Thinkpads Forum

Hi folks,
My sk-8835 keyboard is having some hardware issues. Everything works except for some main keyboard keys and buttons. I quite like the keyboard and want to either replace it with another 8835 or cannibalize an 8845 for parts. If you have something that would fit the bill, please send me a note. I'm in Boston, USA and can do paypal. I might also consider a 55Y9003 (aka, sk-8855).

Thanks!

Sorry to intrude,

I have the variant without the numpad. I've been affected by the same issues, but I found out how to fix them.
With a bit of patience the keycaps having issues can be removed ( I found that using a small brush and applying force using the flexible brush side works, with enough patience )

Underside each key has breast cups like silicon cups (dunno how to define them better)... The whole issue stems from these being a bit less firm ( yeh... similarities erm ).
If you apply on the bottom side of the keycap 5 / 7 layers of tape ( cut in small squares , applied in the center ), the functionality is fixed.

The layers depend on the thickness of the tape used ( but 7 - 8 is a safe bet to have autorepeat work as should meant to be )

I just posted mine on ebay. I would take $139 shipped if that interests you.

Thanks for the help!

Mazzinia- no such luck with mine. While trying to fix the trackpoint buttons, I sprayed the board with an electronics cleaner that managed to melt the silicone and some of the plastic clips of the keys. Won't be doing that again... I never could get the buttons to come back to life, so the board needed replacing anyway. Now I have lots of good spare parts.

Unfortunately, although these boards look exactly like old t4x boards, they use zif connectors for the ribbon cables instead of the press-on plugs like the laptop boards. The zif connection appears to be unique to the usb keyboard.

T20- pm sent!

Ah, a real pity.

And you answered the curiosity I had since a while... aka if a standard thinkpad kb could be swapped in. I was always too lazy to disassemble to check.
Even if they are different models, I suspect the connectors inside would be the same

I think I have some older SK-8805 ones sitting in my school doing nothing if you want

Thanks to t20user, new keyboard arrived last week and is getting along great with ubuntu16.04 and windows10. Though the touchpad scrolling works much better under ubuntu

t20user wrote:I just posted mine on ebay. I would take $139 shipped if that interests you.

Hello, you should have one for sale? Thx

I kinda reached that point with my SK's in the last 1-2 years. I've been wondering the same - if and/ what parts from T6x / T4x can be usable towards the USB SKs with UltraNavs.

-nick wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 02, 2016 8:52 am

Thanks for the help!

Mazzinia- no such luck with mine. While trying to fix the trackpoint buttons, I sprayed the board with an electronics cleaner that managed to melt the silicone and some of the plastic clips of the keys. Won't be doing that again... I never could get the buttons to come back to life, so the board needed replacing anyway. Now I have lots of good spare parts.

Unfortunately, although these boards look exactly like old t4x boards, they use zif connectors for the ribbon cables instead of the press-on plugs like the laptop boards. The zif connection appears to be unique to the usb keyboard.

T20- pm sent!

Did anyone figure out a way between these connectors/ boards?

mazzinia wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 02, 2016 10:42 am

Ah, a real pity.

And you answered the curiosity I had since a while... aka if a standard thinkpad kb could be swapped in. I was always too lazy to disassemble to check.
Even if they are different models, I suspect the connectors inside would be the same

I have to maybe start by cannibalizing some keycaps to start with here - viewtopic.php?f=18&t=132991&p=860728#p860728.

I've removed a couple of keycaps a couple of times on the travel one (since the silicon under got lightly softer and didn't allow autorepeat on keypress), but has been quite a mess. It feels easy to break everything

mazzinia wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 29, 2021 6:15 am

I've removed a couple of keycaps a couple of times on the travel one (since the silicon under got lightly softer and didn't allow autorepeat on keypress), but has been quite a mess. It feels easy to break everything

What kind of tools/ method/ steps and CAUTION / ADVISE can you share from your experiences?

I am a bit afraid

And how would you recommend - handling this - popping on and off this KEY -

Help! How? SK 8845: Safest tool/ method/ ways/ steps to pop off & transplant the left Shift key from one keyboard to another w/o breaking key cap underside tabs?

Pics/ video & any cautionary notes welcome. (Can’t order/ wait/ receive replacement keys at locale: India)?

Updated Actual Pics:

LEFT SHIFT key - larger horizontally wider keycaps.

https://imgur.com/a/uTqc7E3

Well... the method I used was probably not standard... I've used a small brush, and used the bristles to get it to pop
But I did only some letters... those do not have any metal underside, unlike the shift / spacebar and such. Personally I don't know if I would risk touching those

mazzinia wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 29, 2021 1:29 pm

Well... the method I used was probably not standard... I've used a small brush, and used the bristles to get it to pop
But I did only some letters... those do not have any metal underside, unlike the shift / spacebar and such. Personally I don't know if I would risk touching those

Oh! Can you show a picture / video of how you were / do place this small brush & bristles etc and its motion/ action?

It's just one of this kind

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1YhNPw8yW ... rawing.jpg

as for the movement, is random ( involves rolling ) so...

mazzinia wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 31, 2021 1:58 pm

It's just one of this kind

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1YhNPw8yW ... rawing.jpg

as for the movement, is random ( involves rolling ) so...

Thank god I asked. I was thinking tooth brush. I haven't seen or touched a paint brush in so long.

Rolling in what ways?

Rolling in random ways... I did what I felt could work, simply. ( and it depends on the brush dimension anyway )
Bottom line : played by ears, as I think it's said

mazzinia wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 29, 2021 1:29 pm

Well... the method I used was probably not standard... I've used a small brush, and used the bristles to get it to pop
But I did only some letters... those do not have any metal underside, unlike the shift / spacebar and such. Personally I don't know if I would risk touching those

One more question:

Thoughts on - if and/ what parts from T6x / T4x can be usable towards the USB SKs with UltraNavs.?

Gotta ask you if you know - Which "thinkpad" laptop keyboard is the same or closest" to this one in terms of "structure, size, layout"?

I ask because I will need to get one of those semi transparent "dust cover" thingies for it. Cant figure out which one to match it with?

crashnburn wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 7:42 am

mazzinia wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 29, 2021 1:29 pm

Well... the method I used was probably not standard... I've used a small brush, and used the bristles to get it to pop
But I did only some letters... those do not have any metal underside, unlike the shift / spacebar and such. Personally I don't know if I would risk touching those

One more question:

Thoughts on - if and/ what parts from T6x / T4x can be usable towards the USB SKs with UltraNavs.?

Gotta ask you if you know - Which "thinkpad" laptop keyboard is the same or closest" to this one in terms of "structure, size, layout"?

I ask because I will need to get one of those semi transparent "dust cover" thingies for it. Cant figure out which one to match it with?

Hello,

I would say is very similar to a X41/40 keyboard, as layout and shape, with 2 differences. The top plastic area with Access IBM and the volume buttons, in the X4x has also the power button. While in the portable keyboard the power button is not present, and 3 status leds are instead present. I would say you can get a cover matching that X model, should be ok.

crashnburn wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 7:42 am

Thoughts on - if and/ what parts from T6x / T4x can be usable towards the USB SKs with UltraNavs.?

Whilst there are a few keyboards that look very close like T30's and aforementioned x4x's, I don't think SK-8835/884x is (fully) compatible with any laptop ThinkPad keyboard. SK-8835/884x are made by LITE-ON, who to my knowledge didn't make classic ThinkPad keyboards in the 2000s. ThinkPad scissor-switches can be subtly or very different between OEM, which could restrict keycap, dome, etc. compatibility between them and/or SK-8835/884x. You wouldn't be able to swap an entire new keyboard into them either because they use a single flat cable, whereas (for example) T4x and T6x keyboards both use two-row 'push-down' connectors instead.

mazzinia wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 8:26 am

crashnburn wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 7:42 am

One more question:

Thoughts on - if and/ what parts from T6x / T4x can be usable towards the USB SKs with UltraNavs.?

Gotta ask you if you know - Which "thinkpad" laptop keyboard is the same or closest" to this one in terms of "structure, size, layout"?

I ask because I will need to get one of those semi transparent "dust cover" thingies for it. Cant figure out which one to match it with?

Hello,

I would say is very similar to a X41/40 keyboard, as layout and shape, with 2 differences. The top plastic area with Access IBM and the volume buttons, in the X4x has also the power button. While in the portable keyboard the power button is not present, and 3 status leds are instead present. I would say you can get a cover matching that X model, should be ok.

Thanks for sharing. It seems in googleing and ebaying that all of the market has run out of X4x keyboard protector skins/ cover.

Do you think you could find one / something close and compatible to save it from dust?

Maybe you searching using some parameter Im not aware of? Again, thanks for helping.

sharktastica wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 10:44 am

crashnburn wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 7:42 am

Thoughts on - if and/ what parts from T6x / T4x can be usable towards the USB SKs with UltraNavs.?

Whilst there are a few keyboards that look very close like T30's and aforementioned x4x's, I don't think SK-8835/884x is (fully) compatible with any laptop ThinkPad keyboard. SK-8835/884x are made by LITE-ON, who to my knowledge didn't make classic ThinkPad keyboards in the 2000s. ThinkPad scissor-switches can be subtly or very different between OEM, which could restrict keycap, dome, etc. compatibility between them and/or SK-8835/884x. You wouldn't be able to swap an entire new keyboard into them either because they use a single flat cable, whereas (for example) T4x and T6x keyboards both use two-row 'push-down' connectors instead.

Thank you for that technical insight. It seems I'll have to find a way to make them come back alive without parts - WIsh I had gotten dust cover sooner.

Doubt I would have more luck to find something ( I just tried ). I remember there were options back some years, but it's understandable that now is not like that anymore