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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: svetlio_vd on Fri, 22 January 2016, 12:52:18

Title: What is this keyboard and switches?
Post by: svetlio_vd on Fri, 22 January 2016, 12:52:18
Hello guys, recently I found an interesting keyboard from a friend. I've been interested in mechanical keyboards for a while and I told him if he finds something, he should call me. So he gave this peace to me. Here are the pictures :[attach=1][attach=2][attach=3][attach=4][attach=5][attach=6]

I think it has orange ALPS? But the strangest thing is, the ENTER key has and OMRON switch! And sadly, the only key, that does not work is the ENTER key :( How do you think, what kind of keyboard is this?
Title: Re: What is this keyboard and switches?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 22 January 2016, 12:55:21
Looks like a Toko Electronics TK-959 (from the label you posted) with Clicky Amber Omron switches (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Omron_B3G-S_series#Colours)
Title: Re: What is this keyboard and switches?
Post by: svetlio_vd on Fri, 22 January 2016, 13:05:08
WoW this was a fast reply :) Thanks! Indeed they are clicky, I am also wondering - why does the enter switch has a little different form than all the others? Maybe is nothing important, sorry to ask a noob question.
I have a dilemma whether to make a key chain of one of the switches or keep this board intact. Sadly enough, it is old and maybe used harsh, because the buttons feel a but mushy (way worse than the cherry mx blue that I have).
Title: Re: What is this keyboard and switches?
Post by: chyros on Fri, 22 January 2016, 15:47:20
Quote from: svetlio_vd on Fri, 22 January 2016, 13:05:08
WoW this was a fast reply :) Thanks! Indeed they are clicky, I am also wondering - why does the enter switch has a little different form than all the others? Maybe is nothing important, sorry to ask a noob question.
I have a dilemma whether to make a key chain of one of the switches or keep this board intact. Sadly enough, it is old and maybe used harsh, because the buttons feel a but mushy (way worse than the cherry mx blue that I have).
Ooh, amber Omrons! These are super duper clicky, considerably louder than buckling springs even. They're one of the funkiest-handling switches I have, but great fun :) . The enter switch looks like an unbranded KPT switch of some sort (which are Omron pinout-compatible) but I'm really not sure.

I actually have an Omron keychain, I based it on my Alps keychain design. Here's what it looks like:

(http://i.imgur.com/4xsECIu.jpg)
Title: Re: What is this keyboard and switches?
Post by: jacobolus on Fri, 22 January 2016, 16:15:10
Looks to me like this whole keyboard is TEC switches or similar, with the exception of the enter key, which is an amber Omron switch. I suspect that the Omron switch is there to make sure the enter keycap reliably returns up after a keypress; the other switches might not be up to the job.

Check the spacebar, it might also have an Omron switch.

https://deskthority.net/wiki/TEC_switch
Title: Re: What is this keyboard and switches?
Post by: SamirD on Sat, 23 January 2016, 14:37:38
Funky switch, funky legend--I say restore it and make it a keeper!  :thumb:
Title: Re: What is this keyboard and switches?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Sat, 23 January 2016, 14:39:31
Totally agree with SamirD here. Definitely restore and enjoy that bad boy.