Mechanical Keyboard Guide

You'd have to press a key on each one to identify them I believe. I don't think there are any external differences between a Filco with Cherry MX reds, blues, blacks, or browns. Obviously some are tenkey-less and others are the standard layout. (Well Japanese layout anyway.)
 
Pylon said:
Check out yard sales and thrift stores. You might stumble on something good.

I got a pair of Model Ms for $1 each at a yard sale once.
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I bought my first Model M on Ebay for like $100.
Over the next few years I found 10 or so in my university surplus pile for free.
 
I have read a few pages on this and remember having a model m and throwing it away with my old computer.
 
I bought a refurbed Model M on eBay for around $50. The only thing I don't like about it is the lack of a Windows key, which I use just often enough to make it annoying when it's not there. So I use Unicomps mostly. Best of all worlds - buckling springs, Windows key, USB interface, plus you support the only company that is still manufacturing these boards.
 
Dan_D said:
You'd have to press a key on each one to identify them I believe. I don't think there are any external differences between a Filco with Cherry MX reds, blues, blacks, or browns. Obviously some are tenkey-less and others are the standard layout. (Well Japanese layout anyway.)
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I though someone can read decipher their Filco names (all those weird letters).
 
The pictures of the switches are a big hint. Filco JIS layout browns and blacks.

You don't see a lot of Blue Cherry MX in Japan. Rice paper walls. Wouldn't be neighborly.
 
Metaluna said:
I bought a refurbed Model M on eBay for around $50. The only thing I don't like about it is the lack of a Windows key, which I use just often enough to make it annoying when it's not there. So I use Unicomps mostly. Best of all worlds - buckling springs, Windows key, USB interface, plus you support the only company that is still manufacturing these boards.
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I use an app called sharpkeys to map windows key to my left alt key.
All it does it add some registry setting, works great.
 
Well I just picked up a Noppoo Choc Mini with MX Browns off of ebay. I gotta say my initial reactions for it are fairly good.

I'm coming from a Das keyboard with Blues so I didn't really realize how used to the very tactile click from the blues that I was. If you like the click of the blues don't expect to like the browns because they feel NOTHING alike. The browns are still leaps and bounds better feeling than the blacks are, but I don't know they just don't have the same kind of feedback that the blues do.

Back to the keyboard itself though. This thing is crazy, specifically the N-key Rollover. Here is an example below.

uiowsedrfbhnj4vgs

That was physically how many buttons I could press at once with my hands, all were registered on the first "smush". So needless to say, there is no way you are going to be short on consecutive held down buttons.
The switch lock key is kind of nice for people that use caps-lock for their push to talk button because it allows you to swap control and capslock for more comfort. The num-lock works and all the buttons register and seem to be in the most sensible positions, though I'm not sure how many people would really use that function of this keyboard, its nice to know its there if you need it in a pinch.

The printing on the keys is some sort of laser etching that looks nice but not all the keys look the same, I don't know if its an after effect or something but the Q and the right hand side of the number row seem to have a little of the paint still left over, not a big issue but an issue none-the-less.

The keyboard feels well put together, the cord is a little bit bulky for my taste but it shouldn't really be off putting as it isn't like a mouse cable that you have to lug around when moving the mouse. The adjustable risers aren't the greatest and certainly are a little mushy for my taste, but again once you set them up you either use it like that or you never bother to mess with them again.

Overall I'm pleased with the board so far, I like the "short-throw" caps it has because it means less finger travel for the work being done.

TLDR if you like a small board and want MX browns this might be the board for you especially if you need Nkey-rollover over usb. If you are looking for a small board and were thinking that the browns were going to feel like the blues but without the audible feedback...you might want to look elsewhere.
 
Ripster55 said:
Leopold has 18KRO over USB too.

The Noppoo however doesn't work on OSX and the Leopolds do.
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I know you are way more knowledgeable about the keyboard stuff than I am, but the OSX stuff isn't going to bother many people. If the Leopold was the same form factor as the Noppoo I would have considered it but I figured if i wasn't going to have a numpad I might as well go as small as possible.
 
How is the XArmor U9BL? What switches does it use? I'd love a back lit Cherry MX Blue keyboard. Based on the quality of the Razer Blackwidow Expert / Elite whatever I'll ignore the Blackwidow Ultimate.
 
Dan_D said:
How is the XArmor U9BL? What switches does it use? I'd love a back lit Cherry MX Blue keyboard. Based on the quality of the Razer Blackwidow Expert / Elite whatever I'll ignore the Blackwidow Ultimate.
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U9BL is Cherry Blues. It is much worse than the Black Widow. Keys feel much cheaper, the color coating is thin and not as good, light bleeds through unevenly. A guy in the other thread had his LEDs die on him in his U9BL soon after getting it.

I actually think the Ultimate is an excellent keyboard but I get the gripes with how it seems to be quiet bottoming out feeling a bit strange. With the paucity of backlit keyboards out there however, there isn't much other choice in abundance and affordability.
 
Spare-Flair said:
U9BL is Cherry Blues. It is much worse than the Black Widow. Keys feel much cheaper, the color coating is thin and not as good, light bleeds through unevenly. A guy in the other thread had his LEDs die on him in his U9BL soon after getting it.

I actually think the Ultimate is an excellent keyboard but I get the gripes with how it seems to be quiet bottoming out feeling a bit strange. With the paucity of backlit keyboards out there however, there isn't much other choice in abundance and affordability.
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Good to know.
 
I would like to try other Cherry Blue keyboards though as I agree the Black Widow feels a bit strange, when it bottom's out it feels soft and not crisp. It's definitely not the pleasure to type on as the old Model M's and other mechanical keyboards from the 80s.
 
Spare-Flair said:
I would like to try other Cherry Blue keyboards though as I agree the Black Widow feels a bit strange, when it bottom's out it feels soft and not crisp. It's definitely not the pleasure to type on as the old Model M's and other mechanical keyboards from the 80s.
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Das Keyboards are much nicer to type on than the Black Widow is.
 
What is it about the Black widow exactly that makes it feel different? That was the first keyboard that I had ever used with cherry blues and it left me with a bad impression of MX blues. I bought a cherry board with blues not too long ago and I love this thing. MX blues are quickly becoming my favorite switch.
 
BababooeyHTJ said:
What is it about the Black widow exactly that makes it feel different? That was the first keyboard that I had ever used with cherry blues and it left me with a bad impression of MX blues. I bought a cherry board with blues not too long ago and I love this thing. MX blues are quickly becoming my favorite switch.
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Its the way the keys bottom out. They feel somehow different. Softer or something. I'm really not sure how they did this or why, but for whatever reason the Black Widow is a terrible Cherry MX Blue based keyboard.
 
Dan_D said:
Its the way the keys bottom out. They feel somehow different. Softer or something. I'm really not sure how they did this or why, but for whatever reason the Black Widow is a terrible Cherry MX Blue based keyboard.
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When it hits the baseplate it feels...gooey like a membrane keyboard for some reason. It lacks snap to it and the bounce back.

I don't know what is going on because reviews that have taken it apart have shown just a metal plate there.
 
Spare-Flair said:
When it hits the baseplate it feels...gooey like a membrane keyboard for some reason. It lacks snap to it and the bounce back.

I don't know what is going on because reviews that have taken it apart have shown just a metal plate there.
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The key caps feel incredibly cheap and flexible compared to those used on the Das Keyboard which is the only Cherry MX Blue keyboard I've ever used. That must be the reasoning behind it.
 
Yep. The keycaps themselves do matter. They can change feel and sound dramatically in some cases.
 
I didn't notice this before, check out the UBL's tiny spacebar in the Japanese version!

aaa13g.jpg
 
DAS keyboard keys aren't that glorious.

Their 'lasered' keycaps are dirt magnets. Only three weeks in (and I'm a super clean non-greasy person), the white lasered caps were inconsistent in color. Some were almost faded as in they weren't white anymore, while others remained that way.

Keyboard's solid. I would change the caps though (not to Filco caps!)
 
Adreneline said:
Keyboard's solid. I would change the caps though (not to Filco caps!)
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I'm five months into my Filco and other than a bit of a gloss on the spacebar (it's not even that bad) there's absolutely nothing wrong with my Filco caps. Maybe your skin chemistry is harsher than you think (it's not related to dirt) if you think that everyone's caps are crap.

I say it's not related to dirt because I was "dumpster diving" for laptops recently. I came across two "operational" Thinkpads which were identical. One was the dirtiest, stankiest thing I've ever seen, nearly plugged solid between the keys with dirt. They were all worn shiny with divots out of some of the keys (the spacebar was hollowed out, not just shiny) that you could feel yet the pad printed key legends were not affected at all even when they were in the middle of the wear divot. Another unit was much cleaner, with FAR less wear, yet the worn spots completely obliterated the key legends and some keys were effectively blank.

Mr. Stanky, despite his filth and extensive use of the keyboard, had a body chemistry which did not break down the protection covering the printing at all. Mr. Not-As-Stanky was cleaner and caused far less wear, but his body chemistry ate right through the pad printing coating faster than it wore the key.
 
What is the best tenkeyless keyboard out there? Getting sick of stupid scissor switch chiclets on my laptop keyboard for programming and I want a mechanical keyboard that is portable.

What happened to Elitekeyboards.com?

I'm in Canada and it's harder to get a decent mechanical keyboard shipped here.
 
Spare-Flair said:
What is the best tenkeyless keyboard out there? Getting sick of stupid scissor switch chiclets on my laptop keyboard for programming and I want a mechanical keyboard that is portable.

What happened to Elitekeyboards.com?

I'm in Canada and it's harder to get a decent mechanical keyboard shipped here.
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Hopefully adding some fullsize Leopolds.... >.<

EK goes down from time to time for maintenance or to add new stock.
 
WorldExclusive said:
Any new keyboards that needs to be added to the OP?
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Nah, the only great mechanical's (or at least very popular mechanicals) I don't see on the list are Ducky and Noppoo and both brands can be hard to come by in the states. Amazon is also now selling the Filco Majestouch-2 Ninja, which is just like the Majestouch but has the lettering on the sides of the keys.

http://www.diatec.co.jp/en/det.php?prod_c=775
 
ya my ninja came in the other day from amazon. my first mech keyboard and im lovin it. I got browns
 
Surly73 said:
I'm five months into my Filco and other than a bit of a gloss on the spacebar (it's not even that bad) there's absolutely nothing wrong with my Filco caps. Maybe your skin chemistry is harsher than you think (it's not related to dirt) if you think that everyone's caps are crap.
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Maybe you should give yourself a quick Google search to reveal the plethora of cases where the Filco key caps coating inevitably wears off, and even goes one step further to do something I've never seen key caps do. We know you like your purchase and are defending it, but the caps are terrible.

One of the main reasons why EliteKeyboards doesn't carry the Filco keyboards anymore, is because of this reason. They wanted them to up their quality on the key caps, and Filco didn't want to do anything about it. DAS are better, but then their text is undoubtedly weird in consistency (as are a lot of lasered on caps - again, this isn't just me saying this).

Being big on quality, these are major things. Filco is my favorite, but change the keycaps if you want the ultimate experience.

This is just one example, I've seen worse Filco keycap pics. They have absolutely terrible keycaps and need to be replaced over time. Such a great keyboard, put some decent caps on em. The feel is also changed too, making it the biggest plus, as the Filco keycaps have no texture just a matte feel.

filco_keyboard_wear.jpg
 
Adreneline said:
Maybe you should give yourself a quick Google search to reveal the plethora of cases where the Filco key caps coating inevitably wears off, and even goes one step further to do something I've never seen key caps do. We know you like your purchase and are defending it, but the caps are terrible.

One of the main reasons why EliteKeyboards doesn't carry the Filco keyboards anymore, is because of this reason. They wanted them to up their quality on the key caps, and Filco didn't want to do anything about it. DAS are better, but then their text is undoubtedly weird in consistency (as are a lot of lasered on caps - again, this isn't just me saying this).

Being big on quality, these are major things. Filco is my favorite, but change the keycaps if you want the ultimate experience.
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You reply like I said "Filco can do no wrong". What I've said is that INDIVIDUAL skin chemistry affects key wear dramatically, and it isn't just a Filco issue. With that in mind, you can probably google excessive, rapid key wear on just about everything made except double shots.

Starting with identical keyboards I've seen different people's skin do many different things, and some people's will probably attack Filco caps very rapidly while others will not. As I think I've mentioned, in a corporate environment (hundreds of copies of exactly the same gear) I saw one person's skin wear the pad printed letter right off but leave the caps in pretty good shape. Another person wore the keys so bad that there are divots out of some of them but the pad printing is perfectly intact on every key - even when the printing encroached on a wear divot. One person's skin attacked the printing and not the cap itself, the other was exactly the opposite.

Even in my own household my wife's skin is harder on mice/keyboards than mine for whatever reason. It's not related to cleanliness. Since my first posting I've seen that the coating on the C key (she uses C as the PTT key for gaming) on the Filco she's using is starting to fail. Everything else looks close to new. I *do* like that Filco coats the entire key and you can't feel the raised lettering with your fingertips, but that doesn't make it any less failure prone. In my case the whole-key coating is failing but not the printing - yet. They've lasted months longer than the printing on the MS Natural 4k I used to have - what a piece of crap.
 
Surly73 said:
You reply like I said "Filco can do no wrong". What I've said is that INDIVIDUAL skin chemistry affects key wear dramatically, and it isn't just a Filco issue. With that in mind, you can probably google excessive, rapid key wear on just about everything made except double shots.
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A lot of keys wear, but there aren't much that wear like Filco does. Like I said, Google is your friend. It's above the normal wear for keycaps. I'm not talking about skin chemistry. This happens to A LOT OF PEOPLE if not everyone with their Filcos after a long period of time with normal use. Does it speed up for some? Yeah, but who cares? It's still made terribly.

Filco's keycaps are defective. Buying their keycaps as replacements is a waste of money. It's how they are made. Cheap.

EDIT: And double shots have nothing to do with wear, all they do is keep the legend intact indefinitely. The material used in the coating/plastic is what causes the wear. BUT, they are not made like the crap Filco keys (as are lots of other keys) which is why this is a problem. Only Filco pass these as keycaps and that's why there's a problem. None degrade as much as Filco do.
 
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