Note
Ham Radio, Jul 1975, p. 91.
Ham Radio, Oct 1975, p. 107.
The first thing you notice about the Teletek TY-1 is that is looks exactly like the Bencher BY-1. Based on historical accounts and common knowledge in the amateur radio community, the connection is generally understood as follows:
The Bencher and Teletek keys were not made by the same company, but there was a direct lineage or a very close relationship between the two designs and their creators.
The Original Design: The design for the precision, dual-lever, iambic paddle is widely attributed to John G. Bencher, W7KVA (SK).
The Teletek TY-1 (1975): This was an early version of the paddle marketed by Teletek, Inc., which was likely the first company to commercially produce and sell this specific design.
The Bencher BY-1 (1977): A couple of years later, the paddle was marketed under the Bencher name. Bencher quickly became the dominant brand for this paddle and is the name that has endured for over fifty years.
Why the Similarity?
The exact details of the transition are debated, but the strong consensus is that the design originated with the Bencher family, and the TY-1 and BY-1 were essentially the same mechanical key mechanism marketed under two different names for a short period. There are two possible senarios for this:
One: A Change in Company Name/Structure. John Bencher may have originally worked with or sold the key through a company named Teletek before fully establishing the key under his own name, Bencher, Inc.
Two: A Manufacturer/Distributor Split: Teletek may have been the original manufacturer or distributor of the key, which was later taken over or licensed exclusively to Bencher.
In short, while they were technically different entities on the box, the Teletek TY-1 represents the very first iteration of the iconic, high-quality paddle design that became the famous Bencher BY-1.
If you are a collector, the Teletek TY-1 is considered a much rarer, earlier piece of amateur radio history than the ubiquitous Bencher BY-1.
TY-1, standard black wrinkle base, 27.95.
TY-1A, deluxe nickle plated base, $31.95