geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Pixel_Outlaw on Thu, 06 March 2014, 00:34:41
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So my current keyboard for work is starting to hurt my hands.
This is my first space invaders board (got it second hand at a thrift shop and cleaned it up carefully).
I'd get you the model number but it is at work...
My hands are hurting badly as I type a lot. Tingling in the fingers and slight numbness.
The switches actually seem to only depress at very strict angles which is unnatural for me.
The way I push them they actually feel more ridged that my Model M's.
I use an Adesso at home with MX Blue keys in it and never have pain.
I'm also a big fan of IBM Model M having 2 by IBM, one by Lexmark and one by AT&T (search it on the forum confused the hell out of most people).
Barring case design, I'm looking for something quietly clicky or atleast very tactile for work in the 30 dollar range used.
I also have a taste for exotic things too so strange layouts are cool (love the extra keys on the squarish looking POS boards)
I've seen this keyboard which looks like it might be mechanical as it is IBM but I can't be sure...
IBM Point Of Sale 4683 Keyboard 25F6329
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzYyWDYwMA==/z/5OwAAOxyOMdS8qwb/$_3.JPG (http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzYyWDYwMA==/z/5OwAAOxyOMdS8qwb/$_3.JPG)
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So my current keyboard for work is starting to hurt my hands.
This is my first space invaders board (got it second hand at a thrift shop and cleaned it up carefully).
I'd get you the model number but it is at work...
My hands are hurting badly as I type a lot. Tingling in the fingers and slight numbness.
The switches actually seem to only depress at very strict angles which is unnatural for me.
The way I push them they actually feel more ridged that my Model M's.
I use an Adesso at home with MX Blue keys in it and never have pain.
I'm also a big fan of IBM Model M having 2 by IBM, one by Lexmark and one by AT&T (search it on the forum confused the hell out of most people).
Barring case design, I'm looking for something quietly clicky or atleast very tactile for work in the 30 dollar range used.
I also have a taste for exotic things too so strange layouts are cool (love the extra keys on the squarish looking POS boards)
I've seen this keyboard which looks like it might be mechanical as it is IBM but I can't be sure...
IBM Point Of Sale 4683 Keyboard 25F6329
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzYyWDYwMA==/z/5OwAAOxyOMdS8qwb/$_3.JPG (http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzYyWDYwMA==/z/5OwAAOxyOMdS8qwb/$_3.JPG)
what's your budget? You might find this worth considering if you're looking for a large POS board: http://www.ebay.com/itm/291093687934?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
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The space invaders are somewhat nicer switches than the cherries for the fingers. But you have to clean them and lube them properly. I have a nos black invader board and typing for 12-14 hours as a developer results in much less pain than my Filco browns. I suspect it is the switch bounce-back, rigid metal plate and the keycaps, must be in some combination that is creating the pain. Somehow the loose & work out alps boards result in less pain comparatively. Cherries feel nice but something is wrong in the above 3 variables.
Have you tried pcb mounted browns like mx-11800? Those felt good.
Actually model Ms are much better for fingers only if we can have softer springs. Guess I am daydreaming.
"I use an Adesso at home with MX Blue keys in it and never have pain."... Seems like you are hitting the bottom with the softer switches.
If you still get pain after using cherries, try putting few saran wrap or some transparent soft plastic sheets over the caps and try for few hours. If it hurts less, then may be the fingers are taking in the bounce and need rest and moisturizing. Just a theory, as it happens to me sometimes (with the newer thinkpad laptop keyboards) and I just slow down on finger mashing for a few days and the pain is gone from the tips.
Have not tried the finger guard thingies, but you may give them a try.
my 2 keys
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It's probably in bad shape or something. Mine don't seem to care about angles or anything. Might need to just find a different example of them, although it's possible it could be fixed, but that would be taking all switches apart.
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But you have to clean them and lube them properly.
How do you lube them?
Hi-Tek feel great, but I am always leery of pulling caps and messing with them any more than I have to.
I have some Krytox and a small paint brush, but I dread the thought of pulling them all apart.
Is there any black Hi-Tek keyboard with straight-ANSI layout, ie no bigass Enter?
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I've never actually done so. Given how it works, maybe just around the edges? Because unlike cherry the movement is on the outside perimeter of the switch instead of something on the inside. You can even see the contacts working with a keycap off.
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But you have to clean them and lube them properly.
How do you lube them?
Hi-Tek feel great, but I am always leery of pulling caps and messing with them any more than I have to.
I have some Krytox and a small paint brush, but I dread the thought of pulling them all apart.
Is there any black Hi-Tek keyboard with straight-ANSI layout, ie no bigass Enter?
I haven't tried lubing my NMB board, but pulling space invaders apart isn't that bad. I would say they are much easier to pull apart than Cherry switches if you lack switch tools. You just take a wire key cap puller, hook them to the edges of the top of the space invader switch, and pull. It requires a bit of force, but it comes off clean and snaps back together easily. Just be aware that you're pulling the top of the switch off, the spring can easily fly out. I would cup my other hand over the switch area to prevent losing the spring.
As for the fatigue or pain from typing on space invaders, I would say it's because of the key caps and layout. The spacebar on my NMB has a really sharp curve on it's space bar, making it quite a pain when typing. The spacebar also had a much weightier switch as opposed to all the other keys. I suggest replacing the spring on the spacebar from that of a unused key. Most of the problems can be solved by getting the NMB The Right Touch, which has that straight-ANSI layout (ie no single unit back space and no bigass enter).
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But you have to clean them and lube them properly.
How do you lube them?
Hi-Tek feel great, but I am always leery of pulling caps and messing with them any more than I have to.
I have some Krytox and a small paint brush, but I dread the thought of pulling them all apart.
Is there any black Hi-Tek keyboard with straight-ANSI layout, ie no bigass Enter?
I haven't tried lubing my NMB board, but pulling space invaders apart isn't that bad. I would say they are much easier to pull apart than Cherry switches if you lack switch tools. You just take a wire key cap puller, hook them to the edges of the top of the space invader switch, and pull. It requires a bit of force, but it comes off clean and snaps back together easily. Just be aware that you're pulling the top of the switch off, the spring can easily fly out. I would cup my other hand over the switch area to prevent losing the spring.
As for the fatigue or pain from typing on space invaders, I would say it's because of the key caps and layout. The spacebar on my NMB has a really sharp curve on it's space bar, making it quite a pain when typing. The spacebar also had a much weightier switch as opposed to all the other keys. I suggest replacing the spring on the spacebar from that of a unused key. Most of the problems can be solved by getting the NMB The Right Touch, which has that straight-ANSI layout (ie no single unit back space and no bigass enter).
Wait a sec... do you mean 'the right touch' comes in mechanical space invaders AND it is ANSI? The only ANSI I have seen are the rubber domes and the only space invaders I have seen are the big-ass ones. Do you have the model number or something?
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that is kind of odd.............., but you know what works and what does not?
i would think maybe those are white (linear) space invaders vs black?
sounds like you are maybe bottoming out to hard and it is fatiguing-stressing ur hands?
cherry my switches do the same thing to me, but i know we're talking apples and oranges
hope u get a board that is better conformed to your typing
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But you have to clean them and lube them properly.
How do you lube them?
Hi-Tek feel great, but I am always leery of pulling caps and messing with them any more than I have to.
I have some Krytox and a small paint brush, but I dread the thought of pulling them all apart.
Is there any black Hi-Tek keyboard with straight-ANSI layout, ie no bigass Enter?
I haven't tried lubing my NMB board, but pulling space invaders apart isn't that bad. I would say they are much easier to pull apart than Cherry switches if you lack switch tools. You just take a wire key cap puller, hook them to the edges of the top of the space invader switch, and pull. It requires a bit of force, but it comes off clean and snaps back together easily. Just be aware that you're pulling the top of the switch off, the spring can easily fly out. I would cup my other hand over the switch area to prevent losing the spring.
As for the fatigue or pain from typing on space invaders, I would say it's because of the key caps and layout. The spacebar on my NMB has a really sharp curve on it's space bar, making it quite a pain when typing. The spacebar also had a much weightier switch as opposed to all the other keys. I suggest replacing the spring on the spacebar from that of a unused key. Most of the problems can be solved by getting the NMB The Right Touch, which has that straight-ANSI layout (ie no single unit back space and no bigass enter).
Wait a sec... do you mean 'the right touch' comes in mechanical space invaders AND it is ANSI? The only ANSI I have seen are the rubber domes and the only space invaders I have seen are the big-ass ones. Do you have the model number or something?
Most mechanical "the right touch" do not have ANSI. Be aware that the model must contain a "C" for it to be mechanical (aside from RT101+). A "+" at the end of the serial indicates it has a big ass enter. Some models containing "T" (tactile) might have mechanical switches like the RT8251T, and you might be lucky if it's mechanical and doesn't have a big ass enter. However, that's at your own risk. Personally, I gave up looking for one with ANSI. I'm more so interested in one with a split spacebar because one of the spacebars can be used as backspace, but a split spacebar board usually end up being expensive.
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Before I begin throwing it out there I like to post before I read anything. (not sure why)
I have two identical space invader keybaords (both the same) and got for free. (very lucky)
Tried at first as my daily driver/gaming keybaord. hated it because heavy and weird activation points meaning its hard to double tap.
Gave up on them for ~ 3 years. Then I got an office job. Eventually brought one in to try. Love it for typing and it seems way easier to type on now. Maybe my fingers got stronger? lol
Sorry to hear you dont like yours. Has it seen much use? Mine were previously in elementary schools and besides school name engraved appeared to be brand new or lightly used. IDK about durability but I was just curious what yours felt like.
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I don't have a problem with that while gaming on them. If you do though, you could merely remove the click arm on the relevant keys to make it linear.
Maybe you switched which one you're using and didn't notice it?
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I don't have a problem with that while gaming on them. If you do though, you could merely remove the click arm on the relevant keys to make it linear.
Maybe you switched which one you're using and didn't notice it?
It's possible but iirc when I pulled it out it still had the at to ps2 adapter on it. As far as making the switch linear that may help but I would still have to release the key pretty much completely for it to register another key stroke effectively still leaving me with the issue. At any rate I use a chicony keyboard with monteray switches for gaming/daily driver so unless I get bored with my other unfinished keyboard projects Im not goning to bother making it linear.