Pondering while I wait

[mooremanifestation]

I recently developed an interest in mechanical keyboards.  After a fair amount of reading and thinking about which switches I would like, I realized I had an old Northgate OmniKey/102 mothballed.  I dug that out, and I have to say I'm not as happy with it as I thought I would be.  I remember loving it 15 years ago, and it feels and sounds great if I type slowly and methodically.  However, if I let my fingers fly along at their normal speed, I inevitably fail to actuate a key here and there, especially the outliers.  I don't know if the springs are too stiff, or if there is too much friction when the keys are pushed at a slight angle, but I don't think this is going to be the right keyboard for me.

I had decided to get a Filco with Cherry browns just as they became scarce here in the US.  Now I'm waiting for them to come back at a reasonable price, or perhaps I'll get a Leopold once they're available at EK.  I prefer the less rounded styling of the Filco, but that's a minor concern.  

Naturally, while I'm waiting, I'm still wondering whether Cherry browns are the right choice.  I like the feel of my barely-tactile, non-clicky HP laptop keyboard, which leads me to believe that I won't be disappointed with the browns.  How do the browns compare to a typical laptop keyboard?

I tried a Steelseries 7g at Fry's, and I didn't like the stiffness of the keys, and the Northgate keys are too stiff.  Are buckling springs stiffer than either of these?

I have a feeling I'd like blues.  However, I'm thinking that if I'm not completely happy with browns, I can at least use that keyboard at work where blues are out of the question.  I'm pretty sure I'll like it better than the rubber dome keyboard I have there now.

Of course, there's always the mystique of the Topre/HHKB, but that's more than I want to spend right now for something I can't try out first.

[Nadger]

The great thing about mechanical keyboards is their resale value holds up easily.  So if you dont like browns, you can sell it pretty easily for about what you paid and try something else.

[ynih]

The browns sound like it's something you will like. They are very light, and if you're a touch typist, the bump is all you'll feel... At least that's my experiences with it.

[keyb_gr]

I recently developed an interest in mechanical keyboards.  After a fair amount of reading and thinking about which switches I would like, I realized I had an old Northgate OmniKey/102 mothballed.  I dug that out, and I have to say I'm not as happy with it as I thought I would be.  I remember loving it 15 years ago, and it feels and sounds great if I type slowly and methodically.  However, if I let my fingers fly along at their normal speed, I inevitably fail to actuate a key here and there, especially the outliers.  I don't know if the springs are too stiff, or if there is too much friction when the keys are pushed at a slight angle, but I don't think this is going to be the right keyboard for me.

Unlike fine wine, ALPS switches do not age that well, so possibly they could use some cleaning and lubing. Then again, these whites (I guess) are quite stiff, and not exactly something I could type fluently on.

I tried a Steelseries 7g at Fry's, and I didn't like the stiffness of the keys, and the Northgate keys are too stiff.  Are buckling springs stiffer than either of these?

No. While they are not exactly light in a Model M, they are not quite as heavy as MX blacks (there's a linear increase of force from about 40 to 70 g about 2/3 down, where it is reduced considerably). Compared to white ALPS, they are much smoother and far more inviting to type on as the force-displacement curve is entirely different. BS also is one of the few switch types to have integral hysteresis and exact coincidence of switch actuation and feedback. Save for overall force levels which are a bit on the higher side by today's standards, BS à la IBM is a near-perfect switch for typing.

Apparently the old capacitive version (in Model Fs) is lighter and feels even better, but is even noisier and only comes in obscure old layouts. The same again is true for the yet older beam spring switches (IIRC they're around 50 g, but being big and expensive, they were phased out in the early '80s).

I have a feeling I'd like blues.

Blues are nice, almost everyone likes those. Not too heavy, crisp, and since you don't bottom out too hard they invite typing even more than BS. Some complain that they sound wimpy, but that depends on the keycaps. Vintage Cherry ones are nice, their modern-day black POM ones should also be.