Saturday, July 13, 2013 — There’s nothing I’m watching on eBay today, so I thought I would take time and update my blog. The IARU HF contest is underway, don’t know that I’ll take time to operate the contest, too much stuff on my agenda.
I did want to expound a little on some cootie keys that I’ve seen on eBay recently. These keys aren’t old ones, but new ones built with quality, forethought and craftsmanship. For the record, I do not own either of these keys, both made by the same individual. I do own a couple of cootie keys, and I’ve used them enough to know that using a cootie key after using a bug for many years requires conscious thought and focus in order to shape characters properly. I love the idea behind the cootie key concept, but the code I send tends to sound more like a ship’s Sparks on extended shore leave (aka, “drunken sailor keying”). Enough about my lack of coordination, let’s talk keys, shall we? Jolly good.
COOTIE 1. I really, really like this key. It uses the traditional hack 
saw blade, and has what appear to be well-positioned adjustment screws for the side-to-side contacts. The tension of the key adjusts by moving the center post; the tension is increased if you move the post to the front of the key, less if moved to the rear. I can’t help but think once the post is moved beyond the halfway point, there’s little real change in the tension. That’s purely a guess, however. I can see how moving the post forward increases the tension. I’m not sure how useful an adjustment this really is, but it certainly is a novel idea. I’m not the consummate cootie key user, so my opinions here are just conjecture. If you have the tension really stiff, will it make the key wobble around the desk?
Overall, I really like the way the key looks; I just wish I felt a little more confident with my ability to use one, hi!
COOTIE 2. This key confused me with its design and execution. 
Admittedly, it may operate like a champ; it just looks a little Rube Goldbergish in design for my taste.
For starters, I don’t believe it needs such a long keying lever. I’m also not sold on the middle-of-the-key pivot point. The construction looks solid enough, though when I look at the parts used, I’m thinking “Why didn’t this guy just make a bug?”
It wouldn’t be that difficult. Move the pivot point to the front, move the two travel adjustment posts to a position right behind the pivot frame. The keying lever would be shortened and revised. OK, maybe it would take some work. But I think it would be improvement on the desing of Cootie 2.
The main feature I question regarding Cootie 2 is the addition of the short section of flexible hacksaw blade at the business end, right by the finger pieces. The auction write-up says this gives the key “a nice cushiony feel.” I’m sure it does, but I have to wonder if that won’t make the key a little more difficult to operate at high speed. My theory is that the “give” of the spring adds some inaccuracy to high-speed keying — or can. This again is conjecture; since most cootie keys use a flexible keying lever, perhaps it was necessary to have some “give” in the keying lever. Hmmm.
OLD COOTIE. I don’t have a photo of the vintage Cootie key I bought some years ago, but I have one very similar to it pictured here. The cootie key I have is built of all brass components, including the keying lever, which is very thin brass stock. The base of the cootie key I have is thin bakelite, and the front edge is warped. Apparently the base was designed to mount to a heavier base of some sort. I put Vibroplex-style rubber feet on mine using the holes, and it works pretty well. Due to the lack of weight, you have to hold the key with the left hand while operating it just to keep it bouncing around. Once I find my photos (or the key) I’ll show you what I’m talking about.
Well, chores away, so I’m off.
73 es CUL … de KY4Z … dit dit