Keyboard thread
Hey guys, anyone else into keyboards? Would love to hear about what you use or experiment with, I've only been into the hobby a few months so I am still pretty new. I'd love to hear your guys set up and what got you into it, how it's evolved.
Currently rocking a Keychron Q2 (65%) with Tecsee purple panda switches and Drop MT3 Cyber keycaps - Co piloting this is a KBDcrafts Addams numpad with their s2 engine switches.
I do also have a keychron Q8 (Alice) in transit - I plan to swap the switches to the KBD s2 engine switches as I am really liking them on the numpad. I ordered this model because my carpal tunnel issues are what awoke me to the mechanical keyboard world, the alice layout isn't perfect but better than standard for ergos it looks like.
Early on in the hobby I was convinced I'd be a tactile switch guy, but the s2 engine switches really changed my mind on liking linear, eager to try a full board with them.
This got rambly, but would love to hear from others into the hobby!
I'm using the ErogDox EZ, bought it when I started having pains in my hands. The pain is completely gone.
I'm on a Moonlander. Life changing.
Also on a Moonlander for about 1.5 years now. Absolutely love it!
I’ve been craving a moonlander for along time, so this is encouraging to hear! I’ve been debating whether I should buy one or build my own QMK keeb. I’ve soldered a bit here and there but I’m scared of messing it up!
What color did you go with? The white one looks beautiful but I don’t know if the color would hold up with time?
I went with the black. I unfortunately have pretty oily skin, so I tend to avoid white peripherals because they discolor so quickly for me.
Re: soldering - it's not terribly hard, though I do have a degree in Electrical Engineering, so I've done my fair share of it (only through-hole, though, no SMD). PCB design is the hardest part, IMO.
I also have a 3D printer and have been toying with building my own split (and I'd love to make the right thumb cluster have a trackball - that's my only complaint about the Moonlander). There's a website I saw for designing your own custom ergo keyboard, I'll try to find the link...
EDIT: Found it! https://ergogen.xyz/#
I don't have too many problems with it, but I also don't use arrow keys super frequently (I use vim bindings)
I love a numpad - so I have a layer that's activated by my left thumb that turns the right split into a numpad.
I have regular keycaps, but yes, there are some that don't have legends. I tend to use those for macros. And memorizing the different layers takes a bit, but you eventually build a config that works for you after you iterate on your layout a handful of times.
Here's my layout: https://configure.zsa.io/moonlander/layouts/gYdv3/latest/0
I still need to do more iterations - I realize that having a hotkey for
->and=>would be great for code.I bet thats awesome. I want to go full split. I've been looking at the lily58 kit. Right now I'm using an Akko Alice layout board. I feel cramped using my friends boards. Now to just go ortho and cut it in half.
It's was definitely worth it. It was the most expensive keyboard I purchased so I was hesitant. Up until that point I was a major ducky fan, but the pain between my thumb/palm the rest of my hand and wrists pushed me over the edge to give it a try.
Mine is setup to where my arms do not need to move at all from my arm rests. They are wide enough apart that my 12.9 iPad Pro can sit comfortably between the sections which yielded a surprising extra benifit of being able to use it as dedicated note, video call, etc device without any fuss. This allows me to context switch to my notes/todo list/documentation etc and actually focus on them.
The layout choices on that board are interesting, how long did the transition take?
Chiming as another Ergodox EZ user. I used a different split keyboard for about a year, ~four years ago. It was a standard, non-ortholinear board (Kinesis Freestyle).
Moving from standard non-split to standard split was pretty hard for me due to my bad typing habits. I had learned to use my index fingers to reach across the middle of the keyboard - for example, I would often press
ywith my left index finger. It took me a week or so to break this, and my typing speed was very slow.Then I ended up just on a macbook keyboard for the next few years before I got the Ergodox EZ. The ortholinear key arrangement took me another week or so. I also enabled
hardmodeby getting blank keycaps.A few months later, my typing speed is similar to what it was on a normal board and my keyboard-related write issues are resolved. I still use QWERTY, but my second Ergodox layer has a lot of custom shortcuts to help me to stay on the home row.
In both transitions, I went cold turkey and used the split board exclusively. In retrospect, this was essential to me picking up the new gear effectively. Just have to power through the awkwardness.
I can't say for everyone but I also have an ErgoDox EZ. It took me about 1 week to get comfortable with it. 3 weeks back to my old typing speed.
The hardest part for me was getting used to the ortholinear part of my layout. I used to hit the
bkey with my right hand but now its on the left board.About 1-1.5 weeks to learn the board, kept a printed PDF of the layout tented between the keyboard as a reminder. It then took about 3-6 weeks to get proficient with it during which I was tweaking the layers slightly every few days until I found the setup I like the most. Now days I can switch between the ErgoDox, my ducky, work and personal laptop without missing a beat.
I'm using a Ducky Shine 3 TKL with Cherry Blue switches. I love it but everyone else in my house are annoyed by the clickety clack.
I had the same issue (with the same Shine 3 model too!). I eventually switched to a Shine 7 with MX Browns instead and it's made everyone a lot happier. I like the Browns as well, it actually might be my favourite of the Cherry MX switches now.
That said I'm not particularly happy with the quality control of the Shine 7 so I may look for a non-Ducky next time.
I love the clickety clack! Unfortunately, remote work and online gaming means that the clickety-clack was often an annoyance over comms. I changed over to Cherry Red switches and it's made it a lot easier to do meetings and raids without my mic randomly firing because of my typing!
Currently on a Keychron K6 with oil king switches. I came from a board with MX Browns so sorta missing that tactile feel. I may pony up for a tactile board maybe baby kangaroo switches. I fear I may go in super deep with a full on custom but alas I don't know how to solder so that's doing me a favor from completely going down the rabbit hole.
The nice thing is that so much of the market now is hot swap, so even on a full barebones kit it's simple to get it going exactly how you like it, the hardest part is choosing switches imo - so so many options even within tactile or linear.
Yeah I need to try one, amazing how different the experience can be with different switches!
I have gone back and forth on the key height, I like low profile but I've been infatuated with the MT3 profile lately, very tall but scooped out so it feels awesome. Been on a set of those for a couple of weeks now.
My work machine has been rocking a ZSA Moonlander since 2020, thinking about getting a second one so I don't have to keep moving it from machine to machine. Split keyboard and ortholinear took me a good couple weeks to get used to, but I'm fully up to speed on it at this point.
I also use a Moonlander and love it. After I got it all other keyboards have lost their appeal 😅
I’ve considered the Moonlander. I already use a split keyboard (Kinesis) so I feel like the learning curve would be slightly less. It’s one I wish I could try out first.
I am never going back to anything but a split ortholinear after getting used to it. I am however considering printing my own Dactyl in the future.
I've been lusting after the moonlander since I started looking at ergo boards, would you recommend it?
Guy next to me at work has a Moonlander and envies my Sol 3! I think the Moonlander is a good option and comes fully assembled, but feels a little cheaper than the Sol and is less customizable.
The Moonlander has better keymap customization without writing code, however.
Does the moonlander use via/something similar or manufacturer software?
Both Moonlander and Ergodox EZ (both by ZSA) use a web-based configurator called Oryx (video overview). You can flash the keyboard through the browser even. Works great.
To add to that, both use QMK firmware which can be configured manually. IIRC Oryx is just a wrapper around QMK.
There's a steep learning curve, but they have an online tool that you can test your typing speeds in various scenarios against to see how you're picking it up. I've definitely noticed significantly less wrist pain than before I was using it, and the full customization of the thing is great to play with.
You can see my config for example here, but you can also find community submitted configs for various uses as well. Overall, would definitely recommend.
I got a moonlander thinking about all those characters I wanted to have handy on a second layer only to find out that adding a, for example, greater than sign, in Spanish keyboard setting on a MAC was pretty much impossible due to how things work.
That silly macro restriction is more inconvenient that it looks like, I should be able to do with my keyboard what I want, not having my mommy (zsa) telling me I can't have another cookie.
My posture has improved though, I'm more relaxed and mindful of it while typing and the columnar layout feels nice after getting the hang of it.
I love my Moonlander but after more than a year of using it I'm not sure I would be getting another one like it. I do like the split, but I absolutely hate that it's ortholinear (Didn't realise it was until it arrived and somehow I couldn't type properly).
I also recently got keycaps to replace the defaults but it's hard to find a set that works, specially for the thumb keys.
I can't even imagine the nightmare of trying to replace the thumb keys on these, the stems are cherry, but there are also stabilizers, and the shape is unique. The rest of the thumb cluster are standard at least, but those red ones are definitely special. The ortholinear part was definitely the hardest part for me getting used to the keyboard, but I like it (or at least tolerate it) these days. I might branch out to a different split keyboard at some point, but I see no reason to, especially at the cost, at this time.
I'm a little the same.
I don't have a moonlander, but my first split keyboard was ortholinear (Ergodash). I got used to it, but then I got a job where sometimes I have to travel with a laptop and I just couldn't type on a staggered keyboard anymore, and you look like a complete bellend to crack out an otholinear to set up next to it.
I've gone to split staggered. I feel like I have more issues finding models but it's extremely easy to type on a normal keyboard when I need to.
...with one caveat, I type dvorak, so I still can't type easily on someone else's keyboard.
Do you have recommendations for split staggered keyboards?
I have both ymdk ones https://ymdkey.com/collections/split-75-60
I prefer the 60%, I originally got the 75% thinking the numbers would be useful (and are unusually on the left where I prefer my numpad) but I can't get used to two columns. I programmed the F row as macros which I do like though (obviously I could also do this with the numbers).
I got the 60% to leave in the office (I work hybrid) and prefer it though, even if I do miss the macro keys.
There are others though, I think if you live in the USA you've got more options you can easily get hold of. I dislike the software on Ymdk ('bootloader') and would much rather have a qmk one (qmk is better and bootloader doesn't run on Linux, unfortunately every computer at home or work is some flavour of Linux so it's a faff to try and borrow a pc if I want to change a mapping).
I liked the look of the dygma raise because it has thumb keys, I probably would have got it if it didn't have fixed wrist rests, (which would get in the way of the floating wrist rest I use when my wrist is really bad)
Thanks so much for posting that. While I do love the thumb keys on my Moonlander I like everything else better about these models. The Dygma Raise actually looks perfect, I don't need a new keyboard... But I'm feeling like I should really get that one right now.
I’ve been resisting getting too deep into keyboards. I’ve had my eyes on a Keychron Q10 Alice for a while. I’m just afraid that if I get one then I’ll be off to the races customizing and then building my own.
That absolutely is happening to me, I thought I just needed one good board, but now I am 5 deep. All different formats at least, but it's fun to try new stuff, especially switches and keycaps!
I just bit that bullet from the start and soldered together a Sofle RGB as my first. I spent actual years reading up on stuff and watching reviews of different boards, switches, and keycaps, so I was very confident in my choice. It's been about a year now and I've still got no desire to get another keyboard.
My only regret is cheaping out on the case, but I can always get a nicer case.
That is currently my dream keyboard! Could you maybe tell me some more about the building process? What made the case cheap? Did you order it from someplace as a kit? What switches and keycaps do you have? Do the ergonomics feel good to your hands? Do you actually use the RGB lighting?
I ordered a kit from ergomech.store, so I had to build it from bare components, which was a lot of fun. Soldered it together with a SA-001 soldering pen, which is a slightly cheaper clone of the TS100. All in all, it was a fairly smooth experience, although I spread the work over three days I had off. Even though I'd only done through-hole soldering before, I just took it slow and used plenty of flux and met with good results. Getting the LEDs oriented correctly was a little painful, since different manufacturers' LEDs can vary in appearance, and may or may not match the build guide you're looking at.
The switches are Kailh BOX Pinks, which are very clicky without being too heavy. My previous keyboard used buckling springs, and Kailh BOX clickies are a vaguely similar feel to that, or at least about as close as one can get from an MX switch. The keycaps are just a cheap DSA set from KPRepublic, but I'd like to try out an SA set at some point. Ergonomics feel nice. In all honesty I don't type a whole lot, but even then it's far more comfortable than a traditional keyboard, and having the Enter key on a thumb is the best. Still stumble a little on the split nature, reaching to press 'y' with my right index finger, things like that.
I use the RGB in a minimal fashion. I just found a color I like, and kept that static for most of the board. The top rows, bottom rows, and outermost columns are set to change color to indicate the current layer.
Would you say it's a doable project for someone who has next to no experience in soldering?
The changing of colors depending on which layer you use sounds very cool. I will have some time to myself in the next couple of weeks, so it sounds like a nice project to do in a couple of days!
Surface-mount soldering adds new challenges beyond that of through-hole, but it's not at all impossible. I had only ever done a handful of soldering projects in my life, yet I managed to put together a functional keyboard. (which I'm typing this reply on :D) As long as you're careful, take your time, pay attention to detail, and do a good bit of research beforehand, it's absolutely doable.
A few things to keep in mind:
The cost to have the board pre-soldered from the merchant may very well be less than the cost of soldering equipment. If you don't plan to do more soldering projects, this may be worth it.
An adjustable temperature soldering iron is a must, especially when working with LEDs, which are temperature-sensitive and can be cooked easily. A TS100, TS80, or clone of either is a good budget option in leu of a full-on soldering station.
Good solder and flux will make the process much easier. I used Kester "44" 63/37 0.015" solder, and a Kester 186 flux pen. Both worked very well for me.
Before you even order the kit, I'd advise you to watch some YouTube videos of professionals showing good and bad soldering habits. You can watch the craft done well, and learn to identify cold joints, cracked joints, bridged pins, too little solder, too much solder, and other issues - all before you get started yourself. EEVblog has a three-part tutorial series on soldering, with part 3 specifically being aimed at surface-mount work. Each video is 30+ minutes long, which is a lot of time, but it was worth watching for me.
As you work, stop often to plug the board in and test it.
I forgot to mention the issue I have with my case in my last comment, although it may just be a design flaw of the Sofle in general. The PCB is a floating PCB, which means it's held up against the plate just by the friction of the switches in their hotswap sockets. But the rotary encoder doesn't brace against the case at all, which means when I click it down, the PCB can be moved down with the force and pull away from the plate. I've actually had instances where, after clicking the encoder, I had a couple of keys that wouldn't register until I pushed up on the PCB and down on the keys to get everything reseated.
I've been using a Das Keyboard with Cherry browns for gaming and a Das Keyboard with Cherry blues for work for the past 10 years. I really like both of them. The design is very straight-forward and they've held up well with minimal maintenance.
Heh your coworkers haven't murdered you for the sound of the blues yet?
haha I work from home mostly now. But back when I was in the office, no one seemed to mind. It is very loud, though.
Heh that works!
I've been rocking my Das with browns for like seven years now. Great kit.
I have been using my Das Keyboard 4 Professional with MX Brown switches as my daily driver for many years, no complaints at all. Never been brave enough to rock Blue switches, but I'm more than happy with the Browns.
I have carpal tunnel, so I've been using the Kinesis Advantage since 2015. I own 2 of them--one for work office, one for home office--and have fallen in love with them. It took me about a week to get accustomed to the altered layout, and I also use a foot switch for certain shortcuts (e.g. toggling the number pad on the right-hand side of the keyboard).
The foot pedal idea is fascinating - I love that!
I'm in accounting/finance, so being able to toggle the number pad without moving my right hand is pretty incredible. I also use an Evoluent vertical mouse.
I have a real cheap vertical mouse as a proof of concept and I'm looking for a long term option, this one just made the list for sure.
I tell my friends that this keyboard saved my career in computing. With proper desk/chair height and posture - switching to this keyboard pretty much eliminated all wrist and shoulder pain for me. It's not as fancy as some of the tricked out lifestyle keyboards (that sounds funny to say) but no pain was a big seller for me.
Kinesis Advantage + Evoluent vertical mouse mouse + 4 foot switches + Herman Miller chair + UPLIFT standing desk (+ optional cushion for standing) = winning combination
I also listened to an Ezra Klein podcast about chronic pain my MIL recommended to me that completely changed my outlook on my carpal tunnel and RSI issues. I had spent years and years thinking about my chronic pain, adjusting my lifestyle to accommodate that pain, and avoiding certain fun activities that might trigger pain when I really needed to just live my life. All my thoughts and decisions happened in the context of that pain.
If there's one thing I'm good at, it's compartmentalizing, and that's what it boiled down to for me. Not thinking, just doing. I throw myself into more activities without a second thought - staying active and having fun are often lasting distractions if not temporary cures from pain. I still have pain, but I'd say it's about 20-30% of what it was 6 months ago when I was feeling pretty gloomy about the situation having spent my whole adult life dealing with it. And that's with significantly increased stamina too. I basically had to rewire my brain.
I use a Sol3. Thing is awesome! Ortho split with a thumb cluster on each hand. I always thought the old Logitech G13 was super cool, but also impractical. Split keyboards let me do that while being actually useful!
I'm hovering on the split keyboard idea, concerned about how much space it takes however. Do you feel like that's notable or ends up not being a big deal?
I find it takes up less room on my desk than even a TKL (depending on the board). Yes, a Dactyl can be a chonkster, but it isn’t terrible and most of the other split setups out there don’t take nearly as much space. My primary two split boards are the Avalanche and the Hillside (trying to get used to no numbers row as well as have something low profile for traveling), and they’re pretty small.
Also, the space between the halves is usable. You’ll often find a drink or snack between the halves of my boards.
Depends on what you are rocking now. If you have a full size keyboard, splits will usually be much smaller. In my opinion, the advantage of the split lets you position them however widely or narrowly as you see fit. If you need space to move you mouse around more for an FPS or something, just remove the right half and you are good!
I’ve gotta ask: is ortho comfortable? I’ve stuck with staggered columnar so far using the logic that “my fingers are different lengths so having the keys be mono-spaced doesn’t make sense”. Am I off base?
I’ve tried both staggered (moonlander) and ortho (Sol3). Personally, I found the staggered to be uncomfortable as for whatever reason I felt I had to reach further for the number row. It probably comes down to how my hands rest on the keyboard and my typing style.
As a side, I have a Planck keyboard and hated typing on it. I could see the value in ortho, but the planck was too small and pushed me to look for the split as I still saw value in the ortho layout.
Fair enough, thanks for your insights!
It started with two... now I have many. Five in use, one broken.
Ducky One Two - Horizon theme - Cherry MX Whites
Varmilo VA108M - Moonlight White theme - Cherry MX Clears
Keychron K2
Keychron K8
Epomaker TH66 Pro - Monet theme - Epomaker Flamingo switches
Broken:
Whitefox
I have a Ducky One Two as well, it’s been an awesome little keyboard.
I still use the first keyboard I bought (Corsair K70) I bought on my main PC, but also got a Ducky One for work. Then we all went home during covid. I've exclusively used a laptop since then so my poor Ducky is sitting unused.
It's so good, but I can't make myself give up the corsair
Which one gets the most usage for you?
They're all connected to different PCs (I have a problem... lol) that serve various purposes. My most-used though is the Varmilo because it's the one on my gaming/main PC. The Ducky and Epomaker come next, then the Keychrons. I still love the Keychrons they just serve purposes that see less constant use (music production PC and living room PC which is my only content source for my living room TV)
I have swapped the Varmilo and Ducky a few times between PCs. I love every keyboard I have had, pretty much.
I'm currently rotating among several!
An AV4 (stacked acrylic Alice): if you have reasonable typing technique, IMO Alice/Arisu layouts are the best blend of ergonomics and learning curve. The AV4 is a nice board and not too expensive compared to an aluminum Alice.
A Sol 3 (ortholinear split): this is my favorite but it takes a lot of getting used to. I am learning to use more layers with this board. The real value of a split is that you are supposed to put the two halves roughly in line with your chair armrests and keep your forearms straight. It is so comfortable.
A QK65: the most traditional board I use. I regularly change switches and caps just to try stuff. This sounds the best of any of my boards, with Oil Kings and an aluminum plate right now.
I try not to buy the same "type" of board twice right now while I'm in the "learn exactly what you like" phase, so I have a lot of different switches and some keycaps in different profiles. The real value of this hobby is definitely the customization, IMO. I used to use Cherry Brown switches before I got into this hobby, and liked the tactile feel, but after trying a dozen switches I realize it's the weight I liked more than the tactility so I currently like heavy linears a lot.
I've tried DSA, KAT, and Cherry keycap profiles and really like KAT but the keycaps themselves aren't amazing quality.
I think I am with you on the heavy aspect being what I like - that's interesting, I hadn't thought of that.
How do you like that ortho board? I’ve been sticking to columnar staggered so far but I am interested in ortho.
I think I need more time to get truly comfortable but I already find that my fingers like the consistency of the columns. Fingers don't really flex side-to-side so the movement comes from the wrist. Ortho minimizes that movement and generally keeps my hand and forearm relaxed and straight.
My biggest complaint is that 6 is on the wrong hand in ortho layouts but I adjusted.
I also like the lack of side-to-side movement of the columnar-staggered boards I've been using (another take on split ortho), and I'm right there with you regarding the 6 being on the wrong side lol.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
I've always been a big fan of Leopold mechanical keyboards, but as I got older I started experiencing discomfort in my hands, mostly due to using the pinkies for modifier keys like Ctrl and Shift.
I switched to the Kinesis Advantage2, which places most modifier keys at the thumb. It took some getting used to, but it's been significantly more comfortable.
Unfortunately it's not very practical for PC games, and it's comically overpriced. There seem to be a lot of affordable competitors around these days though.
That layout is fascinating - how long did it take you get used to it?
I think it took a couple of weeks to comfortably touch type again, albeit at a slower speed. By six months I was proficient, and my touch typing speed actually got faster than it was before.
The main reason is I never quite learned how to touch type the number row and its symbols before. Their placement on a QWERTY keyboard always felt awkward to me. The Kinesis Advantage2 places all keys in straight columns (but indented to different depths based on finger length). This made their locations really predicable and easy to learn, so I learned to touch type them without really trying.
Your mileage may vary. I probably could have been just as fast on a regular QWERTY keyboard if I had practiced the number row more.
I’ve been using a split ergo board and while there is a learning curve it’s not that bad.
I got into the keyboard hobby during the first year of the pandemic at the end of 2020 so the type of available keyboards back then were very different to now (I see majority of people in this thread have Keychrons). It all started with typing tests I randomly came across on YouTube.
It was all "gaming keyboards" for me before then, such as the Corsair K70 RGB Pro, but I got sick of how it sounded in comparison and especially how rattly the spacebar became over time.
First custom keyboard was the NK65 (hot-swappable), followed eventually by the KBD67 R2 Lite (gasket mount is the way) as the "better" replacement.
My path from here has been pretty linear as I tried out "flavour of the month" switches and boards from different layouts that I thought were practical. Also moved on to solder boards and even mill-maxed my own PCBs.
I'm basically retired now as I've obtained all the keyboards/layouts I want and am satisfied with my current set of switches. Half the reason being money (huge money sink obviously if you keep up with latest stuff), and the other being just burn out - I've come to be really sick of lubing switches/stabs and re-building keyboards.
Here's what I'm currently rocking:
I also have a spare macropad (the Yampad V2) which I built in case I feel like I missing having a numpad, but it does require a separate USB-C cable.
So yea, I've gone a bit too deep into this hobby but alas I've settled down already.
I found that I didn't really like most tactile switches I tried, but if I had to recommend some that are easily available to anyone, I would definitely say Gazzew Boba U4Ts (not to be confused with U4, which are silent tactiles).
This is great, I think it's fascinating how much the hobby exploded during the pandemic, I see so many creators, hobbyists, and even companies started in 2020.
Subjective, but do you feel it's worth it to lube your own switches? I've seen how a factory lube is way nicer than something unlubed, but am very hesitant to do so much tedious work on each switch.
There's two reasons I urge people to lube their switches. Done properly, switches will feel and sound better done by hand. Plenty of people find factory-lubed switches "good enough" but I feel like if you're going to dip your toes into a hobby, you might as well jump all the way in and see what you learn.
The same goes for soldering your switches instead of buying hot-swap pcb's. Buy a switch sampler and really take the time to find what you prefer. Try films, frankenswitches, spring swaps, etc. Then when you build a board, have a concept in mind and execute it well.
That's fair, I may try to lube then. Can you explain what films are going to do?
Films are useful for some switches whose housings don't fit together super tightly. They reduce any housing wobble and increase feel and sound consistency. Many switches don't need films.
Oh that makes total sense, I sincerely appreciate it!
Films can tighten up the fitment between top and bottom switch housings. It decreases some "wobble" and changes the sound profile.
Things were also a LOT more expensive around that time.
I do think it's worth lubing your own switches for a few reasons, the pros being:
Cons:
Adding on to the last note above, you COULD also get your switches lubed via a reputable switch lubing service at an additional cost if you are too lazy to do your own. Really subjective to where you live so you'd need to ask around in the community.
I used such a service once before in my area (I live in Melbourne, Australia) from a person that everyone was recommending and haven't regretted it, they did an amazing job.
Thank you! A couple of questions.
Experience definitely helps but I find that having some sort of visual cue and/or process really helps (e.g. dip the brush slightly in the lube then wipe against a corner 3 times which will kind of ensure you're using the same amount of lube each time, OR using the reflection of a bright lamp to see how thick the layer of lube is). These are things you'll pick up naturally and I don't think anyone explicitly teaches.
You don't really need any special "kit" (but you're free to get one ofc) - I picked up a cheap "lubing brush" (it's really just a thin paint brush) from my local keyboard store as well as a tub of Krytox 205g0 (the most standard lube for switches).
I feel like there are a lot of other options for lube now which I haven't kept up with, but the krytox has been my go-to for linear switches. Tactiles generally prefer the lighter lubes to keep tactility, such as Tribosys 3203/3204.
That helps, thank you! I'm thinking I may start lubing the switches for my numpad and see how that goes since the count is much lower.
Most of the flavor-of-the-month switches now are at least factory lubed and available on Amazon.
There are even hand lubed switches on Taobao now :( ´◦ω◦｀):
please don't come after me for wallet damage I'm even more bankrupt
I have a pok3r but have been using the Keychron V5 for the past several months. I love having the volume knob as well as the number pad in a relatively compact layout.
I just transitioned back to my Pok3r from a Leopoldo TKL and I’ve been loving it. It’s much faster to navigate around with, sans mouse.
The volume knob is so damn handy! While the function is very simple it's huge for me at work as I take a lot of phone calls and there is a lot of interaction with my fellow employees, so being able to super quickly and easily turn the volume down is invaluable to me.
Currently just using a GMMK Pro with lubed+filmed Gateron Yellows and knock off classic Mac keycaps. Absolutely love this board but now thinking about getting an ergonomical keyboard. Split between the Kinesis Advantage keyboards and others like the ZSA Moonlander.
I've been using a Planck (67g Tangerines) daily for almost 2 years now and have been enjoying it greatly. One thing I really like (that isn't just specific to the Planck) is being able to customize the layout with QMK to create weird macros or layers for my own workflow.
I also have an unbuilt Lumberjack that sits in my drawer of unfinished projects. Should probably get to soldering it sometime...
The Planck I've been intrigued by, my big concern would be trying to learn all of the layers you need for working efficiently on a a smaller layout like that - how long did it take you?
It definitely was tricky to get started. Getting used to typing on the default layout took me about 2-3 weeks, with daily practice. It helps to have a reference sheet until you get used to the default 3 layers too. Only then would I recommend playing around with 4 layers or more.
I've found I can remember certain functions I use a lot in layers, but some of the weirder stuff I entirely forget.
I've been using a Planck for about 7 years now in various forms. I started with a hand wired one with a fully 3D printed case and plate. I enjoyed that enough that I stuck with it and built a few others versions before finally getting the drop/OLKB version.
I have an Ergodox and a Keychron unfortunately collecting dust. I switched to a Logitech K860 split keyboard (ISO) at the start of the year, and this thing is a real sweet spot for me. I had grown used to QMK with Ergodox, but these days
kanatahas everything I personally use from QMK and more (and I can version control my layer configurations with my NixOS config!)Since
kanataoperates on the software level, I wrote an integration between it and my tiling window manager so now different layers get applied automatically depending on which application is focused, what the title of the application window contains etc.It's one of those little quality of life changes I can never go back from. How could I ever waste keys on a layout that are dedicated to switching layouts ever again now that I've experienced automagical layer switching? 😅
That is awesome, so cool to have that be automatic!
/r/mk was a dangerous rabbit hole. My daily driver is my QK75
This set up sounds absolutely killer!
I've got a keytron K6 Pro I'm pretty happy with in general, BUT I got an IBM Terminal model M (122-key, so numpad + 24 f-keys) at a local e-waste store recently (and the terminal it goes with, a monochrome 3477). After bolt-modding it and building up a converter, I'm using on my main system now. WAY bigger than the keyboards I've been using a for a while now (a planck, ducky one II mini and now the keychron), and heavier keys to boot, but I'm pretty happy with it so far.
So so cool! That's awesome!
I've been kinda on and off messing with mechanical keyboards for years, I mostly got into them just because I was like "huh, keyboards don't have to just be the boring cheap junk that just happens to come with the computer?" after hearing about like /r/mechanicalkeyboards back when I spent a lot more time on reddit (circa like 2015ish-2022), and I mostly hit lulls in how much I actively research into them usually just from finding something I like for an extended period of time.
I'm a pretty big fan of tactile switches, both ones that are silent-ish and ones that click. Some of my favorites are like Cherry MX clears, Zealios, topre switches, and the IBM buckling spring. I have messed a little with a board with mx reds, and while I think I could learn to love linear switches, tactile ones just feel nicer to me imo. One thing kinda disappointing to me though is how like some tactile switches just have such a weak bump feeling to them, certain flavors of gateron brown come to mind for me as the more disappointing varieties.
Boards I like:
Interesting boards to shout out I guess:
Boards that I wanted to like more than I actually do:
Boards I kinda regret:
Boards that I own and have used, but don't really have strong thoughts about now that I have ones that I like better:
Thank you for the really well considered response! I would agree on tiny bump tactiles, the Browns that came with my keychron k10 were so soft I was convinced they gave me a linear switch until a popped a keycap off.
Have you tried any panda switches? Curious how the zealios compare.
I have not tried panda switches yet, so unfortunately I can't really help you there.
One of my old mechs came with linear blacks so I did a stem swap to convert it to panda clears, and that’s what made me want to try zealios, especially since you can’t really find clears anymore. Zealios are my current favorite switch
Have a keychron q4 with boba u4t switches and some key caps from osumekeys. Key switches are subjective, but I have no idea how browns, which it originally came with, are the most popular switches. Scratchy reds indeed. And gateron browns are supposed to be the smoother ones compared to cherry!
Yeah the Browns I thought were my ticket at first, quickly moved past them, especially after using other tactile switches, I do not like them very much.
I have a Leopold FC750R with cherry brown switches that I love. It’s gone unused for the past 1.5 years though as I got rid of the archaic desktop I used it with and switched to laptop only. I’ve just recently bought a new external monitor so I’m looking to set it up again for use at home, but as it’s literally been collecting dust for 1.5 years I have to clean it first.
I don't have a computer at home (phone and tablet) but my work doesn't care about me using my own equipment, so my work desk has all my goodies.
Pretty simple here, Keychron K8 with Akko Jelly Black switches and keycaps from Epomaker. I don't know if I could go any further down the rabbit hole, I might never climb back out lol.
What do you think of those switches? I've almost bought them twice.
I quite like them! They're pretty smooth and they have quite a nice sound. Though keep in mind I haven't used many other switches, my frame of reference is Razer Greens, Cherry MX Browns, and Gateron Reds
That's totally fair, my experience is pretty limited as well but trying to broaden my library!
I’ve been playing around in the ergo-mech space. I’m currently using a Hillside (Choc Browns) and an Avalanche (Cherry MX Brown).
What config is your hillside in? Looks like a few options.
Yeah, i think there are four configs from which you can choose.
I went with the 46 mostly because someone had already modeled a case with a travel cover and using a low profile board like that for travel was a goal. Also, I believe the 46 is the only one of the bunch that gives you the option to add an ESD chip and decoupling capacitors. That was a plus for me as I want to continue to improve my soldering skills.
Edit: here’s a link to that travel case
I just got a Keychron Q6 with the volume knob in the mail yesterday. Gateron Pro Red switches. I am seriously loving it so far. Honestly I'm just looking for things to type on in order to get an excuse to type more.
Before this keyboard I had a Corsair K70 MK.2 with Cherry Speed switches. Loving the Keychron way more.
I got way too deep into keyboards for a while, but I've settled on a few staples for now:
I'm a big fan of tactile switches... I've been using Zeal PC Zilents for years, but does anyone have recommendations on their favorite tactile switches? I'm considering picking up a new set for when my Whitefox gets here.
Turbulence are my favorite right now but they are a very heavy tactile which may not be your style. They're cheap though.
I haven't tried many, but my favorites right now are the Akko Jelly Purples that came on my Akko 3068b. They require much more force to press than the Cherry, Gateron, and Kalih brown switches that I'm used to, I really like it. I've also got next to no key-wobble with them, but I'm not sure how much that comes down to the switch vs the rest of the keyboard.
I'm currently running a corsair k100 with their OPX switches, I really like the linear and light feeling on the keys, I have have been interested in trying a different type of switches and I think it's relatively easy to swap them out.
Anything hot swappable is very easy to change switches!
My first mechanical keyboard is a Keychron K3 Pro with linear switches that I backed on Kickstarter. Pretty nice. Took some getting used to from my old membrane keyboard but I vastly prefer it now
It's amazing how nice it feels in comparison to a membrane, I am a total snob about it.
I try not to be, I'm sure my family's heard enough about it 😅
Solid progression!
I'm sporting a Solfe RGB with Kailh BOX Pinks and some inexpensive KPRepublic DSA keycaps. Bought a kit and built the board myself as a weekend soldering project.
Coming from an IBM model M, I'm very happy with the weight and tactility of the BOX pinks, although I honestly kinda miss the spring ping. There's also a lot more space on my desk now, which is great.
I've gone down a decently long path of ergo keyboards (although nothing custom built yet). For a long time I used the Kinesis Freestyle Pro. These days I'm using a Dygma Raise.
Overall, there are pros and cons to both. The Dygma is more compact and has a broader feature set, better software, etc. And a smaller footprint on your desk. However, due to having fewer keys and relying on layers, you end up having to use a lot of layer shifting for it to be fully functional and get the most value out of its features. This can be fatiguing in its own way. The Freestyle Pro is roomier and simpler, as it has dedicated macro keys and you don't have to worry about layers. I like them both in their own way.
Those are both sweet, the dygma definitely looks better but I am a sucker for macro keys.
My gaming machine has a Discipline 60. Living room is a Mercutio 40%. I have a Romeo 40% that I love but don't have a machine for. My work/travel board is a cornishzen after several crkbd (its so perfect as it fits in the sling i carry my laptop in + the ms arc mouse, so i've always got a full setup). I've also got a kyria in the not in use pile and a few others i've given away (drop alt is the only one I can easily remember).
I actually did the kits for the Discipline/Mercutio/Romeo but never had the guts to try it for the small ergo splits, which seems justified given the hit or miss success i've had with the crkbd's (which is a huge shame because again I LOVE the layout).
I don't have pics of all of them, but here's the Discipline, the old crkbd, and the Mercutio-
https://imgur.com/a/8ooZtUU
Edit- as of posting, the imgur gives the "this may contain 18+ content" warning, which I think is either a standard thing now, or hilarious that their image reader thinks the boards are sexy.
Love the split space bar, what key do you map for the key in between?
All 3 are space on tap and a different layer on hold so that I can very quickly jump between layers
Right now, I just use a membrane keyboard. I've been considering getting a mechanical keyboard, but I think I'd like a wireless one, and almost everything on the market seems to be Bluetooth instead of 2.4ghz. I generally try to avoid Bluetooth anything when I can: I've found it to be more trouble than it's worth on Linux.
Ignoring Bluetooth, I've been looking somewhat at one-of the KeyboardIO Atreus, the Keychron V1/Q1/V10/Q10 or V2/Q2/V8/Q8 or Q11, or the Kinesis Advantage360 Pro. They're all so expensive though. I guess the Vs are reasonably priced, but they're also not wireless... and quite a few of them have wacky layouts that I don't know if I'd like until trying. I was also somewhat considering building my own, but think it might end up being more expensive + Keychron pretty much just has the layouts I would like to try.
There are a fair amount that use 2.4 ghz thankfully, I also don't like bluetooth for this application, what layout are you looking at doing?
Well, I use a custom layout, so something with QMK. Otherwise I might have gone for the Logitech MX Mechanical Mini.
As far as keyboard layout goes, I'm not quite sure (hence the variety in the above comment): 75% seems nice, but if there's a volume wheel I could also reasonably use a 65%. The Keychron layouts seem perfect IMO: the big blocker is the Bluetooth connectivity, and whether or not I would like a non-standard layout like the Alice/Atreus/Kinesis. I do like having the arrow keys somewhat offset from the rest of the keyboard.
Not too attached to backlights but they might be nice, so another win for the Keychron lineup.
Keychron is really cool, they're a great mid range in terms of build and sound but offer so many cool layouts, reasonable prices, and a lot of them have the qmk/via support. The volume knob is absolutely invaluable to me as well.
It's not invaluable to me per say, it more so eliminates the need for me to have a function key row since I bind all the would-be editor shortcuts F1-F12 provide to something else anyway, and I only use the brightness up/down keys on my laptop. It opens up a lot more keyboard options though.
Check out my comment in this thread. Basically, if you're using Linux or Windows,
kanatais an excellent (and more extensible, imo) alternative to QMK!I already use
kmonadwhich it appearskatanais a copy of :-P(not that that's a bad thing! but i'm surprised the author didn't want to learn haskell that badly)
I've been using a Ducky One 2 with RGB, pudding style keycaps, and Cherry MX Silent Red switches. I like the feeling of cherry red switches, but I appreciate these being a little quieter. I ordered this keyboard when my old one was dying (Microsoft Sidewinder something) in summer 2020. It's been comfortable, clicky, and colorful since.
My foray into mechanical keyboards include:
Razer Blackwidow (Cherry blues, 2012?). This was my "what is all the fuss about mechanical keyboards?" so I got this cheaper one to dip my toe into this rabbit hole. It was love at first click (or maybe clack).
Ducky Shine 2 (Cherry browns, 2014). By then I knew I wanted clicky keys, but quieter. So, this was my puppy. Love it.
Logitech G613 (2021). At this stage, I was keen to reduce the number of wires on my battlestation. So, I changed to this wireless keyboard, and got a G502 lightspeed to move towards this aim.
My next keyboard? Maybe a wireless TKL :)
I've been dabbling in mech keyboards for over a decade at this point, with my first being a WASD v1 104-key with Cherry blues and custom laser-etching keycaps. Back when I got it in 2011 or so it was a revelation coming from rubberdomes.
Since then I've acquired or built a number of boards, starting with an HHKB Pro 2 in 2015 and small groupbuy board in 2017. During the pandemic the hobby shifted into overdrive which is where most of the boards I now own came from.
Currently I'm using a TeX Shura DIY Edition with Oil King switches. It's a pretty decent board, though the keycap set it came with doesn't have great layout coverage.
My most used boards are probably the following:
One board I think will be joining that list is my Keychron Q60, which is what I was using prior to the arrival of the Shura. It's a surprisingly good board, despite being a prebuilt.
I'm 100% a convert to split-ortho layouts - they've saved my wrists from increasingly-bad carpal tunnel. Right now I have an original Ergodox Infinity with Cherry Reds on my home setup and a wireless ErgoBlue with Cherry Browns for my work PC.
I'm a little basic compared to a lot of folks in the hobby. I've been running an AJAZZ AK510 with blues and very recently picked up a LotR Drop keyboard (the dwarf version) with Drop Holy Pandas. The pandas are by far my favorite switches, but that's from a very small sample size lol
I've built 3 Corne keyboards so far. Two wired cherries with aqua king switches and a wireless low profile with choc reds. Super fun (if pricey) projects that taught me how to solder, improved my 3D printing skills for the cases, and programming my own dvorak-based layouts in qmk and zmk was also fun.
Love this. How was adjusting to Dvorak?
I've actually been using Dvorak ever since I learned to touch type, probably over 20 years now. The main adjustment I had to make on the corne was figuring out and getting used to a good position and layer setup for numbers and characters I use a lot for programming (braces, brackets, and so on), which was actually way easier than I expected... maybe a week or so before I was up to full speed (including making layout tweaks and improvements as I went).
Does it give you issues when you have to use a standard keyboard or is it easy enough to go back and forth?
I'm definitely much slower on Qwerty (assuming that's what you mean by standard), but I never actually learned to touch-type on Qwerty to begin with, and learning to touch-type on Dvorak doesn't seem to have affected my visual hunt-and-peck typing on Qwerty at all.
My brain has mostly compartmentalized the two methods of typing. On the occasions when I do use Qwerty (for example on a phone or tablet screen, or if I'm helping my wife or kids with something on their computers) I can still type reasonably competently as long as I'm looking at the keyboard and using some subset of pointers, middle fingers, and thumbs to hit every key. On the flip side, if you switched my phone's keyboard to Dvorak, or gave me a Qwerty keyboard with blank caps, I'd be completely lost and type like a guy who's never seen a computer before.
It's very similar to speaking a second language. I switched to Colemak around 12 years ago and obviously cratered from 100wpm in qwerty to single digits. After 6 months I was back up to the 60s and 70s and nowadays I type slightly faster in Colemak. My qwerty speed has reduced to the 60s but I can still "code switch" on the fly and type in either.
How pricey, if you don't mind me asking? I'm considering building a Marvelous65 instead of purchasing the equivalent Keychron board ($100 or $200, depending on wireless).
For the corne specifically, you can get kits with the PCBs, LEDs, hotswap sockets, and diodes for probably $45 or so after shipping. Then the controlers will run you another $40 (or more, there are lots of options out there), and if you want the LCD screens a couple of those can be found for maybe $15 or $20. Switches will vary depending on what you want... could spend anywhere from $30 to $100 or more, but around $50 is probably a safe bet. Then keycaps will also vary, say another $40 (although you could easily spend hundreds here). So looking at around $200 to build one without a case (which you could go without, 3d print, or have one printed if you want).
Each of mine was probably in that ballpark, plus I had the extra expenses of the soldering iron, solder, a silicon mat to do all this on, and the other various tools to build everything.
Currently using the Keychron K3 originally with Keychron blue optical switches, but I decided to replace them with browns and I love it.
Keychron Q6 with new nixie switches and some beautifully maximalist keycaps from Domikey.
I’ve got some oil king switches that I’m thinking of swapping in, but I’m torn on what to prioritise: smoothness with the oil kings or heavier bottom out with the nixies. I’m hoping not to end up having to crack open 110 individual switches to either swap the springs or manually lube them, but given that I’m far enough down the rabbit hole to notice and care about the difference, I can see myself doing it anyway…
Love those keycaps, reminds me of the MT3 cyber set I'm using! I'm with you on being torn on lubing switches though.
Oh nice, those look amazing - I'm a big fan of the yellow accent keys in particular!
Same here! That's what clinched it for me!
Currently typing on an Iron180 with a brass bottom, carbon fibre plate, bitter tea tactiles, MT3 Fairlane.
For caps I almost exclusively use MT3 but that might change with MTNU. SA is too high and smooth (Oblivion and Handarbeit both). Also since most people can't get used to MT3 the bulk of my sets were second hand new in box until Drop did their 2023 sales ($39 for an MT3 base kit? whew)
In rotation:
Needs repair:
Limbo:
Donated to partner:
Loaned to excolleague: Monsgeek M1 with S2V2 switches and no foams, MT3 Cyber
Plan to gift a TKL (maybe a Monsgeek) to a supportive engineering manager. Gifted a Monsgeek M1 with Box Pinks and MT3 Susuwatari to a really kind friend.
I justify the above as being cheaper than therapy. The "fancy" boards were all accumulated in a job I hated - should've realised I had a problem when I bought the third board and not like, the sixth, after using the Leopold TKL for about 8 years. Made it almost to a year and finally, finally realising my dream of being a full on developer.
The iron 180 looks sick! I am with you on mt3s, I really like that profile
Checking in with my trusty TG4x. I have this board equipped with Durock L2 linear switches and a keycap set I pulled from a Vortex Core.
I don't think I can ever go back from a 40% now. This feels like the exact number of keys I need for everything I do. I quite enjoy how easy it is to toss this thing in a bag for use on-the-go too.
I love how 40s look, and I don't mind losing an f row, but the number row would be tough for me.
I have a key on my right pinky finger (where a right Shift should be) that enables "NUM/SYM" layer when held.
In this mode, my home row becomes numbers from left (Tab) to right (L on a QWERTY layout). Its actually more comfortable than a dedicated number row to me.
For context, probably 90% of my keystrokes are code. I make pretty heavy use of my numbers, and even heaver use of
(,),&, and*.Very cool!
I've had a Wooting 60HW for about 1/2 a year. The magnetic switches have an insane response time - which is great for FPS games - and typing is very responsive, almost like a low profile dome cap keyboard like the Mac Keyboard.
I'm using the stock layout without a different case or keycaps, but am very happy so far.
That is super cool!
Have an order for a 60HE in a coming up batch! Very excited to try that one.
My first mechanical keyboard was a Velocifire TKL02. I had an issue with key presses sometimes not registering, so I asked for and got a refund.
I'm now on my second keyboard: a Keychron K2, which I've been using for almost a year now. Despite the aluminum case, it still feels relatively cheap, at least in terms of creaking plastics. But considering the price point and the fact that the keyboard sits still most of the time, I don't mind that much.
Since my current desk/chair configuration doesn't allow me to float my wrist ergonomically above the keyboard, I've recently ordered a wooden palmrest, which will arrive in the coming days. I have the impression that the height of this keyboard is a common complaint among users. Indeed, Keychron reduced the height of the case in its second (and latest) iteration of the same model, which is the one I have.
I've also ordered a set of PBT double-shot keycaps to replace the default ABS ones, which I've come to not enjoy because:
Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm on Gateron Red switches. I don't have enough experience to make a proper judgement, but I'll say they're good enough for me. Compared to the MX Brown's knockoffs that I had on the Velocifire, I find the reds to be less forgiving. I guess that's because they're lighter than browns (in terms of actuation force), so it's easier to press a key accidentally.
Regarding Bluetooth, I can't say anything, since I always use it in wired mode. But it's common knowledge that battery life sucks on Keychrons, especially when using backlight. I think the wireless mechanical keyboard with the best battery life is probably the Logitech MX Mechanical, although Logitech has made a few non-standard design choices which limit its chances of customization.
I like Keychron in general because they're Mac first, while still supporting Windows. The Fn keys follow Mac's layout, and you're provided with additional Cmd and Control keys to replace Win and Alt keys. This makes it "cross-platform". I don't know if there are other vendors with the same level of focus towards Mac.
I have too many keyboards, my current favorites are my Model F SSK, my CTRL with 67g ergo clears, and my custom that has SMK Cherry mount switches with MT3 Oblivion caps. I finally received my KAT Mizu caps after many years of delays, so I am using those on my CTRL.
I went on a keyboard-buying spree last year because I wasn't happy with any I had, and my Steele-series was really acting up. I find most mechanical keyboards to be... not to my liking.
My current is the Razer Huntsman V2 with linear-optical switches, and so far it's my favorite by a large margin. Sensitive and rather quiet, yet with good tactical feedback. It's also astoundingly easy to clean -- the keys aren't sunk into the keyboard, so just pop off the caps and spend a few minutes with a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol and you're done!
I use an Iris Rev. 7 from keebio (link). Currently rocking some cherry profile crystal/translucent Seaside Miami keycaps, which are alright - not the greatest feel but they look cool.
I previously had a Drop Alt, but wanted to try an ergo layout to help with wrist pain (and figured if I’m going to a new layout I might as well try an ortho one as well).
The “weirdest” bit is the keycaps I’m currently using - Kailh Mute Jades! I really like clicky switches, but since I’m working in a small room with others I didn’t want switches that were too loud. After a bit of searching I came across them and thought they might be good to try, and I personally love them. They have a fair bit of mixed reviews though.
Very cool set up!
Happy to see some keyboard love here.
My daily right now is my Leopold FC660C 45g silent + Hasu controller.
In rotation from newest -> oldest
In my closet:
This is awesome, you've had a cool journey through keyboards so far!
What are your thoughts on the alice layout and the Planck?
I am really happy with both. Alice layout is a great balance between a full split ergo and a traditional board. It's really easy to get used to. If you ten finger type, it's a breeze to get comfortable on. The extra keys on the left are really nice for nav stuff.
The Planck is a really nifty little thing. It's a bit more on the "extreme" side due to having a very reduced set of keys, but with a little practice it's actually very comfortable. Ortholinear almost makes more sense than traditional staggered keyboards (at least for me) and due to being akin to a 40% keyboard, all the keys are within reach. You gain some keys on the bottom due to not having a full size space bar, which is a little weird to get used to, but your thumbs gain some new found responsibilities :) I will say i'm not the biggest fan of the Hako True switches I put in it, but that's not a reflection on the Planck itself.
I've only got half a day on my Alice board but I was surprised that I was starting to get comfortable already on it, I was especially nervous about the weird space bars but they're fine.
The space bars are the most common thing that guests and such comment on when they see the board. I think it's a really well thought out layout in that the home resting position puts most of the keys where you're used to having them. It's a lot more visually intimidating than it actually is :)
Glad to hear you're enjoying the Alice so far, what case/switches/caps did you end up with?
I've been using the Moonlander for the past few years, like a number of others here. Overall I'm pretty happy with it. I had the Kinesis Advantage 2 before that, so adjusting to ortholinear and the thumb clusters wasn't very difficult. Had to swap out the switches with Zeal Zilent V2s out of consideration for coworkers.
Overall I'm pretty happy with it. There are some things I don't love -- mainly the tenting range is limited due to the fact that the thumb clusters serve as a tenting leg (so increasing the tenting angle pushes the thumb keys further away).
I vaguely have my eye on the Dygma Defy but can't really justify dropping that much money on another keyboard when I'm content with the current one.
Does running primary on an ergo board wreak havoc when you need to use a standard board?
It's not too bad. The significantly different layout seems to trigger a shift in muscle memory. The thing I mostly mess up is mixing up hitting escape & caps lock (I swapped them on my ortho since I use esc way more than caps lock, but the latter is more accessible). But that has nothing to do with ortho and just my personal customization.
I also switched to using the Colemak layout a few months ago -- now that has completely destroyed my ability to use a QWERTY keyboard. I just fully revert to typing with two fingers while I stare at the keys.
Man, layout change like that sounds intense!
Not who you were replying to but it did for me.
I had to switch back to staggered after I got a job which meant I needed to type on a normal keyboard sometimes, I just found it really hard and it hurt my hands.
For me the problem is compounded by the fact I have problems with my hands (so they hurt easily from trying to do something other than what muscle memory says) and I use dvorak, so I can't rely on sight to make up for things not lining up as the letters on the keys don't match anyway.
I use a YMDK split now with a staggered layout, I miss thumb keys but I feel like it's important to be able to use a normal keyboard when I need to (I mean, aside from the whole dvorak thing if it's someone else's pc that doesn't have dvorak installed).
I have a full size Glorious GMMK with 67g Zealios and aura keycaps, plus a couple of pokemon artisans from s-craft
Currently alternating depending on mood between a GMMK Pro with fox switches, GMMK2 65 with fox, a Roccat Vulcan mini II, and a Razer Huntsman mini. Have a Wooting 60HE and a DrunkDeer A75 enroute, very curious about the hall effect switches.
I also have a Vortex ViBE (Cherry Black), Vortex Core ( Cherry White switches, I think), Drevo Calbur v2, Ducky 2 mini SF with silvers, and I think I still have my GMMK full size with box navys...
Oh no... this is the thread for me. I have somewhere in the range of 40 boards, mostly vintage - to the point where I have a spreadsheet to keep track of them (I'll link a screenshot of the sheet here to save some time).
I typically find myself drawn to boards with Alps SKCC/SKCL, which are "linear" though with very small tactility at actuation, which gives you all the relaxed typing feel with none of the total lack of feedback, though I do have a soft spot for Topre and similar rounded tacility stuff, like the various Mitsumi tactiles or ITW magnetic valve low-profile.
I never really intended to get to a point where I had this many boards, I just put a lot of effort into restoration and conversion of these things and now have a hard time letting go of any of them, cause I look at them in terms of blood (sometimes literally), sweat and tears.
I love this, do you display them?
Yeah, I have a cabinet but a lot of the shelves end up going two deep and they have to go in flat rather than in any viewable state - it’s kinda very functional display rather than for aesthetic purposes.
I splurged on a reproduction Model F SSK ultra-compact and adore it. I've used Model Ms for twenty years and the earlier version of buckling springs is a real step up, plus it's a lot more convenient to have a USB cable instead of PS/2.
My favorite split is my Nyquist 5x12 with Durock Dolphins. I love my Ergodox EZ but need to raise it higher than the feet support and can't find a good way to do it, whereas I bought m6x80 bolts to get the Nyquist up.
My daily driver is my GMMK Pro running Vial firmware (that I helped port!) And Durock Dolphins with some awesome south-lit reverse pudding caps from Drop. I use a straight orange glow which I started playing Fallout: New Vegas to match the amber on the Pip Boy display and HUD, but I liked the warm backlight so much I just glow everything orange.
I got the GMMK numpad with a south-facing PCB, same switches and same caps but don't use it much, but it lives on my desk. I need to find a use for the slider and jogwheel, as well.
I also jeed to put my Planck v7 together with White on Black MT3 caps and more Durock Dolphins.
I love these Dolphin switches because they're silent, but have similar force to Cherry Blues.
Das Keyboard (Prime, don't see the one I got anymore tho) with Cherry MX Browns, with some cheap old-school typewriter keycaps (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FTFXWY1/) that still look pretty sweet. Swapped out my ctrl keys for portal caps like these (https://www.keyboardco.com/product/cherry-mx-portal-keycap-set-125.asp).
My SO got a little gaming one which I have for my Surface Pro 3, fits nicely in my bag with the Surface, but it's a generic buy... think it's also Cherry Browns though. I used to play piano, so I can really rock that clackin!
I'm a dedicated 40% user. I went through both an ortho and tactile phase, but I've settled on staggered layouts and linears. I hand lube all of my switches and program all of my boards myself - VIA is nice, but I use some QMK features that aren't available. I exclusively use Cherry profile - a lot of GMK, but some Infinikey and ePBT sets too.
Some boards/setups that I use:
What QMK features do you use?
Here's the base layer for my Candybar (which is basically an extended version of what I use on my Minivans since they have the same core layout):
The Candybar doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles, so I only use four layers and there isn't any code for backlighting, underglow, or rotary encoders.
QMK features:
KC_QUOTcode when tapped and aKC_RSFTwhen held.lowerlayer and Pipe is mapped to the 'raise' layer so that when I hold the left Spacebar, I getKC_BSLSand when I hold Tab (or Enter key, but that's hard to do with the same hand) I getKC_PIPE.I also experimented with Space Cadet keys, but could never really get into it.
I am currently using EVGA Z15 where I have modded/swapped:
Keycaps as nordic layout are hard to find. I also have KBParadise monkey king, Ducky Ultra Violet and KBDfans blank pink/blue, but I just like the color of these Tai-Haos too much.
As cable I put together purple paracord USB-C cable
Also running Mionix long pad wristrest as it is only 1cm thin.
Currently waiting for Dygma defy, to test split keyboards. Backed the kickstarter
I'm surprised the Glove80 by MoErgo did not come up yet.
I've been rocking that for a couple of weeks now, modified with sunset switches, and I really love it.
I once started with a cherry flat keyboard that I had to go through hoops for to get it 20 years ago.
After that I migrated to a Filco Ninja with blue MX switches. I participated in the first massdrop for building my own ErgoDox, and I've used that for many years and that helped a lot for shoulder pain. The pain was gone.
For some reason I tried a Topre keyboard and fell in love with the feel, and I went all in with Norba cases and everything.
The ZSA Moonlander was announced, and bought that with brown MX switches. I used that for a while but grew annoyed by the cable that connect the 2 halves, so I went back to Topre. I really liked the moonlander, the software is great... but I still prefer the sound and feel of the ergodox I build myself.
A few months ago I started getting some wrist pain, and I've noticed that it's partly how I use a mouse, but also how I type on a normal keyboard... I started looking into getting a wireless split keyboard and almost ordered a custom Kinesis Advantage 360, but noticed that for now it would not be a great fit because of the height. It would be too high until I get a new desk.
That's when I saw a new batch was incoming for the MoErgo Glove80 and just went for that. Had some doubts about the switches, so I got the sunsets instead and I'm really happy with it. I can almost reach all the keys without moving my palm. Only the top keys can't be reached by my pinky.
I use Keychron V6 with MX clear switches and some keycaps, forgot which ones
How do you like the clears?
I like them a lot, I wanted something tactile but silent bc I work in a shared space, but the tension on these makes it hard to type for a few hours at a time
I've noticed that on some heavier switches as well.
I got a Logitech g815 clicky early last year as a birthday present and while the clicky switches probably wouldn't have been my first choice at the time, they have definitely grown on me. My only complaint at this point is that the outer black coating on the keycaps have worn out on a lot of the keys and have left a giant glowing blotch in the middle of the key, rendering the legends completely illegible. It's definitely very pleasant to use though, especially with a wrist rest.
Do the keycaps have standard stems?
Sadly no, the GL switches on that keyboard use proprietary stems that don't even quite match the Kailh choc switches that they are seemingly based on, even though they look quite similar. Now that I think about it, that's probably another complaint I have about the keyboard. Still love it though!
Bummer! I hate the propriety stuff.
Admittedly, the low profile mechanical space is pretty fragmented regardless, with there being multiple competing standards for PCBs, switches, and keycaps, which are all largely incompatible both with each other and with most standard profile components. Logitech is needlessly making the problem worse though, as there would have been basically zero downsides to just using the same stems as standard Kailh chocs, or better yet, choc v2s, which use the same stems as cherry MX.
Update - I got in my keychron q8 - it's gonna take some getting used to but I like it on first impression. Excited for my replacement switches though to get away from these Browns.
I just ordered a Ducky One 3 with Cherry MX Reds (the one with silent reds was 30€ more expensive) as my first real mechanical keyboard after killing my old one (that had MX browns but was pretty cheap). I hope I made a good decision, because I'm seeing a lot of Keychron users here. Then again, the choice is limited with ISO layouts, sadly
Im currently on Preonic with kaihua speed copper (tactile) switches.
It's my first experience with custom switches and I thought I'd go for tactile as a compromise, but after trying some linears on friend's keyboard I find that I like them better (open for recommendations!).
Discovering all 1U keys layouts was one of the biggest "quality of life" improvements for me, especially for gaming (small hands).
I really liked this no-longer-manufactured scissor-switch keyboard for like $30. Didn't really intend to pay more for a keyboard, so I've searched and tested before finally settling on TKL, low profile, low force, blue switch mechanical without any springs outside the switches (horrible feel, and failure points). Spacebar stabilizer springs should be illegal.
My favorite pick so far is Redragon APS TKL K607. For some people the wireless version would be an improvement (I don't really care). Other than that, I'm not aware of any keyboard that'd match these criteria and cost less than a kidney. It's such a pleasure to type on. Basically a large fidgeting toy I can use at work.
An honorable mention goes to Modecom Volcano Lanparty Pudding which is as loud as a grand piano playing a sacrificial concert to the god of typing, but the problem is it's not low profile, so at least for me it's a deal breaker.