Author Topic: Leather Keyboard (Read 5782 times)

dotancohen · « **on:** Tue, 15 March 2011, 16:20:46 »

I have found heaven under my fingertips.

I just inherited an abused Microsoft Natural [1] so after disassembling it and giving it a thorough cleaning, I decided to experiment a bit. I glued leather strips with sponge backing over the home row keys to see how it would feel. Oh, wow, does that make a difference! I want to type just to type it feels so nice! The leather is just so much nicer to the touch than plastic, and it's a bit spongy at the top of the stroke so it feels like a gentle push rather than a clout on the keys. I'll post pictures later in the week if anyone is interested. I definitely recommend this mod to any keyboard!

UPDATE: I've now done a Leather Ducky Keyboard with Cherry Browns.

[1] http://www.tifaq.org/accessories/microsoft-natural-keyboard.html

mr_a500 · « **Reply #1 on:** Tue, 15 March 2011, 20:22:26 »

I like to glue raw beef to keys - preferably from a fresh kill. Blood splatter makes me type much faster.

Hak Foo · « **Reply #2 on:** Tue, 15 March 2011, 22:14:41 »

I could see a leather-trimmed casing working though

Findecanor · « **Reply #3 on:** Wed, 16 March 2011, 05:55:41 »

Quote from: ripster;312349

What about Vegans?

They can hunt Naugas for hyde to put on their keys.

ironman31 · « **Reply #4 on:** Wed, 16 March 2011, 06:34:23 »

It seems like soft and spongey is in the opposite direction of what mechanical keyboards are supposed to feel like

db_Iodine · « **Reply #5 on:** Wed, 16 March 2011, 07:07:10 »

Sounds like a really weird mod indeed. I'd like to see some pictures anyway. Even softer and even spongier than a normal Microsoft membrane board seems like something I wouldn't want to type on.

dotancohen · « **Reply #6 on:** Wed, 16 March 2011, 15:23:47 »

It's certainly not soft or spongy on the bottom, where the action is. It is spongy on the top, when the finger first contacts the key. The bottom of the stroke feels exactly the same as the rest of the keys, but a bit more evenly spread out across the fingertip.

Tap your fingers a few tens of times on the plastic casing of your keyboard, then tap a few tens of times on a leather wallet or jacket. Feel the difference? That's what I'm typing on!

db_Iodine · « **Reply #7 on:** Wed, 16 March 2011, 15:55:29 »

But rubber dome keyboards are soft and spongy on the bottom. I can't think that making the keycaps feel softer as well would help at all.

dotancohen · « **Reply #8 on:** Thu, 17 March 2011, 04:44:40 »

> But rubber dome keyboards are soft and spongy on the bottom. I
> can't think that making the keycaps feel softer as well would help
> at all.

It doesn't help, it has nothing to do with that side of the stroke. At that point I've got at least 50 grams of force on the leather pushing the key down, the leather is completely compressed and the only thing it does is spread the force more evenly over the fingertip.

However, at the _top_ of the stroke the difference is felt. Instead of slamming down on hard plastic, the fingertip is contacting soft leather. That is a much more natural and pleasant experience.

Scarzy · « **Reply #9 on:** Thu, 17 March 2011, 07:17:56 »

Quote from: mr_a500;312402

I like to glue raw beef to keys - preferably from a fresh kill. Blood splatter makes me type much faster.

Made my day, thanks.

Sounds like an interesting idea, looking forward to see the photos.

Enzyme · « **Reply #10 on:** Tue, 29 March 2011, 10:34:03 »

indeed, it sounds pretty cool, cant wait to take a look.
i used leather on my copperhead mouse, loved it.

Enzyme · « **Reply #11 on:** Thu, 31 March 2011, 11:24:26 »

lmao, im afraid not, but it was italian

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Author Topic: Leather Keyboard (Read 5782 times)