TELEGRAPH KEY

The early Vibroplex Presentation Gold key had an adjustable main spring.  You could loosen two screws and move the dot arm main spring in and out of the yoke in order to make adjustments in the speed range.   Thats a good theory but the concept wasnt implemented very well and the actual adjust range adjustment is very small.    Most people didnt bother with it and left it on maximum speed.  Later, Vibroplex dropped that feature in the Presentation.   Even today people talk up the adjustable main spring like it was something magical :-)   And it might have been if they had allowed a larger adjustment range :-)  The coating they applied was called Brushed Gold on a brass plate and over the years some keys developed blemishes on the brass plate.   Today you can buy a new Vibroplex Presentation with plated gold finish on the steel base rather than the Brushed Gold Brass Plate.   And I consider it more durable.

Vibroplex might have hand picked better parts for the Presentation.   As I have always found them to be better keys.  And the jewled bearings dont hurt either :-)    I've owned five of the Gold Presentation Originals and if you get them adjusted correctly, the code you can send is just as good a machine code. 

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