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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: wordfool on Wed, 17 November 2010, 19:49:03

Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: wordfool on Wed, 17 November 2010, 19:49:03
Just got a Filco tenkeyless with cherry browns and I love typing on the thing but I couldn't help but notice that when I press keys slowly the first 25% or so of the travel is rough and has a lot of friction stickiness. I presume this is normal, but just wanted to check. Also curious if it smooths out over time.
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: MyNameIsDan on Wed, 17 November 2010, 22:01:04
Were you referring to pressure point as shown in this force diagram? (http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=11339&d=1277307720) If so then yes, the first few mm of travel requires higher force, then easy throughout. Or is it actually sticky feeling?
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: msiegel on Wed, 17 November 2010, 22:27:06
hmm, i feel what you're describing. and it feels exactly the way the diagram looks.

ripster, did you actually lose the bump over time?
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: WhiteRice on Wed, 17 November 2010, 22:29:01
Quote from: wordfool;248353
Just got a Filco tenkeyless with cherry browns and I love typing on the thing but I couldn't help but notice that when I press keys slowly the first 25% or so of the travel is rough and has a lot of friction stickiness. I presume this is normal, but just wanted to check. Also curious if it smooths out over time.
Are you talking about the tactile bump, or the travel before that point?
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: wordfool on Wed, 17 November 2010, 22:34:21
as I put pressure on a key and slowly increase it feels like plastic on plastic friction... kinda rough and slightly jerky for a few mm until it caves and lightens up. So yes, a tactile bump, but it's a rough bump, not a smooth one
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: wanabe on Wed, 17 November 2010, 22:39:32
i just got my filco brown, its the same.  my H key is particularly scratchy, but it's not really noticeable in normal use
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: jaynoon on Thu, 18 November 2010, 00:04:03
Yeah, my new Filco Brown has a similar slight roughness, up-to and through the tactile bump. Below that it feels more smooth, but maybe just because there is so little resistance.

It doesn't really bother me, and since it feels like rubbing of some sort, I feel like time will probably smooth it out like ripster suggests.
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: sapht on Thu, 18 November 2010, 03:22:00
When I first got my browns (filco majestouch tenkeyless) I bottomed out at every keystroke and couldn't figure out how not to do that. It really felt unpredictable and way too heavy until the "bump". Now, a years usage later, I bottom out about 50% of the time. I'm unsure if it's because I've committed the force curve to muscle memory, or the switches actually got smoother. I never really imagined it could be the latter.
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: clickclack on Thu, 18 November 2010, 03:34:40
To the OP-

Yes indeedy it's normal, some exhibit it (slight roughness) more than others and it should smooth out slightly over time.

=)
Title: rough travel normal for a Filco?
Post by: ClackHead on Thu, 18 November 2010, 05:42:34
Just echoing what others have already said. I noticed the same thing when I got my Filco with cherry blues a couple months ago.

It has gotten much smoother now and it will only get better.