Unicomp[0] have been making Model-F inspired buckling spring keyboards exactly like this for a while.
There's a big caveat, though: not all Model M keyboards were the same, so the comparison might or might not ring true depending on what Model M you used. For example, the one that came with my PS/2 Model 50z back in the day was heavier and sturdier than some of the ones that IBM made later, and had a removable cable. The Unicomp stuff compares to what IBM was making immediately before they gave up on the whole business, I think. Then Unicomp eventually made some USB keyboards, which turned out not to be the greatest...
And yeah, the Model F was a completely different thing entirely.
(edit: in truth, I haven't bought anything there in a little over nine years, wow... their Classic 101 still looks pretty legit)
Plus I do actually have a USB model, and it can be flaky and require a replug at startup. And the pointing stick has different sensitivity based on which direction you're going, which makes it worthless.
Also, I just like the tenkeyless layout.
The benefit to a new Model F is I'll never have to worry about needing to do a bolt mod, and you can actually move the barrels around to a different layout if you want to. Plus, with the XWhatsit controller, you can program it and have layers and whatnot, and bug-free USB. And the case is metal.
The Unicomp stuff is comparable, but I think it's a reach to say it's totally the same.
I respect that these new guys are doing a Model F clone instead of a Model M clone, it definitely reflects good taste, but I don't really agree that the Cherry MX Blue switch is a "shadow of their predecessor," as the article states. The only thing lacking I've seen in some newer mechanical keyboards based on Cherry switches is, oddly, that they sometimes find new and exciting ways to mess up the engineering of the space bar. That seems like it should be a relatively straightforward thing.