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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: sam113101 on Sun, 10 October 2010, 22:50:05

Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: sam113101 on Sun, 10 October 2010, 22:50:05: with blue cherries, there is a big margin between the bump and the bottoming out, and it annoys me a bit
is it the same with buckling spring*?

how would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
I think I'm going to buy a unicomp spacesaver and figure out by myself
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: KillerBee on Sun, 10 October 2010, 22:53:03: got 35.00 dollars? If so I can send you a model M

(im serious)
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: sam113101 on Sun, 10 October 2010, 22:59:53: do they feel better than the unicomps*?
if so, yeah, I'm interested

but it would be more like 70$, with the shipping fees

is the keyboard in a good condition*?
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: kill will on Sun, 10 October 2010, 23:24:54: Quote
how would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?

fockin' awesome!
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: 8_INCH_FLOPPY on Sun, 10 October 2010, 23:48:23: You've been a member since November, and you still have not tried a buckling spring? You have been missing out. The resistance increases exponentially until it bottoms out and you get this wonderful feeling of release in your fingers as it goes *Ching*.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sun, 10 October 2010, 23:48:56: Quote
How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?

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Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: WhiteRice on Mon, 11 October 2010, 00:07:24: hmmm good question then perhaps I will type some nonsense to get the feeling fresh in my head. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore.

That being said I guess I would describe it like one of those clicky ball point pens; that is if there were a bunch that had key caps attached to the plunger, and they happened to make up a keyboard.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: Phaedrus2129 on Mon, 11 October 2010, 00:13:27: Quote from: wellington1869;232386
fs=1&hl=en_US">fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385">[/youtube]

That sounds EXACTLY like my M13. Nice. :)
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: Sam on Mon, 11 October 2010, 00:40:44: Quote from: KillerBee;232365
got 35.00 dollars? If so I can send you a model M

(im serious)

Sure, I'll give you $35 for your June, 1985 M. :smile:
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: Findecanor on Mon, 11 October 2010, 02:50:31: Compared to a Cherry MX blue, there is no slight bump before the click, the actuation point is further down with much less distance until you bottom out. The force is higher, but I think that it feels more increasing on buckling springs and more level on Cherry MX blue. The fact that the force is higher at the actuation point makes up for the fact that the actuation point is lower, so that you will not bottom out more on a buckling spring than on a Cherry MX blue.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: keyb_gr on Mon, 11 October 2010, 10:06:02: Why would anyone be bothered by blues having extra travel after the tactile point? It's a good thing since it keeps people like me from bottoming out hard all the time. This is about equally effective on both BS and blues due to differing force levels, though you can type faster on blues (in return, accuracy on BS tends to be a touch better). For the comfy feeling of ramming your fingers straight into a metal plate, I suggest looking at black Alps.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: WhiteRice on Mon, 11 October 2010, 11:25:00: Quote from: ripster;232498
You mean like this?
Show Image
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=12834&stc=1&d=1286770657)

Maybe I'm just a visual person and should just shut up.
I think my ball point pen comparison holds true.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: unicomp on Mon, 11 October 2010, 11:39:08: If you are made of paper then use capacitive switches. If you are made of cardboard then use Cherry blues. If you are made of iron then use buckling springs. This is a general guide however I have found that it is useful on many occasions.

I like the sensation of typing on buckling springs, the satisfying click is nice to linger over and the sound is most sublime. However when I am typing I actually prefer a slightly lighter touch and on a practical level I am somewhat perturbed that my typing can be most definitely heard through more than one wall. I am currently typing on Cherry blues and am seeking to purchase a board with browns in (Kinesis). I like the capacitive switches in my HHKB however after having paid a lot of money for it I am too scared to use it; it feels good though.

I think the point to be taken from this post is that it is difficult to get a handle of the feeling of a switch until you really try it out. For a lot of people it is not really possible to go and do this due to the fact that most of the boards we talk about are not as readily available in a physical shop (in a lot of places) as a standard rubber dome board. For the sound you could try the audio section of this website or some video websites, however the actual feel differs from person to person discounting our abilities to convey the feeling in a sufficiently precise manner (in this context the graphs that ripster is providing are probably the best that you can do). There is also the fact that some boards might be nice to activate the keys on but not actually be that nice to type on. When I first got my Model M I thought that it was the greatest thing ever, this was because it looks stunning and just pressing each individual key slowly will get a rather lovely sensation, however I have subsequently found it not to be to my tastes for a keyboard that I plan to use on a regular basis.

tl;dr You will have to procure some boards for testing in order to get a good idea, however the feeling of pressing a buckling spring is rather nice. Also get a Model M that is in reasonable condition and then very softly run your fingers over the keys, you feel a wonderful texture that makes you aware that you are in possession of a good board.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: wellington1869 on Mon, 11 October 2010, 12:28:09: buckling springs are like sex, cherry blues are like foreplay.

(fukkas are like loud sex).
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: KillerBee on Mon, 11 October 2010, 19:22:25: Quote from: sam113101;232366
do they feel better than the unicomps*?
if so, yeah, I'm interested

but it would be more like 70$, with the shipping fees

is the keyboard in a good condition*?

I'll send you a PM!
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: aegrotatio on Mon, 11 October 2010, 22:49:42: Let's see, I would describe them as violent, satisfying, and loud!! 'Nuff said.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: netwebber on Mon, 11 October 2010, 22:58:52: Blue Cherries are like cracking your pinky fingers. Buckling springs are more like cracking your middle and index fingers. And you're the Terminator.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: jpc on Mon, 11 October 2010, 23:04:52: Buckling springs are tools. Everything else is toys.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: jpc on Mon, 11 October 2010, 23:38:01: Buckling springs feel mechanical but also alive and engaging.

When you press a buckling spring, energy is stored in the spring. When the spring buckles, the energy is released. Thwack. Noise, vibration, and a steep reduction in force on the key all coincide with making contact. No switch has more feedback.

The noise? It's white noise, it does not distract.

The force? A friend once described driving a manual transmission car: "it gives your hands something to do." Buckling springs are similar. The force is higher than some other switches. So they exercise your fingers while you type. I don't find them fatiguing.

Every driver should try a manual transmission car, in case they love it. Ditto for buckling springs.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: ch_123 on Tue, 12 October 2010, 04:29:36: Quote from: unicomp;232557
If you are made of paper then use capacitive switches. If you are made of cardboard then use Cherry blues. If you are made of iron then use buckling springs. This is a general guide however I have found that it is useful on many occasions.

What about capacitive buckling springs?
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: sam113101 on Tue, 12 October 2010, 20:19:07: Should I buy a Model M or a Unicomp SpaceSaver*?
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: TexasFlood on Tue, 12 October 2010, 20:21:55: Quote from: sam113101;233079
Should I buy a Model M or a Unicomp SpaceSaver*?
Here's a review of the SpaceSaver (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:4562) if you haven't read it yet. And a comparison to a Model M (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:5530), and another review (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:4372).
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: SmallWalrus on Tue, 12 October 2010, 20:24:51: Quote from: kill will;232374
fockin' awesome!

Quoted for truth :)
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: wellington1869 on Tue, 12 October 2010, 23:42:41: Quote from: sam113101;233079
Should I buy a Model M or a Unicomp SpaceSaver*?

if you're over 30, buy an M. If you're under 30, buy a unicomp.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: Sam on Tue, 12 October 2010, 23:57:02: Quote from: wellington1869;233140
if you're over 30, buy an M. If you're under 30, buy a unicomp.

If you're over 50, buy an F.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: TexasFlood on Wed, 13 October 2010, 00:00:56: Quote from: sam113101;233079
Should I buy a Model M or a Unicomp SpaceSaver*?
I have a model M. Don't have a Unicomp Spacesaver but wish I did. I'd probably trade my model M for one, based on the reviews I read.
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: wellington1869 on Wed, 13 October 2010, 00:58:04: Quote from: Sam;233144
If you're over 50, buy an F.

lol
Title: How would you describe the feel of the buckling spring*?
Post by: quadibloc on Wed, 13 October 2010, 01:42:44: Quote from: sam113101;232366
do they feel better than the unicomps*?
For the most part, both would be the same, as Unicomp makes buckling spring keyboards to IBM's and Lexmark's original specifications. There may be subtle differences, and the Model F keyboard would be better, but the Unicomp keyboards are very nearly identical to a classic model M. So if you've tried one of those, you would basically know what a buckling spring keyboard is like. (The original Model M, though, might have slightly more solid construction, because Unicomp has made some minor changes to further save on manufacturing costs, although the consensus seems to be that this has worked out all right.)