HHKB Pro 2 Type-S 55g Domes and Black Case?

User avatar
Hypersphere

30 Sep 2014, 16:02

Currently, I have a RF 87ub 55g and a black HHKB Pro 2. Eventually, I plan to get a HHKB Pro 2 Type-S and do a dome swap with the RF so that I will have a HHKB Pro 2 Type-S with 55g domes.

However, the Type-S HHKB Pro 2 is available only in white, and I would prefer to have a black case. Is it possible to do a "case swap" between a white Type-S and a standard black HHKB to yield a HHKB Pro 2 Type-S with a black case?

I have seen conflicting posts on this; one saying that he did this but there were no details, and another saying it was not possible because the switch housings are molded into the top of the case. I did not want to dismantle my HHKB to find out for myself until I was ready to do the dome transplant.

Thanks.

User avatar
Muirium
µ

30 Sep 2014, 16:43

Both of those reports sound true to me. The housings are molded into the case (the HHKB's plastic plate):

Image

But the differentiating component of the Type-S is the sliders, which are removable from the plate with a bit of manual coercion with a screwdriver on every single switch. (I have tried it myself on a single Topre switch, and I can't say I like doing it.)

So there's basically an easy way and a hard way to get those 55g domes and Type-S sliders together. The hard way gets you the end result you want, but with quite a lot of fiddly, somewhat nervous work. Simplest to leave the sliders be and put up with the one true white HHKB as Wada intended!

User avatar
Hypersphere

30 Sep 2014, 17:49

Muirium wrote: Both of those reports sound true to me. The housings are molded into the case (the HHKB's plastic plate):

Image

But the differentiating component of the Type-S is the sliders, which are removable from the plate with a bit of manual coercion with a screwdriver on every single switch. (I have tried it myself on a single Topre switch, and I can't say I like doing it.)

So there's basically an easy way and a hard way to get those 55g domes and Type-S sliders together. The hard way gets you the end result you want, but with quite a lot of fiddly, somewhat nervous work. Simplest to leave the sliders be and put up with the one true white HHKB as Wada intended!
Thanks.

It appears that the sliders could be transferred, but in a Type-S, it would seem that not only would the sliders be different, but the switch housings might be different from those in a standard Topre switch as well. If so, then this would definitely rule against attempting a slider transplant.

User avatar
Muirium
µ

30 Sep 2014, 18:05

Better ask 002 or someone else who knows their Type-S from their elbow. You could be right.

Anyway, you know my suggestion. Learn to love the native HHKB look, instead of its snazzy younger brother!

User avatar
Hypersphere

30 Sep 2014, 18:46

Muirium wrote: Better ask 002 or someone else who knows their Type-S from their elbow. You could be right.

Anyway, you know my suggestion. Learn to love the native HHKB look, instead of its snazzy younger brother!
Okay, I hope others who might have undertaken such mods will chime in with additional answers.

As for loving a native look, I suppose I have caught the modding bug from other enthusiasts, and my own preference of the look of the HHKB is a black case with various combinations of keycaps colors. Part of it is the madness of "painting the roses red" or "I see a red door and I want it painted black".

User avatar
Muirium
µ

30 Sep 2014, 18:52

I'd better spare some sympathy for the devil.

User avatar
DanielT
Un petit village gaulois d'Armorique…

01 Oct 2014, 12:37

Considering how hard is to get a HHKB in EU for a decent price, I would never dare to mess with my HHKB. I bought an artisan cap with the intent to put it on my HHKB, after 5s took it out, had the feeling the cap was not sliding well and only the thought that something might break gave me the shivers.... Sold that cap next day. On my board only the PFU caps find a home (I have the blue Esc and red Control and that's it).
On MX boards I go crazy, I can always replace a switch, but the HHKB is sacred :evilgeek:

User avatar
002
Topre Enthusiast

01 Oct 2014, 14:00

Should be pretty straight-forward. You will obviously need to take some care when cutting up the dome sheet from the Realforce.

You will have to remove the sliders from both boards, but they should be compatible. The sliders on the Type-S are a little bit shorter at the base to counter the ~.5mm width of the silencing o-rings.

Image

User avatar
Hypersphere

01 Oct 2014, 15:06

002 wrote: Should be pretty straight-forward. You will obviously need to take some care when cutting up the dome sheet from the Realforce.

You will have to remove the sliders from both boards, but they should be compatible. The sliders on the Type-S are a little bit shorter at the base to counter the ~.5mm width of the silencing o-rings.
Spoiler:
Image
Thanks.

Recommendations on how to cut up the dome sheet? Surgical scissors? X-acto knife?

Recommendations on how to remove and install Topre switch sliders?

Is it possible to use sliders from a silent RF 87u keyboard instead of from a Type-S HHKB Pro 2 to convert a standard HHKB Pro 2 to a Type-S HHKB Pro 2?

Thanks again.

User avatar
Hypersphere

05 Dec 2014, 23:27

002 wrote: Should be pretty straight-forward. You will obviously need to take some care when cutting up the dome sheet from the Realforce.

You will have to remove the sliders from both boards, but they should be compatible. The sliders on the Type-S are a little bit shorter at the base to counter the ~.5mm width of the silencing o-rings.

Image
Finally got a Type-S HHKB Pro 2. However, on mine, the sliders are black rather than purple. Is the purple slider shown in your pic from a silent RF or an earlier version of a HHKB Pro 2?

Silent RFs have become difficult to purchase in the US, as our only dealer, EK, has stopped listing them. Currently, they do still list the Type-S HHKB Pro 2 (although at the moment they are out of stock again).

User avatar
002
Topre Enthusiast

05 Dec 2014, 23:47

That image is not mine, but the purple sliders in that image are from a silenced Realforce.
I think the Type-S HHKB has never had purple sliders though. This image is mine, from when I did own an HHKB Type-S:

Image

User avatar
Hypersphere

06 Dec 2014, 00:22

@002: Thanks for the clarification! Now I am working up the courage to dismantle my Topre keyboards to try a dome swap and/or a slider swap.

I also have some foam pads that I could install, but this also requires popping out the sliders.

I even have some dental bands, which some people find perfectly satisfactory but others have found wanting, as they apparently shorten the key travel by a noticeable amount.

My new Type-S is growing on me, although I am still not sure if I prefer it over my normal HHKB Pro 2. At first, I didn't like the Type-S at all, because it sounded and felt as if the sliders were surrounded by tissue paper. This makes me wonder if I might actually prefer normal sliders with foam pads or dental pads over the Type-S sliders. I will need to do the mods to find out!

User avatar
002
Topre Enthusiast

06 Dec 2014, 05:37

Interesting description of the Type-S (tissue paper). This was my experience too, and a large reason why I always preferred the feel of the Realforce over the HHKB Type-S.
In theory there should not be any difference in feel between Type-S sliders and the ones in your HHKB Pro 2 if you removed the foam pads from the Type-S. The only difference then would be the extra ~0.3mm travel in the Type-S.

User avatar
Hypersphere

06 Dec 2014, 15:22

002 wrote: Interesting description of the Type-S (tissue paper). This was my experience too, and a large reason why I always preferred the feel of the Realforce over the HHKB Type-S.
In theory there should not be any difference in feel between Type-S sliders and the ones in your HHKB Pro 2 if you removed the foam pads from the Type-S. The only difference then would be the extra ~0.3mm travel in the Type-S.
I thought that the Type-S sliders had a closer tolerance (less space between the slider and switch housing) in addition to having the foam pad and compensatory lower height.

User avatar
Muirium
µ

06 Dec 2014, 15:33

I still don't know about Type-S, first hand, but one thing I can tell you to look out for is the little retention nub on the slider of any Topre switch. They're more trouble than they should be, or at least the single tester switch I have put up quite a fight.

The NovaTouch's loose fit was quite a relief in that respect, when I went in to install some dampers. So much easier than my one and only Realforce switch.

User avatar
Hypersphere

07 Dec 2014, 20:08

@002: Is it just the color and lighting, or is the surface of the standard slider rougher than that of the Type-S slider?

@Mu: Yes, I've seen posts about the retention nub on the sliders. Some even said that some of it comes off when pushing out the plungers. One even suggested trimming them off, indicating that they served no useful purpose! I would like to hear from a Topre engineer to tell us, yes, it's just like your appendix; or no, it's there to perform the following function [he fills in the blanks].

User avatar
002
Topre Enthusiast

07 Dec 2014, 21:53

I can't say with certainty, but I am pretty sure that the slider material between the purple and black would be the same. From memory, the pitted/rough look seen on the black slider in the comparison image above can also occur on the purple sliders and I don't think this really affects feel that much. I have not tried a standard HHKB before, but I definitely know what you mean with the frictiony feel of the Type-S...I always just assumed that's how HHKBs felt because my ND31BS (silenced Realforce) didn't have this tissue paper feel.

User avatar
Muirium
µ

08 Dec 2014, 00:07

I like damped Alps enough to be intrigued by the HHKB Type-S, despite the fact I like the sound of the normal version just fine! My wallet likes where this argument is headed…

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