deskthority

... For both the shift and "enter" keys, at least. I haven't torn down the keyboards, yet. (Yes, there was a stabilizer jammed under the right shift key. I bought 3 keyboards from one seller, so the seller probably has a pallet full of keyboards.)

I bought these keyboards a little while ago and I was surprised to find metal, approximately Alps size/shape/thickness, wire stabilizers on these keys.

* The 1986 is a model 1390238 and has the stepped bottom row modifier keys. 240 degree cable. It's also got a row of DIP switches you can see on the bottom case.
* The 1987 is a model 1390702 and does not have the stepped bottom row modifier keys. 240 degree cable. No DIP switches or they're covered up.

Both have the same labelled key caps in the same places. Or would, if I had all the keycaps

I was able to excavate the several inches (or 2.5 metric tons, if you prefer) of yuckiness from the barrel plate and I found the hooks.

Anyone see these before? Any ideas to make them work better? sharktastica?

You would probably have to replace the caps, but barrel inserts have been the standard stabilizers from the late-1980s onward.

The wire stabilized keys move more freely than the barrel stabilized ones, particularly if struck on an edge.

I had enough parts keyboards to switch all my main boards to wire stabilized.

The early boards used wire stabilized keys which IMHO feel better than the barrel inserts.

You can replace the wire stabilized keys with the newer style barrel insert keys if you'd prefer or need to.