another Orange alps Apple keyboard. I am sticking to keyboards I can use on my computer as it grows already quite fast .. ^^

elecplus · 11 Jul 2018, 21:41

This keyboard is an LK-201 look-alike. I thought it might be a switch from here wiki/Inverse_cross_mount_recognition, but it has no screws or rivets on the corners. Can someone please identify it for me?

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Blaise170 · 11 Jul 2018, 21:58

I'm guessing slider over dome. Do you have it in hand?

elecplus · 11 Jul 2018, 22:13

Blaise170 wrote: I'm guessing slider over dome. Do you have it in hand?

Yes, I do. It is linear.

elecplus · 09 Sep 2018, 22:41

Daniel and I are having a discussion. The 2 old Canon typewriter keyboards have SKCC green, we agree on that. The question is the 2nd type of switch, found on Enter, Space, and Backspace. Please see https://www.elecshopper.com/2-old-keybo ... tches.html, and look at the cloaeup pics. These are white switches with a navy blue stripe on them. Attached is a close-up pic, and yes, I know the switches are filthy.

: IMG_6811.JPG (377.35 KiB) Viewed 5152 times

The metal plate has a tab that fits into a groove. When pressed, the switch moves down until the tab meets the groove, then stops.

Identification of switch, please? Does anyone else have these?

Also, if you think the price is ludicrous, make me a decent offer!