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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: N8N on Fri, 22 July 2011, 19:38:59

Title: what's the most desirable - brown, blue, or black?
Post by: N8N on Fri, 22 July 2011, 19:38:59
subject says all...  am considering buying a new keyboard and immediately modding it to clears (or maybe ergo clears - haven't tried those yet, but I'm fairly certain that I'll still prefer straight clears.)

So the question is, what would be the most useful switch to buy from which other keyboard enthusiasts would want the stems and springs?

I've already got two boards w/ browns...  but should I buy blues or blacks?  Or are browns really that popular that there'd be a market for leftover brown stems and springs?

I know that I probably have no interest in any of the "stock" switches, just going at this from a "who would actually want my leftovers" marketability standpoint.

Also, any opinions on whether it's easier to do mods like this on Filco vs. Leopold?  (yeah, I know, either one's going to be a PITA.  But I want what I want...)
Title: what's the most desirable - brown, blue, or black?
Post by: keyb_gr on Sat, 23 July 2011, 10:55:26
Brown and blue stems/springs should be easy to get rid of. Blacks, probably not so much unless someone is specifically looking for stems for some ghetto reds. Can't remember offhand whether black and clear springs are the same (IIRC, not quite), those in blues and browns are.
Title: what's the most desirable - brown, blue, or black?
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Sun, 24 July 2011, 01:48:46
I think with all the people already having done ergo clears, brown stems are easy to find. I know The Solutor has a bunch.

So I'd guess blue.
Title: what's the most desirable - brown, blue, or black?
Post by: The Solutor on Sun, 24 July 2011, 03:26:45
Quote
So the question is, what would be the most useful switch to buy from which other keyboard enthusiasts would want the stems and springs?


If you mind to resell the stems, i believe the browns are a better option.

But

with a blue board used as a donor and swapping the springs between the boards you will end with a beige/ergo clears board and a cyan one. And both of them are more than interesting for different aspects.

The beige one will be soft and tactile, likely the best kind of switch out there, while the cyan one is still interesting because resembles the model Ms boards...

It's a board where you can type safely w/o bottoming out but the travel needed to register is clearly perceptible because the click, very nice too IMO.
Title: what's the most desirable - brown, blue, or black?
Post by: N8N on Sun, 24 July 2011, 07:49:17
Hmm... was thinking of buying a Filco and just turning it into clears...

I haven't yet heard of "cyan" - you're making a good case for me to just get another POS board as a stem donor just so I can try 'em (e.g. buy a new Filco.Leopold with blues and a POS board with clears and swap *only* the stems...) only problem with that plan is that a plate mounted board is going to be harder to swap...  so I really need a cheap board with blues to try that first....  because then if I don't like ergo clears better than regular clears I will be a sad (broke) panda

I guess springs for blues and browns are the same?   I should probably try to get some more clear stems 1st, swap 'em into one of my browns boards then decide...  (I can't give up my clears at work unless I find something that I like better.)