Model F Labs: Difference between revisions

Model F Labs
Basic information
Founded	2015
Legal Structure	Private
Industry	Technology
Also known as
Official website	https://www.modelfkeyboards.com

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Model F Labs LLC is an American technology company that specializes in mechanical keyboards and related products. It was founded in 2015 by Joe Strandberg (aka. Ellipse) as a crowdfunded group buy on the Deskthority keyboard enthusiast forum with the purpose of creating reproductions of discontinued IBM keyboards. Strandberg acts as the company's primary representative and point of contact.^[1] Model F Labs uses Deskthority as one of their main platforms for announcements and product support.^[2]

Controversies

Usage of dark patterns

Model F Labs' website makes use of FOMO tactics to instill a sense of urgency into potential customers. The homepage has an apparent order deadline that urges users to "please have [their] orders in by then!" Despite this messaging, the deadline has never been enforced and the date continues to be updated to the end of the current month.^[3]

While Model F Labs has stated that production will eventually cease for it's keyboard offerings, it has offered no specific deadline. All the products sold on the website are available until stock runs out.

Premature paint wear

Model F Labs specifies in it's terms of service (ToS) that all buyers agree to accept cosmetic defects on their products, and that finishes on it's cases are expected to wear with use.^[5]

However, Model F Labs does not specify in the ToS a timeline for when such wear might reasonably occur. Several users on Deskthority have reported that the powder coated finish on their F62 and F77 keyboards wore down within the span of a few months, exposing the bare zinc casing.^[6]^[4] Users agreed this was an unacceptable timeline for expected wear and called into question the company's QA, especially considering that Model F Labs advertises their keyboards as "Built to Last for Decades, Not Years" on their website's homepage.

Strandberg was criticized for his response to these cases; standing by the ToS and stating the wear was still normal.^[7]^[8] He has offered full case replacements in some select instances, but this appears to have been done as a result of Deskthority member backlash rather than intention to change Model F Labs' future policy.^[9]

Shipping damages

Several users have reported shipping damage to their new Model F Labs keyboards.^[10]^[11]^[12] They have called into question the adequacy of Model F Labs packaging, typically utilizing a tab locking box with two foam endcaps that secure the keyboard in place. The keys are not installed in the keyboard, leaving the barrels and springs exposed. Any additional loose components such as keycaps and replacement parts are placed in unsecured bags on top of the exposed springs. The movement of these unsecured bags or movement of keyboard may result in damage to the case, broken keycaps, bent springs, and damage to other components.

Model F Labs will generally replace components damaged during shipping upon user request. Strandberg has also acknowledged these issues and stated that additional tape will be applied to the boxes and more components will be packed behind the keyboard in the future.^[13] However he didn't specify if those bags remaining on top of the springs would be secured to prevent movement. It is also unclear if any damage to the keyboard finish resulting from shipping will be treated in the same manner as long term wear under the ToS.

Alleged misuse of internet forums

Model F Labs has grown into a company that has amassed thousands of orders and millions of dollars worth of sales according to the company's homepage.^[3] However, it still continues to act as a small scale group buy despite engaging in conduct more aligned with that of a profit seeking business. Part of this conduct has been Model F Labs has refusal to divulge certain production information about it's products to users, despite taking user contributions to help develop them.^[14] Strandberg has also been accused of hijacking other user's threads to promote Model F Labs products.

This has caused controversy amongst some Deskthority forum members as keyboard manufacturers are supposed to conduct product promotion and support in different sub-forums, yet Strandberg has continued to utilize the group buy sub-forum despite acting on behalf of a business.^[15] Deskthority members have since asked for moderators to move Model F Labs' product discussion threads to a sub-forum specifically for keyboard manufacturers. As of February 20, 2025, this has not happened.

Strandberg has at one point offered to buy Deskthority and asked users if they would be willing to help fund his purchase of the platform.^[16] This was lambasted by forum members as they viewed a potential takeover by Strandberg would lead to criticism of Model F Labs on Deskthority being silenced, and continued promotion of the company at the expense of other member created projects to run unabated.

Apparent failure to meet EU standards

While not confirmed by any legal firm/case, Deskthority members have observed that Model F Labs' policies may not be meeting EU guidelines regarding the sale of "custom" or "made-to-order" products by companies despite Model F Labs shipping it's products to customers in the EU.^[17]

Per the guidelines outlined by the EU, companies selling to Europe - regardless of location, shall obey the European law which says that any product sold online in Europe can be returned within 15 days and has a guarantee lasting 2 years. If a company is selling new products with defects, it must clearly disclose the defects to the consumer before the sale. This includes informing the consumer about the nature of the defects and how they might affect the product’s performance or appearance. These rules apply to all new products, but "custom" and "made-to-order" products are not exempt from these guidelines.^[18]^[19]

The disclosure of potential cosmetic defects is buried in Model F Labs' ToS.^[5] As such, it is likely not considered clearly visible to the user while they are in the process of making a purchase. Model F Labs' no returns policy and limited warranty also do not meet the 15-day return window and 2-year warranty that the EU requires. The warranty terms are also not made clear upfront and only known to the user after receiving their keyboard, or by mail-in request as outlined in the ToS. The products sold by Model F Labs also lack a CE mark.

References

[1] ttps://www.modelfkeyboards.com/about/ (Archived)

[2] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=11046 (Archived)

[homepage-3] 3.0 ^3.1 https://www.modelfkeyboards.com (Archived)

[wear-4] 4.0 ^4.1 https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981#p521981 (Archived)

[ToS-5] 5.0 ^5.1 https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/terms-and-conditions/ (Archived)

[6] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878#p521878 (Archived)

[7] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991#p521991 (Archived)

[8] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522034#p522034 (Archived)

[9] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038#p522038 (Archived)

[10] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLFCkgG1tUI (Archived)

[11] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521308#p521308 (Archived)

[12] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521407#p521407 (Archived)

[13] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521310#p521310 (Archived)

[14] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855#p521855 (Archived)

[15] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864#p521864 (Archived)

[16] ttps://www.facebook.com/share/p/15xhzF92qc/ (Archived)

[17] ttps://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939#p521939 (Archived)

[18] ttps://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm (Archived)

[19] ttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 (Archived)

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 ==Controversies==
+===Usage of dark patterns===
+Model F Labs' website makes use of [[Fear of missing out|FOMO]] tactics to instill a sense of urgency into potential customers. The homepage has an apparent order deadline that urges users to "please have [their] orders in by then!" Despite this messaging, the deadline has never been enforced and the date continues to be updated to the end of the current month.<ref name="homepage">https://www.modelfkeyboards.com ([https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-20/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/ Archived])</ref>
+While Model F Labs has stated that production will eventually cease for it's keyboard offerings, it has offered no specific deadline. All the products sold on the website are available until stock runs out.
 ===Premature paint wear===
+[[File:Model f labs wear.jpg|thumb|Finish wear on a Model F Labs F62 keyboard. This example apparently occurred after roughly 9-months of use.<ref name="wear">https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981#p521981 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203141/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981 Archived])</ref>]]
 Model F Labs specifies in it's [[terms of service]] (ToS) that all buyers agree to accept cosmetic defects on their products, and that finishes on it's cases are expected to wear with use.<ref name="ToS">https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/terms-and-conditions/ ([https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-30/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/terms-and-conditions/ Archived])</ref>
-Model F Labs notes that complaints regarding paint wear stem almost entirely from the original production run of classic-style F62 and F77 models that began shipping over six years ago. The original zinc casting and matte paint formulation were intentionally selected to exactingly reproduce the historical 1970s and 1980s IBM manufacturing style, and the expectation of cosmetic imperfections and wear over time was explicitly disclosed on the product pages prior to purchase.  Five years ago, the project transitioned to a modern, highly durable powder-coating formulation. The vendor reports zero complaints of premature wear for any of the newer keyboard models utilizing this updated finish. Remaining stock of the original models with the older paint formulation is still available, but with full disclosure regarding the finish and at a heavily discounted rate.<ref>https://forum.level1techs.com/t/if-you-bought-from-modelfkeyboards-2-years-ago-how-s-it-going/240632/10</ref>
+However, Model F Labs does not specify in the ToS a timeline for when such wear might reasonably occur. Several users on Deskthority have reported that the powder coated finish on their F62 and F77 keyboards wore down within the span of a few months, exposing the bare zinc casing.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878#p521878 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203141/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878 Archived])</ref><ref name="wear"></ref> Users agreed this was an unacceptable timeline for expected wear and called into question the company's QA, especially considering that Model F Labs advertises their keyboards as "Built to Last for Decades, Not Years" on their website's homepage.
+Strandberg was criticized for his response to these cases; standing by the ToS and stating the wear was still normal.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991#p521991 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203144/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991 Archived])</ref><ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522034#p522034 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203145/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522034 Archived])</ref> He has offered full case replacements in some select instances, but this appears to have been done as a result of Deskthority member backlash rather than intention to change Model F Labs' future policy.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038#p522038 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203149/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038 Archived])</ref>
 ===Shipping damages===
 Several users have reported shipping damage to their new Model F Labs keyboards.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLFCkgG1tUI ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=iLFCkgG1tUI Archived])</ref><ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521308#p521308 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203146/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521308 Archived])</ref><ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521407#p521407 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203148/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521407 Archived])</ref> They have called into question the adequacy of Model F Labs packaging, typically utilizing a tab locking box with two foam endcaps that secure the keyboard in place. The keys are not installed in the keyboard, leaving the barrels and springs exposed. Any additional loose components such as keycaps and replacement parts are placed in unsecured bags on top of the exposed springs. The movement of these unsecured bags or movement of keyboard may result in damage to the case, broken keycaps, bent springs, and damage to other components.
-Model F Labs will generally replace components damaged during shipping upon user request. Strandberg has also acknowledged these issues and stated that additional tape will be applied to the boxes and more components will be packed behind the keyboard in the future.  Additionally, the boxes have been redesigned by the factory to offer higher burst strength so as to limit the damages sustained by strong g forces in shipping.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521310#p521310 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203143/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521310 Archived])</ref>
+Model F Labs will generally replace components damaged during shipping upon user request. Strandberg has also acknowledged these issues and stated that additional tape will be applied to the boxes and more components will be packed behind the keyboard in the future.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521310#p521310 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203143/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521310 Archived])</ref> However he didn't specify if those bags remaining on top of the springs would be secured to prevent movement. It is also unclear if any damage to the keyboard finish resulting from shipping will be treated in the same manner as long term wear under the ToS.
+===Alleged misuse of internet forums===
+Model F Labs has grown into a company that has amassed thousands of orders and millions of dollars worth of sales according to the company's homepage.<ref name="homepage"></ref> However, it still continues to act as a small scale group buy despite engaging in conduct more aligned with that of a profit seeking business. Part of this conduct has been Model F Labs has refusal to divulge certain production information about it's products to users, despite taking user contributions to help develop them.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855#p521855 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203147/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855 Archived])</ref> Strandberg has also been accused of hijacking other user's threads to promote Model F Labs products.
+This has caused controversy amongst some Deskthority forum members as keyboard manufacturers are supposed to conduct product promotion and support in different sub-forums, yet Strandberg has continued to utilize the group buy sub-forum despite acting on behalf of a business.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864#p521864 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203145/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864 Archived])</ref> Deskthority members have since asked for moderators to move Model F Labs' product discussion threads to a sub-forum specifically for keyboard manufacturers. As of February 20, 2025, this has not happened.
+Strandberg has at one point offered to buy Deskthority and asked users if they would be willing to help fund his purchase of the platform.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15xhzF92qc/ ([https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-45/https://www.facebook.com:443/ModelFKeyboards/posts/pfbid02KrbfKP8Hx72WjJx7nNWPBXx17LwHgGBmU42ykiqA5kXNfxLhMMsiqixre7EYeikSl Archived])</ref> This was lambasted by forum members as they viewed a potential takeover by Strandberg would lead to criticism of Model F Labs on Deskthority being silenced, and continued promotion of the company at the expense of other member created projects to run unabated.
+[[File:Model f labs warranty.jpg|thumb|Warranty flyer for a Model F Labs keyboard. The warranty information on this sheet is normally only available by mail-in request as stated in the ToS, or upon arrival of a purchased product.]]
-Model F Labs emphasizes that these keyboards are designed as Buy It For Life enthusiast projects that fundamentally reject the modern planned obsolescence model of renting devices until they break. To keep the retail price between $200 and $400, compared to the inflation-adjusted $800+ that IBM historically charged for similar hardware and maintenance contracts, and because there are hundreds of keyboard variations and dozens of key sets to choose from, but only a few to dozens of keyboards of each variation manufactured by the factory, tthe project relies on the end user to perform basic setup and maintenance. Spending an hour or two following the newly rewritten, step-by-step manual to reseat springs and install keycaps is considered a normal, expected part of the setup process, not an indicator of a broken product. Providing white-glove assembly and concierge-level customer service would double the cost of the keyboards and defeat the project's goal of accessibility.<ref>https://forum.level1techs.com/t/if-you-bought-from-modelfkeyboards-2-years-ago-how-s-it-going/240632/</ref>
+===Apparent failure to meet EU standards===
-===Apparent failure to meet standards===
 While not confirmed by any legal firm/case, Deskthority members have observed that Model F Labs' policies may not be meeting EU guidelines regarding the sale of "custom" or "made-to-order" products by companies despite Model F Labs shipping it's products to customers in the EU.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939#p521939 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203144/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939 Archived])</ref>
-The vendor asserts that the project is fully compliant with EU regulations based on the legal exceptions for customized goods. Under the EU Consumer Rights Directive (Directive 2011/83/EU), Article 16(c) provides an explicit exception to the standard 14-day right of withdrawal for "the supply of goods made to the consumer’s specifications or clearly personalised." Because Model F keyboards are highly customized, factory-direct group-buy products with hundreds of possible user-selected combinations (including layouts, case colors, and specific keycap sets), they are classified as made-to-order rather than standard off-the-shelf retail inventory.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521895#p521895</ref>
+Per the guidelines outlined by the EU, companies selling to Europe - regardless of location, shall obey the European law which says that any product sold online in Europe can be returned within 15 days and has a guarantee lasting 2 years. If a company is selling new products with defects, it must clearly disclose the defects to the consumer before the sale. This includes informing the consumer about the nature of the defects and how they might affect the product’s performance or appearance. These rules apply to all new products, but "custom" and "made-to-order" products are not exempt from these guidelines.<ref>https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250920115906/https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm Archived])</ref><ref>https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251215185820/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 Archived])</ref>
-Additionally, regarding claims of cosmetic deficiencies, EU consumer law permits the sale of goods with specific cosmetic traits or imperfections as long as the consumer is explicitly informed of them prior to the conclusion of the contract. The project's Terms of Service and product pages provide transparent, upfront disclosures, thereby fulfilling the legal requirement for explicit consumer consent prior to purchase.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521895#p521895</ref>
+The disclosure of potential cosmetic defects is buried in Model F Labs' ToS.<ref name="ToS"></ref> As such, it is likely not considered clearly visible to the user while they are in the process of making a purchase. Model F Labs' no returns policy and limited warranty also do not meet the 15-day return window and 2-year warranty that the EU requires. The warranty terms are also not made clear upfront and only known to the user after receiving their keyboard, or by mail-in request as outlined in the ToS. The products sold by Model F Labs also lack a CE mark.
 ==References==