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The guy at the Raleigh hamfest sold me a dead Model F and now I check every key before I pay
Went to the hamfest in Raleigh back in April and spotted a Model F sitting in a milk crate with a $20 tag on it. The seller kept saying it "just needs a cable" so I handed over the cash without pulling a single cap. Got it home, popped the case open, and half the springs were rusted solid and two barrels were cracked clean through. Now I bring a little USB adapter in my pocket and test every single key right there at the table, no exceptions. Anyone else get burned at a swap meet and change up how they buy after that?
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angela_kelly2d ago
Man, I used to be the guy who handed over cash and hoped for the best, because pulling caps at a table felt rude and the sellers always act like you're insulting their mother. Getting burned on a "just needs a cable" deal cured me of that real quick. Now I test first, every time, and if a seller gets weird about it I just walk, because a real seller with nothing to hide won't care. Maybe this is me getting older and crankier but I'd rather be the annoying guy at the table than the guy driving home with a box of rust.
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