Found out the original IBM Model M buckling spring force is way higher than I thought

I was reading an old spec sheet from the IBM archives and it said the actuation force is 70 grams. That's almost double what most modern tactile switches use. I always thought my vintage board felt heavy but seeing that number explained it. Has anyone else measured the force on their old Model M or similar buckling spring boards?

2 comments

2 Comments

thea_knight17d ago

Oh man, that makes so much sense... I have an old M from '91 and it always felt like a workout compared to my other boards. I put a key puller on a spring once just to feel it, and it was shockingly stiff, like pressing a real button. That heavy feel is why I keep going back to it though.

paige_harris16d ago

Ugh I totally disagree, that heavy feel is just bad design to me. My wrists hurt just thinking about typing on a board that stiff all day. @thea_knight, that "real button" feel you like is just wasted energy, like using an old TV remote with stuck batteries. Modern switches get the job done with way less force, so you can actually type faster without feeling sore. Why fight your keyboard when you could just enjoy typing?