[CW] What is a Sideswiper, or Cootie Key?

[Richard Knoppow]

    The counterweights on my 1920 key have slightly keystoned 
holes. I wondered if perhaps it was used on a ship where constant 
vibration could have caused the wear. The set screws still make 
them tight so they don't seem to affect the operation.
    The key is the same as yours, glossy Japanned finish with 
gold pinstriping.
    I think by 1947 the design had changed from the earlier one, 
The castings on the deck having rounded corners instead of square 
ones. Now, is your key stiff for dots or dashes or both?  In any 
case I think its possible to get rid of the stiffness. If its 
stiff for dots it could explain the dot spring bounce and fixing 
the stiffness could fix the bounce too. There are too many 
adjustments on these keys increasing the chances that something 
is out of adjustment. I must say that all three of my keys have 
very similar feel.


On 4/12/2018 10:00 AM, Donald Chester wrote:
> Richard Knoppow wrote:
>   
>>      I have three "original" Vibroplex keys, 1920, 1944, 1961. The
>> 1920 key is worn but works like a charm, very smooth. Still has the "Bug"
>> decal on it.  The original knob and paddle were gone so I put Lionel J-36
> parts
>> on (found a bunch surplus years ago). The
>> 1961 key was evidently never used. Seems like new. I forgot where I got
> it. It
>> has a gray base and post war type castings.
> 
> I have a circa 1947 Vibroplex Original; it is stiff and I never could get
> rid of dit contact bounce no matter what I tried.  The 1920s Vibroplex has
> mechanical slop in the pivots from wear, but it is velvet smooth, no contact
> bounce and a pleasure to use.  I bought it at a bargain price at a hamfest
> when it looked like a total basket case. I suspect it served many years in a
> railway station; one of the finger pieces was broken and the other eroded to
> a concave surface from use. No ham would have ever put that many hours of
> use on a key in an entire lifetime of operating.  The metal parts were
> covered with a black patina that made it look  like it had been stored
> inside a chimney, probably the result of years of smoke pollution from
> steam  locomotives.  I was able to clean it up, find replacement finger
> pieces, and repair a couple of bent parts.  It has a beautiful "Japanned"
> gloss black finish with the gold stripe round the edge of the base.  It
> works so well that I ended up putting my electronic keyer and paddle away on
> the shelf.
> 
> Don k4kyv
>

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL