why is sk 8855 USB keyboard so special?

[PRAGUEGUY]

dear Thinkpadders,
I have the keyboard appended below, with damages as shown.
I wanted to buy new, and this is what I saw

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SK-8855-Thin ... Swoj9bB62F

120 UK pounds...what is this? I just love the keyboard..but why pay such money? Is it some kind of a cult keyboard or what?
anybody can advice where I could get the spare buttons? I am not a mad collector , not going to pay this much...
thanks for any advice guys.

xxxxx
my keyboard, damaged M and comma
thanks

[FryPpy]

anybody can advice where I could get the spare buttons? I am not a mad collector , not going to pay this much...

Sometimes i can see ebay listings for single keys from different thinkpad keyboards.
I know that this keyboard have identical key mechanics with T410, T420 keyboards.
I have transplanted key caps from T410 to SK-8855 one day in the past.

Bad thing that T410 have 3 types of keyboards (NMB, ALPS and Chicony). All this 3 keyboard types have different mechanics. And i don't know what keyboard type is in your SK-8855

[RealBlackStuff]

Get replacement keys here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/330759610988
Scroll down for the red dome pictures.

[PRAGUEGUY]

RealBlack Stuff
thanks , I will try.
but still I did not get answer to one question...

what is so special about this keyboard?
that it costs one hundred plus UK pounds? thx

[Saucey]

eBay just has them at a high price, I don't remember which topic, but there was a USB TP Keyboard that was more expensive on eBay than on Lenovo and a few other sites, by like a 30% margin.

[jdrou]

Not sure what the difference is but I know Amazon currently has sk-8845 available for about $79. Looks like same basic design.

[nh2]

It's expensive because it's not produced any more and you can buy it in only a few places.

But as I wrote on https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comme ... _keyboard/

$ 87 on AliExpress: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Ori ... 31870.html

The keyboard frame is compatible with any X220 keyboard layout (I have both the external and the X220 and just tried it), so you can just buy the language you want as an X220 spare keyboard (still very available, around $40 new).

I'm discussing with a friend to make a custom case for it, so that the availability of this device should only depend on the availability of X220 keyboards. Ping me if you're interested in this!

[nh2]

So this means to repair your broken keybaord, you can just buy a working X220 keyboard and put it in, repair cost around $ 40.

Disassembly instructions: https://deskthority.net/photos-f62/leno ... t9556.html

8 screws to unscrew. Be careful with the little plastic clippers on the side. You open them by first finding them and then inserting a thin and stiff object into the gap and pusing *down*. That opens the clipper in the same way a door closes automatically when you push it shut.

[axur-delmeria]

I'm discussing with a friend to make a custom case for it, so that the availability of this device should only depend on the availability of X220 keyboards. Ping me if you're interested in this!

Does your project include the electronics that could turn the X220 keyboard (and hopefully other Thinkpad KBs as well) into USB devices?