For anyone who has stuck with this blog since its earliest days (thank you), it is no secret that I like talking about keyboards. When it comes to modern keyboards, I have merely dipped a toe into the ocean of manufacturers, switches, keycaps and other options. Until this year I have been using IBM Model M keyboards, and prior to that Unicomp keyboards, for about 20 years. This year I have felt it is a time for a change and for the past several months I have been using a keyboard with Cherry MX-style switches. The keyboard I have been using is excellent value for the money, but I always planned for it to be a stop-gap measure until I could get a better keyboard. Now that day has come because I have acquired what could be the ultimate old school PC keyboard, the Model F Labs LLC Classic Style F104 Keyboard.
The F104 has the layout of an IBM Model M and uses buckling spring technology and comes with dye sublimiated keys like the Model M, but there is where the similarities end. A short history must be given on the evolution of IBM's buckling spring technology.
Brief Overview of the Buckling Spring
The Model F
IBM's first keyboards with the buckling spring technology were the Model F Keyboards, first released in 1981. With the Model F, the user pushes down on a key and the stem of the key pushes on a spring attached to a plate called a hammer. When the enough pressure is put on the spring, it buckles and collapses and the hammer, which is made of a conductive material, pivots and touches two contacts on a printed circuit board. The PCB contacts are made with a capacitive material. A microcontroller measures the change in capacitance of each key and uses the change to recognize that a key has been pressed. Because each key's capacitance is different in the column/row matrix based on its distance from the controller, the controller can distinguish between each key in the column. Thus it can process any number of keys pressed at the same time.
There were several Model F keyboards produced but most were made for data terminals. The keyboard that introduced the Model F keyswitch design to a wider world was the one included with the IBM PC Model 5150 in August of 1981. This 83-key keyboard was also included in the IBM PC XT in 1983 and, with a different connector and a slightly different enclosure, in the IBM PC Portable. The 1984 IBM PC AT introduced a new Model F keyboard with a new key layout (84 keys) which was not backwards compatible with the PC and XT keyboard but could be used with any AT-compatible keyboard port and almost all PS/2 compatible ports with a passive adapter.
Inside the Model F there are two steel plates and a PCB and a sheet of sound dampening foam in between them. Each key's keystem is inserted into a barrel which surrounds the spring. Every barrel is a separate plastic piece held in place over the PCB by the top steel plate. The steel plate is fastened onto the PCB by interlocking steel tabs on the edge of the plate which lock into slot cutouts the rear steel plate. In both the common PC variants of the Model F, the keyboards are height adjustable by a pair of feet which are raised by knobs with tabs on the side.
The Model F XT keyboard only had a metal stabilizer for the Spacebar. The Model F AT added stabilizers for the Enter, Shift, 0/Ins and + keys. The Model F XT's keyboard's controller send data to a PC but could not receive anything from the PC other than a reset signal. The microcontroller on the Model F AT was also programmable through a bidirectional protocol, which permitted the introduction of status LEDs.
The Model M
The Model F keyboard was very well-regarded for its durability, quality and tactility but very expensive to produce. In 1985 IBM introduced the Model M keyboard with a cost-reduced buckling spring design and 101 keys (102 for ISO variants). This found its way to the PC compatible world with later model IBM ATs, XTs, XT-286s in 1986 as an option and the standard for the IBM PS/2 computers in 1987. The IBM PC line was also discontinued in 1987 and with it the Model F keyboards began to be phased out of production.
The IBM Model M uses buckling springs over three mylar membrane sheets. When the spring is pressed down and collapses the attached hammer, that hammer pushes the two outer sheets of a membrane with conductive traces together in order complete the circuit path and send the signal to the keyboard controller. IBM's membrane technology results in a keyboard controller which can guarantee that it can process only two keys at the same time. It may be able to process more keys depending on where the keys pressed fall on the row and column matrix.
All the barrels in a Model M are contained on a single plastic piece which holds the membrane in place through a number of plastic standoffs riveted behind a steel backing plate. The keyboard feet flip up by being pushed up from the bottom of the enclosure. Several of the earlier Model M models had a detachable keyboard connector but later Model M keyboards have hardwired connectors. The port on the back of the keyboard was a 6-pin shielded data link (SDL) connector which has easy to break off plastic clips on either side.
The Model M's layout became the standard layout for keyboards made ever since. The Model M also introduced the standard Tenkeyless (a.k.a. SSK) layout with 84/85 keys by eliminating the number pad. Back then the Tenkeyless was the cheaper option. Microsoft modified the spacebar row for Windows 95 by adding a pair of Windows keys and a Menu key, but the rest of the standard keyboard layout remained the same. The extra keys shrink the spacebar from 7u to 6u and the Ctrl and Alt keys from 1.5u to 1.25u.
The earlier Model M keyboards came with two-piece keys, a keycap which fit over a keystem. The removable keycaps were designed to allow for easy reconfiguration of the keyboard, say if you wanted an Dvorak layout instead of a QWERTY layout, or if you wanted to designate keys for a point of sale keyboard. Later keyboards reverted to the Model F design of using a single keycap/keystem. IBM used PBT keys, giving them finishes more resistant to wear and not prone to yellowing from sunlight like cheaper ABS keys. The earlier Model Ms tended to use stabilizer wires to keep the larger keys from rattling around but the later Ms used keys with a second plastic stem for stability. Stabilized keys, unlike stemmed keys, do not have dead spots where you can press a key but it does not buckle down.
IBM made Model M buckling spring keyboards from 1985-1992 when it sold the design, patents and tooling to Lexmark. Lexmark continued to make Model Ms until 1996 but Lexmark's Model Ms are not considered to have the same quality as IBM-made Model Ms. Buckling spring technology was still expensive and rubber dome over membrane keyboards had eclipsed buckling spring and other mechanical switch keyboards. Rubber dome membrane keyboards were not only far cheaper to make but much quieter than most of the mechanical keyboards, which was important in office spaces. The underlying technology of a rubber dome is the same as a Model M bucking spring, only it is a dome which collapses with the pressure onto the membrane sheet and springs back.
Many people who begin to use a mechanical keyboard after coming from rubber dome keyboards find that the tactility, travel, consistency and even the sound of a mechanical keyboard to be preferable to a rubber dome.
Lexmark sold off the Model M technology to Unicomp, founded by former Lexmark employees. which continues to make Model M keyboards to this day. I will talk about Unicomp later.
Disadvantages of the IBM Model Fs and Ms
IBM keyboards are highly prized and Model Fs in good working condition can often command a few hundred dollars on the second hand market. A working vintage IBM-made Model M can also sell for over $100 these days. But there are difficulties using these keyboards with today's computers.
The Model M presents the challenge that it uses the AT-PS/2 keyboard protocol. Most modern PCs have ditched the PS/2 port, and whatever advantages the PS/2 port may have had in the past over a USB port for a keyboard are no longer present with 1,000+ Hz keyboard polling rates over USB. USB keyboards can handle n-key rollover despite the official limitation of 6-key rollover. Obtaining a Soarer's Converter will get a PS/2 or AT-based Model M keyboard working via USB. The Converter can be found as a port adapter but contains active circuitry to convert PS/2-AT keyboard protocol data into USB protocol data. I have one and it works very well with my Model Ms, and it also has the benefit of being able to remove your keyboard from the PC without having to shut the PC down (disconnect the converter from the USB port, not the PS/2 or AT port from the converter.)
The main functional limitation of an IBM Model M keyboard in a modern system is its lack of Windows keys. (I do not consider the lack of a Menu key to be any limitation as that merely mimics the right click of a mouse). Whether the Window key shortcuts are useful is a matter of personal preference.
A Soarer's Converter can also handle the IBM Model F XT and Model F AT keyboards, but here the layout issues become a significantly greater obstacle for many people. There is no F11 or F12 key on these keyboards or a separate navigation cluster. The XT keyboard has odd key placements, a huge and stiff space bar and an ISO-like layout. The AT keyboard has a short backspace key and a fat Enter key.
As these keyboards are vintage, time may not have been kind to them. The cork feet on a Model F will likely have fallen off and the tabs on the knobs may have been sheared off. Those protrusions will not survive a hard fall. Fortunately the feet can still be set by pushing the mechanism in. The metal plate may have some rust damage due to water or moisture. The PCB can be cracked or the capacitive material worn away. The sound dampening foam may have crumbled or worn away. Often used Model M keyboards have missing keycaps, they are very easy to pop off the keystem.
Cleaning Model Fs is a time-consuming process. You can remove every key except the spacebar, which has stabilizers that are connected underneath the top steel plate. To remove the spacebar, you must separate the two steel plates. Every barrel and spring/hammer combination will have to be set properly when the plates are put back together. People have broken the stabilizer retention clips on the spacebar by trying to remove it without removing the stabilizer wire beforehand.
The Model M has a larger problem. Its membrane traces do not react well to water, which can damage them over time and can eventually destroy them if the water is trapped within the sheets for a length of time. The plastic rivets tend to break off over time, leading to inconsistent key presses and eventually a failure to register keys properly if too many are broken off. This issue can be fixed with a bolt mod but the bolt mod process requires a lot of drilling and if you are not careful or are unlucky you can crack the plastic plate which houses the barrels.
Any vintage buckling spring keyboard can have springs which have issues with rust or springs being bent out of shape. They do not bend back well.
Enter Model F Labs
Model F Labs LLC is a company operated by Joe Strandberg (known on the Deskthority and Geekhack forums as "Elipse"), whose first keyboard experience was with his family's IBM Model F XT. The company has a website, a YouTube channel and a Facebook page. In 2021 after several years of development and preorders, it released a pair of keyboards, the F62 and F77, using the Model F capacitive buckling spring design. These keyboards were based off the design of the Model 200 62-key (popularly known as the "Kishsaver") and Model 300 77-key keyboards used in the IBM 4704 Terminals. The original keyboards also used Model F keyswitch technology.
The 62-key keyboard received great attention from the hobbyist community due to the compactness of its design. Unlike the IBM PC line-based Model Fs, the Kishsaver has a completely metal chassis, using zinc die casting. Original models are sold for eye-watering prices on eBay. The Model F Labs keyboards were not sold at collector's prices but at $355 they were certainly keyboards you really had to be sure about. The 62-key keyboard sold for $340 in 1982, $884 in 2018's money, so the price of the new keyboards is a comparative bargain over what our parents and grandparents paid.
Model F Labs updated the 62-key layout to reflect a more modern layout. The 77-key keyboard added a cluster of 15-keys on the side. These keys could be programmed to behave like a cursor control cluster or a number pad (or anything else), but there are not enough keys or space for both to be completely represented. Both keyboards have option for a split right shift key and a function key like a Happy Hacking Keyboard. (HHKB). They also have an option to use an ISO vertical Enter key with the smaller Left Shift key. Several country layouts are supported. Neither keyboard had a function key row. The keyboards are programmable with QMK, so you could customize the keyboard's keys however you want. The included keys are PBT dye sublimated and come in a variety of color choices. Like the originals the Model F Labs keyboards are made out of a zinc die cast metal chassis and use the single-piece keycaps + keystems. As these keyboards are made for modern computers they use a USB Type-C connector.
When I saw the first YouTube reviews I certainly took notes but was disappointed with the lack of keys. If you use emulators, word processors and spreadsheets like I do you can find a use for every key on a 101-key keyboard. These uses will be felt as soon as you find them lacking. I wanted a high quality full-layout keyboard with at least 101 keys and in their standard locations. This is not as easy to find as you might think, especially if you want a metal chassis. As Model F Labs had announced a Model F keyboard with a Model M layout I waited.
For three years I waited.
Ordering the F104
By 2024 things had gone relatively quiet on the Model F front. The F62 and F77 models were still being sold but there was little news on the full size front. I had seen one or two preview videos and the keyboards shown looked not quite like the Model Ms to which I had been accustomed. Toward the middle of the year positive noises had been made about units being delivered from manufacturing but until I saw pictures of the new keyboards I was not inclined to move on a purchase. September delivered the pictures and then I pulled the trigger late in the month. Let me give some advice for ordering one.
The Model F Labs site throws a lot of options at you. If you want an IBM Model M-style keyboard, choose the Classic Style F104 Model F Keyboard or the Classic Style FSSK Model F Keyboard. They are available for immediate shipping at the time of writing. The F122 Model F Keyboard (a.k.a. "the battleship") is not yet ready due to the need for a different keyboard controller IC. Personally I would avoid the "Ultra Compact" models, their key height profile is not very classic Model-M like and I prefer the "lip" which surrounds the keyboard (useful for keyboard overlays, pencils, screws and other small things for temporary storage).
The ordering page gives you seven case color options, thirty two key options (color and language), three layout options, nine LED cover options and a bunch of optional add-ons. To the first time user the options may seem overwhelming, but if you want a traditional Model M keyboard go with the following options:
Case Color: Off-White/Beige
Keys: Regular printed key set (US ANSI layout) or one of the country options for ISO
Layout: Standard (ANSI or ISO)
Indicate Option 1 for the LED cover in the Notes section of the ordering page (check recommended add-ons box).
The standard ANSI layout option contains 103 keys, not 104 as a Unicomp Model M does, and the two extra keys on the spacebar row are 1u wide and are unlabeled. The spacebar on the F104 is the same length as the one on the Model Ms. The SSK variant has 86 keys. You can switch between ANSI and ISO layouts with just swapping keys but the HHKB layouts use different parts.
The key colors come in four, "regular" off/white & gray, black, dark gray and blue. A limitation of the dye sublimation process is that the legend on the key must be darker than the underlying plastic material, so you cannot obtain a black key with white lettering using the dye sublimation process. There is a reverse dye sublimation process but it is still a relatively new process. This is why there are no black keys with white letters being offered.
Unlike the original Model Fs or Ms, the Model F Labs keyboards do not have flip out keyboard feet because they are housed in a metal chassis. The keyboards come with four cork feet but adjusting the height requires an additional purchase. There are various feet of differing heights available on the "Keyboard Feet/Bumpers" page. I asked Mr. Strandberg via email which would be the best option to get an equivalent height compared to an IBM Model M with its feet flipped our and he recommended the "medium threaded feet".
There is an option to have a solenoid installed. Some of IBM's beamspring keyboards had this option but I do not believe Model Fs or Ms did. The solenoid will strike when a key is pressed, providing more tactile and audible feedback than the buckling spring mechanism alone. The sound is something to how a teletype printer or a beam spring keyboard from the 1970s might sound.
My order came to $481.00. The keyboard cost $399, the solenoid was $65, a status LED cover was $5 and the feet were $12. Shipping is free within the continental US and I was not charged state sales tax. Shipping will be charged outside the lower 48. The F104 weighs almost 8 pounds, so it can be expensive to ship.
Old versus New
The F104 has three immediately apparent differences over the Model M. First, the chassis of the F104 is made out of metal like the 4704 keyboards. Both top and bottom of the F104 are aluminum versus the plastic of the Model M, which means this keyboard weighs much more than any Model M. Second, the keyboard uses a braided USB cable instead of an SDL connector or a hardwired AT, PS/2 or a terminal cable. The USB cable attaches to the keyboard controller inside the controller via a USB Type-C and there is a clamp inside the chassis to keep the cable from being ripped out from outside the keyboard. Third, there are no flip out feet on the F104, so if you wish to increase the height or the angle of the keyboard, you will need to order a pair or a quartet from the bumpers page.
The fourth and most important difference is that the buckling spring technology is Model F based instead of Model M based. The F104 is clearly superior to the Model M. The F104's keyboard assembly is not held together by breakable plastic rivets but by metal tabs like the original Model Fs. This permits you to clean your keyboard if any liquid spills inside it and replace the foam, springs, hammers, stabilizers or barrels. The keypress of the Model F is crisper than the Model M and the sound profile is "pingier", higher pitched.
If you want even more tactile feedback, the optional solenoid you can connect for the louder sound and more forceful feedback. The solenoid can be enabled or disenabled via a key combination. The sound is also adjustable by both hardware and software means.
The F104 is designed to be opened easily. Most Model Ms require a long barrel 7/32" hex nut driver to open. The F104 is held together with six T8 Torx-head screws, these are less likely to strip than Philip-head screws. As the Model F and Model Ms used the same kinds of keystems, you can use IBM Model F or M made keys with the F104. The F104 has a one year limited warranty.
Breaking in the F104
The F104 comes shipped in the brown box shown above which identifies the product on four of its six sides. The design is rather clever, mimicking a dot matrix printer's typeface. I chose the silver-gray enclosure option because I wanted something a little different, color-wise, than the typical colors I associate with the Model Fs and Ms (off-white/beige, industrial gray and black). There is a slight grain or matte finish on the enclosure's surfaces, things are unlikely to become worn or get shiny quickly. The enclosure is incredibly close to an original Model Ms, I only wish it had an indentation for a maker's badge like the originals did. I would proudly put the Model F Labs' badge on my keyboard if it did.
The F104's layout bring familiarity to the table. It lacks for nothing you need, including the three traditional status keys and corresponding status LEDs. The spacebar is wide by modern standards but not so wide that pressing it becomes a chore. The keystrokes feel crisp and tactile and both the feel and sound of each key is much more uniform than Model M keyboards. The keys have a premium texture to them, thick and sharp legends on the keys and uniform in their coloring. I only wish they were two-color like some of the Model M's keys (green Alt and SysReq keys, brown cursor keys on the numberpad).
There is an online manual as well as an hour long video telling you everything you need to know about Model F Labs' keyboard. Mr. Strandberg insists that you watch the video and read the manual in their entirety before you unbox your keyboard. While IBM had a bunch of people at the factory engaging in quality testing for the keyboards shipped from its factory, Model F Keyboards is a one-man operation. Watching the video and reading the manual may solve your problem prior to him being able to get back to you. The forums at Deskthority and Geekhack have many knowledgeable users who might be able to provide useful advice.
I received my F104 with only the spacebar installed. The keys come in a bag. It was most fortunate that this was not my first or even my second rodeo with a Model F, or I might still be trying to figure out some things. I installed the wide keys first and watched that portion of the video which showed how the stabilizers were to be installed. Both Shift keys, Backspace, Enter, 0/Ins, Numpad Enter and Numpad + require stabilizers. These stabilizers are plastic shims like those seen in most Model Ms. (Some early Model Ms use wire stabilizers). Only the Spacebar has a metal bar stabilizer.
An adjustable wrench was required to separate the top and bottom keyboard assembly. I covered the surface of the wrench with tape to limit the damage to the paint on the metal pieces. There are 103 spring/plates and 111 barrels underneath the F104. The barrel configuration is flexible enough that, with the right keyset, you can have an ANSI or an ISO layout. Only the HHKB layout requires a different mounting top plate. By the time I removed the incorrectly inserted stabilizers I had jostled the assembly enough that I had to reinsert every spring/plate and several of the barrels. I was able to reattach the top and and bottom assembly using my fingers, but I will not say my fingers were not feeling ouchy afterwards. No spring looked as it if was less than firmly attached to the nub of its plate.
The keys are somewhat easy to insert, but make sure the spring is free within the barrel socket before putting the key in. You should hold the keyboard upside down on its top edge so the spring is near the top of the barrel to ensure that the spring rests firmly on the area of the keystem which it is supposed to sit under. All the keys which did not require a stabilizer had no issues but some I had to remove and reinsert once or twice until I could hear the springiness I expect of a Model F keyswitch. After some use I could really not feel any dead spots when hitting longer keys on their sides (right shift is prone to this without stabilizers).
The Spacebar would sometimes fail to spring back after being pressed as it came preinstalled, so I used a flat-head screwdriver to lift the two tabs holding its stabilizer bar in place up slightly to give the bar more room to move. A second adjustment seems to have got it right, I have not had an issue with the Spacebar being stuck down since the 25th.
Mr. Strandberg warns that there may be issues like these when you receive your keyboard, hence the lengthy manual and video giving advice for almost every conceivable issue which one may encounter with the keyboard. Best to read, watch and ask before submitting a warranty claim.
Installing the solenoid was slightly tricky because the solenoid is screwed into the bottom of the keyboard chassis. It can be a bit difficult to get the rubber washers between the solenoid body and the screws when the keyboard's shell is in the way but I managed it in the end. You do not have to use the washers but they should make the sound a little less harsh. The solenoid is activated and deactivated with the key combination Fn + Spacebar + T. Press the Fn key first, followed by the Spacebar and finally the T. The solenoid will not continue to strike if you hold a key down.
In my packaging there were two off-white and two gray blank keycaps which came with my F104. I also had a 1u 0/Ins key and a 1.5u Menu key included. Four cork feet are included with every keyboard. The order receipt was printed on track-feed paper with alternating green and white lines from a dot-matrix printer. You should find a green tri-fold sheet containing the warranty and advisories.
As Mr. Strandberg suggested, I found that the medium threaded feet gave almost the same typing angle as my Model M. There are also two square feet included but I used two of the cork feet instead. Two quarters' worth of height would make the F104's angle equivalent to the Model M's. Washers can be used to add the extra height but I am content with the height provided by the feet included.
There is a first-aid kit available that covers all the Model F Keyboards sold on the site. It is recommended for long-term repairs, it has extra springs, plates, stabilizers, barrels and a foam sheet cut for your keyboard.
Programming the F104
For most people, that may be the end of the story with this keyboard, it does not have any gimmicky RGB LEDs to adjust to taste. Like all good modern keyboards, this keyboard is programmable. It uses an xwhatsit controller and its firmware comes with support for for the keyboard mapping software QMK and Vial. Vial is similar to but it is not VIA, the two have a visual presentation of a keyboard to assist in the mapping process but a keyboard is not necessarily compatible with both software utilities.
The two unlabeled keys are good candidates for programming. As programmed from the factory the blank right key functions as a Windows key and the blank left key functions as a Function (MO(1)) key. The Vial software, which can be run from Windows or a browser, allows you to assign a function instantly to any key. Assigning Menu to the right blank key is easy.
When testing with Vial the keyboard may freeze up and not appear to respond. In that case the easiest way to get keyboard responding again may be to unplug it. I was able to record a pair of simple macros and assign it to the left and right blank keys.
The keyboard is N-key Rollover Capable but it is set to only 6-key Rollover Capable by default for compatibility reasons. The manual instructs you how you can set a NRKO toggle on the keyboard using Vial.
There does not appear to be any newer firmware for the F104 than what came from the factory at this time.
Is this Keyboard for you?
A $400 keyboard is a very significant purchase for most people, only the most dedicated Model F/M or mechanical keyboard enthusiasts are likely to buy the F104. If you want a new buckling spring keyboard without the Model F premium, Unicomp's Model Ms are substantially more affordable.
Pros:
- Full aluminum enclosure
- Model M layout
- Model F build quality
- NKRO-capable
- Premium dye-sub PBT keys
- Easy to use configuration program
- Variety of colors of enclosures, keys and status LED covers
- Braided USB cable
- Solenoid option
- Capable of being fully disassembled and reassembled
- All components replaceable
Cons:
- High price
- Keyboard not shipped fully-assembled
- Keyboard cable not detachable without opening enclosure
- Annoying solenoid install
- Spring/stabilizer adjustment may be required
- Stabilizers can be inserted incorrectly
- LEDs extended from PCB via leads
If you put in the work, this is a fantastic keyboard which should stand up well over time and give you many years of reliable service. There is no modern substitute for the keystrokes these Model F keyboards provide. Crisp, tactile, firm yet surprisingly light, this 40+ year old keyswitch technology still has plenty to offer. The product is professionally made. looks and feels premium and earned its price from me.
All I want is a TrackPoint keyboard, with a stick that feels like the old ones (the Alps sticks that Dell used to use are fine too). Doesn't need to be buckling-spring. Cherry switches would be fine, but rubber-dome would do, so long as it's 103/104 key with a stick.
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