What got you in? What will force you out? MechKeebs, of course!

[overlypedantic]

Just wanted to leave this post as a food for thought but also to satisfy my curiosity - what convinced you to start buying custom keyboards and/or collecting keyboards? (I mean non-retail, GB stuff)

Bonus question: what would force you out of this hobby? Price? Too many keyboards? KIDS?!?!?

I'll start: I started buying custom keyboards because I was running out of desk space and was desperate to keep my number pad and arrow keys. I resolved to never using the home cluster or the function keys and thought...why can't I have a keyboard without a function row but WITH a numpad and dedicated arrow keys? I never use caps lock lets get rid of that!

And here I am now still without the perfect keyboard. But with each new board I buy it gets a little better. :-)

What will force me out? Running out of space and maybe living life as a nomad. (Living lightweight and all that.)

[suicidal_orange]

I started looking at keyboard stuff when I wanted to learn Colemack, couldn't get caps for my rubberdome board so bought a mech.  Then I wanted to use macros at work where we weren't allowed to install remaping software so I built a numberpad with layers.  Then my work desk was too full so I built a 60% to go with it...

My 'collection' is only five boards one of which isn't even built but I'm effectively out already.  As with every hobby I find something that's significantly better than what the 'uneducated masses' use and stick with it, in this case that's a CP-SQ (1800ish).  Like you I still haven't achieved what I came for - I still can't type Colemack and don't have any caps for it!

[Findecanor]

I don't know what will force me out of the hobby. But I do know that the word "MechKeebs" forces my stomach content out of my mouth.

[tp4tissue]

Arrived because of Wrist Pain and Shoulder pain..


Found Ergodox, and Veggies..   Now perfect. !!

[wholypantalones]

I love building things with my hands, electronics and customizing. I got in because custom keyboards are a perfect combination of all of those.

What will force me out? What is currently forcing me out; I'm tired of being promised something only to not have it delivered 18 months later, the product being sub-par or the gb leader just plain being a damn flake. There are some reputable leaders out there, but most of them are just not worth trusting.

[Olumin]

Been collecting typewriters for years before I bought my first mech. keyboard.

That's what got me in.

[overlypedantic]

I love building things with my hands, electronics and customizing. I got in because custom keyboards are a perfect combination of all of those.

What will force me out? What is currently forcing me out; I'm tired of being promised something only to not have it delivered 18 months later, the product being sub-par or the gb leader just plain being a damn flake. There are some reputable leaders out there, but most of them are just not worth trusting.

Oof, that does sounds off-putting, but I guess its a combination of a lot of factors - imo you have a choice between GBs with cheaper manufacturers to get lower prices for higher volume group buys or expensive GBs run by a select few long time reputable participants that run low volume and usually get delayed in the pursuit of perfection or something.

Hopefully, those who have been delivering continue to keep delivering and those who are new raise their standards for GBs.

I don't know what will force me out of the hobby. But I do know that the word "MechKeebs" forces my stomach content out of my mouth.

Good, more troll ammo! *hotkeys MechKeebs*

[ander]

1. Why, the desire to clickety click click, of course.

2. Death.

[SBJ]

What got me in: Had to put my Zealio's into something. 

What will get me out: Don't know. I honestly thought I would've lost interest after this board was done, but I can't stay away. The beautiful boards though.

[mounds]

Good origin stories so far   
 
What got me in: getting a $60 DasKeyboard from a good friend who is a fan of MX Blue instead of MX Brown (his loss). Landed this Costar-built beauty and had no idea what I had stumbled upon. After spilling red wine over the left side of the board, fate would have it that I'd fall face-first into the community while just trying to learn how to unstick my keys. Much to my surprise the keyboard was absolutely fine after the tragedy. Just recently passed this tank on to another interested, fledging mechanical keyboardist

What would get me out: not seeing the manufacturers move beyond the old tricks to advance the community and market. MX silent switches are old news - ALPS did it first, and ALPS dampened (imho) are often better. Keycaps have had some interesting projects in the recent days (Laser for instance), but they are MX bound, while ALPS is an unaddressed step-child for the most part. Kailh 'stem-gate' and the like are reasons to just not really pay attention to anything in the current environment and stick with Gatistotles until my joints can only handle 3204-lubed MX silent linears when I'm 80+. Would I stop using mech keyboards? Absolutely not. Would I stop wasting hope on something better coming along? Yes. The current climate is pretty well guaranteed disappointment so far for me, though others may disagree.

Also have a little one on the way so pressure is real to reduce the total build count, which so far has resulted in a few charity giveaways at work.

[ThoughtArtist]

The discovery of mice with sensors that don't suck had me look again at the keyboards I was buying and I realized that the input devices are, in many ways, the most important part of a full computer system. It just didn't make sense to get the "best" processor and the "best" video card and still use the cheapest possible mouse and keyboard.

The only thing that would make me stop using good input devices would be if computers stopped existing or if I stopped using computers, or if I simply couldn't afford them any longer.

[overlypedantic]

Good origin stories so far   
 
What got me in: getting a $60 DasKeyboard from a good friend who is a fan of MX Blue instead of MX Brown (his loss). Landed this Costar-built beauty and had no idea what I had stumbled upon. After spilling red wine over the left side of the board, fate would have it that I'd fall face-first into the community while just trying to learn how to unstick my keys. Much to my surprise the keyboard was absolutely fine after the tragedy. Just recently passed this tank on to another interested, fledging mechanical keyboardist

What would get me out: not seeing the manufacturers move beyond the old tricks to advance the community and market. MX silent switches are old news - ALPS did it first, and ALPS dampened (imho) are often better. Keycaps have had some interesting projects in the recent days (Laser for instance), but they are MX bound, while ALPS is an unaddressed step-child for the most part. Kailh 'stem-gate' and the like are reasons to just not really pay attention to anything in the current environment and stick with Gatistotles until my joints can only handle 3204-lubed MX silent linears when I'm 80+. Would I stop using mech keyboards? Absolutely not. Would I stop wasting hope on something better coming along? Yes. The current climate is pretty well guaranteed disappointment so far for me, though others may disagree.

Also have a little one on the way so pressure is real to reduce the total build count, which so far has resulted in a few charity giveaways at work.

I get where you are coming from here, sometimes the switch game seems a bit stagnant. That being said I started doing my own meme switches so that'll keep me busy for a while yet I think. There may come a day where I run into this exact issue as far as switch development is concerned.

The discovery of mice with sensors that don't suck had me look again at the keyboards I was buying and I realized that the input devices are, in many ways, the most important part of a full computer system. It just didn't make sense to get the "best" processor and the "best" video card and still use the cheapest possible mouse and keyboard.

The only thing that would make me stop using good input devices would be if computers stopped existing or if I stopped using computers, or if I simply couldn't afford them any longer.

Thats a good intro story - I would have to say I agree that keyboards and mice are just as important as the rig itself - although I say that about monitors as well. Its all one holistic experience IMO.

[Kavik]

I don't exactly remember why I decided I needed mechanical keyboards, but it happened when I built my first PC five years ago. I'd been perfectly happy with my eMachines rubber dome keyboard, but I guess I just wanted more stuff to buy for my computer. I do specifically remember coming across the Coolermaster QuickFire TK and thinking the layout looked really cool. I couldn't decide between MX blues and MX reds, so I got the TK for home and a full size Rosewill with blues for work.

I was satisfied with those for a few years. Again, I don't remember exactly what spurred this notion, but I decided to look for something else, and I came across the IBM model M. I decided to get some new keycaps and o-rings instead since the stock keycaps were getting shiny and sticky (despite washing), and the length of travel and bottom out of the MX blues had bothered me for some reason. That held me off for another eight or nine months, but I thought about the Model M again - not sure why - and decided to buy one. For some reason, the Model M is what made me really get into mech keyboards in earnest. It caused me to enter the Ellipse F77 GB and then other GBs later on.

I don't know what would make me quit mechs entirely, but I am not a fan of how expensive a lot of the stuff is. CNC metal chassis I understand being expensive, but keycaps are just ridiculous. Lately, I'm finding that there's really no holy grail of keyboards; everything is slightly disappointing because none of the new fancy stuff has stood the test of time. The whole box switch debacle really put a damper on things for me since Box Navies were the closet to holy grail that I'd found. The aftermarket on things, even vintage things now, is also ridiculously expensive, so I don't even bother.

I only have two customs. The rest are just stock or modified stock. Lots of cool customs I'd like to have, but I can't drop $300-600 every couple of months. I've mainly just bought keycaps and switches I won't use.

[abrahamstechnology]

My interest in vintage computers made me get a Unicomp Model M as a Christmas present to someone in the family last year. After that I got a Wyse WY-60 as my daily driver and now is working on several mechanical keyboard projects.

[jamster]

Not quite sure what the original post was asking (something about custom boards?) but:

I have mech keyboards because I want a nice typing experience, having used good keyboards when younger. I've either entirely redone the switches on my boards, changed the caps to something nicer, or stayed stock (the Realforce). Or acquired old Model Ms.

I don't collect keyboards though, I have enough that I use on a regular basis, and a couple of nostalgia boards (again, the Model Ms). I personally have a distaste for for idea of collecting for the sake of collecting, and prefer to own things that I will use. A Zealios Tex Yoda is the only thing that might temp me to change.

[onefivenine]

How it started: Started off with a das keyboard, then rocked a filco for the longest time for work. Then picked up whitefox a few years ago. Been staying under the radar for awhile, but now half the rama m60a, alf 60, hhkb on the way with desk filled with assorted switches, lube, stabs, and keycaps.

How it will end: I finish my builds, sell off boards I won’t use and go move on to another hobby with a rabbit hole. As much as I have respect for the artist designers, I’m not really interest in the artisan caps or the rgb customization.

[killyou]

Vortex keyboards got me in although my first "mechanical" was Novatouch with Topre switches. I'm rocking two Vortex Pok3r's now and nothing will force me out as I keep things low key. I ocassionally buy some stuff like keycaps and different switches but I end up selling everything I do not use on a daily basis.

[TheMastermind]

What got me in: A friend of mine demonstrated his "gaming" keyboard and told me that the switches had a better feeling than my at the time my rubber dome board. He was right and I bought one for myself. About 6 months after that purchase I realized that I wanted something of better quality which got me looking into enthusiast boards.

What will get me out? The lack of innovation for parts to build a board.

[overlypedantic]

Vortex keyboards got me in although my first "mechanical" was Novatouch with Topre switches. I'm rocking two Vortex Pok3r's now and nothing will force me out as I keep things low key. I ocassionally buy some stuff like keycaps and different switches but I end up selling everything I do not use on a daily basis.

That sounds like a fairly healthy way to experience this hobby! I collect boards so my wallet hates me and I tend not to sell anything.  )

How it started: Started off with a das keyboard, then rocked a filco for the longest time for work. Then picked up whitefox a few years ago. Been staying under the radar for awhile, but now half the rama m60a, alf 60, hhkb on the way with desk filled with assorted switches, lube, stabs, and keycaps.

How it will end: I finish my builds, sell off boards I won’t use and go move on to another hobby with a rabbit hole. As much as I have respect for the artist designers, I’m not really interest in the artisan caps or the rgb customization.

The way you started sounds really close to the way I started.

What got me in: A friend of mine demonstrated his "gaming" keyboard and told me that the switches had a better feeling than my at the time my rubber dome board. He was right and I bought one for myself. About 6 months after that purchase I realized that I wanted something of better quality which got me looking into enthusiast boards.

What will get me out? The lack of innovation for parts to build a board.

"Gaming Boards" have some interesting things. I think if the enthusiast keyboard community figure out silky smooth linear switches with optical actuation might be one thing I hope to see come from the meme-y gaming features.

[thelaughingman]

Got in because of the gaming keyboards hype but then I proceed to love Topre instead of MX switches. And I'm a sucker for custom keycaps - GMK, MT3.

What will get me out? I honestly don't know, maybe one day when a fully and truly custom Topre keyboard can be had and I build one for myself. On the keycaps side, given how new profiles are coming out frequently plus designers coming out with more colourways and unique things, I'll keep on buying and trying. So no end in sight yet.

[iLLucionist]

I literally smashed my Apple Wireless Aluminium keyboard to bits. It was warped, bent, keys flying off. And it cost me around 80-90 euro's. So then I thought, screw this. Back to a proper board and I remembered I once had mech boards. So I started with a Filco MJT 2 Ninja with Browns, then teh Topre HHKB, and it went from there..

[xtrafrood]

What will eventually draw me in even further is hardware based keyboard layouts. Then all my OSs & VMs will obey when I use my navigation keys (caps as fn; hjkl; yu; nm).

What will force me out? I'm not sure--I said I'll be here for at least four years. Pretty close to rounding out year three. Physical space could be a problem.

I happen to like some of the vintage computers that come with some of the vintage keyboards. )

[ra7c7er]

I've been into mech boards I guess since my parents bought a dell back in the mid 90's I still have that Alps board. But of course it wasn't for hobby sake back then.

I got into the hobby after looking up how to pull the keys and clean my board. Then stayed for the cool factor. I enjoyed finding new keycaps and eventually found my way to full custom boards. Sadly the elitism really killed it for me. I don't care what you like over another and I don't push my opinion on others either. I've seen the hobby thrive in St. Louis, to the extent we had, 6 times a year meetups, and die because of a small group of elitists. I enjoy showing others mech boards and showing them how you can customize them and do so much over traditional boards but I never have felt like nor would I voice that I am better then anyone else just because of the name on the board. I'm back though and am having fun with my Ducky.

What would get me out. Umm well I guess all the mech boards in existence disappearing. 

[no, the other guy]

I came for the sound and the feeling in my fingers.

I'll leave when someone makes a non-mechanical keyboard which does not feel awkward to use.