Help me find a keyboard

[illegalsurgeon]

Hi - I am looking for a nice mech. keyboard. I have used them before (quite some time ago)... and all of sudden I couldn't find them anymore. I had to put up with these rubbery keys for ten years, so I now want to go back.

I have some requirements:

1. Keys {, }, \, and right shift are absolutely crucial. (If you know, it is used for TeX.)
2. It needs to be shipped to Canada NOT by UPS. I can never receive them, so I exclusively buy things from places where they ship by Canada Post / USPS.
3. Cherry blue is fine. A lot of feedback is good, I miss that feeling (although I don't know what switch my former keyboards had.)
4. It needs to connect with a laptop, so USB is preferred -- I don't know too much about adapters, so I don't know if this is a requirement at all.
5. I use it for typing, nothing else.
6. Smaller is better -- full size, but 88 keys.

I know I would really like Filco blue 88, but I am not ready to shell out $150... yet. Half the price is more reasonable, but something like M10 I heard too many stories about, so not sure.

And hopefully black keys, and not used ones. White keys are REALLY bad for me. I like it when keyboards don't look like anything else, without any extra keys, no lettering.

I do type FAST, and there are times when letters type in different order.

Thanks -- if I lived in US, I might have not needed the help, but Canada! No places to buy things around here.

[itlnstln]

It really looks like you want a Filco.  I would just save up the extra cash and buy one.  Elitekeyboards ships to Canada (for a price, of course), and he used FedEx, IIRC.  Otherwise, you can wait for a used one to pop up in the Classifieds forum, but you'll have to be patient.  You may even look for a Model M; they are probably pretty common in thrift stores, and they're relatively inexpensive to buy from any source.  You will probably need to settle for used and beige, but they are some of the best keyboards you can get.  You can get new Model Ms (in black with gray keys) from Unicomp as well.

[illegalsurgeon]

Elitekeyboards I think costs $150 USD to ship here (I thought it was USPS? Can't remember really). I am scared with Ms and Unicomp because I remember those keys are VERY loud. Am I correct in thinking Blue is less noisy?

Maybe I will go with Filco, but I just wondered if there is something that goes cheaper than that. I don't know if I will appreciate Filco as much as people here appreciate it -- after all, I am typing on a keyboard on $300 laptop right now.

[itlnstln]

I am scared with Ms and Unicomp because I remember those keys are VERY loud. Am I correct in thinking Blue is less noisy?

It's kind of subjective.  I think Ms are louder, but they are lower-pitched and are more tolerable, IMO.  Cherry blues are high-pitched and plasticky, so while they might not be as loud, per se, some people (like myself) find them to be rather annoying and more noticeable than Buckling Springs.  YMMV, though.

[microsoft windows]

Model M's are pretty loud, but if you're looking for something with good tactile feedback that's cheap and will last a lifetime, you don't need to look any farther than a Model M.

[illegalsurgeon]

Ok. I think I have few options.

Unicomp Spacesaver -- I considered this, but I have no idea how unicomp ships to Canada. $69 USD.

MKB-125B/MKB-135B -- few stores SEEM to have these. But I suppose these are new and people still haven't got their hands on them?

MKB-125B fits my bill quite well, but it IS quite ugly.

Solidtek 6600-ABU -- I know this is ALPS, but still very available in Canada.

[didjamatic]

Intellimouse Optical for $5 ($11 shipped to USA) buy it now, or auctions that are cheaper.  For the years of use you can get out of it with zero maintenance and zero cleaning, that's a bargain.