# "Clicky" type keyboards



## silversaddle1 (Nov 29, 2010)

Anybody strip one out? I see there is what appears to be some gold plated contact pieces in the Dell I pulled apart. I can't tell if they are just brass or gold plated. I have no way to test, I don't mess with chemicals. :lol:


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 29, 2010)

Those are brass,however the tin looking contact points on the film are platinum plated.I've sold quite a few on ebay,for an aweful lot.


----------



## Ocean (Nov 29, 2010)

mic said:


> Those are brass,however the tin looking contact points on the film are platinum plated.I've sold quite a few on ebay,for an aweful lot.



Can you post a link or a picture mic?

Thanks,
Ocean


----------



## silversaddle1 (Nov 29, 2010)

Ocean said:


> mic said:
> 
> 
> > Those are brass,however the tin looking contact points on the film are platinum plated.I've sold quite a few on ebay,for an aweful lot.
> ...




Agree! Let's seee the films.

And I will try to post pics as well tonight.


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 29, 2010)

Its the clear contact film sheet with the contact points,the same film that is in almost every keyboard.I can't post pics.


----------



## silversaddle1 (Nov 29, 2010)

This type of keyboard does not have a mylar film in it. I'm talking the old style IBM's and Dells.


----------



## Ocean (Nov 29, 2010)

mic said:


> Its the clear contact film sheet with the contact points,the same film that is in almost every keyboard.I can't post pics.



I thought I read on here somewhere those are silver.


----------



## butcher (Nov 29, 2010)

This is just guess on my part, key boards need to be reliable, and depending on what they are used on they may need to be manufactured to higher standards, a cheap home computer, or a keyboard on a million dollar medical machine.

Working environments corrosion and the low current, fast contact time to switch data input to the computer, may require noble metal for reliability, but manufacture cost and trying to scrimp as much as possible to squeeze every dime out of a customer and still keep selling or staying in business is always top priority, so NO more value in metal is put into a product than is necessary to achieve the desired results.

Some high end and older keyboards had individual switch's soldered to circuit board, these have what looked to be Kovar disk springs plated with white metal (type?? testing is your friend), this plating your guess as good as mine palladium, tin, only if tested would you know, I do not. Some were gold plated, Mylar and others can have a silver metal type, or can even just be carbon, just like contact points, materials can vary widely, and testing should always be done if one wants to know what metal they have, color is not a good indicator, what may be in one keyboard switch may not be in another although the color may be the same, Mic did you get a positive test for the platinum in those keyboards, where and what use did these keyboards (what age) have before being tore apart NASA? As it seems funny to me for a manufacture to use such a valuable metal even in small amount if he can find another just as reliable metal or technique of application to do the same job. platinum contact material in keyboards is very interesting, can we hear more about this?


----------



## silversaddle1 (Nov 29, 2010)

Butcher, correct. Each key was soldered to a PCB and was a switch. I am going to post pics later as I have another of these keyboards to scrap yet. The contact plates sure look to be gold plated though. The keyboards are from the 80's. I think if they were just brass there would be some tarnishing by now on them.


----------



## butcher (Nov 29, 2010)

the Kovar disk can be plated very thinly in gold. it is very common application in this type of switch, you will find these in many applications like the plastic face plates of machine and such (touchpads) with switch's, and other applications similar to keyboards they can also have silver mylar type construction.


----------



## g_axelsson (Nov 29, 2010)

Old IBM clicky keyboards, (Model M) is still popular, they can be sold for $20-$60 depending on quality and model.
Don't know if dell keyboards hold any value though.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M)

/Göran


----------



## butcher (Nov 29, 2010)

Good info g_axelsson, that is much more money than what tearing one appart would yied.


----------



## silversaddle1 (Nov 29, 2010)

g_axelsson said:


> Old IBM clicky keyboards, (Model M) is still popular, they can be sold for $20-$60 depending on quality and model.
> Don't know if dell keyboards hold any value though.
> 
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M)
> ...



True, but due to contract restictions, we have to destroy all equipment we receive, including keyboards.

Oh well, back to the bench!


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 29, 2010)

They do in fact contain platinum,and they also have a collectable value as well.We sold quite a few on ebay,now we sell them directly to one of the buyers from ebay.


----------



## wrecker45 (Nov 29, 2010)

what ls a clicky keyboard


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 29, 2010)

It is a vintage keyboard that made a very distinct clicking sound when you pressed the keys.


----------



## Ocean (Nov 30, 2010)

wrecker45 said:


> what ls a clicky keyboard



Check out the wiki link above.


----------

