[CW] CW keys FS

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

Ken,

A JJ-38 is NOT a standard "J-38" key.  It is much different on close
inspection.  It is made from hollow brass, does not have silver contacts
(earlier ones had silver plate on the contact surface), and small ball
bearings at the pivot points.  It was a post-WW2 copy of the USA made J-38
which was made in Japan (and still is).

A J-38 is solid metal, has silver contacts, and has no ball bearings, it
uses only a cup and sleave bearing point (sharpened piece of the cross
shaped lever end, and a hollowed out adjustment screw head.).  This is what
Vibroplex standard movements use.  (The jeweled movements from Vibroplex
have a rounded end instead of a point and they have a synthetic ruby in the
cup.)

Incidentally, both "types" of keys are still in production, the JJ-38 is
being sold by Ameco in this country for about $17.00 - but not with the
original JJ-38 base and the nice wooden sub-base that Ken offers - it is
just the key.

They J-38 style endures today in the keys of  Bill Nye of Nye-Viking and
they sell for $50.00 in a similarly equipped model (with shorting switch),
but can be ordered with and without nickle plate, and with and without
shorting switch, for different prices.

Nye also makes bases for his keys - black painted metal and brass, starting
at $17.00.

Both keys and the Nye bases are available at various ham outlets including
www.morsex.com which has pictures of these and many other telegraph items.
I don't know anyone having the Japan JJ-38 bases anymore.

73

DR

David J. Ring, Jr.
N1EA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Simpson, W8EK" <W8EK@fdt.net>

> CW keys for sale:
>
> J J-38 straight key
> This is the standard J-38, on a very nice bakelite base
> that even says "JJ-38" on it.  The base is nice and shiny,
> and then that base is mounted on a piece of wood, which
> has a rubber pad under it, to keep it from slipping on the
> table. Very, very nice condition for $40.
>