Really Tactile Switch?

[Swede]

Hi, long time lurker here!

I'm looking for a keyboard that have a really pronounced tactile feeling.
I own a Model M currently, and not feeling that it's really tactile, maybe because the "breaking point" i real low, almost at the bottom.

I expected a lot more from the BS, seeing that it's rated at 70g of force. But maybe the selfmade hype got the better of me :P
So left a bit disappointed from the "original" i'm searching for a new board, and the only request apart from a really tactile switch, is click, and a Swedish Layout.

The Filco Majestouch it about 4-6weeks from launching a swedish layout, and thinking about the MX blue, It seems to have decent "tactileness", apart from being lighter.

Or are Mechanical switches not all that tactile? Seeing the Model M as my first mechanical keyboard, maybe i'm just overestimating the "tactileness"?

Swede

Edit: ****, im at the wrong place, can a mod move or erase this post?

[itlnstln]

There might be some broken rivets that could be softening the tactility.  If you don't find the Model M to be tactile enough, you probably aren't going to find anything else mechanical, rubber dome, or otherwise.

[Swede]

Hmmm, was afraid of that....
I'm going to do a nut and bolt mod in the near future, maybe that will fix it, but seeing that no rivets are broken, and the backplate in good condition, not much will happen, I think.

But I'm feeling that the BS is a bit heavy for me, so I will possibly order a new lighter switch, and it will be used a lot for gaming, and writing, Is the MX Brown or Blue best for me?
I have tried the Black switch a few times, but not liking it at all.

Btw, could have gotten a better first post, than posting it in the wrong subforum

[Nonmouse]

Definitely blues.  The tactility on the browns is very subtle.

[didjamatic]

IBM PC AT Capacitive Buckling Springs
SMK Montereys - in some Chicony KB-5181's, rebranded Chicony boards, some SIIG Minitouch (extremely rare)
Round Montereys - in some Lasers including the SX-25
ALPS Clicky Tactile switches - many options
Cherry Blue MX - many options.  Though they are very smooth and nice switches, to me personally they are less tactile than the others listed above.

[didjamatic]

Interesting, I'd swear the Model F is more tactile, but it could just be me.

[ch_123]

It is.

Of course, no one is answering the OP's question in the right way...



Alas, Secret Special Research Item #5 is now in a parcel homewards bound to the Netherlands. It will be missed...

[Mental Hobbit]

The click on blue MX certainly feels sharper than buckling spring.

[Swede]

All those don't have as large a cliff as a Model M though.  The Model F AT is deceptive because it's so dang loud.

Take a Model M, nut/bolt mod it, then tighten it like a gorilla and it should be a BIT snappier.

Ok, going to order some screws later today from work. Hopefully tightening them hard will have some effect!

And maybe cleaning this thing will change things as well, have only been cleaning the shell so far, I think this keyboard has been used in a charcoal mine or something! It was black from dirt when I got it.

[dfj]

Ok, going to order some screws later today from work. Hopefully tightening them hard will have some effect!

And maybe cleaning this thing will change things as well, have only been cleaning the shell so far, I think this keyboard has been used in a charcoal mine or something! It was black from dirt when I got it.

I've had a few M's and an F with a decent amount of black stuck to the inside. While it is clearly carbon deposits, I'm not about to test them to find out whether it was deposited quickly during a small office fire, or slowly by being used over many years in an environment with combustion or high voltages (sparking also creates this weird black dust that gets into things... I don't know much about it, besides that it cleans off fairly easily.) It might just be smog accumulation from being used for too long near a busy street/driveway etc...

Not all M's are equal: the most awesome M I have is a 1386887 terminal board (122 keys), it has a very solid feel to the case, nearly an F - but it is loud, and the springs have a definite 'ring' to them, even though the rivets are in good condition. It warms my soul to type on it though. I wish there was some way to find out how a particular board will feel, in advance, but unless it is NIB, pretty much all the M's are unique now due to their age.


I think that it is so easy to wash off suggests that it is not from small fires, at least not those that burned any plastics, as the black gunk they leave on stuff is nearly impossible to get off, now that I think more carefully.
 electric or auto smog, then.

still curious,
dfj

[microsoft windows]

I think you need a white ALPS keyboard. Those things are a lot more tactile and require more force than a Model M.

[Swede]

...Text...

I think that it is so easy to wash off suggests that it is not from small fires, at least not those that burned any plastics, as the black gunk they leave on stuff is nearly impossible to get off, now that I think more carefully.
 electric or auto smog, then.

still curious,
dfj

Was real hard getting it of, and some of it just won't come of. But it does smell like coal, not burnt. Thats why I think it's been in a mine. Bought it from a guy close to an area known for it's mines.
And it has seen some rough times, but only one thing is missing from it, the stabiliser thingy from the numpad enterkey.

I think you need a white ALPS keyboard. Those things are a lot more tactile and require more force than a Model M.

Need a lighter switch, feeling that this keyboard is to tiresome to write on after 1 or 2 hours, much more comfy than a rubberdome in short term imo, but rubberdome is better for nonstop use, have no other real experience from mech keyboards atm.
But would be nice trying them out!

And regarding the nut and bolt mod, the only way i'm getting equipment cheap is from work. But they only have 2mm nuts and bolts in packets of 1000 :/
And buying the absolute minimum i need is about 2/3ds the cost of buing from work. Minimum cost is near 40$!
So thats out of the question then

[Swede]

More force.  Not more tactile.

Not sure where you live but nuts/bolts like $10 from McMaster Carr.  See links in the Nut/Bolt Mod post.

Living in Sweden, hence the name. And we have no real supplier of custom orders, like single bolts and stuff online.
My work sells single bolts and such, but we have no bolts small enough, smallest is 3mm, so have to order from work (1000 minimum which cost about 15$) or order from outside sweden, with shipping costing the most part.

[microsoft windows]

How are they not more tactile?

[dfj]

And regarding the nut and bolt mod, the only way i'm getting equipment cheap is from work. But they only have 2mm nuts and bolts in packets of 1000 :/
And buying the absolute minimum i need is about 2/3ds the cost of buing from work. Minimum cost is near 40$!
So thats out of the question then

M2, M2.5 are fine for the mod, #4-40 or smaller are also fine - if you are in England, I suppose.

But - if you can get packs of bolts/nuts in M2 by the 1k from work at a sane rate, you might consider poking around at the other folks here who are in Northern Europe in case they want to share the cost with you, likely can send them ground to Norway, or even Germany via one boat hop for sane amounts of shipping.
  I think we have a couple in Norway, and a few in Germany, fer example.

I do a decent number of bolt-mods, once I've burned through my supply of #4-40, I'm likely going to order 1k of bolts and nuts in M2, but I'm in a city, so shipping is cheap for machine screws. The fact is that I would totally have been willing to chip-in for a fraction of them screws were it not several weeks of boat-ride to get small packages here from Sweden cheaply. That fact reminded me that there are some folks near you who might want bolts too.
  I'm not certain of the best way to search the forums for users in an area is, but should be possible.
  Prices in North America are better than $0.06/bolt and $0.04/nut for orders of a few hundred, so it won't likely be worth it to ship across the Atlantic.

ugh, must code, g'luck
dfj

[Swede]

M2, M2.5 are fine for the mod, #4-40 or smaller are also fine - if you are in England, I suppose.

But - if you can get packs of bolts/nuts in M2 by the 1k from work at a sane rate, you might consider poking around at the other folks here who are in Northern Europe in case they want to share the cost with you, likely can send them ground to Norway, or even Germany via one boat hop for sane amounts of shipping.
  I think we have a couple in Norway, and a few in Germany, fer example.

I do a decent number of bolt-mods, once I've burned through my supply of #4-40, I'm likely going to order 1k of bolts and nuts in M2, but I'm in a city, so shipping is cheap for machine screws. The fact is that I would totally have been willing to chip-in for a fraction of them screws were it not several weeks of boat-ride to get small packages here from Sweden cheaply. That fact reminded me that there are some folks near you who might want bolts too.
  I'm not certain of the best way to search the forums for users in an area is, but should be possible.
  Prices in North America are better than $0.06/bolt and $0.04/nut for orders of a few hundred, so it won't likely be worth it to ship across the Atlantic.

ugh, must code, g'luck
dfj

Hmmm, that sounds interesting!
Only working fulltime during summer, and saturdays during the rest of the year. But I'm able to get the bolts and nuts at the price we buy them at, and often companies raise the price by ~50-70% so it's cheap alright!

a 1000 pack of M2x8mm costs about 150kr(19$) recommended price, can get it for 100kr(13$) I think, if i'm not asking the boss xD
The same I think for the nuts. And if I order like 10k of bolts, I will get a discount.
But remember, i'm just a fill-in (Right word?) for the regular employees and during vacations, so I can't do this over a lengty period of time! (don't have all the benefits of a real employee)

So can order 1k of each nut and bolt for a first time, might see what happens if I get more orders, If anyone is interested.