geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: shogrran on Wed, 08 February 2012, 00:57:52
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I have very limited keyboard experience and to that extent even smaller experience on the mechanical keyboard side.
I have used several cheapo rubber dome keyboards and laptop scissor keyboards, and then I got to use the razer arctosa - which when I got it initially I was disappointed because it didn't really feel its worth in gold, and then I moved to the razer blackwidow-which got me hooked with the mechanical keyboards and then now I have the cmstorm quickfire rapid with brown switches.
Out of all the keyboards I have used though I could say I like the surface finish of the cmstorm quickfire rapid (non-black).
Does anyone know what this surface finish is called? I'm not that sure if its rubberized... I don't think so. The surface feels and looks more like powdery finish type.
When I say I have sweaty hands I mean I have SWEATY hands. And its also the type of sweat that easily corrodes finishes. This adds to the reason why I like this type of finish. It is SUPER fingerprint resistant. I am touching it with my sweaty fingers and it doesn't mark. Even when my fingers are super moist you can barely make out the prints even when you hold it at an angle. It is also very much resilient to dust which really amazes me. I guess its a combination of the finish itself plus the choice of the color -- which is sorta like gunmetal or something. (does anyone know what exactly is the color on the cmstorm?) Good job on your first venture in the keyboard market cmstorm.
Are there any other keyboards with this type of finish? I am looking at the filco finishes (which from what I have heard is manufactured by the same guys that manufacture the qfrapid) and it doesn't seem to match this surface. I have also tried the steelseries keyboards and not that I'm saying their keyboard surfaces are bad but they went for the nothing special finish. I am planning on getting a full sized keyboard one of these days when I get a better paying job and I would very much like to have another keyboard with the same type of finish as this is.
I guess it is too bad for me that they made the key-caps rubber-coated and pad printed. Again my sweaty hands problem will probably cause these key-caps to fade and shine quicker than I can finish writing this post. My shift key already shows noticeable signs of fading. The rubbery finish of the caps seem to be standing pretty well though... its not shining yet. or loosing much of its rubbery feel. I am not saying that it fades quick and therefore the board isn't worth its weight in gold. The keys fade because you use them - that's it. Fading keys is a first world problem for me. I just would have preferred not having the pad print on the keycaps in the first place.
I am very much attracted to buying (not sure if I am using the proper terms because I am a noob) "pbt" etched key caps. I saw pics of it here and I got a better view in one youtube video I watched. The key caps have etched letters but no fill color on the etch. I initially wanted the blank ones but I guess it won't match well since the cmstorm already has a lot of labels on it. Besides I haven't memorized the special characters in the keyboards in touch type so that's a bummer. One thing that bothers me with the etched type is do dirt fill the etches? I'm thinking yes :( and I am not really the clean-your-keyboard-frequently type of guy. Again I am not sure if I am using my terms right. Does anyone know what color the cmstorm quick fire rapid is? I would like to get the same color for the key caps to get rid of the two tone. (personal preference)
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Black coating on the Rapid picks up fingerprints easily. Even from freshly washed hands. I think the grey finish just hides it better, instead of not picking it up.
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The quick fire rapid has a thin sheet of soft touch film on it like better car interiors. It's just hard plastic underneath, but it feels like a million bucks to the touch.
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@laffindude I haven't seen the black personally. I was talking about the non-black gunmetaly finish. I thought about that at first... that the grey finish isn't finger print resistant and it just hides it better due to its color. But i repeatedly touched it... it really doesn't pick up the moistness or the finger print.
@jellowiggler I'd like to hear more about that soft touch filmy thingy finish. I do know its just hard plastic, but ain't most keyboards hard plastic as well? Its not simple matte finish as well I think because I have seen matte finishes and they pick up finger prints as bad as gloss finishes.
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Are your fingers sweaty or oily? Oily skin will polish a matte finish and leave prints in it. Maybe sweat less so. I don't think any finish can resist a pair of hands after, say, eating a bag of Cheetos. ;)
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Are your fingers sweaty or oily? Oily skin will polish a matte finish and leave prints in it. Maybe sweat less so. I don't think any finish can resist a pair of hands after, say, eating a bag of Cheetos. ;)
Both. My fingers up to the palms and wrists are sweaty and oily. Not to mention it is frequently dirty as well. I have gotten used to keyboard finishes and laptop finishes fading too early. But this cmstorm finish is quite impressive. Even the place where my sweaty palms rest while typing doesn't have a mark yet.
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A finish that looks similar, is the metallic paint of the Kinesis Advantage Pro. I never owned one, but heard that it's much more durable than regular unpainted plastic surfaces which become shiny, etc.
(http://kinesis-ergo.com/images/kb_adv-pro_met720x471.jpg)
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I have never owned one of those... so I can't tell. But i'd like a newer keyboard though.
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I have never owned one of those... so I can't tell. But i'd like a newer keyboard though.
Me too, but nobody has made a better keyboard yet, unfortunately, or I would buy it regardless of cost. So some of us have we have been improving it via mods, see these wikis for details:
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:8110
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:16112
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:26579
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I have very limited keyboard experience and to that extent even smaller experience on the mechanical keyboard side.
I have used several cheapo rubber dome keyboards and laptop scissor keyboards, and then I got to use the razer arctosa - which when I got it initially I was disappointed because it didn't really feel its worth in gold, and then I moved to the razer blackwidow-which got me hooked with the mechanical keyboards and then now I have the cmstorm quickfire rapid with brown switches.
Out of all the keyboards I have used though I could say I like the surface finish of the cmstorm quickfire rapid (non-black).
Does anyone know what this surface finish is called? I'm not that sure if its rubberized... I don't think so. The surface feels and looks more like powdery finish type.
When I say I have sweaty hands I mean I have SWEATY hands. And its also the type of sweat that easily corrodes finishes. This adds to the reason why I like this type of finish. It is SUPER fingerprint resistant. I am touching it with my sweaty fingers and it doesn't mark. Even when my fingers are super moist you can barely make out the prints even when you hold it at an angle. It is also very much resilient to dust which really amazes me. I guess its a combination of the finish itself plus the choice of the color -- which is sorta like gunmetal or something. (does anyone know what exactly is the color on the cmstorm?) Good job on your first venture in the keyboard market cmstorm.
Are there any other keyboards with this type of finish? I am looking at the filco finishes (which from what I have heard is manufactured by the same guys that manufacture the qfrapid) and it doesn't seem to match this surface. I have also tried the steelseries keyboards and not that I'm saying their keyboard surfaces are bad but they went for the nothing special finish. I am planning on getting a full sized keyboard one of these days when I get a better paying job and I would very much like to have another keyboard with the same type of finish as this is.
I guess it is too bad for me that they made the key-caps rubber-coated and pad printed. Again my sweaty hands problem will probably cause these key-caps to fade and shine quicker than I can finish writing this post. My shift key already shows noticeable signs of fading. The rubbery finish of the caps seem to be standing pretty well though... its not shining yet. or loosing much of its rubbery feel. I am not saying that it fades quick and therefore the board isn't worth its weight in gold. The keys fade because you use them - that's it. Fading keys is a first world problem for me. I just would have preferred not having the pad print on the keycaps in the first place.
I am very much attracted to buying (not sure if I am using the proper terms because I am a noob) "pbt" etched key caps. I saw pics of it here and I got a better view in one youtube video I watched. The key caps have etched letters but no fill color on the etch. I initially wanted the blank ones but I guess it won't match well since the cmstorm already has a lot of labels on it. Besides I haven't memorized the special characters in the keyboards in touch type so that's a bummer. One thing that bothers me with the etched type is do dirt fill the etches? I'm thinking yes :( and I am not really the clean-your-keyboard-frequently type of guy. Again I am not sure if I am using my terms right. Does anyone know what color the cmstorm quick fire rapid is? I would like to get the same color for the key caps to get rid of the two tone. (personal preference)
etched or engraved
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Engraved I believe is the correct term!
Thank you... as I mentioned several times in the post ... i have no idea if I am using the terms correctly.
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no i mean get either engraved or etched keys
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no i mean get either engraved or etched keys
Can you describe to me the difference?
I have read somewhere that there are laser etched - with color and i think I have used a keyboard like that before and it fades still.
What I liked about the engraved (now I am really confused with the terms) is that it never fades... not unless your sweat can melt plastic.
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Can you describe to me the difference?
I have read somewhere that there are laser etched - with color and i think I have used a keyboard like that before and it fades still.
What I liked about the engraved (now I am really confused with the terms) is that it never fades... not unless your sweat can melt plastic.
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/t/etchedvsengraved.jpg
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http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/gallery/p#laser-etching-vs-engraving-03.html
top is etching, bottom is engraving
edit: ninja'd
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http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/gallery/p#laser-etching-vs-engraving-03.html
top is etching, bottom is engraving
edit: ninja'd
In that case engraved is the one I am referring to and not etched.
:D i like the stealthy look. Besides less risk of it fading... as i mentioned unless your fingers melt plastic or is made of sandpaper.