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Reviews For: Swedish Army Key

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Swedish Army Key
Reviews: 7MSRP: $189 @ MorseX.com
Description:
A straight key presently made by Lennart Petterson Co.
in Hoberberg, Sweden. Sometimes called the Swedish Pump Key. It was made by various manufacturers over the years.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0075
K5WG Rating: 2021-02-12
A Truly Outstanding Straight Key! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine is a classic Swedish Army Morse code key manufactured by the J. Wilkes Company. I found it on Ebay in 2013. It has a slate base, weighs 2 1/2 pounds, and of course, it uses a torsion bar instead of a coil spring to provide tension on the lever, and has a heavy lever which is perfectly balanced. The tension is finely adjustable. It is absolutely something special! I am amazed at how smooth it feels and how easy it is to send high speed Morse code with it. It has by far the best action I have ever experienced in a straight key! Needless to say, it instantly became my primary straight key. Someone needs to start making these again! If you can find one for sale in good condition, I highly recommend it. BTW, they are no longer in production, except for precision custom made versions made by Phil Boyle, G0NVT in England, phil_boyle75@hotmail.com
I have one (PB213) on order from Phil. Can't wait to get it!
WB5AGF Rating: 2015-11-06
Very Impressive Action (once adjusted) Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After thinking that I'd never have the opportunity to have and use the Swedish 'Pump' Key I recently chanced upon one for sale on ebay (an automatic process ensued ... the motions required to offer the required price was apparently conducted at some murky subconscious level as the next thing I knew the key was 'mine').

First impressions :

1.) It's beautiful (just like the pictures).

2.) The action ... that is the sensation generated when using the key ... reminded me of precision polar relays that I was around years ago when in the Air Force. When you press on the key you get the sensation that it's either 'up' or 'down' ('click' and it's up .... another 'click' and you see the contact is down).

- Paul, WB5AGF (06 Nov 2015)
VE7IG Rating: 2009-01-09
Beautiful key Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this key several years now but have only used it a few times, as I prefer a keyer paddle to a straight key. I received it as a gift and treasure it. It is undoubtedly the best straight key I have ever used and I have used quite a few in 52 years of ham radio. The key is solid, doesn't shift and has a beautiful action as well as a beautiful appearance. The contacts are at the rear of the key putting wire connections well out of the way of any of the action. Altogether a great addition to a brass pounder's shack!
IZ1CLB Rating: 2006-08-19
Not easy, but... Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
If you are entranced by the classic vertical key, you feel nostalgic for the things of the past, if you don’t care about bug and paddle and yet you are fascinated by all things mechanic, the Swedish “pump” key is what you’re looking for. In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful keys currently available. Its appearance alone makes it worth the price.
Be warned: this is not an easy vertical. First of all because of the long front lever, unforgiving to all heavy-handed operators (the key is bound to tilt onwards; maybe it was originally supposed to be fastened to the table with two screws), and you must learn to almost whisper on the wooden knob. The knob is also placed relatively high in relation to the surface of the desk, thus forcing (or maybe educating) to an old-fashioned modus operandi, with the wrist lifted from the table and slightly bent backwards. Then there’s that strange machine-like tick, which is bound to create some confusion if you don’t wear headphones because of the contact which closes back upwards instead than downwards in front. At the time of my first encounter it felt like switching from a front engine to a rear engine car!
Allow yourself some time, and you’ll end up loving it. After having first ignored it – ready for leisurely chats with slower operators – while dealing with the always reliable vertical Shurr for a faster performance, i ended up being seduced by its charmingly rebel (maybe even a little touchy) personality. So here I am with the Swedish as my favorite key, treating it as if it had a soul of its own, eagerly claiming the status of main key. On a final note, my own piece (#6831) – bought some time ago from Morsex – is a bit uneven in the connection between wood and metal, thus causing a slight misalignment in the upper contact, which is normally open. That’s fine with me, though – maybe this is why handmade objects are so cool.

73 de IZ1CLB Matteo
KK6OQ Rating: 2006-03-03
Nice Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Recently joined a new CW club, SKCC, and began a search for a new straight key. Liked the looks of this one and decided to try it out. I noticed when it arrived that the contacts were a bit out of alignment, but it is easy to adjust, just loosen the clamp load on the torsion spring. I am falling in love with this key. This is a great design and allows the radio op to forget about the machine and concentrate on sending code.
G4SJP Rating: 2004-09-27
Quality! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had mine since 1982 (#2778); it was given to me by a ham working for Swedish Radio Supply, who was selling our (muTek) products in Scandinavia. I was in awe of the key then and still am. I have never known a key so consistent and steady. Fast morse is almost as easy as using a keyer! Mine is grubby and tarnished now but still works as well as it did over 20 years ago!
W7IS Rating: 2003-09-06
Amazingly well made Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently acquired a Swedish Army Key. I had seen pictures of them over the years but I had no idea how one would perform. This key has the best feel of any key I have ever tried.
What makes it different is the torsion bar spring that holds it together. There is no pivot bearing. The long brass key arm is held in place by a 2 inch long flat torsion bar spring which has a large knob to adjust the spring tension.
Since it has no pivot bearing as most other keys, it has no play from side to side. Its the only key I have ever used that displays zero side play. The other unique feature is the contacts are at the rear of the key. And it has both a break and a make contact with a large knob to adjust the spacing. This particular key has a teak wood base and is 3" wide by 8" long. A big sturdy heavy key that has a fluid motion. The easiest key to send with that I have ever found.