Oldest Model M In The World

headphone_jack

24 Sep 2021, 18:28

I still have yet to find any M's made on my birthday. If anyone has one from late January of 85, then hit me up 8-)

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ddrfraser1

25 Sep 2021, 00:09

headphone_jack wrote:
24 Sep 2021, 18:28
I still have yet to find any M's made on my birthday. If anyone has one from late January of 85, then hit me up 8-)
If that existed, it would take the record for oldest Model M

Jacobalbertus1

25 Sep 2021, 03:19

depletedvespene wrote:
23 Sep 2021, 05:05
Jacobalbertus1 wrote:
23 Sep 2021, 04:34
depletedvespene wrote:
17 Jan 2020, 15:45
Welp, my oldest M keyboards are all from 1986. My F122 is from 1985, though, so that softens the envy factor. :mrgreen:

(not that I wouldn't jump if a 13 November 1985 keyboard should show up!)
FUNNY you say because I'm typing this on a black badge indy from nov 13 1985
GIB
why do you want this date so bad, is it your birthday ?

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Muirium
µ

25 Sep 2021, 12:21

That or a seriously historic wedding anniversary.

Shame IBM wasn't putting birth stickers onto beamsprings. I'd need one of those for me. I pre-date buckling spring.

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Weezer

25 Sep 2021, 21:49

Muirium wrote:
25 Sep 2021, 12:21
That or a seriously historic wedding anniversary.

Shame IBM wasn't putting birth stickers onto beamsprings. I'd need one of those for me. I pre-date buckling spring.
They did, either as a tag on the cable or as a silver sticker on the base.

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Muirium
µ

25 Sep 2021, 23:04

I kept the cable, I can dig it out and look. Don't remember seeing anything so useful there. As for the base, I remember nothing.

By silver sticker, do you mean the bottom of the outside of the case, or on (beamspring terminology equivalent of) the shiny barrel frame itself?

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Weezer

26 Sep 2021, 22:41

Muirium wrote:
25 Sep 2021, 23:04
silver sticker
No it's an actual sticker with the date the keyboard was built. They're usually on 6580's but sometimes on 5251s. Otherwise you have the manufacturing date codes on various places depending on the model of keyboard.

6580 - silver sticker, yellow fabric tag on cable

5251 - yellow fabric tag on cable, black ink stamp inside top case, sometimes silver sticker

5285 - yellow fabric tag on cable

327X - black ink stamp inside top case, yellow tag on cable, white ink stamp on inner cable termination

headphone_jack

27 Sep 2021, 00:12

At least on my 3101, there was a sticker on the barrel plate facing the user with the date on it.

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Muirium
µ

09 Oct 2021, 12:18

Weezer wrote:
26 Sep 2021, 22:41
Muirium wrote:
25 Sep 2021, 23:04
silver sticker
No it's an actual sticker with the date the keyboard was built. They're usually on 6580's but sometimes on 5251s. Otherwise you have the manufacturing date codes on various places depending on the model of keyboard.

6580 - silver sticker, yellow fabric tag on cable

5251 - yellow fabric tag on cable, black ink stamp inside top case, sometimes silver sticker

5285 - yellow fabric tag on cable

327X - black ink stamp inside top case, yellow tag on cable, white ink stamp on inner cable termination
Here's my original cable and controller:

IMG_9426.jpg
IMG_9426.jpg (295.75 KiB) Viewed 6973 times
No tag on the cable (just a rubber band of mine to keep it from snaking out the keyboard's box).

IMG_9427.jpg
IMG_9427.jpg (162.42 KiB) Viewed 6973 times
I should have read your post when I had it out. These are the only markings I saw while I had my camera in hand. Any date encoded there? I can open up the keyboard and take a look inside when I've more time at home.

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Weezer

13 Oct 2021, 17:39

Muirium wrote:
09 Oct 2021, 12:18
Weezer wrote:
26 Sep 2021, 22:41
Muirium wrote:
25 Sep 2021, 23:04
silver sticker
No it's an actual sticker with the date the keyboard was built. They're usually on 6580's but sometimes on 5251s. Otherwise you have the manufacturing date codes on various places depending on the model of keyboard.

6580 - silver sticker, yellow fabric tag on cable

5251 - yellow fabric tag on cable, black ink stamp inside top case, sometimes silver sticker

5285 - yellow fabric tag on cable

327X - black ink stamp inside top case, yellow tag on cable, white ink stamp on inner cable termination
Here's my original cable and controller:


IMG_9426.jpg

No tag on the cable (just a rubber band of mine to keep it from snaking out the keyboard's box).


IMG_9427.jpg

I should have read your post when I had it out. These are the only markings I saw while I had my camera in hand. Any date encoded there? I can open up the keyboard and take a look inside when I've more time at home.
Sorry I haven't been on the forum in a while. try unplugging the cable and flipping it around

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Muirium
µ

14 Oct 2021, 15:19

Right you are, chief. I don't see anything too useful looking there.
IMG_9581.jpg
IMG_9581.jpg (114.64 KiB) Viewed 6746 times
Just for completeness: the PCB doesn't have anything obvious for me either:
IMG_9580.jpg
IMG_9580.jpg (100.2 KiB) Viewed 6746 times

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Muirium
µ

17 Oct 2021, 14:20

Okay, I finally opened up my 3276 to take a proper look, since there's nothing helpful on that cable.

µBeam Case.jpg
µBeam Case.jpg (230.47 KiB) Viewed 6685 times
My date's not so much stamped as just written on!

10-10-79.jpg
10-10-79.jpg (261.6 KiB) Viewed 6685 times
October 10th 1979, eh? My oldest keyboard, for sure, and my only one from the seventies. But it's younger than me by a handful of days! So close! :D

Here's the underside of the whole thing, assembled. Just in case there's anything noteworthy:

µBeam Underside.jpg
µBeam Underside.jpg (143.3 KiB) Viewed 6678 times
I don't know why my US model (sourced from Cindy the legend) has Canada mentioned on the bottom. Are they all like that?

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Falkenroth

30 Jan 2023, 16:33

Just purchased a 5170 system that came with this keyboard. Kind of a strange part number and very low serial number. Any thoughts?
Attachments
Model M Industrial Tag.jpg
Model M Industrial Tag.jpg (65.88 KiB) Viewed 4961 times
Model M Industrial Keyboard.jpg
Model M Industrial Keyboard.jpg (62.78 KiB) Viewed 4961 times

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JP!

30 Jan 2023, 19:13

Falkenroth wrote:
30 Jan 2023, 16:33
Just purchased a 5170 system that came with this keyboard. Kind of a strange part number and very low serial number. Any thoughts?
Wow that is nice! I don't believe this part number is documented anywhere so thanks for sharing. :) It certainly is fine specimen of a very early IBM industrial Model M keyboard.

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jsheradin

27 Aug 2023, 22:07

Recently saved this guy from the trash. Dated 6/14/85 and still has all rivets intact. There's some stiff o-rings around the barrels that the keys bottom out on.
Spoiler:
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