Question for model M owners: Is an IBM SDL to PS/2 cable outer shell falling apart a known issue ? \ VOGONS

Question for model M owners: Is an IBM SDL to PS/2 cable outer shell falling apart a known issue ?

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First post, by darry

Posted on 2019-02-10, 00:02

darry Offline

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As the subject says, are IBM Model M keyboard cables prone to have their outer shell fall apart after all these years, or did I just get really unlucky with mine ?

Is there anything I should look for in a replacement in order to avoid a crappy one ? At a minimum of 30$ US a pop with shipping to Canada for a used one, these things are not cheap so I would prefer to not get a lemon .

As an alternative, I could just tape mine up with electrical tape as the inner shell still seems to be holding and the cable still works fine, but I would rather avoid this "solution" unless all such cables suffer from degradation and will eventually end up like mine anyway .

Reply 1 of 3, by retardware

Posted on 2019-02-10, 02:15

retardware Offline

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I have several Model M keyboards, though most are newer ones (i.e. of the 1990s), these ones with the cable permanently attached.
Cables behave very well.
Possibly at your location there are factors like UV light or presence of chemical substances that promote plastics decomposition?

Maybe you could post a photo of the cable in question?

Reply 2 of 3, by darry

Posted on 2019-02-20, 00:26

darry Offline

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Possibly at your location there are factors like UV light or presence of chemical substances that promote plastics decomposition?

UV light is unlikely as it has spent the last 8 years under a desk and was fine before that . As for chemicals, the only thing I used to clean it was 70% rubbing alcohol (without camphor) and that was when I got it, which was likely 20 odd years ago .

Maybe you could post a photo of the cable in question?

Good idea . I will try to take one soon .

Reply 3 of 3, by SpectriaForce

Posted on 2019-02-20, 00:52

SpectriaForce Offline

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Rubber dries out and falls apart, like an old dried out tyre. The keyboard cables of COMPAQ Portable computers have the same issue.

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