Tempted to order the Leopold FC900R

[Entropia]

It's available with MX browns at http://candykeys.com/product/fc900r-black-mx-brown for 119€. I have to make a decission between this and the Filco Majestouch 2. The pros of the Leopold is that it already comes with excellent thick PBT keycaps, although with front lengeds (but I think I could get used to that), whilest the Filco... well.. I would have to get a life looking for a good set of keycaps, which are not easy to find in Europe and are not cheap at all. Both models are top quality in materials, building, finishing, etc. The Leopold also has a sound dampening pad, which I understand is a good thing (does it change the feeling of the keys?). The only point that worries me is the stabs. The Filco uses Costars, which I suppose is a winner bet. The Leopold uses cherries (I don't know if modified or not). I don't like mushy feel or different sounding keys. I've been watching some videos of typing on it and the sound seems to be ok, but I cannot know about how the long key feel. I haven't got many mechanical keyboards so my experience with stabs is limited to a IBM Model M (perfect), Tesoro Durandal (perfect) and Cherry G80 (terribly bad). Any advice?

[SpAmRaY]

I would go with the Leopold. It's a great keyboard.

[Entropia]

Can anyone translate what is written here? I'd like to know exactly the innovations or modifications they have made to the Cherry stabs. Maybe this could help me made my decission. Thanx.

[losing_ctrl]

I've never owned a Filco, so I can't comment on them, but I do own a Leopold FC900R, and I think they are great, and I highly recommend Leopold in general. The caps are super and the whole board just oozes quality to me. It's got to be one of the best platforms to experience MX Browns - the switches just feel silky smooth to me, and it's my new favorite non-buckling spring board at the moment.

Here's where I got my FC900R, I paid a bit more for these colored caps that look good to me, check if out it's even on sale:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leopold-FC900R-Mechanical-Keyboard-104-Keys-Cherry-MX-Brown-PBT-Grey-Blue-/272309269129

[Entropia]

Wow, those keycaps look great. I think I would agree to pay a little more and have top legends like in that model.

Those keycaps are made by Leopold?
Are they 1.5 mm PBT like the originals?
Are they dye sub?

Edit: OK OK, I didn't notice that they are illustrated on the box of the keyboard, so I undersand they are original and as good as the front printed keycaps.

[moh18one]

Wow, those keycaps look great. I think I would agree to pay a little more and have top legends like in that model.

Those keycaps are made by Leopold?
Are they 1.5 mm PBT like the originals?
Are they dye sub?

Edit: OK OK, I didn't notice that they are illustrated on the box of the keyboard, so I undersand they are original and as good as the front printed keycaps.
[/quote

Personally, I think the best thing to do is to buy a Leopold FC750R + Leopold FC210TP. It's more ergonomic

[Entropia]

Not for me. One of the things I'm sure I want in a keyboard is that it's 100% and with a standard layout.

[Entropia]

Candykeys tells me that they can order the special edition of this keyboard with grey and blue keycaps. 139€ + shipping.

[losing_ctrl]

Candykeys tells me that they can order the special edition of this keyboard with grey and blue keycaps. 139€ + shipping.

Let us know if you go with Candykeys or Widebasket on ebay or choose some other keyboard entirely.

[Entropia]

I will order it from Candykeys if they have it available, no doubt. They are checking availability from Leopold. The guy I've been chatting via e-mail was very kind to answer every question, even on Sunday. If they don't have the top legends version, I don't know if I should take the risk of going for the front legends keyboard. It looks elegant and hardcore, but it will add even more difficulty to the process of going from Spanish ISO to ANSI.. or who knows, maybe not, as it would force me to remember the key positions.

[leech]

i am also tempted, been bit by the bug 

Leopold question:
Without soldering/desoldering, is it possible to open the MX switch of a Leopold mkb (here: FC900R) destruction-free in order to swap the spring?

And which spring is needed in order to convert a Cherry MX Blue switch to Cherry MX Green switch? ( candykeys and mykeyboard offer a selection of springs in La Europe )

[SpAmRaY]

No you can't open switches on any Leopold without desoldering.

[leech]

Thanks for the answer!

I wouldn't understand why it is not possible, though. So the following method wouldn't work? 

Is it because of the steel plate that the plastic latches wouldn't get off?

[SpAmRaY]

Thanks for the answer!

I wouldn't understand why it is not possible, though. So the following method wouldn't work? 

Is it because of the steel plate that the plastic latches wouldn't get off?

Can't see the video on tapatalk. But yes it is because of the plate.

[tp4tissue]

won't work.  it's plated up.

[leech]

Thanks guys, good to know!

So i won't order springs then, money saved!! 

[Hyde]

To answer your questions, I own both Filco and Archiss Progresstouch (basically a rebranded FC900R from the same OEM).  In fact I'm typing this from the Archiss keyboard now.

To rank the stabilizers strictly on feel, I'd say Costar > Clipped Cherry (Yes those grey stems are clipped Cherry) > Regular Cherry.

Clipped Cherry already feels really good but you can still feel the friction from the stabilizer sliders a tiny bit, it goes away with some use or you can also lube it.

BUT if your goal is to get thick PBT keycaps.  Then I'd just get the Leopold.  There are 2 reasons.

1)  Costar stabilizers are known to grind into thick PBT keycaps.  The metal bar doesn't have enough clearance when fully bottom out.  More notable on Shift and Enter keys.
2)  PBT keycaps on its own already cost around $75.  They come stock with Leopold so you save a lot of money going that route.

And ultimately I do think Leopold has better build quality than Filco (Which is already super amazing, but Leopold just edge over by a tiny bit).  So in your situation I'd highly recommend the Leopold. 

[leech]

won't work.  it's plated up.

So this guy ("OR PLATE MOUNTED"...he says) is wrong then i guess? He wanted to do it on the Corsair K70 plate mounted switches

And this similar tool wouldn't work either?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95oZ5QPTDuc&t=1m5s

[SpAmRaY]

won't work.  it's plated up.

So this guy ("OR PLATE MOUNTED"...he says) is wrong then i guess? He wanted to do it on the Corsair K70 plate mounted switches

And this similar tool wouldn't work either?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95oZ5QPTDuc&t=1m5s

Where is the plate in that video? Those switches are PCB mounted.

I mean please by all means buy a keyboard destroy the switches trying to open them while mounted in a plate then come back and ask why it didn't work.

My apologies...I'm aggravated at other things at the moment.

But seriously...no on a normal plate mounted keyboard you can not open the switches without ruining them.

[leech]

Sorry didn't mean to aggravate anyone.
This video explains the reason why Leopold and Filco would not open

[atarione]

I would get the filco.. because I have the Filco (well I have a TKL MT2) and because I hate and despise cherry stabs...

The build quality (aside from keycaps) is top notch on my filco..  in my case I got a good deal on my MT2 TKL w/ it being on sale for ~$110 or so and then I fond vortex PBT doubleshots on massdrop for about $25~ right afterwards.

I do wish filco would step up their keycaps however.. the stock caps are not good