IBM 5251 keyboard (7361073 and 7362149)

[bhtooefr]

I'm well aware that this is an older review, originally posted 2010-05-07, but I'm migrating all of my reviews to Deskthority.

Pictures coming later.

So, this keyboard is ridiculously heavy. FedEx says, with a thin layer of bubble wrap and a barely big enough cardboard box, that it weighs 13 pounds. I fully believe that figure.

Keycaps are nicely shaped and textured.

Key travel is actually less than I was expecting, and I think it feels slightly shorter than a Model M. The British patent said about .15" key travel, which is 3.8 mm - so it should be relatively short, though.

The keys are quite light, pretty smooth, and nicely tactile and clicky. The linear spring does add some resistance to it that I could do without, but it feels good. I do find it MUCH easier to avoid bottoming out.

Sound is more clear than a Model M. As has been said, they don't ping like a buckling spring board, they hum - you can even feel the hum in the keys.

Spacebar is RIDICULOUSLY STIFF. That's something I'm going to want to mod. Edit: Spacebar is actually not too stiff at all, once the stabilizer bar was removed and then reseated.

This will be updated with impressions of how it actually works.

Unboxing video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QAyYl4fmZI

Partial teardown video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYD0jzsw-6s

[daedalus]

I must try reseating the spacebar stabilizer on mine. It's about as stiff as an un-modded AT Model F space bar is, which is not pleasant at all..

[bhtooefr]

It's still painfully stiff even after reseating it, it's just not mechanical typewriter stiff.

[ripster]

I'm well aware that this is an older review, originally posted 2010-05-07, but I'm migrating all of my reviews to Deskthority.

Pictures coming later.

This forum needs a Geekhack Vbulletin Attachment Leacher App (iPad preferably). I'd volunteer but my HTML skillz are struggling with Media Wiki Infoboxes.

[daedalus]

There was another 5251-keyboard, a 66-key Data Entry model. Aside from the stuff in the announcement letters, I can't find any mention of it. I suspect it may just have been the 3277 keyboard with a different layout.



(There were data entry versions of that)