geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: azhdar on Mon, 13 July 2015, 08:49:30
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Just curious how everyone got involved into it. Let's share stories.
For me it started when I was watching this french SC2 player on youtube what would also do review of gaming gear.
He was always telling the benefits of gaming on mechanicals compared to membranes and he was a Filco Fanboy.
I wanted to buff my gaming skill (because gear make you better right? ) so this is how I bought my first mech. This was a Quickfire Rapid that I accidentally bought of Amazon.com so I ended up with an ANSI board.
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Mine started when my roommate got a switch tester. I fell in love with the feel and began my hunt for a keyboard. Its neat that you mentioned SC2, my first board was found on that subreddit.
http://imgur.com/a/wYD3G (http://imgur.com/a/wYD3G)
Here's my board! A few pictures down, you see 1 of 2 signatures on the back. The board was signed by Polt and Bomber! I was thrilled and scooped it up as fast as possible. Fell in love with MX red's for gaming and look to try blues in the future. I also want to get a 60%!
I really have been enjoying this community/hobby a lot. I plan on sticking around for a while!
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My wife spilt beer on my 20 dollar Logitech that came free with my computer. Never having "purchased" a keyboard before and having OCD I ended up researching what to get. That led me to Model M which essentially was a go to jail, go directly to this website do not pass go and burn 200 dollars on custom cables and keycaps card. And here I am.
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I thought I could be a "l33t gamur" if I had a mechanical. The dreams never come true... You have let me down HHKB. :))
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One day I realized I need to further my computing experience by buying a neat desk, a stand for my pc, a good mouse, mat, keyboard.
I got the first 2 then I just googled Mass Effect one time for some alternate story lines then I came across that Razer ME3 blackwidow then the rest is history.
But I encountered geekhack when I googled how to fix LEDs in case mine broke down.
Then here I sit, typing on a korean custom board thinking this is the 'end game.' I Thought I was done.
Then one ****ing night, I dreamed about the feel of topre.
Then here am I again, on geekhack.
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I thought I could be a "l33t gamur" if I had a mechanical. The dreams never come true... You have let me down HHKB. :))
I think you need a RGB R4z3r with -12ms response time and N˛-KRO to be a real gamer.
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Back in 2004-ish, I grew tired of my membrane keyboard and wanted to get a keyboard that reminded me of my youth. Specifically, a Model M. So after some research I picked up a Unicomp, which I love(d). However, after moving to a new office, one that was actually populated with other humans, the Unicomp was no longer appropriate; WAY to loud. So, one night during a late shift I decided, in my infinite wisdom, to try to silence it. Only I had no keycap puller and no idea what I was doing. Not letting that dampen my enthusiasm I went ahead and tried to floss mod it after finding a guide on Geekhack. It didn't end well. Long story short, I lost some springs, and the "L" key no longer functioned properly. Heartbroken I set out on a quest to find an office appropriate keyboard to replace my beloved Unicomp, which I still have by the way. And as they say, the rest is history.
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i spend entirely too much time on a computer
might as well enjoy some oneness with cup rubber while im at it
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I started to care about keyboards, when I got my very first IBM ThinkPad. It led me to Logitech UltraX that I used at my desk, until I became frustrated with the short left ISO Shift (because of my poor typing technique back then) and the full size width. And thus began my quest for a silent, compact ANSI keyboard. Had I found an ANSI tenkeyless Logitech diNovo, the rest would've never happened.
As soon as I ran out of options in local PC stores, my interest shifted to the hyped "old" keyboards. LiteOn SK-6000 (a MS Natural-like keyboard with softer domes) quickly became my favorite, even though it was still huge. I already had a few mechanical keyboards at the point, but didn't like them at all. Especially the winkeyless silitek with complicated white Alps was a prime example of what I hated.
At least my typing technique rapidly improved after I switched to Colemak, because of frustration with Czech QWERTZ/QWERTY. I eventually managed to get a Noppoo Choc Mini with MX Red switches and POM keycaps, although it took two attempts and many weeks of waiting, and I originally wanted the white one instead (with PBT keycaps). At the same time, I got a TypeMatrix 2020 as well, but never used it, because cloud of boobs > generic scissor switches. The two sort of merged, when designing of ErgoDox was considered finished and the kit appeared on Massdrop for the first time. That's been keeping me around to this day, because ErgoDox can still be improved, but cannot be easily implemented as a rubber dome keyboard.
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I was on a Google binge looking for ergonomic keyboards. I happened upon a screenshot of someone's beautiful ErgoDox, and that one image wound up being my "rabbit hole". I'm in deep, now. :rolleyes:
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Pretty simple. My nephew wanted a new keyboard. Something better than what he had. He went through most everything out there on the market and didn't like any of them. I told him I had an IBM keyboard around here "somewhere" and I would give it to him. I knew I had two of them, and thought, well, maybe I'll use the other one.
I dug them both out and gave him the 42H keyboard I had. Unfortunately, the spacebar, and the B and N keys would not function. So I gave him my 1401 Blue Label I had. That left me without one. So I found Unicomp and got the 103 key. I liked it very much and came on here as a new member.
I also found out that the true 1401's were getting harder and harder to find, and I did use a 51G8572 RS/6000 keyboard and thought maybe I will find something pretty cool.
Wound up obtaining a 1398601 Lexmark-Badged keyboard. I really dug them. My friend Doc had one, so I knew what it was when I got it. I used it for some time, and started finding other Model M keyboards. (White Label, because that's what I recall using in my IT days...)
I didn't really like the ISO 122's at all because of the different enter key and the short left shift key. There were PLENTY of them where I used to work. I did see some pictures of the ANSI conversions on them, and thought maybe I could like that.
Edit: See *
My collection grew as I obtained different Model M keyboards. (If you can call a standard 101-key different.)
And I had some that didn't function and found out about Phosphorglow. He has done 9 of my keyboards and I can't say enough about how great he really is! The big thing for me was taking the terminal keyboards and just swapping the controllers and putting them to use right away. I am still using the 1392595 keyboard on this computer, and had to add the LED panels to it. It's not that I can't live without them, it just looks complete with them!
Overall I went too far. I have about 4 in use and the rest are boxed up. I suppose I could rotate them around, but that's silly. One keyboard will last me a very long time.
I do enjoy the hobby and like to share what I do know with everyone. I've learned a lot, and continue to learn here.
When GH went down a while back, I didn't realize how much I missed it. This place is just an experience in itself. I enjoy the stories of others, and find it amazing that so few people here have actually experienced a true buckling spring keyboard, be it a Unicomp, Model M or Model F. They are all amazing.
Maybe more people will try them and keep them from becoming part of a landfill.
* Edit: I remember being referred to Phosphorglow by Brandon at Clickykeyboards. I wanted to get that 42H repaired and Brandon referred me to Maxx. From then on, I have gone to Maxx for anything I can't do. I do know my limitations.
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Had Saitek piece of **** that broke after a couple weeks. Dug up ALPS ergo (Chicony 7000) from basement. Searched for help with it. Found this place. Got a few Model Ms at e-cycler. Bought a QFR. Bought poker, custom, etc. Bought Topre. Stopped buying. Still here.
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I am an FPS player since the days of Wolfenstein 3D (yeah I am THAT old). Now I only play Alien Arena. Double tapping the WASD keys in Alien Arena allows you to dodge jump and eventually chain dodge making you run very fast. Its a great skill when mastered when you have the flag in CTF games. Anyway I am very harsh on my WASD keys. Any given el cheapo rubberdome has a lifespan of no more than 6 months under my fingers. So it occurred to me one day that I was throwing money away on those keyboards. Thus the search began for a heavy duty board. Of course guess what forum that search revealed :) Two boards struck my interest, the Das 4 and the Corsair K70 (non RGB) I ended up with the Corsair cause I couldn't find the Das in Greece. I did find the K70 but with blues instead of browns that I wanted. Ever since, although not very active, I browse GH several times a day. I like what GH has offered me. I like this community. Thanks people :)
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In the beginning I was very happy with the keyboard I was typing on which was a Microsoft Ergo 4000. However one day I ran across a photo of a Leopold FC200R Otaku w/ black blank keycaps. It blew my mind because the keyboard A) didn't have any legends and B) No numpad! Until then I hadn't ever seen anything like it.
That was my gateway drug into the hobby.
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Back in 2011 or 2012 my brother got a new rig and he had a Logitech G15 and I remember being so impressed that it had backlight. I started reading about mechanical keyboards and then picked up my first mech, the Blackwidow Ultimate :)) and after trying MX Blues I wanted to try more so I went to MX Brown, MX Clear, MX Black, BS, Gateron Blacks and now I'm on an HHKB :)
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Used the same dinky keyboard for 7 years and it was nasty as hell.
Was inter razer gear so I bought a BWU. Realized, after some googling, the QFR was a better option. During that is when I found geekhack and here we are.
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When I worked in IT a coworker stopped by my office and asked if I had any mechanical keyboards he could use. I thought he just meant a regular rubber dome Microsoft keyboard so I handed him that. He slowly gave it back to me and said he would bring his mechanical kb from home (Das Pro 3 with MX blues). I tried it for a few days and fell in love. Ever since then it's been a downward spiral of keys, lube, and artisans. :))
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I stole all my husband's keycaps before I stole his keyboards lol
Now it all belongs to me
:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
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Building first PC. Almost bought one of those Logitech tanks. Found ocn, found reaper which brought me here. Sadly it was during the sc2 boom and everybody was buying up filco thanks to sc players so I settled with leopold for my first board.
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Was playing games and my rubberdome wasn't feeling good enough to type on, so we went to Bestbuy and grabbed a Blackwidow since I liked the way the blues felt. Clicks switches still feel really good in my opinion :)
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Friend had a k60. I wanted a mech too but actually did some research first and got a Ducky. Also how I ended up here.
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I was having a discussion with a guy at work about custom keyboard layouts (work PC is locked down so no software layout tweaks) so came here to ask about dvorak caps for my membrane Cherry board, but quickly found out that wasn't going to happen. I've always been curious about mechs but never had a reason to buy one - now I did!
So I bought a broken Ducky to see what all the fuss was about for minimal cost then came back here to learn to fix it. Replaced a couple of switches, wired it up to a Teensy so I could customise the layout but one problem persisted - I still have no caps, so it's still a standard ISO layout :-\
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Got a steel-series 6g with black switches for my birthday 7 years ago after trying one out at a local pc cafe.
Three years ago i upgraded to a Das Ultimate and it truly became a hobby for me after discovering gh last year.
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1. Laptop keyboard broke, not for the first time.
2. Realized I was sick of laptop keyboards that a) kept breaking, and b) didn't have number pads.
3. Decided, therefore, to invest in external keyboard, rather than continuing to replace laptop keyboard.
4. Started researching.
5. Forgot to stop.
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For me it started when I was watching this french SC2 player on youtube what would also do review of gaming gear.
He was always telling the benefits of gaming on mechanicals compared to membranes and he was a Filco Fanboy.
Aha! I bet you're talking about Makoz!
I also started by watching new keyboards for starcraft and then i discover this beautiful world <3
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My good friend, who goes by the GH name of microsoft windows, found an IBM Model M5-2 in the trash at our high school. He then found GH, and told me about GH, and that's the story of how CLiB found GH.
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For me it started when I was watching this french SC2 player on youtube what would also do review of gaming gear.
He was always telling the benefits of gaming on mechanicals compared to membranes and he was a Filco Fanboy.
Aha! I bet you're talking about Makoz!
I also started by watching new keyboards for starcraft and then i discover this beautiful world <3
ofc it was makoz ;) I actually don't play sc2 but enjoy watching it.
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For me it started when I was watching this french SC2 player on youtube what would also do review of gaming gear.
He was always telling the benefits of gaming on mechanicals compared to membranes and he was a Filco Fanboy.
Aha! I bet you're talking about Makoz!
I also started by watching new keyboards for starcraft and then i discover this beautiful world <3
ofc it was makoz ;) I actually don't play sc2 but enjoy watching it.
I still play it and i will participate in DH Valencia in three days :)
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(sit down kids, grandfather will tell you a story)
I had a Sony PCVA rubber dome keyboard for about 10 years. It came with one of my earlier computers, but heavily outlasted it, and I didn't see a reason to replace it when I got a new one. It was a beige case and over the years many people commented on how comparatively loud it was (it wasn't, compared to any of the stuff I have now though, haha) as well as how old it looked, especially compared to my otherwise rather new-looking and all-black computer and screen rig. Many people said it looked extremely out of place, but I actually enjoyed that look, and took pride in my legacy piece of hardware.
About a year ago, the A and S keys were behaving badly, the space bar's stabiliser wasn't working all that well, and the Q key wasn't great. I figured it was finally time for a replacement, but I was reluctant to give up the whole retro look, which was the reason I had kept it for so long to begin with. So I went scouring around the uni to look for really old keyboards, until I found three Acer 6312TWs in a cupboard. All three were filthy as ****, but sounded and felt so different (and they had a metal back panel!) that I asked permission from the head of Estates to take them home. I cleaned one, of which I did an early video review that's no longer online (it was very amateurish xD). I loved the clicky sound and responsive feel of the switches, and immediately realised the keyboard was made with completely different parts from other keyboards. I looked into it online and found out about mechanical keyboards.
I then went to the guy who disposes of used electronics for the uni, and asked him to keep an eye open for old keyboards for me. He's brought me many items over the last year. Spurred for more, I asked a local about where I might find more, and subsequently I started visiting a recycling centre where I asked them to hold back old keyboards for me. Again, they got me a whole bunch over time, although by now they're no longer selling electronics due to a license issue. I started visiting other centres and still visit them every other week to pick up more boards. I also scour eBay regularly, but I buy very few keyboards on it, and I hope I'll get a nice batch more from the uni in August when it's legacy-hardware-dumping-time. The main point is to pick up boards for just a few pounds, you know, where the seller has no idea what they're selling. Every once in a long time, if I see something really nice, I pay real money, though ;) .
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I had a slow start to it. When the Das Keyboard II came out in 2006 I jumped on it because 1) it looked sweet with blank black caps, 2) it was clicky and I loved my ibm battleship growing up, and 3) I wanted to force myself to touch type the entire keyboard including the symbols. I was totally content with that keyboard for about 6 years, and the real keyboard obsession started when I started looking for a replacement several years ago.
Now I'm desoldering old alps boards to harvest switches and stalking ebay for cheap model f's...
So there you go kids: Blank caps and clicky switches are just gateway drugs to the mechanical keyboard underground.
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Last keyboard I bought was a Saitek Eclipse I w/Blue LED Backlighting. I researched that one in 2006. Wanted backlight illumination.
That one is still working fine, but the letters are rubbed away on many keys and it was dirty as all get out. Survived many drink spills and crumbs and filthy.
I ended up getting a Thermaltake Tt Sport Poseidon ZX (TKL) with Kaihl Blues & Blue LED backlighting... cause didnt use numbpad much and tight space on the desk.
That was about 6 weeks ago. I must be insane...or really spergy.
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First thing I can remember is getting a Terminal M and a chiconly 5981 keyboard ~4-5 years ago for free while working for geek squad. (saved them from being recycled).
Before that I only had heard about mechanical keyboards and how awesome they were but had never tried one and didn't understand why they were so expensive.
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I had an old Apple Extended Keyboard II kicking around for a long time (it came with an old Mac SE I think). I always liked typing on it, but it's HUGE and got me wondering what other good and maybe more modern keyboards existed. So I started searching around, wound up on this forum and bought a KUL ES-87 with brown switches. Got kind of sucked in by the "old typewriter" aesthetic of a lot of the DSA key caps out there and bought a couple sets. THEN I got curious about the HHKB and finally bit the bullet and bought one. Absolutely love it, spent some time getting used to the layout and generally found I preferred the feel of Topre. Got a Type Heaven as a "cheap" second keyboard for my work machine and like that a lot too. That's where I'm at presently. The only move I could really see making in the future would be to *maybe* trade up to a Realforce or any Bluetooth Topre board that ever comes out -- but honestly I'm pretty happy with the keyboards I have.
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I was typing a bunch at work and found myself getting too fast with key chords for the 6kro of the keyboard. Do I bought a Leopold for NKRO and fell in love with the MX blue switches.
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When my Razer lycosa was causing some trouble, I was looking around and I found mechanical keyboards.
I found G710+ by logitech. But I wouldn't say it became by hobby. But geekhack gave me virus and a month after I got into GH, I had 5 keyboards.
Thanks geekhack.
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Sort of dating myself, though I was very young at the time (I had to have permission from the district to participate) but...
I learned computers on an Apple 2c and 2e (the E was fairly new). Later I used my grandparents 8086 (upgraded to 286) which had a nice keyboard (since there weren't really much rubber domes then), later after they shut down their business I was given the 386 which had an model M. I didn't keep that system long and at the time a model m was just a keyboard, so it was disposed of with the system.
Years later when I bought my first computer I realized the keyboard was terrible and went to stores trying out various ones. Eventually I found an IBM rubber dome which had a good feel (probably not a Topre, but was certainly better than a common dome). That got ruined and so I bought another, by which time they had cheapened it to just a common rubber dome, I hated it from day one, cursing the day the last one was damaged. From there I started looking for anything decent, for a while I used a Logitech Illuminated (scissor) until I walked into a local used computer warehouse and saw a Model M in the bin for $1 (got it free). I later got another, Alps version for my brother, again for free. They considered them just old, used keyboards so they sold them off cheap or free with a purchase, there was usually 2 or 3 M's and Alps based keyboards in a bin full of rubber domes. Not long after that, there was only ever domes in the bins, I think someone clued them in on what they had. Had I been smarter I would have bought every one of them and asked to check their back inventory as well.
I haven't used rubber domes on my systems since.
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Just wandering the ailes of Best Buy :-*
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My first computer was a 80286 bought in the summer of 1986 with a Model M. I used that until the mid-late 1990s and got a Dell system with an AT101W, which I used until the early-2000s when I got a Compaq with an SK-2800 "internet keyboard" (excellent rubber domes with "rubbery" media keys).
A few years later I built a computer from parts and realized that the 2800 felt much better than the other keyboards floating around. Also, rather than selling off the system, I handed it down to my daughter, so I did not have to give up the keyboard that I liked. Eventually, I got a couple more 2800s for little or nothing as backups.
In 2010, I was posted out of state for a few months and only had my personal Acer laptop (along with another laptop issued for work) and I was dying over the horribleness of the laptop keyboards that I was stuck with.
During that time, I idly searched "best keyboards" or some such on Google and was very surprised to find an entire subculture there.
Returning home, over a few weeks and months, I looked in on various salvage and 2nd-hand stores, and retrieved the AT101W (which I had sold to an acquaintance who still had it in a closet). I picked up some junk but nothing good.
Then I found a filthy Northgate Ultra for a couple of dollars but it had a few dead keys (today, I would have harvested some of the Alps from the Dell and had it up and running in an hour). I corresponded with Bob Tibbetts and asked him about repairing it but ended up selling it to him as-is for about $30. It was not one of the desirable 101s, it had a bigass Enter and no upper row of function keys.
By then I had gleaned that the Model F was the thing to have, but ATs were at least as rare and expensive as they are today, but XTs were dirt cheap (before Soarer came along). So I got one and coughed up the $50-$60 for a first-generation Hagstrom and felt nirvana. But the layout was an abomination so I sold the rig as a set, with the Hagstrom mounted in a plastic "Tupperware" style box. This was about the time that I had started on Geekhack, and Ripster found the ebay listing and scoffed at it as "ghetto" but I got the last laugh when I sold it (for over $100 and a small profit) to a California Apple employee to hook up to his early iPhone!
With that I got a proper Model M and started down the rabbit hole. I have still only bought a couple of keyboards brand new, but a number of good used ones on ebay and here. Since Soarer published the converter, I have been mostly focused on Model Fs. I got started there when I bought 3 horrible broken filthy incomplete F-122s in a cardboard box from Rawko (near my office) for $85 and was able to build 2 working ones out of it.
I have picked up a number of cheap-o junk keyboards in thrift stores and salvage shops, many quite interesting, but nothing of outstanding importance. In the last few years, that has become much harder. 3-4 years ago Apples and AT101s were not uncommon, but I have not seen one of either in well over a year now.
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I've appreciated good keyboards since my teenage days when I frequently used high decent quality Honeywell membrane boards at work, and NEC mechanicals at school. And come to think of it, mechanicals connected to mainframes even earlier when my parents took me to their workplaces.
I've owned Model Ms since university, then used a Northgate for a while at work, then moved to an external Thinkpad USB keyboard before Lenovo downgraded the quality of their keyboards to chicklets.
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Seeing as I spend the majority of the week on a computer, I decided to research and find a nice compact keyboard to pair with my computer at home. Before everyone in the world owned a Poker, I found one on eBay and knew I had to have it. It was perfect. Then it spread to having a mech at work, and now my hobby is more towards ergonomic boards.
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Seeing as I spend the majority of the week on a computer, I decided to research and find a nice compact keyboard to pair with my computer at home. Before everyone in the world owned a Poker, I found one on eBay and knew I had to have it. It was perfect. Then it spread to having a mech at work, and now my hobby is more towards ergonomic boards.
you got the poker before it was cool....what a hipster
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I got into mech keyboards out of necessity. It was about six years ago. I was going through Logitech Wave boards every 4 - 5 months. As soon as the keys started to stick, I'd pass them down to my kids. I figured that if I could get 2+ years out of a mech board, I'd me money ahead. Of course, that's easy to do with a good mech keyboard. My first was a Das Ultimate. I gave that to a buddy about a year ago and currently rotate three Topre keyboards.
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Was invited to a birthday party that actually turned out to be a LAN party last October, 2014. I didn't build my computer yet nor did I ever think about building one until that day so it was pretty awkward being the only one there without a computer, but it was still fun spending the day with my friends. But I digress. Two of my friends had Ducky keyboards, one has a Shine 3 and the other one a Zero, both with Cherry MX Blues. When I first saw them I was amazed by the weight by them, since I was used to the Aluminum Bluetooth chiclet keyboard that came with my iMac. The travel also felt odd to me and felt very long but the click and the tactile bump got to me and I was instantly hooked. Luckily next week, mechanicalkeyboards.com got a fresh shipment of Shine 3's so I quickly ordered the 108-key fullsize Shine 3 with Cherry MX Blues. Very happy with my purchase and I still use it extensively to this day.
Now I have my second mechanical keyboard, a CM Storm Quickfire Stealth with Cherry MX Browns which is also amazing. The Costar stabilizers make all the stabilized keys feel very consistent but for some reason, I feel like my Quickfire Stealth is lacking the solid build of my Shine 3, making me kinda regret for getting the Shine 3 TKL that was on ncixus.com that I didn't see until 30 days after my purchase of the Quickfire Stealth. For a future purchase I plan on getting a 60%, most likely the Pok3r. And for near-future purchases, I plan on getting into Topre and possibly building my own keyboard (using Lastpilot's gorgeous GoN Crystal TKL as my inspiration).
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I had money at the time (a few years ago) to upgrade my gear. A keyboard was on the list, and wanted a mechanical, backlit, MX keyboard designed for the Mac. Back in early 2014, the Razer BWU was the only one I knew of that fit the bill. So I bought one. Used it for a little while and discovered r/mk. The rest is history...
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Went searching for ergonomic boards. And I've been stuck in the rabbit hole ever since.
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...it was during the sc2 boom and everybody was buying up filco thanks to sc players...
Yo.
Found out mechanical keyboards through a buddy playing in MLG Providence and SC2 streams. Heard the click click click on stream and my friend who played at MLG let me try his Filcos out. I was sold after that...but it was hard for me to justify the cost of a Filco at the time so I scored a cheap Blackwidow. Kinda snowballed from there.
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got my hands sore pretty badly with those old razer crap
and it was all blur until I got myself on a filco full size around 2 years ago , never regret it
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saw a noppoo choc mini with some colorful keycaps on a german thinkpad forum... Did some research and somehow ended here and on dt.
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I thought I could be a "l33t gamur" if I had a mechanical. The dreams never come true... You have let me down HHKB. :))
Same thing that got me hooked. I remember watching League/SC2/WoW streams in 2012 and broadcasters talking about mechanical keyboards. At the time I had a Logitech G15 but the clicky blues lured me in. Did some research and bought a Leopold FC200R from EK.
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I got into mech keyboards out of necessity. It was about six years ago. I was going through Logitech Wave boards every 4 - 5 months. As soon as the keys started to stick, I'd pass them down to my kids. I figured that if I could get 2+ years out of a mech board, I'd me money ahead. Of course, that's easy to do with a good mech keyboard. My first was a Das Ultimate. I gave that to a buddy about a year ago and currently rotate three Topre keyboards.
Which three Topre boards do you rotate? All the same weighting?
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Dammit Bjorn
Back 4ish years ago at a headfi meet someone brought some mechanical keyboards. Being a gamer I of course had heard of them but didn't look into them much (because I had most of my money spent in my laptop and headphones).
Anyway, fast forward 4 months and I got a ducky 9008-2 with browns. They felt okay but I grew into hating them for the crappy "bump" even though they were said to be the best switch IRL.
Bam, Canada Computer pops up and has a sale for a blue switch CM board for $50 CDN.
I buy it and love it a lot more. Unfortunately my friends hated me and booted me off the team speak pending change of keyboards. Ironically sold it to one of said friends (who had a nice setup more accommodating to the keyboard and didn't mind using push to talk) and bought a realforce 89s, the limited edition Japanese 10th Anni 30g one. Used that for a really long time until my fingers decided they needed something heavier. Tried a full sized model M but it was too large for my desk.
Sold the 10th Anni and bought my first custom, the GoN TKL crystal which I wrote a review on.
Now I'm happily invested with over $2000 in the hobby... (Still cheap compared to headphones...)
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I felt on that post : http://technabob.com/blog/2015/03/22/raspberry-pi-inside-mechanical-keyboard/
Loved the keyboard. Check reddit and than fall in love. Start with big keyboard, getting smaller and smaller keyboards and also more ergonomic.
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Seeing as I spend the majority of the week on a computer, I decided to research and find a nice compact keyboard to pair with my computer at home. Before everyone in the world owned a Poker, I found one on eBay and knew I had to have it. It was perfect. Then it spread to having a mech at work, and now my hobby is more towards ergonomic boards.
you got the poker before it was cool....what a hipster
Before they were cool? I think they have always been cool! Nice try though!
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I don't remember when I first saw it, but when I saw the HHKB I immediately wanted one. I didn't feel like I could justify paying that much for a keyboard (oh how times have changed), so I just ended up not thinking about it for a long time.
Then a few years later I decided that I was tired of the scissor switch keyboards everyone had for sale (I was primarily a Logitech keyboard user for years), so I went on a search for the first keyboard that I bought for myself, the Keytronic Ergoforce. While searching for similar keyboards I stumbled upon the HHKB again, and a couple of more clicks here I was lurking at Geekhack.
Back in those days the wiki was amazing, and it was pretty cool to read all the gathered information by members of the community.
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I don't remember when I first saw it, but when I saw the HHKB I immediately wanted one. I didn't feel like I could justify paying that much for a keyboard (oh how times have changed), so I just ended up not thinking about it for a long time.
Then a few years later I decided that I was tired of the scissor switch keyboards everyone had for sale (I was primarily a Logitech keyboard user for years), so I went on a search for the first keyboard that I bought for myself, the Keytronic Ergoforce. While searching for similar keyboards I stumbled upon the HHKB again, and a couple of more clicks here I was lurking at Geekhack.
Back in those days the wiki was amazing, and it was pretty cool to read all the gathered information by members of the community.
Less than a year ago I was telling myself I'd never get a GoN. Eventually I bought 2 (sold the linear switch one) and have 2 ducks as well...oh how you get sucked into the higher price brackets
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removed.
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Jan 2014 I started saving to build a rig and my friend told me to get a mech so I started looking at boards on reddit and bought my first board it May 2014. Now I'm here.... Not sure how to feel about that. :confused:
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Looked into repairing an old computer, mouse, and keyboard around 2013. Stumbled across GH and r/mk in the process. Put any info I learned on the back burner for a while, but kept coming back to it on /mk. Eventually stopped lurking here a while after.
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I was really getting into fountain pens a couple years ago, which actually has a weird link to the MK community. No joke.
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GL1TCH3D, you think there will be keyboards anonymous in the future? I can definitely see people losing their house over a garage full of custom keyboards they don't want to sell. Maybe HOARDERS: Keyboard edition. Rofl.
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DanGWang's blog was a big reason I got so interested in keyboards.
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removed.
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I really don't remember very well. From what I do recall, I was already thinking about creating custom keyboards in 2006, when I started to learn embedded programming with PIC microcontrollers at university. It is important to say that, as a public university here in Brazil, they had to use equipments as long as possible, so one of the computer labs had IBM Model M keyboards available on nearly all machines. Good times...
Then the years came by, I discovered that there were indeed mechanical keyboards for sale and one or two years ago I discovered the MK subreddit. And from there I ended up here. And to think that I initially hated forums... XD
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I got into mech keyboards out of necessity. It was about six years ago. I was going through Logitech Wave boards every 4 - 5 months. As soon as the keys started to stick, I'd pass them down to my kids. I figured that if I could get 2+ years out of a mech board, I'd me money ahead. Of course, that's easy to do with a good mech keyboard. My first was a Das Ultimate. I gave that to a buddy about a year ago and currently rotate three Topre keyboards.
Which three Topre boards do you rotate? All the same weighting?
Sorry for the late response. I just noticed your post. I currently have an 87U variable type-S, an 87U 55g and an HHKB Pro 2. (I have a second variable type-S, but that's been adopted by one of my kids in college.) The board getting the least amount of use is my 55g. I still like it, but prefer lighter switches.
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it first started when i see the pcgamer best keyboard and i decided to buy k70 and i asked my mother to buy it for me as a birthday gift and at that time i fell in love with mechanical keyboard and i decided to keeps my pocket money to buy another board and now im buying me some hhkb :p
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Ducky keyboards... People were saying it's good build quality etc, they're from Taiwan and so am I. I had CM Storm Trigger though and eventually forgot about getting a Ducky. Then I saw the Ducky Legend and I liked the aluminum case. But it wasn't TKL. Bought a Ducky Mini to see how I like it. 60% turned out not to be my thing but I was too lazy to return it.
...Then insert months of deliberation...
...Then I decided to get a Kmac 2. Lol.
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I used to be one of those "Keyboard doesn't matter, no need spending $150 on a keyboard!" people. Then I bought a Tt Poseidon Z just to see why everyone was always talking about mechs. I didn't like Browns though so I ended up switching to Blues, then to a Ducky, then I found a Chicony with Blue SKCM at Goodwill... Etc.
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Mine began with razer blackwidow 2013 blue switch. Made me research on mechanical keyboard and led to impulse buying. Didn't regret a single second :))
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Mine began with razer blackwidow 2013 blue switch. Made me research on mechanical keyboard and led to impulse buying. Didn't regret a single second :))
Nice bro :thumb:
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Mine began with razer blackwidow 2013 blue switch. Made me research on mechanical keyboard and led to impulse buying. Didn't regret a single second :))
Exactly how mine started. Got into watching SC2 when WoL first came out and learned about mechanical, got one of the original Blackwidows and have been hooked ever since.
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When I was a kid, my dad would watch me on weekends because my mom worked. Occasionally he would have to go into the office and needed to take me with him. He would set me up on one of his co-worker's computers where I would make up charts with Harvard Graphics (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Graphics) software. The keyboards they used were Model Ms.
I truly got into this nasty business a few years back. When Cherry MX red switches were the hot item, I managed to get my hands on a Filco Majestouch TKL. I enjoyed it, but the lack of a backlight was a turnoff so I ended up selling it on fleBay for a small profit. I took a break for quite a while but came back, and kicked off with a Poker II. Since then, I can't really say how many keyboards I've gone through, but with a whole raft of moving expenses coming up in the next few months, my HHKB Type-S and Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma Stealth will have to suffice. I'll probably end up doing a Novatouch slider swap eventually, but I'm otherwise very happy with what I have at the moment.
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I don't remember what keyboards I had on the first two computers I owned (Amiga of some sort, Mitsubishi 386 something or other), but considering the age, probably mechanicals of some sort. I do recall the board on my self-built 486: Focus FK-2001. I loved it. Loved the size (smaller than the at the time common Model M). Loved the click. Loved the action. Then I broke one of the stabilizers and bought something (MS Natural Keyboard) else. And something else. And something else.
Then I bought a HHKB (JP version) after about 30 minutes of online research. Hated the layout. Kept going back to it every few years, and hated the layout every time. Was great for regular word processing, loved having Control in its proper location, hated the Fn key location, and how the function layer was laid out.
Bought an indeterminate amount of scissor boards in between. I liked the low profile at the time, and was doing consulting work, so was only using a laptop for work. Made transitioning between my desktop at home, and the work laptop easy.
Once I was more planted, I was using some 60%ish board (HHKB Lite, ugh. Some other boards I can't remember). Hated the layout, see above. Then, standing in the aisle of Micro Center, decided to just buy whatever mechanical keyboard looked decent, and was relatively inexpensive, as I'd never actually owned a Cherry switch board. That brought me back to putting mechanicals on just about everything.
Now I primarily use a Pok3r. Am picking up a HHKB in the classifieds (and I'll be looking at one of hasu's controllers to rectify the horrid (IMO) function layer). Have a Varmilo VA87MR on the way. Have a Ducky Shine on the GF's machine. And a bunch of gateron switches incoming. And... yadda yadda yadda.
Like most of my hobbies, it comes and goes. This time around, however, I think it'll be a bit more of a permanent hobby. Just with an ebb and flow :)
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I was spoiled from the get-go--my first PC keyboard experience was in 1989 on a brand new IBM 30-286 that was equipment as part of being a Western Union agent. There was some sort of program that made the computer free after a while, so my parents got the whole schbang--30-286 with 1MB of RAM, 30MB hd, VGA monitor, IBM Proprinter XL (24-pin) and even an external 360k floppy drive. All of it true blue IBM components and brand new. Well, my only keyboard experience prior to that was a TI-99/4A and Commodore 64, so the IBM M was a bit noisy and weird, but I just thought that's how PCs were.
I learned all about PCs using that 30-286 as well as its limitations on upgradability. When the system was finally taken out of service, it had a 486slc processor, 4MB of ram, an additional 240MB Quantum SCSI hard drive added on a hard card with a Seagate ST-01 Controller, and Ethernet card and ran Win3.1 in enhanced mode. I still have the system as well as the keyboard, but it hasn't been plugged in in years (dammit!). I'm sure the cmos battery is dead by now. :( But I will restore that beauty.
As we built our businesses and other computers, the 486 was our first build and we put a Keytronic on it since an IBM M was pretty expensive. When we finally built our Cyrix P166 a few years later, we opted for nothing than the best--a brand new 'Options by IBM' M.
We had bought several IBM Pentium Pro 200s cheap and they came with IBM rubber domes that weren't based on the M. I really hated typing on them. Every quarter a used computer show came to our town. I happened to go one year and this guy had a whole box of keyboards for a $1/each. I noticed several Ms sticking out of the box. So I asked him, "how much if I buy 20+ keyboards? Will you do 50 cents?" I knew he was going to say yes, and that's what he did. That day, I walked out with 17 100% functional Ms and 3 repairable ones (missing keycaps, broken stems but still working) for $10. And I've been using the Ms ever since. I ran into GH one day and my keyboard life was finally complete. :cool:
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I think the first time I got into mechanical keyboards was when I was at a best buy. I saw a razer black widow and I was sort of into gaming at the time. I remember it had that little window to push the buttons to see how the switch felt. I was sorta fascinated by that and bought that as my first mechanical keyboard. I actually used it for a good while and still have it. It just suffered from its leds getting dimmer and dimmer.
My old roommate used to talk about his daskeyboard and how he loved it. He was taking classes to be a lawyer and told me about the reports he had to type up all the time and the keyboard was awesome. Intrigued, I decided to buy one to try it out. It was definitely different from the razer and I enjoyed it for a good while. I even took it with me to Vermont for school currently. However, not too long ago I spilled coffee on it and it died. Depressed, I started looking for websites for other options. That led me to geek hack and since then I've been introduced into a world of intrigue.
I eventually ended up getting a ducky 3 TKL, a poker 3, another daskeyboard 4 for fun, and all sorts of keycaps. Then the threads about topre... That got me wanting to try out topre so bad from all the reviews. I didn't know any other friends out there into keyboards. I happened to have an amazon gift card also, so I said what the hell and got one. It has since become my daily driver. :))
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Friend had a k60. I wanted a mech too but actually did some research first and got a Ducky. Also how I ended up here.
and joke's on him, my keyboards are worth more than my computer :))
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Had an OG Del AT101W back in 2000. It was all downhill from there.
Yeah... 15 years ago
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Was at my first LAN party with a couple of friends. Two of them had Ducky's, one a Shine 3 and the other a Shine Zero Zone but both had Cherry MX Blues. I remember typing on them and noticing how different they felt from the Bluetooth Apple keyboard that came with my iMac. I fell in love with mechanical keyboards instantly and now I have two!
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I spent a lot of time at my computer, so I decided that I should get a better keyboard for ergonomics and to enjoy typing a little bit more. When I found all those super nice keyboards, with crisp legends and elegant cases at GH; I began looking into buy one. Since the beginning I preferred the 60% format, so I got a Poker X with reds.
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Hi my name is Tim, and my addiction started when I was buying peripherals for gaming. It started with looking for a headset, a mouse, and a keyboard. I was a scrub back then and decided to get Razer products. I ended up getting a Kraken and a Deathadder (which has now been replaced by a Logitech G400s), and I was about to get the Blackwidow. I'm one of those types that like to research stuff to get the best that I can get, and when I searched up mechanical keyboards I entered a world of a broken wallet. I ended up getting my FC660M with red switches, and it was okay but not the greatest for me. That's when I ended up researching more and finding this group and the story continues. I have been pretty inactive recently because life happens, but I still am a collector at heart. Hopefully, life turns out well for me, and I can afford more keyboards and caps.
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The last straw was when 2 rows of keys on my MS Natural 4000 stopped working, and after opening it up and cleaning it, I realized that the membranes had worn out. It was a problem with the actual matrix and not just dirt preventing contact between the layers. Plus, the pad printing on many of the keys had worn out and it looked terrible. That was when I decided I needed a better keyboard with durable switches and keycaps. So I decided to do some research online about ergonomic mechanical keyboards, and found nothing I liked, which brought me here to learn about building my own.
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came here to share my story but ended up reading better ones.
Hi my name is Tim, and my addiction started when...
Hi Tim.
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It started with that MX red Filco MT2. I read about mechanical keyboard and decided to give it a go. Got hooked with how it feels and the noise those switches make.
After 3 or so years I decided to get something new to replace it and stumbled upon my friend's website. Asked him about the most expensive keyboard he has at that time and he pointed me to the HHKB Pro 2. The rest is history (that includes stumbling upon this forum).
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Some of this will be old info I dropped at the "New Members" thread, but this seems more inline with the why of why I'm here, so here goes! Anyway, I've been researching mechanical keyboards for the passed month. it all started when I decided to build a "sim-pit" for Kerbal Space Program. I have some nice hardware for the project (6 inch edgewise meters, 4 inch 3/4 circular meter, LED displays. dual 3-axis joysticks, toggles, big red buttons :p ), but wanted a compact keyboard that could still sit in front of me, and not take up so much space as to interfere with the joysticks.
Knowing I had one somewhere, I dug out an Apple //c keyboard I had packed away. It's the one that uses Alps SKCM Amber switches. I LOVE the feel of that keyboard, and always wanted to put it to use, so I considered mounting it into my control panel, between the two joysticks.
I realized two things though... Having a keyboard front and center takes up a LOT of space... Space that I want for things like toggles and big red buttons that say [ABORT]... Second, I like fully featured keyboards. That's when I discovered the 75% layout.
I decided that I needed to focus on a PRIMARY mechanical keyboard, and forget my //c keyboard as a main device. I'll probably turn the //c keyboard into a wireless mechanical keyboard. One of the push to toggle switches at the top will toggle the top row between numbers and functions. The second push to toggle switch will probably just be the power button. I'll make a compact case for my Apple //c keyboard and wire up a battery and bluetooth module to it, and make it into a highly portable mechanical keyboard with wonderful, wonderful clicky Alps switches! :D
For my primary keyboard, I decided on two major details: I'm purchasing the awesome looking "Danger Zone" keycap set (on Massdrop), cause I love the aviation theme, and feel it'll compliment my Kerbal Space Program controller well. Second, I've put together a modified version of the 75% layout. I was not satisfied with only 4 extra keys. Most 75% layouts offer 84 keys, which is nice, but I wanted all my navigation keys, and volume control keys plus more. The Danger Zone keycap kits I'm buying will have some really nice keycap options for me to use. By adding two columns to the right of the Backspace/Return/Right Shift keys, instead of just a single column, I can do a few very nice things:
A: I can slide the arrow keys over 1u to the right so it does not interfere with the shift or modifier keys.
B: Because the arrows no longer interfere with anything, ALL the keys can be standard keys from a basic TKL set. 1.25u modifiers, 2.75u right shift, 6.25u space... It's ALL normal! Populating the altered 75% layout no longer requires a strange shift size, or 1u modifiers. This makes buying custom key cap sets VERY simple for this modified layout, as a typical ten keyless set probably has enough keys for the whole thing. If it doesn't have enough to cover everything, then you can drop a 1u custom design cap or a 1u blank as your final key.
C: In addition to the normal 4 buttons that a 75% gains, this layout offers 8 extra keys. At 88 keys, this layout offers one more key than a stock standard 87 key TKL, but is only 2u wider than a stock alpha+mods section.
I have simply been calling this a "75% + 1". Don't know if it's already been done, but I'm trying to get a plate made for me, and will hopefully be throwing it all together in the next few months. The Danger Zone keycaps won't show until February at the earliest... At least it gives me time to hand wire the matrix.
I'll do a separate number pad as well. I'll probably get something relatively basic for that one. Since I DO have a bunch of extra keys, I might add an extra column, and make it 6 rows (5x6). Thinking of using a few of the extra modifiers on the number pad so I can access extra characters or something. I want to be able to shove one or both keyboards aside to focus on my Kerbal Controller when playing.
As for what I'm typing on now... Prepare yourselves... I have a first gen iMac membrane keyboard with the 78 ui jk and m, columns shorting together, and multiple worn keys that jam up if not hit perfectly straight downward... You can't imagine the editing this post required to not look like garbage! There may still be a few errors... :eek:
NEED MECHANICAL KEYBOARD SOON!!!
My layout shown below is actually slightly modified from my "standard". Since I will use this on a Hackintosh, I wanted to use Mac key layout, so Alt and Win are swapped. Furthermore, on a Mac, the Command key (what would be the Windows key on a regular keyboard) is the most prominent modifier. I happen to have available to me, a 1.5u key from the Danger Zone set that I want to use as my Command key. My standard layout has an 0.25u gap between the right most modifier key and the left arrow. By absorbing that gap, I was able to widen the left command key to 1.5u. The standard configuration would feature six 1.25u modifiers. Alternately, by making the right three modifiers 1u, instead of 1.25u, you are left with a 1u gap, perfect if you want 4 modifiers on the right, though that may force you to buy more than a basic TKL keycap set to fill it out.
Here's my "75% + 1" layout:
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Building first PC. Almost bought one of those Logitech tanks. Found ocn, found reaper which brought me here. Sadly it was during the sc2 boom and everybody was buying up filco thanks to sc players so I settled with leopold for my first board.
Yes, waar. ;)
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I wasn't really aware that mechanical keyboards had become a "thing" after the mass market went completely over to cheap membrane keyboards (all those years ago). If I had, I might have gotten into them much sooner than three months ago.
But earlier this summer I began doing a lot of coding at home and discovered that the cheap membrane keyboard I was using had the |\ key in a very non-standard location and it was driving me insane. So I began searching for a replacement keyboard with a more standard layout and better build quality. I was disappointed with all the usual stuff that was showing up on Google searches so on a whim I tried searching for "custom computer keyboard".
Lo and behold the world of mechanical keyboards poured forth onto my screen and I became absolutely obsessed. I've learned that I am a keycap fetishist, with very particular tastes (it's spherical or nothing), and that keyboards for me are really just vessels for beautiful keycaps.
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I've learned that I am a keycap fetishist, with very particular tastes (it's spherical or nothing), and that keyboards for me are really just vessels for beautiful keycaps.
I think you forgot to mention how much you like keycaps, lol.
Welcome to the obsession! Glad to have you on board. :)
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I moved from console gaming to PC gaming in 2010 when a friend introduced me to Starcraft II. I was completely enthralled by the game and its community. It wasn't very long after when I started searching for one of those cool keyboards all the koreans had...
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I was interested in mechanical keyboards since late 2010 or so but I never pulled the trigger on a board because I loved the macro keys under the spacebar that the Razer Anansi had. I couldn't give up those macro keys especially paired with a Razer Naga it actually made me a better player in WoW, ended up getting over 2200 rating in Arenas and that was the height of my WoW era. I grew away from gaming for the most part, video games have been apart of my life ever since I can remember but I just can't seem to find the time anymore. When I grew away from WoW I ended up looking into mechanical keyboards but lost interest again after I wasn't able to find anybody to sell me a YoTS Ducky w/MX Blues. Once I found out you could build your own keyboard I was instantly hooked and spent numerous hours researching what I needed to do in order to build a keyboard. I'm glad I found GH but I don't think my wallet is too fond of this place haha.
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I was typing a lot (programming and writing) and knew nothing about good keyboards but I could tell most keyboards I had ever used were complete crap. Some keyboards were amazing: I worked on a Mac with a great keyboard (in the early or mid nineties I'd say!?) for example and I clearly remembered sweet IBM terminal keyboards (but had no clue similar ones existed for PCs). I also was already using computers in the eighties, back when some computers had cool switches. I didn't know why but I knew that some keyboards felt better than others and that was it.
Then one day on /. (slashdot.org, the website: though nowadays it's kinda sucky compared to what that site was) I read a random comment, back when GH didn't exist (and reddit didn't exist either), saying something like: "All the keyboards you're talking about are PoS. Do yourself a favor and buy an IBM Model M.". The comment wasn't nice or anything but I knew he was right about most keyboards being complete PoS. So I did buy an IBM Model M on eBay (eBay already existed) for less than one EUR. Instant love. I bought several others Model M.
And so I lived happily with my army of 1391401 Model Ms for a few years, then discovered GeekHack and started collecting a few cool keyboards.
I'm now a happy Topre / HHKB Pro JP camper since a few years and won't change anytime soon. Still have all my Model Ms that said: one is next to me, hooked to my Raspberry Pi 2 so I still get to hear the click-click-click once in a while :)
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It's not a hobby -- it's an obsession.
It started with liking IBM Model M keyboards and deciding I ought to stock up on them in case the ones I had ever wore out (not realizing at the time that it was virtually impossible to wear out an IBM Model M).
Later on, I had a shoulder injury that made reaching past the length of a full-size keyboard for the mouse a painful maneuver. I thought it would be a good idea to look at smaller contemporary keyboards. The first one I tried was a Filco TKL with Cherry mx blues. I was disappointed. After the Model M, the Filco felt like a toy. So, I started branching out and trying one keyboard after another. First TKL, then various sub-TKL, and finally 60% boards.
My search included various vintage boards other than IBM as well as contemporary boards. Switches have included various Alps, every flavor of Cherry, Hall Effect, IBM Model M and Model F, Matias, NMB Space Invader, Topre, and various linear switches on ancient terminal boards.
Finally I've arrived at some provisional favorites. Favorite form factor is 60%, but I will still use a TKL. Favorite switches are IBM Model F and silenced Topre (both 45g and 55g). Runners-up switches are Matias Click and Matias Quiet Click. Favorite keycaps are dye-sub PBT.
Now a substantial fraction of the square footage of my house is occupied with keyboards awaiting refurbishing, drawers filled with keycaps, and tools and supplies dedicated to keyboard repair. I can't wait to see what has come in today's mail ....
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So I did buy an IBM Model M on eBay (eBay already existed) for less than one EUR. Instant love.
Ah yes, the good old days! I got a bunch of Ms for 50 cents each--walked away that day with 20 working, 17 perfect for $10! If I would have known, I would have kept digging and got all that the guy had in his 'keyboard box'.
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I tried Colemak layout, and then I come to geekhack to read Colemak review. The rest is history.
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Typing is fun. Typing on the pinnacle of finger sensation is priceless.
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Got into building PCs and saw that all the high end builds usually had a mech of some sort included so I bought a Ducky Shine III with my PC.
Then got drawn into the reddit community and got interested in the custom stuff which lead me GH (which is far superior imo)
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I'm a software engineer and in the early days of the company I work for, I was pretty much writing code for 12+ hours straight in a day. When researching ways to deal with my RSI and carpal tunnel pain I found that mechanical keyboards could help with that. I decided to buy a Das Keyboard for home and I instantly fell in love. I had work get me one too, and most of my pain went away.
Fast forward to today, I'm now rocking a KUL ES-87 at home and at the office. Strongly considering getting a 60% for when I travel but I'm not sure I want to carry around an extra keyboard with me when I'm on the road yet. I'll never go back to rubber dome nonsense.
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Typing is fun. Typing on the pinnacle of finger sensation is priceless.
I like this comment.
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I was driving when this NPR story came up.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100076874
Later that evening I discovered geekhack, but Cherry switches seemed to be all the rage. I specifically wanted a buckling spring, so I ordered a Unicomp a few weeks later. Only late last year did I start lurking again and since have gotten my first Cherry and Topre boards.
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EDIT: Double post, completely forgot I already wrote here.
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Typing is fun. Typing on the pinnacle of finger sensation is priceless.
I like this comment.
Ah, I have received one point of 'Geekhack Karma'. Excellent.
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Typing is fun. Typing on the pinnacle of finger sensation is priceless.
I like this comment.
Ah, I have received one point of 'Geekhack Karma'. Excellent.
Three points. :cool: I too enjoyed your description. And you got the first point when you registered on gh! :D
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I was building my PC a few years ago, and posted it to /r/buildapcforme to see what others thoughts were. Someone made some corrections and thought that I should try a MK.
My first one was a TTeSports Poseidon with MX Brown, and pretty much have been in love with them ever since.
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Memory's a bit fuzzy, but about 6-7 years ago I came across some old dolch pac's and was wanting to determine how to use the keyboard with a modern computer. After some basic web searches I came across Geekhack and bookmarked it. Through the years I would occasionally come back and would read the helpful wiki and other content. About 5? years ago Ripster and Keyboardlover had their contest for the worlds biggest keyboard expert poll and I created an account to vote for Ripster. Several months later I logged in and saw Ripster had "awarded me" an MX key from a random drawing for winning the poll, and from that point I was hooked at GH. I spent the next several years getting deeper and deeper into my hobby. In the last few years I've been swapping jobs which has really taken all my time away from my hobbies, including keyboards. But from now on, I will always type on 45g silenced Topre boards.
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I spend a lot of time in front of a keyboard and found myself reminiscing about the keyboards of old. I started doing some research and quickly discovered that the old keyboards that I missed were mechanical keyboards. I was also into various ergo boards and was determined to get an ergo mechanical board, but at the time I could not find any. A while later I ran across the Kinesis and while intrigued I just thought it way to expensive/weird. So I took a pass. More time went by and eventually a few more ergo/mechanical keyboards came along but they too were expensive/weird and I was never sure that I would like them. So, on the fence I stayed.
Next cam the ErgoDox and I thought that it was finally something I could get used to, but at that time they were a build your own and I had no time to do so. I also had no idea what kinds of keys I would like anyway. So, back on the fence.
Eventually I found that I could no longer stand the thought of using the same crappy keyboards. I ran across a deal on a Monoprice keyboard, not great but it had Cherry MX switches, black. I thought what the heck, at the price if I did not like it I would just throw it in the closet. But I did like it, it was a revelation. I decided at that point that my craft (software) put me in front of a keyboard for many hours every day and I would no longer use crap. I ventured off to find the best board for me. It is a journey that I am still on. I suspect it is one that one never finishes, so many keyboards and so little time. LOL
I just moved on from the Monoprice to a CODE with MX clears. I really love this keyboard but even so I have already ordered a KBP V80 with Matias Quiet clicks. It is supposed to ship sometime in November, I am anxiously awaiting its arrival. Even so, I have been very, very tempted to order the Zealio switches and embark on making my own board. The one thing that I would really like is a bluetooth TKL mechanical, and I know that the only way to get what I want is to build it, but I waver since I am not sure when I would find the time to build it. Still, a Zealio based TKL with bluetooth is a great desire of mine.
I have been working in software for a long time. Every time I think of mechanical keyboards I think back to my youth. I remember when Northgate went out of business and I actually went to their liquidation sale. There were a few "fanatics" there grabbing up all the keyboards they could get their hands on. I remember thinking how odd, keyboards were so easy to come across. What did I know. LOL I used the old IBM's, had a Northgate and never even thought twice about it. Like so many I willingly let them go to move onto the latest and "greatest" and am just now finding my way back out of the rabbit hole.
I am making sure that my kids and wife do not suffer crappy keyboards any more. I have done my best to educate them about the difference a quality keyboard can make and have made sure that they will have access to great keyboards too. I have missed the feel of a wonderful mechanical switch, and find my job so much more enjoyable once again. I have even dug out an old writing project of mine and started to pen some more words. Is a mechanical keyboard life changing? Well, you have to be the judge of that. But I can say for sure that they sure have made my days a lot sunnier and in the end that is all that matters.
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It started here, several years ago. Perhaps if you check out threads started by me, the first one. This (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=11717.msg225026#msg225026) is perhaps not it, but close, within 10 days of my registration. I'm not sure this was the first place I heard about mech boards, but it definitely was the place I got involved, also due to the wonderful community atmosphere not met in any other place really. There are nice forums, and there are geek forums, but geek forums where people are nice to one another are a great rarity. And here everything is about the collaborative spirit, not even blacks vs blues or whatever can change that. There's no idiotic political correctness, so people don't use the kind of artificially restrained language that stands out and kills the atmosphere, but nobody's ever mean to anybody else. And that's really conducive to developing a new hobby.
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Summary:
- I spend almost all of my awake time programming, so I thought I should invest into a better typing experience. I WOULDN'T HAVE BELIEVED what a long journey I just opened myself to at that moment.
- Upon initial research, I couldn't believe a keyboard could go for $150+. I researched my switch and concluded with MX Clears. Bought the WASD Code for $180 with shipping. A day prior to looking into mechs, I wouldn't believe I'd spend even close to $100 for a keyboard!
- Keyboard arrives. Super excited, but was underwhelmed by the dissimilarity to others' keyboard sounds on YouTube that I was captivated by.
- Couldn't believe I'd even consider spending more money to chase after the sound/feel I was so captivated by.
- Bought thick PBT caps to improve sound. Got interested in SA profile caps afterwards and started looking into those GBs. Took my board apart to install dampening mat to get rid of ping which didn't work. Didn't believe I spent 6 hours taking apart a keyboard and slicing a thick foam into a perfect fitting mat. This is crazy.
- Still unsatisfied. Started to consider Ergo Clear mod. Was interested, but never thought I'd get to it within a year's time. A month passes, and each day I dream about that perfect typing experience and sound. "This is nuts", I told myself, thinking I've lost my mind. Yet..
- Yesterday, I just bought all the equipment/parts necessary for the Ergo Clear mod + lubing, including soldering equipment. I even learnt online how to solder/de-solder. I might've racked up near $1000 up to this date and spent hundreds of hours looking at keyboard-stuff online ever since buying the WASD Code 2 months ago.
- I can't believe all this has happened. Somebody tell me I'm not the only crazy one. I'm chasing relentlessly after a keyboard I've never personally typed on, due to seeing some dude's online video who typed on a keyboard that sounded really nice!? This is nuts.
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Somebody tell me I'm not the only crazy one. I'm chasing relentlessly after a keyboard I've never personally typed on, due to seeing some dude's online video who typed on a keyboard that sounded really nice!? This is nuts.
You're not the only crazy one, lol. There's thousands of us around the world. Welcome to the club! (You can never leave...hehe).
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Summary:
- I spend almost all of my awake time programming, so I thought I should invest into a better typing experience. I WOULDN'T HAVE BELIEVED what a long journey I just opened myself to at that moment.
- Upon initial research, I couldn't believe a keyboard could go for $150+. I researched my switch and concluded with MX Clears. Bought the WASD Code for $180 with shipping. A day prior to looking into mechs, I wouldn't believe I'd spend even close to $100 for a keyboard!
- Keyboard arrives. Super excited, but was underwhelmed by the dissimilarity to others' keyboard sounds on YouTube that I was captivated by.
- Couldn't believe I'd even consider spending more money to chase after the sound/feel I was so captivated by.
- Bought thick PBT caps to improve sound. Got interested in SA profile caps afterwards and started looking into those GBs. Took my board apart to install dampening mat to get rid of ping which didn't work. Didn't believe I spent 6 hours taking apart a keyboard and slicing a thick foam into a perfect fitting mat. This is crazy.
- Still unsatisfied. Started to consider Ergo Clear mod. Was interested, but never thought I'd get to it within a year's time. A month passes, and each day I dream about that perfect typing experience and sound. "This is nuts", I told myself, thinking I've lost my mind. Yet..
- Yesterday, I just bought all the equipment/parts necessary for the Ergo Clear mod + lubing, including soldering equipment. I even learnt online how to solder/de-solder. I might've racked up near $1000 up to this date and spent hundreds of hours looking at keyboard-stuff online ever since buying the WASD Code 2 months ago.
- I can't believe all this has happened. Somebody tell me I'm not the only crazy one. I'm chasing relentlessly after a keyboard I've never personally typed on, due to seeing some dude's online video who typed on a keyboard that sounded really nice!? This is nuts.
MX Clears are not supposed to be "clicky" switches if that is the sound you are after. Do you know keyboard you were hearing in the YouTube video? MX Blues and Greens are the only "loud" MX switches. Other types like Alps and buckling springs all have their own unique sounds.
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MX Clears are not supposed to be "clicky" switches if that is the sound you are after. Do you know keyboard you were hearing in the YouTube video? MX Blues and Greens are the only "loud" MX switches. Other types like Alps and buckling springs all have their own unique sounds.
Yeah I'm completely aware of the different switches. The keyboard sound that I liked a lot came from an board with a lubed 62g Ergo Clear mod with Prenumbra SA profile keycaps, as well the same thing but with PBT OEM profile caps. I really liked the deep thock sound of that keyboard bottoming-out (especially from the one with SA profile caps), and when it returns from the upstroke. Here is the keyboard (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz5zcRogFfg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz5zcRogFfg))
When I said I didn't like the sound of my stock WASD Code w/ MX Clears, it was due to the prominent ping as well as the thin ABS keycaps. I've since replaced the keycaps with thicker PBT cherry profile caps that has improved the sound by having a deeper bottom-out sound, but still has the ping, and not deep enough of sound at bottoming out.
Next on my list is the Ergo Clear mod with lube, surely to eliminate the ping based on what I've read (due to lighter spring, as well as a lubed spring). However, I don't know if the mod alone will produce a deeper and more solid bottoming-out sound. If not, I think the SA profile caps might do just that(?)
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I bought a gen 1 ducky shine in early 2012 was happy at the time and thought i would never get another keyboard again, after about 2 years of heavy use i noticed alot of wear and tear on around 30% of the keycaps, the abs shinethrough caps had lost its protective coating it looked seriously ugly but i did not think more about it at the time.
2-3 months later i started working at a new company, i asked my boss if i could get a mech for work and he said yes :), I spent like 3 weeks researching what i wanted and ways to minimize sound. A particular site had alot of reoccurrence. Where i would read about o-rings, filcos and wasds :). I then decided to get a CM storm QF XT, got some nice pbt ducky blanks for it and was happier than ever. I quickly noticed that i needed to get a new one at home. So i ordered a WASD v2 with clears. After these shenanigans i was hooked on gh.
Ass hoff describes there is this line, if you decide to cross it, all other purchases are ok :). My line was the CTRL alt 60% GB(my introduction to the GB world)
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I bought a gen 1 ducky shine in early 2012 was happy at the time and thought i would never get another keyboard again, after about 2 years of heavy use i noticed alot of wear and tear on around 30% of the keycaps, the abs shinethrough caps had lost its protective coating it looked seriously ugly but i did not think more about it at the time.
2-3 months later i started working at a new company, i asked my boss if i could get a mech for work and he said yes :), I spent like 3 weeks researching what i wanted and ways to minimize sound. A particular site had alot of reoccurrence. Where i would read about o-rings, filcos and wasds :). I then decided to get a CM storm QF XT, got some nice pbt ducky blanks for it and was happier than ever. I quickly noticed that i needed to get a new one at home. So i ordered a WASD v2 with clears. After these shenanigans i was hooked on gh.
Ass hoff describes there is this line, if you decide to cross it, all other purchases are ok :). My line was the CTRL alt 60% GB(my introduction to the GB world)
Or a GON, huehue. ;)
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I bought a gen 1 ducky shine in early 2012 was happy at the time and thought i would never get another keyboard again, after about 2 years of heavy use i noticed alot of wear and tear on around 30% of the keycaps, the abs shinethrough caps had lost its protective coating it looked seriously ugly but i did not think more about it at the time.
2-3 months later i started working at a new company, i asked my boss if i could get a mech for work and he said yes :), I spent like 3 weeks researching what i wanted and ways to minimize sound. A particular site had alot of reoccurrence. Where i would read about o-rings, filcos and wasds :). I then decided to get a CM storm QF XT, got some nice pbt ducky blanks for it and was happier than ever. I quickly noticed that i needed to get a new one at home. So i ordered a WASD v2 with clears. After these shenanigans i was hooked on gh.
Ass hoff describes there is this line, if you decide to cross it, all other purchases are ok :). My line was the CTRL alt 60% GB(my introduction to the GB world)
Or a GON, huehue. ;)
I bought the ctrl alt in summer 2014(recieved it recently) my gon TKL was the first korean sweetness in my hand :) Hope you like it brah. :)
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I bought a gen 1 ducky shine in early 2012 was happy at the time and thought i would never get another keyboard again, after about 2 years of heavy use i noticed alot of wear and tear on around 30% of the keycaps, the abs shinethrough caps had lost its protective coating it looked seriously ugly but i did not think more about it at the time.
2-3 months later i started working at a new company, i asked my boss if i could get a mech for work and he said yes :), I spent like 3 weeks researching what i wanted and ways to minimize sound. A particular site had alot of reoccurrence. Where i would read about o-rings, filcos and wasds :). I then decided to get a CM storm QF XT, got some nice pbt ducky blanks for it and was happier than ever. I quickly noticed that i needed to get a new one at home. So i ordered a WASD v2 with clears. After these shenanigans i was hooked on gh.
Ass hoff describes there is this line, if you decide to cross it, all other purchases are ok :). My line was the CTRL alt 60% GB(my introduction to the GB world)
Or a GON, huehue. ;)
I bought the ctrl alt in summer 2014(recieved it recently) my gon TKL was the first korean sweetness in my hand :) Hope you like it brah. :)
It will be lovely, and the Raindrop set should be incredible also. Thanks!
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ez..I was watching SC2 on stream and heard my favorite SC/SC2 play Boxer played with MX Reds. I did a little investigation and just fell in love.
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When i first built my desktop all of my buddies kept raving about these mechanical keyboards. I tried out reds for my first switch since I got a cheap one used. I almost hated mechs all together, since I assumed at the time they must have all felt that way lol. That's how I realized linear wasn't for me :P Eventually tried out blues, then whites, and then landed on clears as my go to switch .
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I believe in go big, or go home. ;D
I've known of mechanical keyboards for most of my life, just never had one. I've been a DIYer since childhood, so I decided, when I got sick of my membrane keyboards crapping out on me, that I'd just BUILD my own. I kinda like semi compact layouts, but don't like giving up functionality, keys, or dealing with a ton of hidden layers. I also like keyboards with minimal borders, and open edges. I had a modified Apple A1048. I had removed the clear plastic shell to make it into a very nicely compact "skeletal" design.
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Sadly (or gladly??? :p ), it has seen better days, and I decided it was time to FIIIINALY go mechanical. At first, I was considering buying a full-size mechanical, and fitting an extended memory Apple //c Alps SKCM Amber (Taxi Yellow) keyboard module into the Kerbal Space Program cockpit style controller I'm building into my desk, but I changed my mind. I decided I wanted to make the tiny (almost 60%) //c keyboard into a portable bluetooth unit, and save the cockpit panels for flight controls and readouts. I wanted to retain ALL my frequently used keys, including navigation, but I wanted to setup something a little more compact than a traditional full size, or even a standard TKL. I like my number pad, but wanted it to be something I could set aside when I didn't need it. Since 5x6 number pads are pretty straight forward to make, I decided I'd I focus on modifying the 75% configuration to my own personal tastes. I do love the 75% keyboard a lot, but I just wanted a few more keys. By just adding one more column to the right, I get to use stock Right shift and stock modifier sizes. I even had 0.25u to spare in the modifier row, so I even got to make my keyboard with a single slightly wider modifier, to make it very Macintosh like.
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I was part of the Danger Zone SA keycap set on Massdrop, purchasing a good number of the child packs, because why not! :p I came up with this render for my final keyboard. I'll also add a separate number pad. I had the idea of adding magnets to the right side of the keyboard ad the left side of the number pad so I can snap them together or apart. Maybe? I haven't decided yet if that is either a total awesome thing, or just asking to suck up screws of small things I work on at my desk! :))
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