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Reviews For: Chinese K4 Hand Key

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Chinese K4 Hand Key
Reviews: 7MSRP: $25.00
Description:
Made for the Chinese Army. Available on ebay by various
sellers.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0074.6
K6LQ Rating: 2021-02-02
Egads Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Nice to look at

A novelty for sure

Only used for weight lifting and conditioning

N7TAT Rating: 2021-02-02
Great once modified. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this key as NOS. It arrived well packaged in a somewhat beat-up original box with Chinese writing on the label. Inside the key was wrapped in plastic and fastened with a rubber band.


Overall Rating: 5

I picked a 5, not because this key is perfect (it is not) but because this key, with improvements, is a very nice key to use at a price that is reasonable. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a stiff spring or can shorten the spring to lighten it.


Fit & Finish: 3

The bottom edge of steel base plate is not square so the key rocks on the table. The felt padded (cast iron?) weight is recessed slightly inside the base plate so it did not make contact with the desk nor help with the rocking. I fixed mine by adding washers as spacers so the weight would project below the base plate.

This is not a polished key. The plating looks fairly good but the underlying metal is a bit rough in places. There was a bit of a ridge around the plastic knob which I smoothed with some 600 grit sand paper.

The alignment of the upper and lower contact. They are spot-on.


Adjustability: 4

The spring is too tall and too stiff. I solved that by cutting about 3 turns from the bottom with my Dremel tool and cut-off wheel. The adjustment screws are all smooth with no sharp edges. Thread pitch is adequate. I found it very refreshing that I could adjust the trunion screws for near-zero side play while having the rocker arm move smoothly up and down. On the Speed-X keys I've had, I could never get super smooth up and down motion without some side play.


Function: 5

I'm really loving this key. The action is very crisp with the key making a very refreshing click sound on both closing and opening. It is louder than my Junker but much quieter than the Kent I once had. The small mushroom shaped knob works well even with my big hands. The top of the knob is about 2" above the desk. I use European style sending (arm off the desk) so knob height does not affect me. YMMV.


Value: 5

I paid about $65 for my NOS key which in today's market is a fairly low price. Straight out of the box the key is has some issues but improvements are simple and very effective.


Junker vs K4

The Junker is a much better built key. Adjustments on the Junker are smoother and more predictable. The Junker works really well over a wide range of adjustments. The Junker is a quieter key as well. That said, the Junker is ugly and much harder to find. I was fortunate to purchase one NOS a number of years ago. The K4, once adjusted is a smooth functioning key. I find the Junker to be a slightly faster key to use yet the K4 is very enjoyable and side by side, the K4 looks better.
K8JHR Rating: 2016-06-06
Good Enough Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My Chinese Army Changshu DJG-4 code key is crudely made, but works well enough. Attractive, sturdy, well built, key which, upon close examination, is crudely built with solid, but less than refined construction. Considering I paid $26 for mine, I am pleased with its performance.

My DJG-4 key is moderately difficult to adjust, in part because the adjustment screws have rather coarse threading and also the parts are not what I consider of high precision or close tolerance manufacture. Moreover, the tension spring is too strong. Nevertheless, this key CAN be tamed and it does work well enough - especially after I spent a little time massaging and adjusting it, and after I removed two or three turns of the conical shaped tension spring, which initially provides too much tension to work easily.

Out of the box, it lacks any sort of rubber feet or rubber pads on the base - having, instead, a coarse fabric glued to the iron weight in the chrome plated base. I removed that, and replaced it with 1/4 thick, self-sticking rubber padding - and now it stays put on the desk, even when I get a little heavy handed. This has the additional benefit of dampening the clunk or clatter of the contacts clicking during operation. I acquired the rubber padding from www.allelectronics.com for around $1, and have enough left over to repeat the modification multiple times. Cheap and easy solution to noise and slippage.

So, as adjusted, and with a little practice, my DJG-4 code key works easily and precisely enough, and feels solid and durable in operation. I expect this to be a long-term addition to my station. While I do not award this key a 5-star rating, I consider this key very good value for what I paid for it.

Just MY take... your mileage may vary. K8JHR

W6LZC Rating: 2016-01-20
Excellent Key Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After 30 years of not using CW, I have forgotten morse code. I decided to challenge myself to re-learn morse code and do CW on the air. The straight key that I had used when I was a Novice was no where to be found which is expected from moving around Southern California since I graduated from high school. Well, I needed a key for sending CW. I decided to go with a straight key rather than a paddle. I have researched many different brands. During the course of that research, I came across the Chinese K-4 straight key and it was reasonably priced on ebay. I ordered one from one of the many sellers of the Chinese K-4. The K-4 is beautiful and heavy. The particular model that I ordered had a white key platform mounted to the chrome base. Most of the K-4 being sold comes with a black key platform mounted to the chrome base. The K-4 operated without any problems noted. I did not noticed the spring tension as being too stiff. I was able to loosen the tension on the spring and satisfied with how it performs. The only improvement I would recommend is adding 4 rubber foots to the base to keep the key from moving around. If you are considering a straight key and have a limited budget, I highly recommend the Chinese K-4 key especially as a starter key for the newbie to CW.
NZ5L Rating: 2016-01-10
problem solved Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I took W4KPA's advice, and performed spring surgery.
Did the trick. Now "5/5" without reservations.
W4KPA Rating: 2016-01-09
Great key with one tiny change Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my Chinese military key for about four years, and I've been very happy with materials and workmanship of this very inexpensive straight key. Like a lot of people, I found the spring to be a little stiff. I did the same thing everybody else does. I cut off the bottom two loops of the spring. Problem solved. Now it has a very pleasant touch.
WA6MOW Rating: 2012-01-11
Bargain Priced Quality Key Time Owned: more than 12 months.
These keys are heavy and beautifully made. If produced in this country would sell for over $100.00. The K4 and K5 are very similar but the K5 is slightly bigger. They are large solid keys and will not move around on your desk. I think they are a tremendous value. Grab one while you still can.