Mech keyboards

[sedrosken]

I used to have dainty little hands up until I turned about 16 and then they started growing out instead of long. There are computer cases I legitimately can't fit them in now. It sucks. I palm-grip a Pro Intellimouse (Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 mold with modern internals) and it almost feels too small sometimes.

I apparently told you wrong anyway -- Navy's 75g, Jade is 65g. I looked it up. It's the tactile force on the Navy that's 95g. They have a meatier clickbar than the Jades, which only have a 75g tactile force.

Not only did I type just fine on that board, I bottom out every single key even still. I'd probably need something like 95-110g to make it so I actually use them properly.

When I get those BWK switches I need to do the tape mod to my K4 Pro but I don't have any foam to stick in the cavity. I suppose I'll have to see how I like it and make a decision then.

 

[Santilli]

Anyone have specs on the Unicomp/IBM buckling spring switches?
How do they compare to the above mentioned switches?
trying to figure out how they compare to the above clicky switches.

 

[Santilli]

Went back to my model M from the Cherry Reds. The Donuts made bad worse.
When you can barely feel the keys, having very light keys leads to a lot of mistakes, like hitting 3 and 4 key.
What switches are closest to buckling spring, but a little smoother?

 

[Santilli]

Going to try this one.

Unicomp GA LLC: New Model M

 

[fb]

I have no idea about switches, I think I use Varmilo EC Sakura switches but they are also a bit on the light side. Quite similar to Cherry Reds.

The New Model M looks really interesting, hope you'll write a report later on.

 

[Santilli]

I will. MY CTS is along far enough so a lot of the time, I can't feel the end of my fingers. Left hand is the worst.
With Cherry Reds, I catch a lot of 3 and 4 keys by accident. Much less so with Buckling springs.
With Cherry Reds, typing practice, or typing becomes flat out frustrating.
I do get key hits that are too light on the MM, but these don't show up, so you can go back and hit the key harder.
Mine is a pretty specific, and medical condition.
Not for everyone.

 

[LunarMist]

I thought you were getting surgery this summer after they had ruled out neuropathy. Maybe that was somebody else.

 

[jtr1962]

MY CTS is along far enough so a lot of the time, I can't feel the end of my fingers. Left hand is the worst.

It gets worse from there. I can't feel my hands at all after I'm riding for about 15-20 minutes. My feet go numb also, which means the CTS spread there. Hopefully you'll respond to treatment better than my mother and sister did. For both, it helped for a while but then it came back. Really, I've found the only long-term solution is to just limit any activities which aggravate it. For me any pushing down motion, like scrubbing floors, makes it worse. Typing doesn't seem to have a major effect, but then again I don't type much. At most I do the equivalent of a few pages in a day.

I still blame my grade school teachers for this. All those times they made the entire class write "I must not talk in class." 1,000 times whenever a few kids talked took its toll on me. I wish we had class action lawsuits for stuff like this.

 

[Santilli]

My EKG is a little weird, prior to the first surgery.
Last time that meant heart surgery, and a stint put in.
If that happens again, it will be at least another year before the CTS surgery, since I will be on blood thinners after the heart surgery, for a year.

 

[Santilli]

It gets worse from there. I can't feel my hands at all after I'm riding for about 15-20 minutes. My feet go numb also, which means the CTS spread there. Hopefully you'll respond to treatment better than my mother and sister did. For both, it helped for a while but then it came back. Really, I've found the only long-term solution is to just limit any activities which aggravate it. For me any pushing down motion, like scrubbing floors, makes it worse. Typing doesn't seem to have a major effect, but then again I don't type much. At most I do the equivalent of a few pages in a day.

I still blame my grade school teachers for this. All those times they made the entire class write "I must not talk in class." 1,000 times whenever a few kids talked took its toll on me. I wish we had class action lawsuits for stuff like this.

Apparently the guy that did the analysis said it depends when you catch the CTS, and have the operation makes a difference in the effectiveness of the operation. The longer you wait, the more of a chance the surgery is less effective.

 

[jtr1962]

Apparently the guy that did the analysis said it depends when you catch the CTS, and have the operation makes a difference in the effectiveness of the operation. The longer you wait, the more of a chance the surgery is less effective.

That's what happened to both my mother and sister. In my mother's case a lot of the nerves were dead by the time she got treatment.

I've had this since my late 20s at least but I never had medical insurance. I never even had a proper diagnosis, never mind treatment. I'm 3 years and less than 4 months away from Medicare, so I'll try to see what's going on then. In the meantime, I'll just do what I always did, namely limit my activity.

 

[Santilli]

Finally got the duck tape out and fixed the feet on the old model M in the up position.
New model M came in today. Keys feel the same.
I do wish they would make it with lit keys,
but, that's not the case.
If I can stay out of the docs office, I'll take the donuts off the Corsair.
I do wonder how long it takes for a Model M, or new model M, to actually have keys that feel broken in.
10 or 20 years????
So I guess I would like a new Model M, but with lit keys.
I can at least, feel the keys, and type, with semi-numb fingers...
Did pre opp today, and if the kidney tests come back correct, looks like a go.
Have a meeting with a heart surgeon next week, to get clearance...
Want to thank JTR1962 for his mother and sisters experience.
I'm hoping I don't need another stint, and can get the wrists done prior to serious damag3.

 

[Santilli]

It gets worse from there. I can't feel my hands at all after I'm riding for about 15-20 minutes. My feet go numb also, which means the CTS spread there. Hopefully you'll respond to treatment better than my mother and sister did. For both, it helped for a while but then it came back. Really, I've found the only long-term solution is to just limit any activities which aggravate it. For me any pushing down motion, like scrubbing floors, makes it worse. Typing doesn't seem to have a major effect, but then again I don't type much. At most I do the equivalent of a few pages in a day.

I still blame my grade school teachers for this. All those times they made the entire class write "I must not talk in class." 1,000 times whenever a few kids talked took its toll on me. I wish we had class action lawsuits for stuff like this.

i'M REALLY SORRY THIS HAPPENED TO YOU....;-(

 

[Santilli]

I think I'm going to give these a try:​

Pro Heavy Navy Switch​

Type	Clicky
Operation Force	70±20 gf
Pre-travel	1.2±0.5 mm
Tactile Force	-
Total Travel	3.5±0.4 mm
Sound Level	Loud
Operation Life	Up to 50M cycles
Suitable For	Typist

Which Keychron board would work? I like backlit, and can do without the number pad, but have large hands, and fingers.

 

[Santilli]

Been looking at Keychrons. None of the heavy Pro Navy style keys are in stock.
Thanks, they are saving me lots of money.

 

[Handruin]

Take a look at NuPhy. I bought their gem80 a while back and made a custom setup with it and I love it a lot more than my Keychron Q3.

NuPhy®Studio|Mechanical Keyboard & Gaming Keyboard & Computer Keyboard

Nuphy sells various styles of mechanical keyboards that are popular among gamers and programmers. Users can choose from a variety of switches that differ in resistance, tactile feedback, and noise level.

nuphy.com

 

[Santilli]

first left wrist was done thursday. recovery seems fast. hr 70.
day of surgery in the 30-40 range
bp 127 over 57, trying to figure that out, why?

 

[LunarMist]

Yay. I hope the Dr. confirms it was successful.

 

[Santilli]

What is the best, heavy switch, backlit keyboard on the market? Navy Box switches would be nice, pre-installed.
Second: best keyboard with replaceable switches, starting with heavy switches.? Back lit.
Sedrosken: how did you setup your keyboard? I type too much with the lights off, and numbers, so much as I love my keyboards, I do need something backlit.

 

[Santilli]

OK Ordered a K4 with Blues. I I'll try the box Navy heavy switches, now that I have a hot swap keyboard.

 

[Santilli]

have to say, as much as I loved my heavy key keyboard, I love the back lighting,, on the Corsair is fantastic. Now I'm getting a K4 back lit, that I can change the switches on.

 

[Santilli]

Using the Corsair, and I like it better then the unicomp model m. because what I do, I need to see weird keys that aren't usually used.
I need to see them. Now, with back lit, and replaceable keys, I'm going in the right direction, after 30 years.

 

[ddrueding]

My options are more restricted now that I need a "Nordic" keyboard. The Å Æ Ø is real.

I'm happy enough with a Das Keyboard 6 Professional, but I am on the lookout for something wireless with hall effect switches.

 

[LunarMist]

Can't you get a keyboard with replaceable keys for the necessary letters? How do you type in English with the Norwegian KB?

 

[Mercutio]

How do you type in English with the Norwegian KB?

You install the second keyboard layout on your computer and tell the OS to use one vs the other. In Windows you get a little button in the tray on the right side of the taskbar that you can use to toggle. I imagine that you'll prefer the physical layout match the keyboard you're less familiar with but there are also keyboards that have the keys printed on both the top and front of the keycaps. I've seen that on laptops purchased in the Czech Republic and Greece.

 

[sedrosken]

What is the best, heavy switch, backlit keyboard on the market? Navy Box switches would be nice, pre-installed.
Second: best keyboard with replaceable switches, starting with heavy switches.? Back lit.
Sedrosken: how did you setup your keyboard? I type too much with the lights off, and numbers, so much as I love my keyboards, I do need something backlit.

Yeah, the K4 you went with will do fine. I can't remember -- does the K4 do hotswap for the switches or is that only the Pro? Mine's the Pro.

I bought mine with linears so it didn't make the devil's own noise typing on it at night, but man if I don't miss the positive feedback of a clickbar switch. I'm considering buying another set of Box Navies, in short.

If by "setup" you mean "change keys in the layout" I use QMK's online VIA software to do that. I believe you want to use a Chromium-based browser for it as it hooks into WebHID or something stupidly named like that. You can configure all sorts of wacky stuff there.

 

[LunarMist]

You install the second keyboard layout on your computer and tell the OS to use one vs the other. In Windows you get a little button in the tray on the right side of the taskbar that you can use to toggle. I imagine that you'll prefer the physical layout match the keyboard you're less familiar with but there are also keyboards that have the keys printed on both the top and front of the keycaps. I've seen that on laptops purchased in the Czech Republic and Greece.

I'm glad not be Swedish or Greek; it would be very difficult to use multiple languages continuously.
I am amazed how the Chinese and Japanese type thousands of character combinations so fast.

 

[ddrueding]

The Danish alphabet is additive to English. They have all the usual letters in the usual places, but have additional keys to do the extra things. They shrunk the left shift key and the enter key, and some of the characters are using the "alt" button (to the right of the space bar) to access. As such I don't actually need the multi-language settings at all. I'll link an image.

QWERTY - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Santilli]

Update: The K4 does not work with the software to reassign keys, from Keychron. I can't print screen. The keys have tiny lighted keycaps, and, the RGB is very low. Hard to read the keys, and the light doesn't come through. That, with the switches, I go blues, that are only maybe, 10% different from the Corsair, means the Keychron is going back. Tried to order Kilah Navy blues, but no one has them. The company shipped me Kilah Jades, very little different from the reds on the Corsair. I have my Unicomp Model M, and If I want to use it, I have a light for the keyboard. I also have a new Model M, not even out of the box.
To get what I really want, I need a base keyboard, that will take the Kalih Navy box blues, with a bright RGB lights. On social security, spending 400 bucks for that, is insane. The Corsair is close enough. Yes, the reds are light, but after the Carpal Tunnel Surgery, I'm starting to feel my left fingers.
I could also take the Model M, just light it with a USB light that I have already. Or, Get the New model M out, and do the same thing. Still, the corsair, with giant letters on their key caps, great back lighting, is damn good/
Forgot to mention, the Keychron K4 did not allow remapping, so I could do print screen. Their software did not work with the K4.
The keycaps letter were so small, I needed a magnifying glass for stuff I don't use often.
Only thing I liked was the keys were only slightly different from the Corsairs, but, I couldn't read the keycaps without a magnifying glass.
70 sucks.

 

[Santilli]

Company sent me box greens. Ever tried them?
Found specs. Greens are about half the force of Navy Blues. See no point. Not that much different from the Reds in the Corsair.
I LOVE the brightness, and the large letters on the Corsair. Finding the key and brightness is just as important, if not more important then the switches.

 

[Santilli]

CORSAIR STRAFE RGB MK.2 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - USB Passthrough - Linear and Quiet - Cherry MX Red Switch - RGB LED Backlit-17.6 x 6.61 x 1.57 inches​

OK. Current keyboard. I type in the dark. I'm recovering from Carpal Tunnel Surgery. Can't really feel fingers well.
I tried the Keychron 4. It was way smaller. The blue keys were better then the corsairs. However, the smaller keycaps keys sucked, and the Keychron software didn't work to reprogram keys, so I could use the print screen option.
Going back today.
I tried to order Kaliah Navy box, and got Jades, instead. Going back.
The reds, with my current fingers, aren't much different from the blues.
The Model M, though it has no back lighting , is far better then either. However, I would have to light it on it's own, which I can do, with a USB light.
I can live with the Corsair, since it's keycaps are bright, and large, bad eyes are my problem, and the back light is really good. Thank yo Corsair.
I stlll have a new Model M in a box, but, I'll wait. The Corsair has taught me really good RGB lighting, along with really good, big lettered, keycaps are vital to me. More important then switch pressure.
The blues, and these reds, aren't different enough to make a difference. The buckling springs do. And, maybe, the Kalih Box Navys might, but, I can't seem to order them.
And, I can't rationalize spending the money for a hot swap keyboard, for switches I can't buy, Navy Blues, and then need to install, on a board that doesn't have bright back lighting.
Only ones close are Drop for about 250.
And Keychron for about 240.
That's kind of insane, considering I have a Model M, and a new Model M, and all they need is a keyboard light, which I have., for like 8 dollars.

 

[sedrosken]

Yeah, keyboards as a hobby are definitely getting ridiculous in price. I'm glad I got in and got what I wanted more or less while it was still reasonable.

 

[Santilli]

CORSAIR STRAFE RGB MK.2 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - USB Passthrough - Linear and Quiet - Cherry MX Red Switch - RGB LED Backlit-17.6 x 6.61 x 1.57 inches​

Visit the Corsair Store

 

[Santilli]

Wow 95-110g force, your fingers must be buff. That's some serious switch force

Does anyone know of a company that makes a keyboard with Kalih Navys, and has standard windows features, and key positions? Needs to have RGB back lighting as well, and a nice feature would be swapable switches. I can't find anything with those features. Everyone uses light switches, etc.

 

[Santilli]

I think I've already said this, but I like Kailh BOX switches personally if you're after clickies. My BOX Navy board is thunderous and meaty and I love it. However I think the actuation force on those is like 95-110g? That's fine for me, but that's a remarkably heavy switch for anyone else and can make you fatigue pretty quick. The BOX Jades I think are the same deal but with looser springs, so they actuate at I believe 65-70g. That's still a bit heavy for someone used to Cherry switches IIRC.

I've bought a set of JWK Ultimate Blacks off Amazon for my K4 Pro on recommendation from one of my friends deeper in the hobby than I am. I mistyped earlier when I said I wanted Gateron Ink Blacks, I meant these. They're 63.5g and lubed, which should be a bit better than the Gateron Reds this board came with. Not that there's anything outright wrong with them, they're just far too light for my typing style. In fact, if you want them after I've got them out, let me know and I'll send them your way. I don't think there's enough switches there to populate a 104-key keyboard, though, I think an 1800 layout only has, like, 98 keys?

I figure this is close to the buckling springs, but with back lighting. Any keyboard offer them?

 

[sedrosken]

Not any that I know of offhand. You're best off getting a barebones kit of something and popping in switches you source yourself. Trouble is, finding them these days. I can't find more Navies to save my life at this point.

 

[Santilli]

Not any that I know of offhand. You're best off getting a barebones kit of something and popping in switches you source yourself. Trouble is, finding them these days. I can't find more Navies to save my life at this point.

I ordered the Navies online. They shipped me greens, which aren't that much different from my corsair with reds.

 

[sedrosken]

Seems like that was a substitution hoping you wouldn't notice the difference since the Jades and Navies are both still clicky -- the Jades are just significantly lighter.

I'm currently having a difficult time with finding any listing that shows them in stock from reputable sellers like NovelKeys or KBDFans.

 

[Santilli]

What are the best heavy stroke keyboards around?
RGB?

 

[Santilli]

What are the best heavy stroke keyboards around?
RGB?

????