IBM T41p 2374-GGG keyboards wear out fast?

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Torque · #1 Post by **Torque** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:19 pm

Hello Thinkpad forums

Thank you for a great and informative forum

Im very happy with my T41p, but I have one question. Some of the keys on the keyboard are beginning to have 'glossy' look. Real shiny. Like i just waxed them with mineral oils or something. The space bar in particular. It has a very glossy spot (20mm long) to the left.

I've just wiped the whole thinkpad clean, with a moist (nearly dry) cloth with water and a little universal cleaner solution. Is this was oils from my hands, it -should- be gone. but it isn't.

i've had my thinkpad for something like 4 months. Does the surface of the keyboards really wear out this fast? What are your experiences?

img]http://img147.exs.cx/img147/9726/img33633ef.th.jpg[/img]

CHood · #2 Post by **CHood** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:22 pm

I have an X3o that did that. I just got my second TP so I don't know if its common but it wasn't a big deal to me.

Torque · #3 Post by **Torque** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:37 pm

CHood wrote:I have an X3o that did that. I just got my second TP so I don't know if its common but it wasn't a big deal to me.

Well, this isn't exactly ruining my world - but it pokes me in the eye, every time I look at it. I don't really expect a laptop with this pricetag to wear like this.

Rose · #4 Post by **Rose** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:44 pm

i had the same problem with my earlier T40 and also its predecessors. Even the markings on the keys, especially the "n" "m" and "." printings wore out and left the keys blank.

but anyway, look at it this way. At least it shows that you are using your equipment so hopefully it pays of the money you spent on it.

Kenn · #5 Post by **Kenn** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:04 pm

This happens with all T40-series thinkpads I've seen, regardless of year, model, or model of keyboard (Thai/China, etc.) Mine is MUCH more glossy than the picture you posted, after only 6 months of use (my spacebar and several other keys have a mirror polish), and much glossier than keys on my other laptops. Some of my friends type more ham-fistedly than mine, and their keyboards are correspondingly more glossy.

It doesn't affect the performance though, as the actual keyboard itself still feels like a champ, and continues to function just fine. Also, none of the lettering has rubbed off for me yet, but I imagine that day is coming soon.

Torque · #6 Post by **Torque** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:14 am

Kenn wrote:This happens with all T40-series thinkpads I've seen, regardless of year, model, or model of keyboard (Thai/China, etc.) Mine is MUCH more glossy than the picture you posted, after only 6 months of use (my spacebar and several other keys have a mirror polish), and much glossier than keys on my other laptops. Some of my friends type more ham-fistedly than mine, and their keyboards are correspondingly more glossy.

It doesn't affect the performance though, as the actual keyboard itself still feels like a champ, and continues to function just fine. Also, none of the lettering has rubbed off for me yet, but I imagine that day is coming soon.

Well, im counting on getting a new keyboard from IBM. Every time.
If the front seats in my car looked an elephant had sat in them efter 4 months, I would have them replaced at the manufacturers account too

Kenn · #7 Post by **Kenn** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 4:33 am

Torque wrote:
Well, im counting on getting a new keyboard from IBM. Every time.
If the front seats in my car looked an elephant had sat in them efter 4 months, I would have them replaced at the manufacturers account too

Well, if you're willing to call them every other month...be my guest!

Torque · #8 Post by **Torque** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 5:06 am

Kenn wrote:
Torque wrote:
Well, im counting on getting a new keyboard from IBM. Every time.
If the front seats in my car looked an elephant had sat in them efter 4 months, I would have them replaced at the manufacturers account too
Well, if you're willing to call them every other month...be my guest!

Oh I am

#9 Post by **K. Eng** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:09 am

I've had my T40 for 21 months and my keys do exhibit that kind of wear. I have looked at notebooks from other manufacturers (Gateway, Dell, HP, Averatec) and they all exhibit this. I suspect that the plastic used in notebook keyboards is soft and as a consequence, the matte finish of the keys rubs off easily.

I wouldn't worry about it - it doesn't affect the functionality of the system and even buying a different brand wouldn't change things.

Torque wrote:Hello Thinkpad forums
...
i've had my thinkpad for something like 4 months. Does the surface of the keyboards really wear out this fast? What are your experiences?

mattfromomaha · #10 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:09 am

Torque wrote:
Kenn wrote: Well, if you're willing to call them every other month...be my guest!
Oh I am

And people wonder why IBM had so much trouble making a profit in PCs...

Torque · #11 Post by **Torque** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 5:16 am

mattfromomaha wrote:
Torque wrote: Oh I am
And people wonder why IBM had so much trouble making a profit in PCs...

Well, if they used a different type of material than didn't wear down after a few months of usage, there wouldn't be a problem. Im not cashing out this kind of money for laptop, to get something that wears down like this.

Bgradid · #12 Post by **Bgradid** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 8:13 am

I hate to bump such an old thread, but, i've got the same thing happening on my t42p pretty bad, to the point where when typing the space bar is actually kind of 'slippery' to the touch

My only fear is that if I did go through warranty channels that I'd lose the laptop for a few days and possibly get an inferior keyboard to my thai-nmb despite getting new key covers

hobbes · #13 Post by **hobbes** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:30 am

Bgradid wrote:I hate to bump such an old thread, but, i've got the same thing happening on my t42p pretty bad, to the point where when typing the space bar is actually kind of 'slippery' to the touch

My only fear is that if I did go through warranty channels that I'd lose the laptop for a few days and possibly get an inferior keyboard to my thai-nmb despite getting new key covers

The keyboard is a customer-replaceable part. If you are still in warranty they should be happy to send you a new keyboard for you to replace and send back the old one. You can then inspect the new keyboard before swapping and decide if it is an improvement over your existing one. Replacing the keyboard takes all of 5 minutes.

I received a new keyboard under warranty from Lenovo last week and at the time I ordered it they said they had 1400 of the NMB keyboards in stock. Just request the specific part number for the NMB keyboard, which is 39T0519.

Bgradid · #14 Post by **Bgradid** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:19 pm

Ok sounds good, the thai NMB is the FRU that is specified to come with my laptop as well, so that shouldn't be a problem.

I've taken out the keyboard for cleaning it quite a few times, its just that over the past few months the right space bar has become so reflective I think I can see my face in it.

hobbes · #15 Post by **hobbes** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:48 pm

Bgradid wrote:Ok sounds good, the thai NMB is the FRU that is specified to come with my laptop as well, so that shouldn't be a problem.

I've taken out the keyboard for cleaning it quite a few times, its just that over the past few months the right space bar has become so reflective I think I can see my face in it.

FYI, the NMB keyboards no longer appear to be made in Thailand, they are now made in China. My new NMB keyboard is nice, but might not be of the same quality as the original Thai keyboards. I don't think it is possible anymore to get a keyboard from Lenovo that was made in Thailand. The secondary market is probably the only way to get one these days.

IBM T41p 2374-GGG keyboards wear out fast?

IBM T41p 2374-GGG keyboards wear out fast?

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