The Keyboard is Done

2021-03-29T20:33

After installing half the Cherry Blues (the third type of switches I've tried), I discovered they didn't feel right either. The stabilisers weren't transparent enough and affected the feel.

Meanwhile, the Kailh Navy switches arrived. I put a few of those in and they were surprisingly good. They suffered the same problem of the Gateron Blues and the Kailh Pink — that the key registers slightly after the click — but because the switches are so tactile it's difficult to stop in that gap.

The springs are heavier than anything I've used before which is taking some getting used to, but they're fine. I've read people complain that their hands get tired using them but that hasn't been the case for me (playing guitar with .013 strings probably helps). Also, the strength of the springs easily overcomes any stiffness in the stabilises.

I'm still getting used to the switches, but I think they're probably the best match I'll find for this keyboard. My next one will have a lasercut plate and Costar stabilisers. That should allow for a few other switch options like Cherry Blue or Green.

The paint feels wonderful. The layout is almost perfect. The annoyances of the F keys being too low and the tmux key (bottom-left) being too far to the right aren't annoying me anymore. I would probably adjust them for next time, but they're okay. All up, I think it's a better keyboard than my old one.

If you were wondering why I made the keyboard so high, it's to allow the trackpad to be placed in front of it without my palm constantly bumping it. It's a setup I've used since not long after Apple released the Magic Trackpad.

My Computer

The Keyboard

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