Mechanical Keyboard Autism Thread - Because Cherry MX switches get you laid.

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What kinda durability have people found with PBT keycaps? I've had these Vortex caps for a bit under a year and while they're not 'shiny', the gritty finish has definitely come off. How long until they become slick and I need to buy some more, and are there any particularly durable variants?
 
I know it's heresy but after having keyboards with blues, browns, and buckling springs I've settled on Romer-G.
 
RightToBearBlarms said:
I know it's heresy but after having keyboards with blues, browns, and buckling springs I've settled on Romer-G.
Click to expand...

Which variant (linear/tactile/clicky)? Have you compared the Romer-G switches against their Cherry counterparts (e.g., romer-g linear vs cherry red)

For me, only reason to consider Logitech would be the wireless tech. Haven't pulled the trigger due to keycap incompatibility and lack of qmk/tmk/etc. support.
 
Rocking a four-year-old Corsair STRAFE with Cherry MX Browns; not RGB because I wasn't going to pay an extra $40 for something that pointless. When I got the keyboard, I typed around 70 WPM on average on membranes, and 80 WPM on my STRAFE. My typing speed's since increased by 10 WPM on both kinds, but I still habitually bottom out or nearly do so on mechanicals.
 
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I recently found that custom keyboards are a relatively large thing but it just seems to be redditors seeing how much they can spend on tiny useless keyboards ($500 is said to be entry level tier there) with a handful of neat looking ergonomic things strewn in. If anyone here uses a 60% or smaller keyboard, why? What made you choose it over something larger?
 
Kikkoman said:
I recently found that custom keyboards are a relatively large thing but it just seems to be redditors seeing how much they can spend on tiny useless keyboards ($500 is said to be entry level tier there) with a handful of neat looking ergonomic things strewn in. If anyone here uses a 60% or smaller keyboard, why? What made you choose it over something larger?
Click to expand...
Sometimes it's a space thing. I have a 60% on one of my machines and it's purely for the sake of the keyboard not taking up huge amounts of desk space.
 
Kikkoman said:
If anyone here uses a 60% or smaller keyboard, why? What made you choose it over something larger?
Click to expand...
My personal theory is that when each obscure redditor-bait switch costs $5, and so does each keycap, you suddenly become much more open to tiny keyboards with like 20 keys.

Also that a lot of these amateur productions just come as raw circuit boards that you have to solder yourself.
 
Kikkoman said:
I recently found that custom keyboards are a relatively large thing but it just seems to be redditors seeing how much they can spend on tiny useless keyboards ($500 is said to be entry level tier there) with a handful of neat looking ergonomic things strewn in. If anyone here uses a 60% or smaller keyboard, why? What made you choose it over something larger?
Click to expand...
The only person I know who uses a 60% got one because his hands were small.
 
Kikkoman said:
I recently found that custom keyboards are a relatively large thing but it just seems to be redditors seeing how much they can spend on tiny useless keyboards ($500 is said to be entry level tier there) with a handful of neat looking ergonomic things strewn in. If anyone here uses a 60% or smaller keyboard, why? What made you choose it over something larger?
Click to expand...
So my favorite size is actually 65%, and really the main difference between that and a 60% board is the arrow keys. Some people prefer to create a layer so they can use the arrow keys by holding a function key and pressing alphanumeric keys. If you like that (you end up saving a lot of back-and-forth movement of your right hand), or you spend most of your time using programs that don't require arrow-key input, you'll never miss them.

The rest of what you're giving up:
  • Function keys
    • I can't think of any common functions (at least from the programs and operating systems I use) that you'd use function keys for that you can't achieve equivalently using other shortcuts. Example: "F5" is a synonym for "refresh", but you can also just hit "Ctrl + R" in any Chromium browser. In rare cases when you need to use function keys, it's not that bad to just press, say "Fn + 7" than pressing "F7".
  • Ins/Del/Home/End/pgup/pgdn
    • You can either use alternatives or you can access these keys with a layer.
  • Numpad
    • Why do you need this? Are you unable to touch type the number keys above the letters? Are you a data entry clerk at a temp agency?
What you gain:
  • Less of a reach to your mouse/trackball/touchpad/other input device and more room to move it around (if that's a mouse or something)
  • Easier to set up multiple workstations (by workstation I just mean a monitor + keyboard + mouse) in a small area if you're into that. It's much harder when you're working with a full-size keyboard that's wider than your monitor.
  • Force yourself to learn the ergonomic way of doing day-to-day tasks (ex: using ctrl + F to refresh webpage, using ctrl+n/p/f/b in emacs instead of arrow keys)
  • Can (reasonably) position your keyboard so the center of the keyboard is in line with the center of your monitor. That way you aren't reaching way to the left/right just to type.
Aberforth said:
The only person I know who uses a 60% got one because his hands were small.
Click to expand...
Is this a joke or was your friend joking with you? That wouldn't really be a reason to get a 60% keyboard because the keys/spacing are always going to be the same size. If you have small hands, you could effectively achieve the same thing as owning a 60% board by boycotting the number pad and function row.
 
malt ipecac said:
Is this a joke or was your friend joking with you? That wouldn't really be a reason to get a 60% keyboard because the keys/spacing are always going to be the same size. If you have small hands, you could effectively achieve the same thing as owning a 60% board by boycotting the number pad and function row.
Click to expand...
Sadly, not a joke. My friend is just weird.
 
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malt ipecac said:
So my favorite size is actually 65%, and really the main difference between that and a 60% board is the arrow keys. Some people prefer to create a layer so they can use the arrow keys by holding a function key and pressing alphanumeric keys. If you like that (you end up saving a lot of back-and-forth movement of your right hand), or you spend most of your time using programs that don't require arrow-key input, you'll never miss them.

The rest of what you're giving up:
  • Function keys
    • I can't think of any common functions (at least from the programs and operating systems I use) that you'd use function keys for that you can't achieve equivalently using other shortcuts. Example: "F5" is a synonym for "refresh", but you can also just hit "Ctrl + R" in any Chromium browser. In rare cases when you need to use function keys, it's not that bad to just press, say "Fn + 7" than pressing "F7".
  • Ins/Del/Home/End/pgup/pgdn
    • You can either use alternatives or you can access these keys with a layer.
  • Numpad
    • Why do you need this? Are you unable to touch type the number keys above the letters? Are you a data entry clerk at a temp agency?
What you gain:
  • Less of a reach to your mouse/trackball/touchpad/other input device and more room to move it around (if that's a mouse or something)
  • Easier to set up multiple workstations (by workstation I just mean a monitor + keyboard + mouse) in a small area if you're into that. It's much harder when you're working with a full-size keyboard that's wider than your monitor.
  • Force yourself to learn the ergonomic way of doing day-to-day tasks (ex: using ctrl + F to refresh webpage, using ctrl+n/p/f/b in emacs instead of arrow keys)
  • Can (reasonably) position your keyboard so the center of the keyboard is in line with the center of your monitor. That way you aren't reaching way to the left/right just to type.

Is this a joke or was your friend joking with you? That wouldn't really be a reason to get a 60% keyboard because the keys/spacing are always going to be the same size. If you have small hands, you could effectively achieve the same thing as owning a 60% board by boycotting the number pad and function row.
Click to expand...
There is at least one 60% board that has the delete key and the arrow keys, Cooler Master SK621, at expense of the right shift (now 1u), and no right alt or ctrl keys.

As far as the numpad, if I am typing more then one or two numbers, I find my self going to the numpad might be out of habit or something but it takes me longer to use calc (or google or excel) if I only use the top number row.

but I just got my first 60% for work (i needed something I can easily move across work sites), as someone who prefers full keyboards it is going to be interesting.
 
Feels like heresy asking here but don't know where else to put this.

Any recommendations for an all in one keyboard? I got a tiny lenovo workstation to go in the living room as a media pc. Are those controller sized keyboard/trackpad combos any good or am I better of getting a full sized one?
 
*bows head in shame*
I actually use Kinesis advtanges
stop making fun of me...STOP...mom!!!
for desktop

I used buckling spring KB back in the day so am used to ultra tactile and might wind up getting one from that company that is, essentially, the ol Lexmark factory

but man, I contacted them an kinesis on't even build with MX blues

you see so many dropped letters on my posts b/c it's my field computer with a rubberized waterproof KB and the action is super heavy
 
fuckidunno said:
*bows head in shame*
I actually use Kinesis advtanges
stop making fun of me...STOP...mom!!!
for desktop

I used buckling spring KB back in the day so am used to ultra tactile and might wind up getting one from that company that is, essentially, the ol Lexmark factory

but man, I contacted them an kinesis on't even build with MX blues

you see so many dropped letters on my posts b/c it's my field computer with a rubberized waterproof KB and the action is super heavy
Click to expand...
I can see you now, sitting in a field during a rainstorm posting to Kiwi Farms on a rubber-protected Kinesis Advantage.
 
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malt ipecac said:
I can see you now, sitting in a field during a rainstorm posting to Kiwi Farms on a rubber-protected Kinesis Advantage.
Click to expand...

:lit::lit: that would be awesome! but I'd have to put it in DVORAk and type in Esperanto, but thn I'd be typing from a recumbent bike


IRL the field box is a CF-31
 
fuckidunno said:
*bows head in shame*
I actually use Kinesis advtanges
stop making fun of me...STOP...mom!!!
for desktop

I used buckling spring KB back in the day so am used to ultra tactile and might wind up getting one from that company that is, essentially, the ol Lexmark factory

but man, I contacted them an kinesis on't even build with MX blues

you see so many dropped letters on my posts b/c it's my field computer with a rubberized waterproof KB and the action is super heavy
Click to expand...
If you check ebay you might find a classic IBM Model M for a decent price (although I do miss the windows/meta key).

If you like a heavy type feel, you might like Cherry Greens too.
 
stupidpieceofshit said:
If you check ebay you might find a classic IBM Model M for a decent price (although I do miss the windows/meta key).

If you like a heavy type feel, you might like Cherry Greens too.
Click to expand...
You can also just get a unicomp repro of various buckling spring keyboard styles.

I use the 122 key variant as my work keyboard because it's built like an absolute tank and the sound of typing on it can be used to assert your supremacy.
 
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RightToBearBlarms said:
You can also just get a unicomp repro of various buckling spring keyboard styles.

I use the 122 key variant as my work keyboard because it's built like an absolute tank and the sound of typing on it can be used to assert your supremacy.
Click to expand...
thinking about picking one of those up
I hear they use the original tooling *(I think it's old lexmark employees)

I pref'd the F to the M back in the day, but that's when the stuff was reasonably current and I'm not going to try to swim upstream on looking for the F's keys (IIRC they were capacitive -- thy were a little lighter in feel and didn't seem to mistrigger/bounce if they got older/dirty)

The Ms are right in there and that'd be fine - at some point I just gotta go with it. I'm not looking for collector pieces,

I actually like a fairly light feel. In the field, I have to use a waterproof keyboard and it's like extra security it's so tough to type on (nobody wants to "borrow" my computer for a quick email) - so my options are limited to 1 given the equipment
I can feel the repetitive stress to be sure

I actually DO like the kinesis advantage layout as bizarre as it is and it sort of promotes economy of motion (it's hard to drift out of "proper" style on that) - but kinesis won't even make MX blue KBs (they say the actuation is too heavy) so bucklingspring kinesis is probably out unless they get covid desperate and start listening

what kinesis is missing is the thing I like about the tactiles is, well the same thing everyone else does - you learn to relax or "pull back" - hell, stop the typing action, at actuation so you dont bottom out.
while the force may b slightly higher, you float your fingers and they don't run into "the wall" of the end of the key travel
 
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