Please give me a push in the right direction..

[ahull0]

Really hard to know where to start with this stuff.. so please send me in the right direction. What I'd really like to have is my old IBM Model M2, but without the 10-key pad. One other requirement is that it needs to be lit - so the key markings are visible in the dark.

I have absolutely NO USE FOR BLING.. So no flashing RGB LED junk. i just want adjustable brightness, maybe choice of color(s).

I'm a retired electronic tech, so not at all worried about soldering a kit together. And quality is fairly important.. no featherweight, flimsy crap.

I see some KBs on AliEx that have sold fairly big numbers. Is there any stuff on Ali worth owning? What about eBay, or other such sites?

Anyway, I'd really appreciate some beginner help. Thanks in advance.

[Leslieann]

Almost all RGB allow you to set a static solid color and set brightness or even turn it off, so if you want any lighting at all there's really no sense in fighting it.

Ali Express and sellers are hit or miss especially if you take the business off there and go private (don't do that), however some sellers/companies who sell there are pretty good, KBDfans, KPRepublic and YMDK. Yes, they all had some issues during Covid, but as far as I know everyone was taken care of by these companies and they have a good, long history otherwise of making good stuff and taking care of customers. Just give them a bit of leeway in terms of communication due to the time and language barrier.


As for what to get,
Sounds like you want a TKL (ten keyless), while not the current trend there's a lot to choose out there and I think you'll be surprised how good some modern stuff is. M2s were actually not made all that well, todays mid level stuff is likely to absolutely blow it away in terms of quality and reliability (much less an aluminum custom), the last decade or so has really upped the game on keyboards. Today even a $50 knock off mechanical keyboard is pretty darn good and with the right switch and some minor tweaks can punch insanely far above their price point.

The only real question is the switch itself which is going to depend on your specific M2 as they had a few variations, some even came with rubber domes. If it has buckling springs (BS) and you want to keep that feel you're probably going to want clickies, stay away from those that use a Cherry MX Blue style click jacket (pretty much any blue switch) and instead look at Kailh Box Jade and Navies. If you just want tactile or linear, oh boy, the world is your oyster and the options will make your head spin. I suggest buying a few samples and tester before choosing, especially if you plan to get a solder board but I would also encourage you to not ignore hot swap. While it may not last decades like a model M you aren't likely to keep it that long anyway and it really does make building/tweaking/upgrading a board much easier and enjoyable.

[matt-taco]

If you don't want the num pad, get a reproduction 77 key model f or beamspring from https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/store/.

I personally, GREATLY prefer the model M2 to M, and can tell you that the Model F is very close to the M2 in terms of key feel. I have a beam spring and can also tell you that you will probably like it even more.

one last note, I have not used the reproductions.

edit:

You asked about Aliexpress keebs, I've never had an issue with them You can also look on ebay for cheap mechanical keyboards tkl, I've bought a few for around 10-20 dollars.

[Leslieann]

I personally, GREATLY prefer the model M2 to M, and can tell you that the Model F is very close to the M2 in terms of key feel.

It's going to depend on the M2 as there were many some even featured rubber domes, not that all rubber domes are bad just that there's a wide range of diversity among M2 models and not all will feel like your model F

Even the domes had variations, I had one that I liked but suffered damage and the replacement had a totally different feel. The first I had was quite tactile and frankly pretty decent, the second was a mushy, sluggish mess that I hated the moment I first used it. It was absolutely nothing special and may as well have had HP or Dell written across the top.

[matt-taco]

I personally, GREATLY prefer the model M2 to M, and can tell you that the Model F is very close to the M2 in terms of key feel.

It's going to depend on the M2 as there were many some even featured rubber domes, not that all rubber domes are bad just that there's a wide range of diversity among M2 models and not all will feel like your model F

I HIGHLY doubt he is talking about a rubber dome, and btw, I have repaired and sold dozens of M2 kbs over the years. A model F kishsaver is the closest mech to what he is asking for.

[Rhienfo]

Assuming your m2 is a buckling spring keyboard, then unicomp is selling a TKL BS keyboard which could be a good option.

- https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/MINI_M

If your M2 is rubber domes than the Topre could be what you are looking. Realforce are topre TKL keyboards (many varients like 87u as an example), but the best way to find good deals is to go on ebay but especially Japanese marketplaces, rather than buying retail.

Aliexpress has some alright stuff, There are couple vintage clone keyboards that are nice such as the ncr80, but if you are looking for the best deal, than buying these products from taobao through something like superbuy is the best option.

Same with mx style switches which can be cheaper on taobao but that depends on the switch.