I've been addicted to mechanical keyboards since a few years ago when a friend bought me the Das Keyboard model S silent with MX browns. I had really wanted this keyboard since I am a starcraft player and I would always watch Destiny's stream (he uses the Das with MX blues). I really wanted something that was clicky and tactile.
Since then, I joined the /r/mechanical keyboards subreddit and interacted with the community and gained a small portion of Ripster's infinite wisdom. I work for the Office of Information Technology at the university I attend and I often have old salvage keyboards come through. I love digging through them, looking for old mechs. I also spend a lot more time thrifting now for old keyboards of any significance. So far I have found a 1991 Model M at a Youth Ranch warehouse, as well as a Tandy Enhanced with Fujitsu Peerless switches (not technically mechanical, I don't think, but an interesting little find
http://imgur.com/a/DX4uh ). Looking at the keycaps, they might actually be interchangable with the Model M! I'll have to try it when I get home. Any thoughts?
Anyway, I've been lurking for a while and I thought I would post. I recently shelled out after my tax return and bought a Topre RealForce 103 UB (slighly used for $150, notbad.jpg), which I love. It's the 55g model and it's basically perfect for my office while I'll probably use my Das with Browns at home because it's better for gaming. Only problem with the topre is that replacement keycaps are impossible to find. My dream is to find white topre replacement keyswitches, but that seems to be far off. I also own the unicomp ultra classic, as I wanted to give the buckling springs a go, but I need the windows key for my day to day use.
So my total collection thus far is:
Das Keyboard model S Silent (MX Browns)
Topre RealForce 103UB (Topre Switches)
IBM Model M (Buckling Spring, 1991)
Unicomp Ultra Classic (Buckling Spring)
Tandy Enhanced Keyboard (Fujitsu Peerless*)
*technically not mechanical
Mechanical keyboards are a growing addiction and a money sink, but I love them and I really enjoy the communities around them. Also, just throwing it out there, I wish I didn't have to post 59 more times before I can be included in the group buy
