Mechanical keyboards: pictures, mods, and where to purchase

[WhiteFireDragon]

Anyone here into mechanical keyboards? If you have one and/or did mods to it, post it here. Here are some of my custom ones:


It started out as a Filco TKL MJ-2 ninja, I replaced the stock caps with blank white PBT caps, non 1x size are black PBT. There are also O-rings on every switch to shorten travel distance and dampen bottom-out noise



Custom dyed blank black PBT caps for an otaku look. The sc2 keys you see on these first 2 pics is from a group buy, made by signature plastics



Thick PBT caps from a group buy, they have cherry profile. You can probably tell by now that I love blank caps



This is most of my keyboards, some are not pictured.



My mouse collection if anyone cares. The keyboard you see on the side is a CM storm. Not much mods except O-rings and SP sc2 keys.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Here is complete list of mechanical keyboards from the two largest US stores.

Amazon

TKL (tenkeyless, 89 keys)

Filco black MJ-2, MX blue
Filco black MJ-2, MX brown
Filco black MJ-2, MX black $139

Filco black MJ-2 Ninja, MX blue $149 (OOS)
Filco black MJ-2 Ninja, MX brown
Filco black MJ-2 Ninja, MX black $149

Filco White MJ-2, MX blue $139
Filco White MJ-2, MX brown $139
Filco White MJ-2, MX black $139

Filco white Ninja MJ-2, MX blue
Filco white Ninja MJ-2, MX brown
Filco white Ninja MJ-2, MX black $149

Filco Camo MJ-2, MX blue
Filco Camo MJ-2, MX brown $149
Filco Camo MJ-2, MX black $149

Filco Yellow MJ-2, MX blue
Filco Yellow MJ-2, MX brown
Filco Yellow MJ-2, MX black $149

Filco Pink MJ-2, MX blue
Filco Pink MJ-2, MX brown $159
Filco Pink MJ-2, MX black $159



Full size (104 keys)

Filco black MJ-2, MX blue
Filco black MJ-2, MX brown
Filco black MJ-2, MX black $149

Filco black MJ-2 Ninja, MX blue
Filco black MJ-2 Ninja, MX brown
Filco black MJ-2 Ninja, MX black

Filco White MJ-2, MX blue
Filco White MJ-2, MX brown $149
Filco White MJ-2, MX black

Filco white Ninja MJ-2, MX blue
Filco white Ninja MJ-2, MX brown $159
Filco white Ninja MJ-2, MX black $159

Filco Camo MJ-2, MX blue $159
Filco Camo MJ-2, MX brown $159
Filco Camo MJ-2, MX black $159

Filco Yellow MJ-2, MX blue
Filco Yellow MJ-2, MX brown
Filco Yellow MJ-2, MX black $159



Other Brands

CoolerMaster Storm Quickfire, MX blue $75
Razer BlackWidow Standard, MX blue $70
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate, MX blue $100
Das Professional, MX blue $119
Das Professional Silent, MX brown $129
Das Ultimate, MX blue $129
Das Ultimate Silent, MX brown $135
Corsair Vengeance K60, MX red $88
Corsair Vengeance K90, MX red $104
Xarmor U9Plus, MX blue $99
Xarmor U9W wireless, MX brown $109
Thermaltake MEKA G1, MX black $100
Steel Series 6Gv2, MX black $85
Steel Series 7G, MX black $150
Mionix Zibal 60, MX black $149
Adesso MKB-125B, MX blue $61
Zowie Celeritas, MX brown $100
SIIG JK-US0112-S1, $70



Accessories

Filco TenKeyPad, MX brown $65
Filco full-sized wrist rest $59
Filco TKL-sized wrist rest $59
Filco Roof cover $49
Filco accessory package $20


Newegg

CoolerMaster Storm Quickfire, MX blue $80
CoolerMaster Quickfire Pro, MX brown $100
Corsair Vengeance K60, MX red $110
Corsair Vengeance K90, MX red $130
Adesso MKB-125B, MX blue $64
SIIG JK-US0112-S1, $84

Das Professional Silent, MX brown $150
Das Ultimate Silent, MX brown $150
Das Ultimate, MX blue $145
Das Professional, MX blue $145

Rosewill RK-9000BR, MX brown $110
Rosewill RK-9000RE, MX red $110
Rosewill RK-9000, MX blue $100
Rosewill RK-9000BL, MX black $100

Razer BlackWidow Standard, MX blue $80
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate, MX blue $130
Razer BlackWidow Dragon Age II, MX blue $140
Razer BlackWidow Battlefield 3, MX blue $140
Razer BlackWidow Mass Effect 3, MX blue $140
Razer BlackWidow Standard MAC, MX blue $70
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate MAC, MX blue $100

Zowie black Celeritas, MX brown $100
Zowie pink Celeritas, MX brown $120
Zowie blue Celeritas, MX brown $120



*This is still a work in progress*

[The Jesus]

Good work :thumb:

Here's my Razer BlackWidow Ultimate BF3 Edition with MX Blues:














I've thought about getting some GH group buy keys, but they wouldn't be backlit :/

[lowfat]

Got myself a tenkeyless Filco w/ blues as well as a SS 7g w/ blacks and a Model M. Although I only ever use the Filco. Had a Noppoo Choc Mini but unfortunately it wouldn't work w/ my iMac so I never really got to use it.

[HuffPCair]

Uhg I had to look at this thread lol I have been looking at a few different boards, mainly liking the Cooler Master Quick Fire Pro, but just not sure yet.

[kg4icg]

I have a Corsair K90 myself, picked up the M90 mouse too. Both at Microcenter.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Good work :thumb:

Here's my Razer BlackWidow Ultimate BF3 Edition with MX Blues:

[IMG]*snipped[/IMG]

I've thought about getting some GH group buy keys, but they wouldn't be backlit :/

That looks awesome. At first I though you did some kind of mod to the surface to give it a blue transparent glow like that, but then I realized it was just the default BF3 image haha.

As for the caps, yeah it's a shame there is no custom transparent font in PBT. You might be able to replace it with RACE caps, those are also transparent if you want different font. I believe the material is still ABS though.

PS- loving that triple monitor setup btw. If those were all IPS, I'd be super jealous.

[AMD_Freak]

Max Keyboard a new company with fully customizable keyboards.

Max Keyboard - Onboard memory (yes), Software to program macro (yes), braided cables (yes), resistor on all leds (yes), USB full nkey roller (yes), memory form wrist pad (yes), only 1 USB to power everything, customize Leds (yes)
Max Keyboard uses red color Printed circuit board (double layer)

http://www.maxkeyboard.com/mechanical-keyboard.html

here is a picture of mine in-route to me, Max Keyboard Nighthawk X8 w /cherry browns / Red LEDs / WASD yellow LEDs/

[lowfat]

Uhg I had to look at this thread lol I have been looking at a few different boards, mainly liking the Cooler Master Quick Fire Pro, but just not sure yet.

The Cooler Master looks like a good board.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Got myself a tenkeyless Filco w/ blues as well as a SS 7g w/ blacks and a Model M. Although I only ever use the Filco. Had a Noppoo Choc Mini but unfortunately it wouldn't work w/ my iMac so I never really got to use it.

Beautiful Filco, the contrasting caps make them look even better. The blank caps looks nice and clean, which is why I like most of my caps blank also. What caps are those and where did you get them?

[lowfat]

Beautiful Filco, the contrasting caps make them look even better. The blank caps looks nice and clean, which is why I like most of my caps blank also. What caps are those and where did you get them?

The caps are ABS from WASD. Starting to get shiny however on white blank caps it isn't noticable. They also have dampeners installed.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Uhg I had to look at this thread lol I have been looking at a few different boards, mainly liking the Cooler Master Quick Fire Pro, but just not sure yet.

The Cooler Master looks like a good board.

CM is a good brand. It's essentially a filco, but almost half the price. Only thing stopping some people from getting it is the ugly CoolerMaster branding everywhere on the keyboard. I'm personally not a fan of full sized keyboards, so I'll just stick with the TKL coolermaster instead of the Pro version.

[The Jesus]

That looks awesome. At first I though you did some kind of mod to the surface to give it a blue transparent glow like that, but then I realized it was just the default BF3 image haha.

As for the caps, yeah it's a shame there is no custom transparent font in PBT. You might be able to replace it with RACE caps, those are also transparent if you want different font. I believe the material is still ABS though.

PS- loving that triple monitor setup btw. If those were all IPS, I'd be super jealous.

Hah, nah, I haven't done anything to the board and I love it

I haven't really looked too much into mechanical as I'm not thoroughly obsessed and have much more imperative things to spend money on :P I'll definitely check out the RACE caps though

You could come buy them in FL, I've had them listed for awhile :P Planning to replace them with a 2560 S-IPS panel.

[TheBreezyBB]

I also have the Razer BWU BF3 edition. First mechanical Keyboard for me and i love it.

[HuffPCair]

CM is a good brand. It's essentially a filco, but almost half the price. Only thing stopping some people from getting it is the ugly CoolerMaster branding everywhere on the keyboard. I'm personally not a fan of full sized keyboards, so I'll just stick with the TKL coolermaster instead of the Pro version.

See I like the smaller keyboards but for work I am constantly typing IP addresses so I like the num pad. I may get a Filco and then get a separate num pad.

really like Lowfat's board.

Also seems the Cooler Master Pro is not available anywhere. Is it not out yet or something? Cooler Master site does not even list it available anywhere.

[WangChung]

I would really like this to come out. If it were backlit, I think it would be the pinnacle of keyboards:

http://www.trulyergonomic.com/store/index.php

[The Jesus]

I would really like this to come out. If it were backlit, I think it would be the pinnacle of keyboards:

http://www.trulyergonomic.com/store/index.php

Could anyone ever go back to a normal keyboard after that? Lmao.

[WangChung]

Yeah, going from my nice comfy ergo keyboard at home to my work keyboard (standard) sucks. I might just have them buy me one :P

[WhiteFireDragon]

See I like the smaller keyboards but for work I am constantly typing IP addresses so I like the num pad. I may get a Filco and then get a separate num pad.

really like Lowfat's board.

Also seems the Cooler Master Pro is not available anywhere. Is it not out yet or something? Cooler Master site does not even list it available anywhere.

You could get a TKL keyboard, and also a Filco tenkeypad for the compactness of the keyboard and modular keypad, but of course that would cost a bit more than just getting a full sized keyboard.

As for the CM quickfire pro, it just launched and been on newegg for a week or two. You must have missed it but I posted it on the second post of all the keyboards. Here it is again:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823129003

I would really like this to come out. If it were backlit, I think it would be the pinnacle of keyboards:

http://www.trulyergonomic.com/store/index.php

Trulyergonomic is basically ran by one guy, so don't expect any customer service or updates of firmware. I do like the idea behind the key placements, but there are also some user reports that some of the thumb keys are hard to press because of the position of it.

[Klarko]

Blackwidow user here, really love the keyboard.

Side note: Is there anywhere I can get a tool for taking off the keys? I don't want to use a flathead screwdriver :/

Whitefiredragon:, how do you like the Quickfire? When I get my laptop I might buy one of those for typing papers and whatnot

[[XC] Lead Head]

I've got a stack of IBM Model Ms. Can't beat 'em.

[3lfk1ng]

Steelseries 7G user here.
-Cherry MX Black
-Non-modded (Standard Keys)
-No dampeners.

I can never go back to a standard keyboard.

[AVulgarPicture]

surprised XS doesnt have its own mech keyboard thread.

i run a Ducky 9008B in Cherry Blues, with custom WASDkeyboards laser'd keys, as well an Ergo brown/clear switch poker for uni as my portable keyboard.
each with a few random found geekhack double shot novelty keys.

foam pads or o rings are a must i think.

[meanmoe]

@WhiteFireDragon,

Thanks for putting this thread together. I just ordered some dampeners from WASD. I didn't know they existed previously. That FILCO TKL ninja is dead sexy, if you happen to see the black ones with blue or brown switches come available again and remember, could you PM me or update the thread?

[The Jesus]

Side note: Is there anywhere I can get a tool for taking off the keys? I don't want to use a flathead screwdriver :/

http://elitekeyboards.com/products.p...ools&pid=leokp