The Mechanical Keyboard thread!

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networkn

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#2328645 2-Oct-2019 19:50

I have wanted to get into MK Keyboards for a long time, but I am struggling to find what I want. I want something that makes some noise, but isn't crazy loud, muted click is good, with smallish travel, but also has the extra keys and the like from my Logitech G15's.

There was a dizzying array at the Pbtech techxpo a few months back, but they all largely seemed very basic and I couldn't really find what I thought would be good (I found one, can't recall the model, but it was $350!).

Handle9

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#2706642 12-May-2021 17:05

I've just entered the mechanical keyboard rabbit hole with a Royal Kludge RK61

It's also my first experience with a 60% keyboard. So far I like it but I'm unsure where I'll stick with it or return it and get a Keychron K8 for the extra real estate. It's a local amazon purchase making returns are easy so it's a low risk trial.

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#2706670 12-May-2021 19:57

Handle9:

I've just entered the mechanical keyboard rabbit hole with a Royal Kludge RK61

It's also my first experience with a 60% keyboard. So far I like it but I'm unsure where I'll stick with it or return it and get a Keychron K8 for the extra real estate. It's a local amazon purchase making returns are easy so it's a low risk trial.

Welcome to the cult!

Glad this thread has life - I was thinking about it the other day.

My descent into madness has continued.

This is my daily driver at home currently - Polaris with Zealios V2 67g switches and GMK Moondust Caps. My first fully soldered attempt and it went beautifully:

My wife has ordered me one of these as an early birthday present to use for work:

https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product/f77-model-f-keyboard/

...and finally (yeah I know) I also have a Fox Labs Leaf 65 in Green on order with some GMK Fox caps, because I am a hopeless case.

Dial111

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#2706826 13-May-2021 07:00

I've jumped around prebuilts like ducky, keychron etc in the past which teased the addiction but I have started a tofu65 build that is almost complete with nk creams but waiting for a gb on gmk keycaps to come through shortly, I have preordered the gmmk pro also, not sure about the switches yet.

jonathan18

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#2706894 13-May-2021 11:04

Call me a philistine, and while I know this will be like pushing a Nespresso machine onto a seasoned espresso machine user, ’m totally happy with my Kogan mechanical keyboard that cost a total of $62 incl shipping!
Reasonable price? Check.
A decent enough feel? Check.
A clean but not too loud sound from the keys? Check.
Faster typing? Check.
And, most importantly, pretty and programmable lighting? Check, check, check...

It’s frustrating I can’t use one at work, which is where I do most of my typing - security issues plugging USB stuff into work computers - as I’d buy another one for sure.

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#2706936 13-May-2021 12:33

jonathan18: Call me a philistine, and while I know this will be like pushing a Nespresso machine onto a seasoned espresso machine user, ’m totally happy with my Kogan mechanical keyboard that cost a total of $62 incl shipping!

and obviously this is the correct answer!

As with anything, get to a point where you are satisfied and that's all you need. For me, it has become an active hobby, but I don't like to get snobby about it.

Fortunately I can use mine at work - I am sure when I get my Model F buckling spring this will annoy my office mates immensely...

Handle9

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#2708549 17-May-2021 18:36

Handle9:

I've just entered the mechanical keyboard rabbit hole with a Royal Kludge RK61

It's also my first experience with a 60% keyboard. So far I like it but I'm unsure where I'll stick with it or return it and get a Keychron K8 for the extra real estate. It's a local amazon purchase making returns are easy so it's a low risk trial.

I'm really enjoying typing on the Gateron Browns but I've decided that a 60% is just too many compromises for me. I've have bitten the bullet and ordered a Keychron K8. Shipping is 60% of the cost of the keyboard but it'll be here next week and then I can send the RK61 back.

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#2709452 19-May-2021 08:23

Long-time Razer BlackWidow user (big one at home, 60% at work until a few keys died and couldn't be revived).

The death of the small Razer almost aligned with when we went hotdesking though so having my own keyboard became a lot less practical, but I wasn't willing to go full size again as its just not comfortable for me over a whole day and what work calls ergonomically appropriate under a desk-assessment is always full-size and usually one with shallow laptop style keys, so having been through that process a few times I still opt to buy my own keyboards.

I've decided to go Keychron K6 the last few months, with brown switches - battery easily lasts the whole week and even though its a hassle getting out my own mouse, keyboard every morning instead of using the ones at any given desk I don't regret the purchase and wireless is a huge advantage. Now I want to replace the larger Razer at home too...

Even though shipping was a big proportion of the overall price it still seemed to compare well with what I could buy locally which mainly seemed to be gaming focused keyboards.

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#2716856 1-Jun-2021 19:50

2 years into my Ducky One 2 and I still love it. My wife originally thought I was mad spending as much as I did on "just a keyboard". Then she had to work from home one time and used the keyboard. Predictably the tune changed somewhat to "ok....its really good and I do want one but I'm still not spending that much on one".

And then I saw the post earlier about the Kogan/Dick Smith ones. So gave it a whirl - spent a little more than the original poster (about $75 delivered).

Have to say for that price, especially with full RGB, it is a bit of a bargain. Have actually bought another one for the kids to use (they like the RGB effects). Its no Ducky One 2 and the switches aren't as great as the Cherry MX in my Ducky. These are the red rather than brown I have there and their feel isn't for me.

For less than 1/3 of my Ducky I can highly recommend. And right now, depending on the switch you choose, its only $40! See: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/kogan-rgb-mechanical-keyboard-blue-switch

If you're curious about mechanical keyboards but their (typical) entry price puts you off this is worth a go. You can pay more for FAR worse keyboards.

Gurezaemon

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#2716868 1-Jun-2021 20:27

In an ideal world, there would be a split mechanical keyboard (I'm old and get sore wrists) without the 10-key at the right, but still with the 6-key cluster as well as separate arrow keys.

I'm currently using a Microsoft Sculpt, which is different to the MS Ergonomic 4000 that I've been using for yonks. However, software I use for work has a huge number of keyboard shortcuts that I have memorized, but the Home|End|PgUp|PgDn keys on the Sculpt are not separate from the main key cluster, and hard to use without looking. Ditto for the arrow keys.

The 10-key at the right is largely useless to me, and means I have to move my hand further over to the right to use the mouse, which aggravates shoulder issues. I shifted away from the MS Ergonomic 4000 for the narrower profile, but I really miss the discrete Home|End|PgUp|PgDn keys.

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Handle9

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#2716871 1-Jun-2021 20:40

Handle9:

Handle9:

I've just entered the mechanical keyboard rabbit hole with a Royal Kludge RK61

It's also my first experience with a 60% keyboard. So far I like it but I'm unsure where I'll stick with it or return it and get a Keychron K8 for the extra real estate. It's a local amazon purchase making returns are easy so it's a low risk trial.

I'm really enjoying typing on the Gateron Browns but I've decided that a 60% is just too many compromises for me. I've have bitten the bullet and ordered a Keychron K8. Shipping is 60% of the cost of the keyboard but it'll be here next week and then I can send the RK61 back.

I've had the K8 for around 10 days. I like it with two provisos. The keyboard is quite a lot higher than the RK61 so I may need a palm rest.

The other thing that isn't great is the bluetooth range. I've had to use a dongle to get it closer to the keyboard for my desktop. My laptop is right next to the keyboard so there is no problem with it.

Once it's close enough the bluetooth is reliable and the TKL layout is much better for me.

Dial111

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#2716942 1-Jun-2021 21:55

One thing with Keychrons is the horrible abs keycaps they ship with, once you fit it with some decent pbt keycaps it's a much better experience, also the thin foam inside the box is good for dampening out that hollow sound inside the case.

jonathan18

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#2716963 2-Jun-2021 05:53

nzkc:

And then I saw the post earlier about the Kogan/Dick Smith ones. So gave it a whirl - spent a little more than the original poster (about $75 delivered).

Have to say for that price, especially with full RGB, it is a bit of a bargain. Have actually bought another one for the kids to use (they like the RGB effects). Its no Ducky One 2 and the switches aren't as great as the Cherry MX in my Ducky. These are the red rather than brown I have there and their feel isn't for me.

For less than 1/3 of my Ducky I can highly recommend. And right now, depending on the switch you choose, its only $40! See: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/kogan-rgb-mechanical-keyboard-blue-switch

If you're curious about mechanical keyboards but their (typical) entry price puts you off this is worth a go. You can pay more for FAR worse keyboards.

There are also Kogan keyboards with red, blue or brown Cherry switches - currently $100 plus postage:

https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/kogan-full-rgb-cherry-mx-mechanical-keyboard-brown-switch-kogan/

produKt

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#2721553 10-Jun-2021 00:35

I sit here, listening to the music of the original 64k movie, having an epic nostalgia trip :)
In comes my IBM model M Keyboard and how I came across it.

Working in IT, I started doing SME support for Safe R Brakes here in chch. I assisted them in retiring their old dos terminal based environment onto a more modern automotive package hosted as a remoteapp on windows server. The transition was so successful the General Manager game me what I asked for. The keyboard from the old parts terminal. A grimey, disgusting mess of a thing and I don't think he understood why I wanted it.

Oh boy was it a mess. Deeply yellowed, filthy, covered in heavy grease and god knows whatelse (because #mechanics) unfortunately no before photo's - they've been lost to time. I put countless hours into researching the best way to give it the proper deep cleaning it deserves.

Again, you'll have to imagine.
I completely stripped the unit down to every individual component. Cleaned the PCB and cabling assemblies with Isopropyl alcohol and Contact Cleaner.
Soaked the frame and removed key caps in warm soapy water and manually wiped away what had softened. One more soak and another wipe down with a citrus based cleaned. Then into a bath for 8 hours of hydrogen peroxide and water (weak, 3.8% to 96.2% water)

Some years later and this is the result that's help up to the environment in the years since.

Regrettably, this tank of a keyboard is up for sale on our favorite Trading website ;)

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/computers/peripherals/keyboards/mechanical/listing/3129053168?bof=dsIKN0ST

michaelmurfy

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#2721555 10-Jun-2021 00:55

I was saying to @produKt that the old Mainframe guys at work all have IBM Model M keyboards attached to their workstations - I've always wanted one but can't live without the Windows key. I've found the happy medium myself to be basically any keyboard with Cherry MX Blues in them. The keyboard I use is a Cooler Master jobbie which has lasted very well.

I've found that putting o-rings on the keycaps helps dampen noise while keeping the same feeling - it is something I've done with my mechanical keyboards over the years.

Back when I was in my teens I actually had a number of Model M keyboards hanging around which sadly went to the tip at some point. I don't know if I kick myself more about that, or the fact I spent 48 bitcoin on a Pizza Hut Pizza back in the early days of Bitcoin...

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