Suggestions needed for cleaning an old keyboard
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
Hi! This is my first post here, please bear with me.
I have built some keyboards earlier, but I know nothing about vintage ones. A few days ago I have acquired a bunch of old keyboards but even CLEANING them properly proved to be more difficult than I thought.
This is the board I have started to clean:
This is the result so far:
I'm fairly happy with how the cable responded to the treatment...
...but the same method (warm water + liquid soap, alcohol, toothbrush) doesn't work on the case. There are some scratches, but most of the stains seem to be the result of the dirty cable being wrapped around the board.
Any suggestions?
I have built some keyboards earlier, but I know nothing about vintage ones. A few days ago I have acquired a bunch of old keyboards but even CLEANING them properly proved to be more difficult than I thought.
This is the board I have started to clean:
This is the result so far:
I'm fairly happy with how the cable responded to the treatment...
...but the same method (warm water + liquid soap, alcohol, toothbrush) doesn't work on the case. There are some scratches, but most of the stains seem to be the result of the dirty cable being wrapped around the board.
Any suggestions?
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- Location: Stockholm, Sweden
- DT Pro Member: 0011
Welcome to the forum!
Those kinds of marks tend to be from the plasticiser in the cable eating into the plastic of the case. There's nothing you can do, I'm afraid.
Those kinds of marks tend to be from the plasticiser in the cable eating into the plastic of the case. There's nothing you can do, I'm afraid.
- zrrion
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: F122
- Main mouse: Microsoft IntelliMouse
- Favorite switch: ALPS SKCC Cream
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
This is a nice looking board and you are doing a great job cleaning it so far. What switches does it have BTW?
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
Thanks! I'm not really familiar with these kind of old switches, but here is a pic:
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
Damn...
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
There are some deep scratches exposing the yellow plastic behind the paint (?) - I could live with that, and there are not visible from the front. But I thought there is a solution to get rid of the stains on the top. (Lot of them on the back too.)
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Some old cables can be very nasty indeed. My IBM Model F AT had a cable that had turned sticky, which I was happy to remove. I’ve seen them leave permanent indentations and marks on other keyboards. It just comes down to chemistry. A lot of evil reactions can go on, in years of storage.
The switches look like Alps vintage T. The same as on the 1984 Macintosh keyboard. Linear, loud, and a bit stiff; but with vintage charm.
The switches look like Alps vintage T. The same as on the 1984 Macintosh keyboard. Linear, loud, and a bit stiff; but with vintage charm.
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
I cannot comment on the switches, but if it helps to identify them, the sticker states this was produced in 1973. Linear, but I wouldn't describe it as stiff. It feels like free-fall without any resistance and hitting hard on the bottom. But it comes back beautifully.
The sound is indeed loud, like hitting the walls of a cave with a moderately thick bamboo rod. Actually, I can hear the echo. I'm considering buying a decent microphone just to capture the long bong experience.
The sound is indeed loud, like hitting the walls of a cave with a moderately thick bamboo rod. Actually, I can hear the echo. I'm considering buying a decent microphone just to capture the long bong experience.
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
Yep, that's it. As already said, I'm new to this topic, but there are two stickers inside. One is handwritten and one is printed or stamped. Strange, but both have the 1973 date on them. I will post some pics if I get back home.
- Howard81
- Location: London, UK
- Main keyboard: IBM Model M/F
- Main mouse: Not fussed
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
I chuck the keycaps and cable in a hot bowl of water that has had a dishwasher tablet dissolved in it. Leave for 30-45 minutes with the occasional mixing and the dirt will lift right off!
For the cases I use Cif/Jif cream cleaner and a sponge.
For the cases I use Cif/Jif cream cleaner and a sponge.
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- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: Model F77
- Main mouse: Logitech MX Master 3S
- Favorite switch: Alpaca V2
The date label here is using the Taiwanese date system, which is why it seems so strange. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_ ... a_calendar
1973 translates to 1984
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
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- Location: Hungary
- Main keyboard: Azimuth, S.Torm46
- Favorite switch: Momoka Frogs
- Contact:
Now I know this means 1984. Never thought of that, thank you!
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- Main keyboard: ergoLogic rubber dome / Keytronic (20+ years old)
- Main mouse: Logitech G300
- Favorite switch: Umm.
If it's painted plastic, you can go from cleaning mode to actually restoring these.
As in, dismantle the keyboard and remove the cover, wetsand it down and then spray paint it. Might be tricky to save the logo sticker but should be doable.
If it's not painted, at least in theory you should be able to wetsand it with 3000 grit or something, assuming the plastic is the same color throughout the piece, and refresh it that way.
If you're interested in doing that much work. Of course I can also be wrong and these suggestions may wind up destroying the whole thing, so your mileage may vary...
As in, dismantle the keyboard and remove the cover, wetsand it down and then spray paint it. Might be tricky to save the logo sticker but should be doable.
If it's not painted, at least in theory you should be able to wetsand it with 3000 grit or something, assuming the plastic is the same color throughout the piece, and refresh it that way.
If you're interested in doing that much work. Of course I can also be wrong and these suggestions may wind up destroying the whole thing, so your mileage may vary...
- XMIT
- [ XMIT ]
- Location: Austin, TX area
- Main keyboard: XMIT Hall Effect
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac Trackball
- Favorite switch: XMIT 60g Tactile Hall Effect
- DT Pro Member: 0093
For basic cleaning I've had luck with a melamine foam pad, e.g. "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser" in the US. It's a strong, but brittle, abrasive. I would try this both wet and dry on an inconspicuous region of the board to see what it does. In combination with various cleaners (such as "Simple Green", https://cdn.simplegreen.com/downloads/S ... leaner.pdf) it can pull dirt off pretty well.
- digital_matthew
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Ellipse Model F62
- Main mouse: It's a Secret.
- Favorite switch: Capacative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Hey there,
You may want to also try a citrus based price tag gunk remover like Goo Gone. I've used it on keyboards and cables with varying degrees of success. I've seen it dissolve some synthetic rubber though, so always test before use.
You may want to also try a citrus based price tag gunk remover like Goo Gone. I've used it on keyboards and cables with varying degrees of success. I've seen it dissolve some synthetic rubber though, so always test before use.