That's a relatively cheap Japanese key of the 60s, ball bearing pivots.
Its NOT a J-38. Not that a J-38 was ever a great key. I think I paid
about $28 for a good E.F. Johnson "speed" key (conventional key) about
1972. I mounted it on a steel plate and warmed it up at 29.8 WPM in my
first (and only) test. Last year I bought a Western Electric 2A Legless
key at a hamfest for $15 or 20. Looks like it may be a century old,
though many were made beginning about 1885. And that was the going price
on epay last year for that model key. I find a bit of graphite or
molybdenum disulfide powder on the pivots allows the good keys to roll
along quite nicely without a need for ball bearings. My E.F Johnson key
gets a new supply every ten years or so.
73, Jerry, K0CQ
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