Hi all.
For as long as I can remember I got this old Cherry G81-3000HAB keyboard. I recycled it from my father's old DOS machine when he discarded it. I don't know how old it is, 1991, maybe earlier. I like it a lot. When they stopped including AT connectors on motherboards I got a new keyboard (just went to the computer store and said: "One keyboard please"). I had no idea that there were different kinds of keyboards. The one I got was a Cherry as well, but a cheap one and I didn't like it. I didn't like the way the keystrokes felt, and I also didn't like the build quality (cheap). It felt flimsy. Part of the reason I liked my old one was because it was big and sturdy, like a bulldozer. Very strong.
Since I couldn't get an AT to PS/2 converter at the time I sort of puzzeled it together using electrical tape and a - we call it "sugar" because it resembles a sugar cube, apparently in English it's called "
pillar terminal". I didn't know the correct wiring so it was trial and error. As you can see from the pictures it's pretty messy, but it still works. Now I know soldering and would do it neatly, with some heatshrink et al, but I was 15 at the time and was pretty proud of myself. Just to tell you how much I liked this keyboard.
Three years ago (maybe more) the left CRTL key broke off. I don't even remember how it happened. The key itself isnot broken, but the switch underneath is (I did lose the key in the meantime however). I learned to use the right CRTL button, which is a little akward when using shortcut (I photo-edit a lot) but it works. I was just not ready to give up on that keyboard yet. I remember I had just purchased a new pc and with it came some ****ty wireless cheap Microsoft (or Trust? don't remember) keyboard that reinforced my belief that I was the only one in the world with still an old mechanical keyboard and that all the other keyboards in the world were crap. I didn't know the difference mechanical vs membrane at the time, just that the old one felt good and the new one didn't. And since I was probably one of the only people in the world who had kept his 20 year old keyboard, it was very precious to me and I didn't want to let go.
So here we are now, I'm putting together a new pc and, since that missing key has been bothering me more and more lately, it seemed time to buy a new keyboard. On my job I encountered both a Keytronic and a Cherry (don't know the model number, don't have access to it anymore), which both were big and sturdy as well, and it gave me hope that quality keyboard do still exist. So I typed in "highend keyboard" on google, found out first about Das Keyboard, then Steelseries 7G, and then this forum. I've been reading about switches for some days now, and would like to seek your advice. I know what I want pretty well, I just don't have the chance to try the different switches before I buy, so maybe some of you can help me.
But what I would like the most is to perhaps repair my old keyboard (although I'd really fancy a black board for a change). So I've been looking things up, and apparently it uses the impopular MY switches (but I dig it). If anyone has or know a way to get hold of one Cherry MY switch (and one grey left CTRL key), please let me know.
But I kind of assume that won't be possible. So let me tell you what I want in a keyboard. It should be big. Sturdy. Heavy. And simple. No backlights, no egronomical crap, no LEDs apart from the standard ones - and please let those be standard green or yellow/orange, no blue or red or whatever. It should be as simple and classic as possible. I don't like the Das Keyboard design for example. The design is fine but the curve at the top where the logo is printed on - what is up with that? Also, a red logo on the topside? I feel I'm already willing to compromise by allowing a logo over there (my old Cherry only has a logo on the bottom) but please, let it be black/white/grey, but not red. I'd like an all black model as well if at all possible.
Okay, so I'm overreacting a little, but just to get my point accross. I'm actually willing to compromise on the design aspect a lot if the feel is great. But that's the thing. It's not like I'm new to mechanical keyboards: I've been using one my entire life. But I only know that one. It's hard to imagine how another would feel although I've read the descriptions and seen the graphs. Let me tell you what, besides its sturdiness, I like about my old Cherry. I like the cushioned feel. The force you have to use gets greater with every mm. It's not linear at all. It's exponential. (Like in economics: the economy isn't just growing, the rate at which it grows as well goes up - although at the moment it doesn't). Somewhere halfway the key gets registered and after that the force needed gets so big you never bottom out. Hence, cushioned. I like that. Some people complain about the force needed, calling the keys stiff. They don't seem stif to me, but hey I only had this one. I also like the noise.
So when I'm reading about switches, this is what I think:
Cherry blacks: I don't like the linearity, but perhaps I'd like the stiffness. I don't game though.
Cherry blue: I think I'd like that, the noise and the tactile response. I'd like to try one with tactile response for a change, it seems like a great invention. I'm just worried the keys aren't stiff enough or the noise will be too loud.
Cherry brown: I like the fact that they are more quiet and more stiff than the blues.
Cherry clear: Like the browns, but more force needed. Seems like my thing. Only available in Deck Legend AFAIK? Not my design at all. I'm willing to compromise, but I'm not willing to go that far, sorry.
Then we have some obscure ones I didn't find a lot of info on.
Alps clicky and not clicky. Seems like the Cherry blues and browns, don't quite get the difference. Is the force needed more or less than the cherries? Is the key registration point higher or lower? Are there any graphs to compare, or only subjective experiences to read? I'm very interested in these (non clicky I think), but would like to see them compared to the browns/blues. Also, besides the click/non click, any difference between the two in terms of force and registration point?
Buckling springs. Also seems like my thing, but can't find a lot of info. How does the force and registration point compare to the others? A lot of noize, but I think I can handle it if the feel is what I'm looking for. Essentially, I can handle the clicking, but can my girlfriend?
So, sorry for the wall of text, but I feel it was needed to explain about myself and what I'm looking for. If any of you could provide me with some advice and answer some of my questions, I'd be very grateful. If any of you could provide me with a spare MY switch and perhaps the key I need, it would be very cool as well. As much as I'd like a black keyboard, it would be fun to be able to use my old trusted Cherry again (am I thinking while writing this text on an poor quality laptop keyboard *sigh*). Who knows, I might buy another switch type anyway, just to try out new things. Also, money is kind of an issue, since I'm in the process of building a new pc already. But I'm willing to pay for quality. I'm also not afraid to do some custom work myself and change some switches or whatever.
So here are some pictures:
Top view. Note the missing key on the lower left and the PS/2 connector. Standard mouse for scale.
Detail of missing key. Switch is broken off, key has been lost over the years.
Detail of LEDs. They are green.
My "custom job" on the connector.
Label with serial number, version, etc.
A mysterious and very tiny switch I noticed just now, right next to the label. Any idea what it does?
My cat.
