Which keyboard have you used heavily for at least 2+ years and still love?

[SBJ]

KBD8X V1. w/ 67g zealio v1's.

[eternalmetal]

My black Realforce 87U 55g with blank HHKB keycaps. Been using this for over 4 years now and I still love it as much as back when I got it.

[treeleaf64]

When you say click springs, do you mean tactile leaves? Pretty cool build you got there!

[pabile]

When you say click springs, do you mean tactile leaves? Pretty cool build you got there!

are you referring to my post, if so, yes, i meant the tactile leaves. apologies, i am not sure why i used 'click springs'.
thanks and glad you liked it.

[macclack]

V1 Clueboard

[treeleaf64]

V1 Clueboard

I read up about this board. The plate looks pretty cool, a great feature the designers have added.

[Ilostmytoeinvietnam]

dactyl manuform

Ooh yes, my wallet beckons. I do like smaller form factor keyboards, but I think that the manuform 6x6 Is just perfect for me being programable, as well as having so many keys. It layout is nice, without having the form factor look chunky, like the preonic. My manuform 6x6 is by far my most expensive build, and one of my only no compromise builds. It sucks that my no compromise Planck build costs a whole lot less, with the only defining feature being an expensive (and frankly beautiful) wood case. Everything else is pretty basic, albeit expensive. I use my Planck a lot more, but I do love my manuform.

[treeleaf64]

dactyl manuform

Ooh yes, my wallet beckons. I do like smaller form factor keyboards, but I think that the manuform 6x6 Is just perfect for me being programable, as well as having so many keys. It layout is nice, without having the form factor look chunky, like the preonic. My manuform 6x6 is by far my most expensive build, and one of my only no compromise builds. It sucks that my no compromise Planck build costs a whole lot less, with the only defining feature being an expensive (and frankly beautiful) wood case. Everything else is pretty basic, albeit expensive. I use my Planck a lot more, but I do love my manuform.

That is VERY ergonomic! No wonder you like it so much, it must be super comfortable to type on.

[hactar]

I have a Model M which I bought in the early 90s when it was still a kid which is still my daily driver and my favorite keyboard.  It's developing some quirks, but at its age, it's allowed to do that.  No Windows / Super key, but as I don't use Windows I don't miss it much, and I rather like having a gap there as it aids in touch-typing.

[treeleaf64]

I have a Model M which I bought in the early 90s when it was still a kid which is still my daily driver and my favorite keyboard.  It's developing some quirks, but at its age, it's allowed to do that.  No Windows / Super key, but as I don't use Windows I don't miss it much, and I rather like having a gap there as it aids in touch-typing.

What is that layout!! 
I use Workman right now and I love seeing people with different layouts.

[1391401]

My workhorses are my Leopold FC600M and Poker II.  I think mostly because they both have cheap PBT keycaps so I don't feel bad typing a lot and gaming on them.  I can shine a GMK set in a weekend but the PBT holds up pretty well.

[4sStylZ]

4 years with my rubberdome Typematrix 2030. for me the layout is close to be perfect. This is something that I try to mimic on my custom boards now.

[treeleaf64]

4 years with my rubberdome Typematrix 2030. for me the layout is close to be perfect. This is something that I try to mimic on my custom boards now.

I see you have an XD75. The layout to that is similar to your Typematrix, yes?

[hactar]

What is that layout!! 

Left hand dvorak.  I took off the keycap for the H so I could feel where I was.  Due to dain bramage, I type with one hand.  For me, it's about the same speed as QWERTY (at least it was the last time I checked), but involves a lot less motion.

[Maledicted]

What is that layout!! 

Left hand dvorak.  I took off the keycap for the H so I could feel where I was.  Due to dain bramage, I type with one hand.  For me, it's about the same speed as QWERTY (at least it was the last time I checked), but involves a lot less motion.

Have you tried a dab of hot glue? I used that to add home bumps to one of my F AT boards. Works like a charm.

[hactar]

I took off the keycap for the H so I could feel where I was.

Have you tried a dab of hot glue? I used that to add home bumps to one of my F AT boards. Works like a charm.

Interesting.  Being only hot glue, I could scrape it off if I screw up or don't like it, yes?

[Maledicted]

Interesting.  Being only hot glue, I could scrape it off if I screw up or don't like it, yes?

Absolutely, you can even get hot glues of different strengths. The lower temp craft glues usually peel off really easily. I usually use the high temperature glues, which can still be removed from most surfaces without damage. I did peel it off of at least one cap the first time because I screwed up. It is easier to do before it has had a few hours to fully cure though. That's what I love about the stuff. I can use it to attach/reinforce things in electronics and it may well stay that way for perpetuity, unless I want to go back and change it.

[jacethesaltsculptor]

I have a Model M which I bought in the early 90s when it was still a kid which is still my daily driver and my favorite keyboard.  It's developing some quirks, but at its age, it's allowed to do that.  No Windows / Super key, but as I don't use Windows I don't miss it much, and I rather like having a gap there as it aids in touch-typing.

Needs a good clean, but that's my beloved Model M series right there.

Interesting keyboard layout, and makes sense when you explain why. This was one of the original points of being able to switch the keycaps that even IBM hammered on while selling them.

[Tactile]

Bumping this thread just because I've enjoyed reading the responses & hope we can pick up a few more.

[jamster]

My two main boards over the past 5-6 years are as similar as possible in feel for their switch technologies. Ergo Clear and Topre 55, KUL ES-87 and Realforce 87U respectively. I happily use both, my preference is towards reasonably snappy tactility.

Some boards that fell by the wayside are the BTC5100C, which lacked the key point of Topre (smoothness) and had an unpleasant layout with weirdly arranged arrow keys. And the electro capacitive Royal Kludge 55g, because the factory silencing makes the key travel feel too close to linear.

I am currently trialing ergo setups with a Dumang DK6- split, tented, and a totally flexible layout. If this works out, I'll consider a second DK6. The Dactyl Manuform design is also temping, but I have so far not enjoyed using layers on a keyboard. Even if I go down the ergo route, I'll still keep the Realforce and the KUL.

[CarnageHimura]

My Ducky One 2 Horizon with CherryMX Silver, that I had to sell to buy my Drop ALT, I used it for 3 years a worthy gateway drug for this hobbie.

[TehKitteh]

Found an Apple M0110 a couple years ago, and I just pulled it back out like a week ago. Been using it pretty heavily every month or two since I got it, and honestly I like it more each time.

[Maledicted]

Found an Apple M0110 a couple years ago, and I just pulled it back out like a week ago. Been using it pretty heavily every month or two since I got it, and honestly I like it more each time.

Nice. Alps will do that.

[noisyturtle]

Been using the same keyboard for over 6 years now. TKL lubed and stickered Panda's (ergo clears w/ black springs)
They are just the perfect switch for me. Every time I buy a new keyboard I wind up selling it because I just go back to that one.

The spacebar has gotten rattly after half a decade of use. I wish the keys were a little quieter, but pads and rings detract from the overall feel. I wish I could add a fractional amount of weight to the springs, like make them 67g as opposed to 60g. I would also change the profile of the case to be thinner and lower.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Model F I had as a kid. Lost it along with the computer when it went to someone else. Never got a keyboard that felt as good ever since (20-ish years).

I did love my blue Filco Majestouch after breaking it in, but I eventually started having problems and not really liking the key feel any more. Perhaps I managed to actually wear it out.

I now have a local brand's low-profile unit based on slim Kailh blues, and while it hasn't been two years, I do type a lot more than the average person (sometimes 10–15K words per day), so it has seen much use, perhaps as much as two years with a normal user or more. It's a great keyboard, though I'm not fully satisfied.

[Maledicted]

Model F I had as a kid. Lost it along with the computer when it went to someone else. Never got a keyboard that felt as good ever since (20-ish years).

What version of F was it? The XTs can be had for under $100 sometimes still, if you're patient. Getting an AT for anything under $200 now is becoming more and more difficult. If you want back into that game, unless you want one of the exotic 4704 boards and their reproductions, the sooner you get one, the better.

I did love my blue Filco Majestouch after breaking it in, but I eventually started having problems and not really liking the key feel any more. Perhaps I managed to actually wear it out.

MX blue is not very consistent, or particularly pleasant sounding compared to alternatives. It does not hold a candle to the capacitive buckling spring board you had.

I now have a local brand's low-profile unit based on slim Kailh blues, and while it hasn't been two years, I do type a lot more than the average person (sometimes 10–15K words per day), so it has seen much use, perhaps as much as two years with a normal user or more. It's a great keyboard, though I'm not fully satisfied.

Kailh's choc switches are wonderful. Of the ones I have tried, I honestly think I like them all more than anything MX. Their clickies are nearly as nice as their standard-sized box clickies in my opinion.

[Caaandooo]

Das keyboard professional with cherry brown has been my work keyboard for over 6 years now. It's been really heavily used since I'm a dev and I'm a bit of a vim nut. It's still got stock keycaps with nice shine to show for its age. I like it as a tool and it's been a huge step up from scissor switches and rubber domes.

At home, I've had ducky shine 2 (cherry brown) with aftermarket thick pbt keycaps for 6 years (can you guess when I was introduced to mechanical keyboards??). It's fine for gaming and occasional email, IM, etc but something about it is really off when I'm trying to code with it. I put up with it for a while during quarantine but i really hated typing on it all day every day. The key registration feels ambiguous and inconsistent on this board compared to the Das I have at work.

Recently got filco majestouch 2 tkl since I'm locked out of the office and frankly hated the ducky for heavy use. This has been a life saver for me! Have been loving it for a couple months now.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

[livewirerc]

My Happy Hacking Keyboard. I have three in front of me right now, and a Rama in HHKB layout in a bag that I swap out when I want to feel real fancy, but usually it's all about that good feeling of oneness with cup rubber. I still keep a bunch of my old vintage cherry boards with vintage black switches (smooth like buttah), and some Realforce Topre boards because they too feel great, but they rarely see any substantial desk time as it's all about the One True Layout.

As to my history, I bought an HHKB Pro 2 in 2015, which I really liked, and it quickly became my main keyboard with the exception that it wasn't wifi/bluetooth so I could only use it with devices I could physically plug it into. Then in 2016 I found out about the HHKB BT, and got one shipped over from Japan. And it was perfect. Bluetooth capable, more aesthetically pleasing lines, actual rubber anti-skid pads on the bottom of the board, and overall felt like a more solid product. I bought a few more HHKB boards, including a couple Type-S for office and home, one of which showed up DOA, and the company sent me out an entire new replacement without asking for the dead one in return. So I did what any nerd would do and disassembled my beloved HHKB-BT, replaced the sliders with the ones from the Type-S, lubed the rails, and while I was in there replaced the domes with 55gm realforce domes from one of my TKLs. It instantly became my favorite of the bunch, I carried it with me everywhere, and I finally felt like I had hit that fabled storybook land of "End Game".

Here I am three years later. I own a Rama M60-a, three Tokyo60, the original HHKB Pro 2, a pair of Pro 2 Type-S, that glorious HHKB BT, and now I've picked up a pair of the Hybrid Type-S, one in black, one in white. I've tried BKE domes of every weight, 3rd party keys, 3rd party silencing rings, but nothing is as nice as my silenced 55gm HHKB BT. It's a bit of an addiction, but I just love that good feeling of oneness with cup rubber.

[Leslieann]

I've been using the Almost-A-Filco for nearly 7 years, with a few interruptions.
Other than a (massive) static charge damaging the programmable controller, it's always been flawless really.

I used the Das (old Costar model) for probably close to 2 years, same for my first model M.


It's not really a big surprise many of the same brands keep getting listed, almost everything listed here is workhorse boards.