I can't do it ... :,(

[Geroximo]

So I bought this Cherry G81-3000 SAD.
I wanted to use the thick pbt cherry dye sub goodness on one of my boards ... but .... but

I can't   

These caps ....

they are ....

like brand new, even though the board is from 1992.

White like snow.
No shine, no wear
... not even a tiny little bit
 .... nothing
.... as if nobody ever typed on these.

I can't touch these flawless pieces of goodness and contaminate them with my human peasant fingers. 

[nubbinator]

That's okay, just give them to me.

[tp4tissue]

Um... I guess.....

You can get one of those keyboard condoms..  the silicon covers..

[tp4tissue]

Keyboard condom .. right here:

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=999

[phoenix1234]

I can't touch these flawless pieces of goodness and contaminate them with my human peasant fingers. 

It's ok, you can always sell it to me
I will touch it, contaminate it or even dispose it properly for you, on behalf.

[IvanIvanovich]

Um... don't worry about it. You can use it for like a decade before it will start looking any different. Or, find another one that is already used if it still is too much for you to imagine. German layout isn't that tough to find in vintage dyesub anyway.

[tp4tissue]

Um... don't worry about it. You can use it for like a decade before it will start looking any different. Or, find another one that is already used if it still is too much for you to imagine. German layout isn't that tough to find in vintage dyesub anyway.

It definitely will look different..  The surface will be slightly shinier than brand new.

[smknjoe]

Are these your first PBTs? I have IBM PBTs that look like new on 30 year old boards. It takes a lot of use to wear them down. ABS on the other hand...I can shine those up in 3 months. Try them out for a few weeks and see if you can see any signs of wear before you put them on display in your private museum.

[tp4tissue]

Are these your first PBTs? I have IBM PBTs that look like new on 30 year old boards. It takes a lot of use to wear them down. ABS on the other hand...I can shine those up in 3 months. Try them out for a few weeks and see if you can see any signs of wear before you put them on display in your private museum.

i doubt you'd see much after a week..  But I can definitely see shine on mine after 1 month..

It's not uber obvious.. but it's there..

[rowdy]

I'd feel the same, especially if I happened to acquire a NiB SSK.

But then I'd rationalise that if I did not use the keyboard and kept it in its box, pristine and unused, then whoever gets the keyboard after me, however long it takes, will either discard or destroy the keyboard, or will use it themself.

So I reckon I might as well just use it myself.

This is yet to actually happen - NiB SSKs tend to exceed my budget.

[Techno Trousers]

If I ever own a keyboard that I don't want to use for fear of causing wear, I'll know it's time to quit the keyboard game for good.

PBT caps are ultra long wearing. I'd say use that board as your daily driver and don't look back.

[Geroximo]

Are these your first PBTs?

No. That's the point. I have another pbt set which has a slight shine, not much though, but you can see it if you pay close attention.
This new set doesn't have it at all.

I want to thank you guys for your advice. It helped me alot.

I'll stick with the keyboard condom. 

 

[CPTBadAss]

Are you....SAD?  )

[Lunatique]

There are the "shower cap" styled ones too:
http://www.amazon.com/Green-Onions-Supply-Universal-keyboard/dp/B005AT5SDK/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1422348243&sr=1-1&pebp=1422348258726&peasin=B005AT5SDK

And the silicone ones (comes in both molded, or molded/printed, or flat sheets):
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=silicon+keyboard+protector&rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3Asilicon+keyboard+protector

But seriously, to buy something and then not use it for the sole purpose it was created for, is a little too much. When you reach that point, you have to start question what exactly do keyboards mean to you in the grand scheme of things? I guess if you have a collector's mentality, then it makes sense--like the guys who buy expensive cars but never drive them and just stare at them and sit in them and polish them.  )

[noisyturtle]

You're ****ing crazy man, I'd shine the **** out of those in a couple months with pizza grease and potato chip salt laden fingers! Send 'em to me, I'll save you the grief and ship them back in 6 months.

[Nover]

Like Ivan pointed out already, iso de ones aren't too hard to come by. And most of them look barely used, if at all. Unless you get a NIB Keyboard with dyesubs that you want to keep as a collectible, you shouldn't worry about "messing them up". Which isn't likely to happen anyway. I'm sure you will spot plenty more SAD sets in the next couple of months for reasonable prices.

[Geroximo]

Lol guys.
This was just meant to be a fun thread.
Of course I'm NOT going to use a freakn keyboard condom !
And of course I'm not going to put it in a museum.

I think rowdy is right.
If I don't use them, someone else will.

[bueller]

Jelly. Wish ANSI dyesubs weren't so impossibru to find at a good price.

[tp4tissue]

There are the "shower cap" styled ones too:
http://www.amazon.com/Green-Onions-Supply-Universal-keyboard/dp/B005AT5SDK/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1422348243&sr=1-1&pebp=1422348258726&peasin=B005AT5SDK

And the silicone ones (comes in both molded, or molded/printed, or flat sheets):
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=silicon+keyboard+protector&rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3Asilicon+keyboard+protector

But seriously, to buy something and then not use it for the sole purpose it was created for, is a little too much. When you reach that point, you have to start question what exactly do keyboards mean to you in the grand scheme of things? I guess if you have a collector's mentality, then it makes sense--like the guys who buy expensive cars but never drive them and just stare at them and sit in them and polish them.  )

That shower cap one just looks like saran wrap for 17 bux

[Lunatique]

That shower cap one just looks like saran wrap for 17 bux

It's a lot more durable than food wrap, and it has elastic band around the edges to secure to the keyboard. It also doesn't stick to itself like food wrap does. They do wear out though--I've worn through a few already. The silicone ones wear out too (though not nearly as quickly)--always on the A key for me, since it's the most used key that's struck mainly with the fingernail.