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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: KHAANNN on Mon, 16 March 2015, 17:36:34

Title: Heavy Switches and Thumbnails
Post by: KHAANNN on Mon, 16 March 2015, 17:36:34
I'm wondering whether heavy switches cause the thumb nails to deform in the long run

Especially if you use the spacebar with the side of the thumb occasionally, that sometimes puts the pressure on the side of the nail
Title: Re: Heavy Switches and Thumbnails
Post by: chyros on Mon, 16 March 2015, 17:57:36
Not for me at least. I mostly use 70 gf switches, but my thumbnails don't suffer at all.
Title: Re: Heavy Switches and Thumbnails
Post by: KHAANNN on Tue, 17 March 2015, 14:11:40
Not for me at least. I mostly use 70 gf switches, but my thumbnails don't suffer at all.
I discovered that I also press the left shift with my thumb, mostly with the nail, probably not a very good idea but happens naturally

After some keyboard mods, my nails were pretty damaged, it's probably a good idea to use a light-switched keyboard for a while

In my limited time with mechanical switches, I noticed that heavy switches are slightly hard to use if the fingers/nails are tired/over-used/damaged

I should add these situations into consideration in my future switch/spring choices, ~65g could be optimal
Title: Re: Heavy Switches and Thumbnails
Post by: chyros on Tue, 17 March 2015, 16:13:41
Tbh a big factor is probably the length, thickness and health of your nails. Normal, healthy nails with about two or so mm of white (overhang) shouldn't suffer, I think. The amount of typing and the way you do it are probably also quite important. People who are very bad at typing (like me :P) probably won't suffer as much.