Keyboard Confessions - Post your keyboard confessions!

[E3E]

I have no idea if a thread like this has ever been created, but after a quick search, it seems like I'm in the clear!

So, post whatever silly or embarrassing things you do that relate to your keyboard hobby, be it going without good food for a month to support your buys, or seriously using chopsticks to eat snacks near your keyboard, to whatever somewhat or REALLY embarrassing things you'd wish to share.

Firstly, I have a pink pair of tweezers I bought from Sephora when I was, like... 17 that I use for tons of things. From plucking my otherwise unruly eyebrows to soldering. Yeah, good thing I don't use lead-based solder.

They can frequently be seen in any builds I decide to document:





EDIT: Seriously, I love these tweezers.

[jdcarpe]

I destroyed an original Phantom PCB by attempting to desolder the switches AND the Teensy with only a Radio Shack desoldering tool. RIP original Phantom.

[Glenmael]

Haha, great idea.

My one is definitely spending more than I can afford and then having to eat Shin Ramyun Instant Noodles for lunch/dinner (not big on breakfast).

Longest was 1.5 weeks  )

[raymogi]

Destroyed one switch on my Poker 2 when trying to yank a jelly POM key. The whole switch comes out and I trashed the keyboard right away knowing I won't even try to fix it.

[bocahgundul]

Destroyed one switch on my Poker 2 when trying to yank a jelly POM key. The whole switch comes out and I trashed the keyboard right away knowing I won't even try to fix it.

You trashed a whole keyboard because 1 switch popped off? mate you got a deep pocket

[nmur]

I impulse bought a HHKB while I was in Tokyo, because I wanted to try topre and it was very cheap.

I brought it to work and immediately didn't like the feel of the switches, but kept on using it because of the investment and the status it has here. Even dental band modded it.

I stopped using it as my daily driver because of the nature of my work (Visual Studio based programming), but it's now my favourite board. I find myself taking it out of my drawer just to press the keys. The thing is though, I don't know if I truly love it, or I've somehow managed to deeply brainwash myself into liking it over time...

[E3E]

I impulse bought a HHKB while I was in Tokyo, because I wanted to try topre and it was very cheap.

I brought it to work and immediately didn't like the feel of the switches, but kept on using it because of the investment and the status it has here. Even dental band modded it.

I stopped using it as my daily driver because of the nature of my work (Visual Studio based programming), but it's now my favourite board. I find myself taking it out of my drawer just to press the keys. The thing is though, I don't know if I truly love it, or I've somehow managed to deeply brainwash myself into liking it over time...

Haha, I dunno what to think about your situation either! You say that you disliked the feel of the switches when you first took it home, but then you say it became a favorite. It does sound like you kind of conditioned yourself to enjoy topre or maybe just learned to appreciate the feel after not being used to it initially. I felt that way when I tried my first mechanical. It being linear, I had no idea what to think as it was unlike any keyboard I had ever typed on.

Linears are now one of my absolute favorite types of switches to use.

[SpAmRaY]

I buy keyboards just to try, then just pile them up.

[jdcarpe]

I buy keyboards just to try, then just pile them up.

You and me both, brother, you and me both.

[infiniti]

Moderation Note: Moved to the Keyboards sub-forum.

== == == == ==

Keyboard confession?  I like to rest my pinky on the function key....

More

[Dernubenfrieken]

I am absolutely useless at making USB cables. I seriously have about six failed cables and not one fully completed. I have shrink wrap of all sizes but something I can use on cable ends, I have a bunch of too short/too thin sections of paracord. Its like a weird USB cable torture chamber.

[demik]

hhkb truly is the greatest keyboard known to man


there, i said it. **** i feel so liberated now.

[HoffmanMyster]

I think my biggest confession would be simply the amount of money I was spending on keyboards 12-18 months ago.  :|

But I'll try to think of something a little more exciting to add. 

[neverused]

Destroyed one switch on my Poker 2 when trying to yank a jelly POM key. The whole switch comes out and I trashed the keyboard right away knowing I won't even try to fix it.

Want to give it to me/sell it? Seriously I'll find a way to fix it.

[Snowdog993]

Something NJBair said....

Moi?

World's #1 Model M fan.

That scares me!

[phosphoric]

I impulse bought a HHKB while I was in Tokyo, because I wanted to try topre and it was very cheap.

I brought it to work and immediately didn't like the feel of the switches, but kept on using it because of the investment and the status it has here. Even dental band modded it.

I stopped using it as my daily driver because of the nature of my work (Visual Studio based programming), but it's now my favourite board. I find myself taking it out of my drawer just to press the keys. The thing is though, I don't know if I truly love it, or I've somehow managed to deeply brainwash myself into liking it over time...

haha, sounds like me. i was so underwhelmed when i first bought my hhkb, and after using it for three days and returning to cherry mx, i realized that i had fallen in love with topre. i bought the 55g realforce on massdrop and i'm so excited to try the 55g topre switches

as for a confession... i did a really awful soldering job on a teensy once and almost destroyed it with a radioshack soldering iron? and i broke the leads of two switches when taking apart my aek ii. probably the most embarrassing thing was buying keycaps from massdrop and my wasd v2 at the same time without realizing how long it takes massdrop to ship items. it was the first cherry board i bought, so i had a keyboard sitting in the closet for a month because i didn't have caps. i tried using it without caps. it wasn't fun

[pr0ximity]

I eat and drink around my 356 Mini every day at work, where I keep it on a desk shared by coworkers who do the same.

[njbair]

I confess as a 10-year Dvorak user, I kind of wish I never learned it.

[1391401]

I ruined a perfectly good IBM Model M2 when I was a kid by spilling coffee on it and trying to disassemble it to "fix it"

[njbair]

I ruined a perfectly good IBM Model M2 when I was a kid by spilling coffee on it and trying to disassemble it to "fix it"

Those things are notoriously hard to work on.

[raymogi]

Destroyed one switch on my Poker 2 when trying to yank a jelly POM key. The whole switch comes out and I trashed the keyboard right away knowing I won't even try to fix it.

Want to give it to me/sell it? Seriously I'll find a way to fix it.

I'm international though. Shipping will be at least $20-40. Maybe not worth it for you?

[ghostjuggernaut]

I use the nostalgia theme because it reminds me of when I first joined the site.

Also, I agree with demik.  The HHKB is the best keyboard.

[HoffmanMyster]

I use the nostalgia theme because it reminds me of when I first joined the site.

This reminds me of Clackvent.  Nostalgia is, in my mind, an indication that I'm logged out of geekhack.  I made it my theme for HoffmanClackster so I could tell the two accounts apart during Clackvent, but many times only confused myself thinking I was logged out. 

That's not a confession but whatever.

[neverused]

Destroyed one switch on my Poker 2 when trying to yank a jelly POM key. The whole switch comes out and I trashed the keyboard right away knowing I won't even try to fix it.

Want to give it to me/sell it? Seriously I'll find a way to fix it.

I'm international though. Shipping will be at least $20-40. Maybe not worth it for you?

Pm'd!

[nmur]

I use the nostalgia theme because it reminds me of when I first joined the site.

This reminds me of Clackvent.  Nostalgia is, in my mind, an indication that I'm logged out of geekhack.  I made it my theme for HoffmanClackster so I could tell the two accounts apart during Clackvent, but many times only confused myself thinking I was logged out. 

That's not a confession but whatever.

I use the Austere theme because the white neutral colours make it less obvious that I'm slacking off at work on a forum...

[njbair]

Something NJBair said....

Moi?

World's #1 Model M fan.

That scares me!

Someone had to be #1

[HoffmanMyster]

I use the nostalgia theme because it reminds me of when I first joined the site.

This reminds me of Clackvent.  Nostalgia is, in my mind, an indication that I'm logged out of geekhack.  I made it my theme for HoffmanClackster so I could tell the two accounts apart during Clackvent, but many times only confused myself thinking I was logged out. 

That's not a confession but whatever.

I use the Austere theme because the white neutral colours make it less obvious that I'm slacking off at work on a forum...

I use Austere because it's just better, but this is a positive I had not considered.  )

[jerue]

I threw away a beige space invader board after breaking and attemping to fix a single green space invader switch and failing miserably at it. Rest of the switches were fine. Threw away everything including the caps... 

...I really miss green space invaders. Wonder if it's possible to get a whole board with them.

[jaffers]

I sometimes slam my keyboard when I get angry... Not anger issues, just something to take it out on. Its satisfying or something. I have cracked a PTB space bar doing so when I was playing eve online. ^:(

[Dernubenfrieken]

I use the nostalgia theme because it reminds me of when I first joined the site.

This reminds me of Clackvent.  Nostalgia is, in my mind, an indication that I'm logged out of geekhack.  I made it my theme for HoffmanClackster so I could tell the two accounts apart during Clackvent, but many times only confused myself thinking I was logged out. 

That's not a confession but whatever.

I use the Austere theme because the white neutral colours make it less obvious that I'm slacking off at work on a forum...

Just switched to austere for the same reason... prefer orange but this blends in a lot better.

[HoffmanMyster]

I use the nostalgia theme because it reminds me of when I first joined the site.

This reminds me of Clackvent.  Nostalgia is, in my mind, an indication that I'm logged out of geekhack.  I made it my theme for HoffmanClackster so I could tell the two accounts apart during Clackvent, but many times only confused myself thinking I was logged out. 

That's not a confession but whatever.

I use the Austere theme because the white neutral colours make it less obvious that I'm slacking off at work on a forum...

Just switched to austere for the same reason... prefer orange but this blends in a lot better.

For extra stealth, remember you can turn off avatars and signatures. 

[mobbo]

I've got zero DIY skills

Pretty much the only thing I'm good at is throwing money at things.

[Homenubbie]

I threw away a vintage Apple Alps keyboard before I knew about mechanical keyboards.

[Nai_Calus]

I only ever use one of my keyboards. The rest just sit around useless.

[E3E]

After paying $100 for a blue alps board on reddit (probably shot my offer way too high to the guy too!), my first alps board ever, I killed it by poking around in the circuitry when it was plugged in, somehow frying the controller. Changed capcitors, but nothing worked. I felt pretty stupid.

[Kompanion]

I've got zero DIY skills

Pretty much the only thing I'm good at is throwing money at things.

My life exactly I don't even know how to solder...

I'll be damned if I don't try though! (and probably mess it up in the process)

[neverused]

I bought the worldspawn atreus prototype, built it with in switch diodes and jailhouse blues, put it all together and never programmed it because it didn't like the staggered column layout.

I can barely use my Planck, but I may change the layout to something like Dvorak or colemack so that I don't have to compensate for the lack of stagger.

[Weltschmerz]

After paying $100 for a blue alps board on reddit (probably shot my offer way too high to the guy too!), my first alps board ever, I killed it by poking around in the circuitry when it was plugged in, somehow frying the controller. Changed capcitors, but nothing worked. I felt pretty stupid.

But do the switches still work? I mean if it's not standard BAE and 1u backspace, save that to make another alps board... I'd love to have a blue alps board of any kind 

[jdcarpe]

I bought the worldspawn atreus prototype, built it with in switch diodes and jailhouse blues, put it all together and never programmed it because it didn't like the staggered column layout.

I can barely use my Planck, but I may change the layout to something like Dvorak or colemack so that I don't have to compensate for the lack of stagger.

Don't feel bad. I can't use non-staggered or column staggered designs, either. There is a reason keyboards largely haven't changed in many decades.

[E3E]

After paying $100 for a blue alps board on reddit (probably shot my offer way too high to the guy too!), my first alps board ever, I killed it by poking around in the circuitry when it was plugged in, somehow frying the controller. Changed capcitors, but nothing worked. I felt pretty stupid.

But do the switches still work? I mean if it's not standard BAE and 1u backspace, save that to make another alps board... I'd love to have a blue alps board of any kind 

Yessir! I ended up using it for my Infinity build, but ended up swapping them out yet again when I ruined the paint job on that one (another embarrassing/frustrating confession) and ended up trading them for some very mint SKCL green alps that were from a NIB keyboard (thanks to Ludovician). I traded the rest for some SKCL brown alps and a set of grey doubleshot keycaps from sth.

I donated 12 to the guy who helped me replace the NTC 6151N I fried with the FAME I currently have. He only asked for one so that he could replace a missing switch for another board, but I felt generous.

In the end, I only have 26 blue alps left (aside from the intact FAME) and not enough for any build other than a number pad haha.

[trenzafeeds]

The spacebar stabs on my sprit 60 are a little ****ed up, so if I hit one side of the spacebar too many times it starts to tip of the stab a little bit. I'm just leaving it like that because it's lazy and doesn't really bother me.

[chyros]

I washed the sliders off a keyboard once, but it must've had lube on it because the switches are now so scratchy they're impossible to use.

I completely stripped a keyboard that appeared non-functional, but I recently found out I might actually have been able to repair it. You'll hear more about that one in a review far in the future xD .

[HoffmanMyster]

I accidentally left my Hakko FR-300 (desoldering gun) on and hot, sitting on the edge of my table, for over a week... I only realized it was on because I happened to see the power LED blinking (I don't even know what that means but it can't be good)...

[E3E]

I accidentally left my Hakko FR-300 (desoldering gun) on and hot, sitting on the edge of my table, for over a week... I only realized it was on because I happened to see the power LED blinking (I don't even know what that means but it can't be good)...

Oh gawd. I get scared over the idea of forgetting about my soldering idea for a day, but a week... Damn! Good thing nothing got set ablaze!  I think the worst thing that happened with me is leaving a soldering station while taking a two hour nap and I freaked a little when I woke up and noticed it on.

[njbair]

I accidentally left my Hakko FR-300 (desoldering gun) on and hot, sitting on the edge of my table, for over a week... I only realized it was on because I happened to see the power LED blinking (I don't even know what that means but it can't be good)...

Oh gawd. I get scared over the idea of forgetting about my soldering idea for a day, but a week... Damn! Good thing nothing got set ablaze!  I think the worst thing that happened with me is leaving a soldering station while taking a two hour nap and I freaked a little when I woke up and noticed it on.

PROTIP: get a timed outlet. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FSQTSB8/

[E3E]

I accidentally left my Hakko FR-300 (desoldering gun) on and hot, sitting on the edge of my table, for over a week... I only realized it was on because I happened to see the power LED blinking (I don't even know what that means but it can't be good)...

Oh gawd. I get scared over the idea of forgetting about my soldering idea for a day, but a week... Damn! Good thing nothing got set ablaze!  I think the worst thing that happened with me is leaving a soldering station while taking a two hour nap and I freaked a little when I woke up and noticed it on.

PROTIP: get a timed outlet. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FSQTSB8/

Oh wow, thanks a ton for that, NJ! This would be super useful.

EDIT: Bought an Apple IIc for Amber Alps on an impulse. Good price, but I really don't think I like these.

[swimmingbird]

I've stopped counting how much I've spent on keyboards a few months ago because I didn't want to see how big the number was anymore

[alienman82]

removed.

[rowdy]

I hit a Dell rubber hard enough to crush one of the legs.

Then there was this time I went to some trouble to get a replacement switch for my NEC keyboard, and soldered it in, only to discover that I have absolutely no idea where the keycap is.

[swimmingbird]

I accidentally left my Hakko FR-300 (desoldering gun) on and hot, sitting on the edge of my table, for over a week... I only realized it was on because I happened to see the power LED blinking (I don't even know what that means but it can't be good)...

That's crazy
I left the stove on for a whole day about a month ago - fortunately I was working from home so if anything would have happened I probably would have been able to deal with it somewhat