New WASD Keyboard

I'm happy to report that I temporarily kicked my keyboard (and keyboard-related accessory) acquisition disorder. Indeed, I hadn't spent a dime on anything associated with keyboards for more than a year. Until . . . one day at work, after gleefully hammering away on my Filco (which is outfitted with "clicky" blue Cherry switches), a co-worker subtly hinted that my keyboard was too noisy. My response of "That's nothing, you should hear how awesome it sounds without the sound-deadening Shore 40A durometer o-rings installed!" fell on deaf ears. This news bummed me out a little, but also got me thinking about a return to the quieter "tactile" brown Cherry switches. Keyboard Acquisition Mode: ON.

If you are interested in the backstory, read THIS, and THIS, and THIS, or search for posts tagged with the "keyboard" label.

I didn't really do much research before deciding to acquire a "blank" keyboard with brown switches from WASD Keyboards. "Blank" in this context means "sold without any keycaps and shipped in a nice understated box".

Blank keyboards are really intended for keyboard geeks who already own a set of replacement keycaps and are not interested in boring unattractive stock keycaps. So, inside the box you will find this:

Brown Switches, Duh

The box also contains everything needed to install the keycaps and get the keyboard up and running. In the following picture you can see a keycap puller, a USB cable, a USB-to-PS adapter, clip thingies and lube for the keycap stabilizers, and instructions.

Swapping out my keycaps was very easy, but really time consuming. The finished keyboard is shown below. I like that the chassis is void of branding and stickers. It's just basic black.

I kept the sound-dampeners on the keycaps that get the majority of day-to-day use, as a peace offering to my acoustically hypersensitive coworker. The brown switches are definitely quieter, and typing on them is buttery smooth. I actually prefer the fingerfeel of the brown switches over the blue switches.

Again, the keyboard has no labeling or branding on it. It does, however, have two pinhole LED indicators for Caps Lock and Scroll Lock. These indicator lights are subtle, which I prefer over larger LEDs that tend to emit a blinding amount of energy.

LED Indicators

The brown stems of the switches can be seen through the clear keycaps. Meh, the brown color is ugly in comparison to the bright color used for the blue switches. Moreover, I still prefer the clicky noise that the blue switches generate. That said, the typing feel and muffled sound of my new keyboard are perfect for my workplace environment. Accordingly, Keyboard Acquisition Mode: OFF.

Clear Key Caps

I made a pact with myself after I installed my last set of key caps on my Filco keyboard. I vowed to scale back on the key cap purchases and simply use and enjoy my mechanical keyboard. Some time during this self-imposed No Buy period, I browsed my way over to the Signature Plastics website, and saw something that made me immediately lift the ban. Transparent key caps. Game on.

I would love to have a keyboard full of clear key caps, but I'm not one of those keyboard uber-dorks who has all the keys memorized. For this reason (and for practical economic reasons), I decided to outfit only a portion of my keyboard with these icy looking key caps.

As shown in the above picture, I replaced the entire top row and the cluster of "navigation" keys on the right side of the keyboard (I have all of these keys memorized, and I rarely use the escape and function keys anyway). I really like the overall look of the keyboard now, and the transparent key caps really make the board look unique.

The key caps themselves are uncolored, i.e., they are not off-yellow, smoked, or merely translucent. They do have a little texture on the upper surface, which makes them look frosted when looking top-down.

The blue stems of the mechanical switches are visible through the transparent key caps (yes, my keyboard has Cherry blue switches). More eye candy for me = good.

I don't plan on updating this layout anytime soon. Yeah, sure. That's what I said the last time, and the time before that.

Candy Corn Click Clack Skull

As I mentioned in this post, Click Clack key caps are highly regarded within the mechanical keyboard geekdom. I was randomly lurking on the GeekHack forum one day, and learned that EliteKeyboards was preparing to sell a batch of Click Clacks. EliteKeyboards used a registration/lottery system in an attempt to satisfy the rabid horde of Click Clack collectors that usually makes Click Clack key caps sell out in a few seconds after an online release.

EliteKeyboards offered several different types of Click Clacks in the sale: a solid black colored skull; a candy corn colored key cap; a candy corn colored skull; and a key cap that looks like a frothy mug of beer. I entered the random drawings for all four of these items, and I was really hoping to get a chance to buy the beer key cap and/or the black skull.

Unfortunately, I wasn't on the lucky "you get to buy this" list for either the beer or the black skull. However, as a ridiculously fabulous consolation prize, I was given the opportunity to purchase one of the candy corn skulls! For a microsecond I thought about declining the offer, but then I came to my senses and pulled the trigger because these Click Clack skulls are worth their weight in gold (to some people).

Feast your eyes on the latest Click Clack acquisition of mine:

Wow, it actually DOES look like a piece of candy corn. I really hate the taste and texture of candy corn, but I'm enjoying this Click Clack version.

And Yet Another Keyboard Facelift

A Picture Is Worth Two Words

I recently scored an awesome, stealthy, and gloomy looking set of key caps for my mechanical keyboard. I'm pretty much over the "white key caps on black keyboard" look, primarily because white key caps tend to become brown gunky dirty key caps in just a few days regardless of the cleanliness of the user. Accordingly, I decided to replace my white ninja key caps with a set of dark gray key caps that should do a much better job at hiding the finger gunk that collects over time.

These new key caps are made of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), which is a preferred material in many keyboard geek circles. PBT key caps are durable, tough, provide a nice finger feel, and can be dye sublimated to create permanent legends that never wear off. The color and white balance are a little off in the pictures; the key caps are actually dark gray with black legends, and they look stellar on my black Filco keyboard. I really like the subtle and sophisticated look of my keyboard with these key caps. Plus, the new colorway of my keyboard matches the color scheme of this blog (at least as of the date of this post).

I really need to stop buying sets of key caps. I now have four complete sets, but I have only one compatible mechanical keyboard. Hmm, maybe I should acquire three more keyboards? It would be a shame to let those extra sets of key caps go to waste.

Click Clack Skull

I'm happy to report that I recently acquired a limited edition Click Clack skull key cap for my mechanical keyboard. Yay! This is a big deal . . . just ask any keyboard enthusiast. You see, for reasons that I don't completely understand, Click Clacks are very highly sought after, collected, and traded among the seedy underground deviant population of mechanical keyboard geeks. I love the little skull key caps as much as the next guy, but some people are downright obsessed with them. Anyhow, this particular Click Clack skull is a deep orange color, and it's a good match for the Halloween season. I think I'll use it as my ESC key for the rest of this month. Trick or treat!

Surprise! Incoming Packages!

Yesterday was a banner day in the Acquisitions Department; I received three packages in the mail, two of which caught me completely off guard. Now, I admit to overbuying certain "not quite necessary" things via mail order (e.g., writing instruments, silly key caps for mechanical keyboards, and Japanese tea), but I also try to buy everyday necessaries online to the extent possible and economically feasible. Basically, I'm lazy and don't want to waste gas driving around to brick and mortar stores even if doing so results in better deals. This means that I'll buy ordinary goods online from time to time, such as: dental floss; sunscreen; batteries; shampoo; aftershave; paper plates; and coffee filters. This also means that I could have any number of incoming packages in transit at any given time.

Getting back to yesterday, package number one was a large box. I knew what it was as soon as I saw the box, but I was still surprised because I had forgotten about my online order. Although the item is not really relevant to this story, it was a framed canvas print of a digital photograph.

The other two packages were nearly identical: small padded envelopes. This was interesting because I was expecting only one small package. Indeed, one of the envelopes contained a set of 40A-L o-rings for my Filco keyboard, as expected. I kinda sorta explained o-ring use in the context of mechanical keyboards here.

The mystery item turned out to be a nice little care package from a friend who shares my interest in writing instruments and other miscellanea. Nothing beats a surprise package of interesting stuff. Unless it's a surprise package of FREE interesting stuff!

Surprise! Free Stuff For Me!

So this is what my life has become: cheap thrills over a cheap pencil, a tiny pump mechanism ("I don't even know what this is! This sort of thing ain't my bag, baby"), and some string. Hey, it was free and as they say: "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" (I think that's the proper context). Rather than identify and explain the freebies, I'll simply show the note that I received in the package:

So, What's In The Bag, Baby?

I'm stoked about this acquisition, and can't wait to give items (1) and (2) a try. I'm not sure about item (5), but perhaps I can tie something together today out of respect and as a gesture of thanks.

Let's summarize the new arrivals: a big framed picture; a set of o-ring keyboard dampeners; a Lamy refill thingy; a hacked Mont Blanc refill suitable for use in a Pilot G2 pen body; some pencil lead; a Zebra Color Flight mechanical pencil; and a useless length of paracord. Yesterday was a good day.

Another Keyboard Facelift

Well, my latest and greatest keyboard layout didn't last very long. I still think the red and white colorway is outstanding. Unfortunately, those key caps are not compatible with my o-ring switch dampers, which are used to attenuate the normally clicky-clacky sound of my mechanical keyboard. The first picture illustrates the issue. On the left is one of the red-on-white key caps, in the middle is one of my white ninja key caps, and on the right is another ninja key cap with an o-ring installed on the switch stem. Notice how the ninja key caps have cross-shaped reinforcement bars near the switch stems? Well, those bars are critical for proper o-ring sound dampening. In contrast, the red-on-white key cap lacks anything that remotely resembles the reinforcement bars. This means that o-rings installed on the killer looking red-on-white key caps make absolutely no audible or tactile difference! Damn. I really wanted to try my Filco keyboard with the o-rings. No worries . . . just do another keyboard facelift!

I already had the set of white ninja key caps, so all I had to do was remove the Red Alert set, install the o-rings on the ninja set, and install the ninja key caps onto the keyboard. No big deal. The ninja key caps are full of awesomeness, too. Check them out. That's right, they are clean and stealthy. Perfect for someone who is an expert touch-typist. I mean, only rookies need legends printed on their key caps, right? Maybe. I guess. These key caps are "ninja" style for a reason that will be revealed after the jump. [Edit: jumps are silly; removed it]

As shown in the third picture, the ninja key caps have side-printed legends that are obvious and easy to read when viewed from the front. An added bonus is that the printed legends will not disappear after use. That said, the top of the white key caps get scummy and dirty in a matter of days, especially if you are a scummy dirty person who doesn't wash up often.

I realize that it's too soon to make a final decision, but I do like the feel and sound of the keyboard with the o-rings installed. I really wish the Red Alert set had the cross bar reinforcements on them!

Keyboard Facelift

Before

I managed to find some time to install the keycaps mentioned here. I had to close my office door to muffle the sound of the clattering keycaps and to keep my geekdom secure. I won't bore you with the details or provide any "how to" tips. Rather, I'll let you see for yourself. The standard Filco Tenkeyless keyboard with Cherry blue switches is great, although the basic black keycaps are a little drab. Every now and then I'll get all worked up and deem myself ready for a big change in life . . .

For example, I might decide to swap out the stock escape key for something with a little more flair:

Boom! Add a fancy escape key and reinvigorate your life! I usually keep that skull on the keyboard for only a few days before I remove it, polish it with a new microfiber cloth, and return it to a safe deposit box. Swapping out the escape key now and then is no big deal. Installing an entire set of keycaps, however, can take awhile. So I took a half-day off, rolled up my sleeves, and tackled this immense project the other day. Step one: remove the stock keycaps.

Step one is actually 87 little steps. Step two: install 87 new keycaps, step back, and feast your eyes on THIS:

I really like this look, but will probably change it after I grow tired of it or when another colorway grabs my attention.

Key Caps

I just received these in the mail today, so they are literally the acquisition of the day. These are doubleshot OEM profile Cherry MX switch compatible ABS key caps with reverse colored modifiers. If you understood the last sentence, then congratulations (I think) for being a mechanical keyboard geek! Good job. For the remaining 99.78% of the population, you may consider these key caps to be just another feather in my XXL size cap of ridiculousness.

Computer keyboards. Everyone has one these days: on a laptop; at work; on a phone; on a video game device; and so on. Computer staring desk monkeys often type on a computer keyboard all day long and think nothing of it. While doing just that one day, I stumbled across a blog or message board thread topic related to "what's the best keyboard" and was surprised to discover that mechanical keyboards are still made and collected with vigor (by the way, mechanical keyboards use "mechanical" switches or actuators to register the keystrokes, in contrast to the technologies that are used in many common, mass-produced, OEM keyboards).

The thread that caught my eye mentioned unfamiliar terminology such as "Cherry switches" and "clicky blues" and "Filco" . . . huh wut? After spending a few dozen hours reading up on the topic, I realized that one of my first (and best) computer keyboards was indeed mechanical: an IBM model M. This got me interested in a modern mechanical keyboard, which in turn resulted in more research and discovery of websites like Geek Hack and Deskthority, both of which concentrate on mechanical keyboards. Who would have known? Blue versus brown versus red switches? Filco versus Ducky versus Das brands? Full size versus tenkeyless versus compact layouts? Replacement key caps with customized colorways? Click Clack skull key caps that sell on the geek market for a hundred dollars? For ONE key cap! Amazing.

My mechanical keyboard trajectory went like this: (1) acquired a full sized keyboard from WASD Keyboards, with Cherry brown switches and a fully customized key cap layout and color scheme (which is the major selling point of WASD Keyboards); (2) bought additional key caps from WASD Keyboards because my first layout looked like ass; (3) continued buying novelty and other replacement key caps for grins and giggles; (4) went to Fry's Electronics to check out other mechanical keyboards having different switches (Cherry black, Cherry red, Cherry blue, Alps); (5) "borrowed" a Razer Blackwidow keyboard from Fry's to see whether or not I could live with Cherry blue clicky switches; (6) decided YES, I could live with blue switches; (7) got a full set of white side-printed replacement key caps for my WASD keyboard; (8) decided to acquire a tenkeyless keyboard (i.e., one that does not have the ten-key number pad cluster on the right side) with Cherry blue switches; (9) finally got a Filco tenkeyless with blues after waiting for Amazon to be restocked; (10) sold my WASD keyboard to a keyboard noob; and (11) just received the red and white set of awesomeness shown in the picture.

Yes, the above-described trajectory was rather expensive. Why would anyone spend more than ten bucks on a computer keyboard? Who cares about KEYBOARDS? Those are good questions, and every mechanical keyboard user will have his or her own set of valid, silly, and misunderstood answers. Personally, I wanted something that would be enjoyable to use and nice to look at because I use the computer all day when I'm in the office. The fact that my typing speed and accuracy have improved is a nice bonus. I mean, if you are going to do something or use a device for 40+ hours a week, why not try to get the most out of that activity and/or try to eek out a little pleasure and enjoyment while suffering through the day to day banality of your job? OK, OK, I admit that there is also some "cool factor" and "geek appeal" at play here, but really, mechanical keyboards just work better than the crap that most people fiddle with on a daily basis. Try one.