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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: aerial on Mon, 19 April 2010, 03:17:06

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: aerial on Mon, 19 April 2010, 03:17:06

There is no such thread yet (surprisingly).
How about a thread that will list pictures of worn out keyboards? There are people here who own ridiculous amount of keyboards, and also seen probably more keyboard pictures over internet than any other person.

The point of it, would be to see how durable most popular keyboards are, that could help in making decision what to buy for some people. There was a lot of brand new Filco keyboard photos, how about pictures after for example 2 years of heavy usage?
What is interesting, not only if signs disappear from keycaps, but also how textured plastic polishes and keycaps shine. Sure all of it depends on how often do we use keyboard, and probably on style of typing. Still i think it would be interesting database of pictures.

To start thread, i have googled extreme example:

Quote

A medical transcriptionist has been using the same keyboard  for 8.5 years to the point where the keyboard began to deteriorate, appearing as if some keys have melted. The most frequently used keys have shown severe wear; most keys no longer show their labels. However, the keyboard, from NMB Technologies model RT2358TW, is still fully functional.

(http://www.markpascua.com/wp-content/melted-keyboard.jpg)

(http://www.markpascua.com/wp-content/melted-keyboard-3.jpg)

I didn't know you can actually scratch through the keycaps.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: clickclack on Mon, 19 April 2010, 04:32:06

Edit: never mind, this thread is too dangerous for me, where would I begin... GULP!

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: HaaTa on Mon, 19 April 2010, 05:24:50

Yeah, I've seen rooms of medical transcriptionists at work, you'd swear they were using machine guns.
I had a fun password around that time (about 18 characters) so whenever I had to fix one of their computers the comment always was, "Woah, you almost type as fast as I do". My response was, "I wish".

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: kishy on Mon, 19 April 2010, 07:26:55

I wonder...

What's the worst that could happen to our good ol' friend, Model M?

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: didjamatic on Mon, 19 April 2010, 08:09:10

Macbook Pro Keys worn down (http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantailmedia/2599189662/), obviously from fingernail wear:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3160/2599189662_a752bdd4cb.jpg)


(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2587/4016132165_6274c5517d.jpg)



(http://www.tbfcomputing.com/ebaypicture/P9020054.JPG)



(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/34/113867763_4a78d84e93.jpg)


And no worn/dirty keyboard thread is complete without this one:
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bEmFzGv-hbk/Rzx-mehMD7I/AAAAAAAAAlw/OKpLyL1r5zI/s400/cigarette-burns-all-over-the-keyboard1.jpg)

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 19 April 2010, 09:52:53

The main point here is that keys will wear the difference being the time it takes.  At the end of the day, it comes down to acceptance.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: aerial on Mon, 19 April 2010, 11:39:52

(http://multipart-mixed.com/images/productivity/kinesis-keyboard.jpg)

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: keyb_gr on Mon, 19 April 2010, 14:36:15

Quote from: kishy;173432

I wonder...

What's the worst that could happen to our good ol' friend, Model M?

The same as for any other board, basically, as illustrated above. That, and ripster-style dropping tests. :rofl:

I highly doubt we're ever going to see more than shiny spacebars and slightly shiny other keys though - the poor springs would be all mushy before the keycaps showed any considerable wear. Dye-sub'd PBT keys are tough.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Mon, 19 April 2010, 17:10:19

(http://webapplications.acs.org/portaltools/shopper/images/pu.jpg) ?
Never worry about shiny keys again.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: clickclack on Mon, 19 April 2010, 17:22:31

Quote from: ripster;173540

Everyone bow to the reigning Key Wear Champion from Scarface.
And that's just Aluminum.  Wait until he starts marching up the Periodic Table.

Well then! I guess I have to hurry up with my Titanium ones then huh?
=D =D =D
heehee
...scurries off....

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: NOMiS on Mon, 19 April 2010, 21:57:14

Quote from: ripster;173540

Everyone bow to the reigning Key Wear Champion from Scarface.

Show Image

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=9222&stc=1&d=1271571521)

And that's just Aluminum.  Wait until he starts marching up the Periodic Table.

Show Image

(http://webapplications.acs.org/portaltools/shopper/images/al.jpg)

Just wondering, has he made a full 104/87 set of metal keys yet?

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: ricercar on Tue, 20 April 2010, 11:59:09

Quote from: aerial;173462

Show Image

(http://multipart-mixed.com/images/productivity/kinesis-keyboard.jpg)

My eyes! The goggles: they do no-thing!

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Wed, 21 April 2010, 08:15:39

Quote from: ripster;173540

Everyone bow to the reigning Key Wear Champion from Scarface.

Show Image

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=9222&stc=1&d=1271571521)

And that's just Aluminum.  Wait until he starts marching up the Periodic Table.

Show Image

(http://webapplications.acs.org/portaltools/shopper/images/al.jpg)

Tungsten-carbide or ceramics (AlO/SiC) and we are done... TC is less prone to breakage, but ceramic keycaps could be done in different colors (ie. white or black) and would be lighter. Unfortunately both can only be accomplished via sintering which is not as "easy" as casting aluminium! :/

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: keyb_gr on Wed, 21 April 2010, 16:02:13

Speaking of Al die-casting... did you know that the technology was pioneered in (pre-)WW2-era Germany? Read more... (http://www.cdvandt.org/nieuwe_pagina_1.htm)

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: aerial on Fri, 23 April 2010, 10:25:35

1,5 year old generic Dell

(http://i41.tinypic.com/29p9m9y.jpg)

Durability of thse letter stickers is quite interesting. How about blank square stickers that cover entire key? They still have intact texture.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 23 April 2010, 10:33:43

What the hell are you doing, ripster?  I thought that episode in Geekhack history was dead.

Why you keep bringing up old ****???

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: aerial on Fri, 23 April 2010, 10:45:44

Priceless thread indeed.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 23 April 2010, 10:47:47

Quote from: itlnstln;174915

What the hell are you doing, ripster?  I thought that episode in Geekhack history was dead.

Why you keep bringing up old ****???

:-D I think rippy sometimes has a little troll in him too ;-D

(http://www.andybaird.com/travels/first/photos/troll_child.jpg)

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 23 April 2010, 10:53:03

Quote from: ripster;174924

4 more posts will bring that thread up to 500 posts.  I like round numbers.

Done, and it was three posts.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: aerial on Fri, 23 April 2010, 11:25:00

(http://www.moregraphics.nl/temp/Filco/Nwear.jpg)

From filco thread. Not so good idea, shiny key is better than that.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 23 April 2010, 11:28:41

Wear like that is pretty uncommon, though.  I have had 4 Costar 'boards (2 ABS, 2 Filco) and an extra set of keys.  All 5 sets of keycaps went shiny in about 2-3 weeks or so, but none looked like that.  My Cherry, on the other hand...

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 23 April 2010, 11:58:33

Whatever Filco uses to pad print their legends is pretty damn durable.  That said, I'll be typing on some double shots soon.

Title: Nostromo N52te legend wear
Post by: Rajagra on Fri, 23 April 2010, 12:43:11

Some of the legends on my N52te are worn out. Good job I know how to count!

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 23 April 2010, 12:44:53

Wow, that's unfortunate.  I never looked at the damn thing anyway.  I bet that's annoyingly bright, though.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: kishy on Fri, 23 April 2010, 12:46:19

So then, it uses clear plastic keys with black painted on?

Seems a "double shot" solution with the legend half being translucent plastic would prevent that, but at greater cost.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 23 April 2010, 12:49:47

That printing process is pretty fail.  Deck's solution (similar to what you suggested, kishy) seems to be the best for durability.

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 23 April 2010, 13:06:01

Now I see where you got the inspiration for that cable...

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Castro_Rainbow_Flag.jpg)

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: waperboy on Fri, 23 April 2010, 13:07:22

Quote from: aerial;174906

1,5 year old generic Dell

Show Image

(http://i41.tinypic.com/29p9m9y.jpg)

Durbality of thse letter stickers is quite interesting. How about blank square stickers that cover entire key? They still have intact texture.

Oh, I love that kind of narrow depth-of-field photos!

Title: Keyboard wear and tear (pics)
Post by: Rajagra on Fri, 23 April 2010, 14:08:42

Quote from: itlnstln;175054

Wow, that's unfortunate.  I never looked at the damn thing anyway.  I bet that's annoyingly bright, though.

No, it's mainly reflected light off the keys. And I normally have the blue backlight turned off anyway. Top marks to Belkin for giving it a switch for that.

Quote from: warakawa;175058

can n52 be used as a number pad?

Yes.