Author Topic: Just bought my first mech  (Read 2048 times)

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Offline rlnation

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Just bought my first mech
« on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 15:38:31 »
Hey guys, I just found out about the mechanical keyboard community and I decided to buy my first mech- CM QFR w/ browns.

I read that the keys are trash and that I should replace them ASAP.
I've been looking for something to match my head set (SteelSteries Siberia- fully white, can glow blue) and mouse (Razer DeathAdder- black w/ green glow).

Considering getting bright green modifiers and black keys.
Should I just sand the QFR keys and buy green modifiers?

Also, are EliteKeyboard's $20 key sets good quality versus WASD Keyboard?

Any recommendations on a theme and shop for keys?

Offline KangarooZombies

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 15:42:54 »
Hey guys, I just found out about the mechanical keyboard community and I decided to buy my first mech- CM QFR w/ browns.

I read that the keys are trash and that I should replace them ASAP.
I've been looking for something to match my head set (SteelSteries Siberia- fully white, can glow blue) and mouse (Razer DeathAdder- black w/ green glow).

Considering getting bright green modifiers and black keys.
Should I just sand the QFR keys and buy green modifiers?

Also, are EliteKeyboard's $20 key sets good quality versus WASD Keyboard?

Any recommendations on a theme and shop for keys?

First of all, congrats.

I dont honestly think that any of the 20 dollar sets of caps are going to be any better than the QFR stocks to be honest. Just stick with them for a bit and save up for a nicer set imo. 
Having a bad day?
QFR/Pure/FC660C(45G)/HHKB Pro 2(45G)/RF 87U (55G)
         

Offline Fnzzy

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 15:47:38 »
Nice to see you joining the club!

as for color schemes, I would suggest a green/white combination to fit both your headset and your mouse.

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=771

This keyset is a little on the expensive side but it is thick PBT (as opposed to the standart ABS keycaps which are thinner and begin to shine really quick) and should last you for a while.

The Elitekeyboard sets should be OK for the price as well but they won't give you a quality upgrade, just aesthetics.

Offline epzy

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 15:51:30 »
The Toxic set might be something for you. CTRL ALT might have some extras when the group buy is finished, and you might see some in the classifieds here. PM 'BunnyLake' and see if he's going to have extras.

https://ctrlalt.io/buys/toxic
FaceW ~ Duck Viper ~ Kishsaver ~ HHKB Pro 2 Cherry G81-3000SAU ~ Filco Majestouch 2 ~ GON NS NerD 60 HHKB ~ 360 Corsa (jk skam) ~ KMAC Happy (jk skam) ~ JD40 (jk skam)

Offline rowdy

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 18:41:50 »
Welcome to Geekhack!

Most people change the keycaps because they don't like the legends, or don't like OEM profile keycaps.

The $20 set from EK is reasonable, for the price.  Description here and review here.

Tai Hao is cheaper and doubleshot, but more definitely OEM profile.
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline rlnation

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 19:06:15 »
Thanks for the warm welcome, all!

I don't really know the difference between the higher quality keys and the OEM keys but I am budgeting about $60 for new keys that I'll order maybe next month.

At the Toxic set, is that yellow?

Offline rowdy

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 20:26:06 »
Thanks for the warm welcome, all!

I don't really know the difference between the higher quality keys and the OEM keys but I am budgeting about $60 for new keys that I'll order maybe next month.

At the Toxic set, is that yellow?

It's a toxic green, mainly, but many people can see hints of yellow in it.

if you don't mind a darker green, seems KeyPop still has some of the original Tai Hao sets here.

Reviewed here (the red set was reviewed, but all sets are the same).
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline Kiwi_321

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 21:35:58 »
Maybe wait and see what you think of the stock keys before replacing them. A lot of people who call them trash have quite 'refined' tastes, which they have garnished over time and from experience. As this is your first mechanical, you may find that you don't mind them so much!

Offline Puddsy

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 22:15:22 »
^^^^^

I still really like the stock keycaps on Filco and especially the ones on my KUL
QFR | MJ2 TKL | "Bulgogiboard" (Keycon 104) | ctrl.alt x GON 60% | TGR Alice | Mira SE #29 | Mira SE #34 | Revo One | z | Keycult No. 1 | First CW87 prototype | Mech27v1 | Camp C225 | Duck Orion V1 | LZ CLS sxh | Geon Frog TKL | Hiney TKL One | Geon Glare TKL



"Everything is worse, but in a barely perceptible and indefinable way" -dollartacos, after I came back from a break | "Is Linkshine our Nixon?" -NAV | "Puddsy is the Puddsy of keebs" -ns90

Offline exitfire401

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 22:16:39 »
^^^^^

I still really like the stock keycaps on Filco and especially the ones on my KUL

Stock filco caps are some of the nicest ABS caps I've had. I still have the set photoelectric sent to me on the LZ I bought from her because I liked them so much.
Boards: Kingsaver Complicated Blue Alps |Sprit 60% Transparent MX Clears in Gateron housings with 62g gold Sprit springs lubed and RGB color shifting LEDs | Ducky Shine Zone MX Black with Blue LEDs | Realforce 10AE Variable Silenced

B/S/T thread: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=55351.0

Past projects: KBT Race 2 L.E.
Past Boards: Ducky Shine 2 | KBT Pure | LZ Aluminum Skin| HHKB | Realforce 23u |

Offline rowdy

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 22:41:38 »
I like the yellow Filco stock caps :p

Apart from shine on the ABS, I have seen quite a few Filcos still with the stock caps.

Not many keep the stock QFR keycaps though.
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline rlnation

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Re: Just bought my first mech
« Reply #11 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 23:20:45 »
Maybe wait and see what you think of the stock keys before replacing them. A lot of people who call them trash have quite 'refined' tastes, which they have garnished over time and from experience. As this is your first mechanical, you may find that you don't mind them so much!

My current keyboard's keys get stuck and are often hard to press down. Anything that really doesn't get stuck is fine with me. In comparison to keyboards I have used, like keys that are textured rather than smooth.

Perhaps I will consider sanding the QFR stock keys when necessary.

I have an idea of having black keys with bright green text but having the modifiers as bright green with black text, similar to the Toxic set. I just can't get over seeing it as yellow or green.

Is there anywhere I can get this done? It's really inefficient for me to have blank keys as a graduate student, even thought they look sick.
« Last Edit: Sun, 06 July 2014, 23:22:23 by rlnation »