Keyboard suggestion for Model F, but quieter.

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clickandthock

21 Jun 2022, 16:37

If you don't mind linear switches instead of tactile or clicky, Zenith ZKB-2... Best layout, great switches (Alps SKCL Green) and better built than Model M!

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Bjerrk

21 Jun 2022, 19:48

Muirium wrote:
18 Apr 2022, 16:57
Got a before and after video, or even a half done board?

From what I gather, floss mod is a fair bit of work to dampen quite a lot of the sound. Not most of it, though. And there is a bit of deadening on the click feel. On a nice light F, it makes it heavier and less responsive, like M is, or such is my impression.

Naturally, I’ve never tried it. The lively cacophony is a major part of the F factor for me!
My experience is actually the complete opposite - no offence, my good Mu!

I swear by floss modding. In fact, its gotten to the point where I always floss mod my buckling spring keyboards. And it really only takes about half an hour to do a whole board.

It does a world of good for the sound -- makes it sound much more refined -- and in my experience, it even improves the keyfeel, if anything. Depends on what you like, of course. It definitely doesn't make it any heavier or less responsive, I'd say.

Let me elaborate on that last claim: The Model M I use at work is floss modded, it has a really sharp and light key feel. It has occurred to me -- based on a few different floss modded keyboards -- that the key feel has actually gotten nicer over time. And it would make sense. When a strand of floss has been sitting in the spring for a while, and has undergone many buckling cycles, I believe it begins to develop a bit of a kink [in the literal sense ... ·] or a preferred curvature which may even facilitate buckling.

Anyway, that last part is a bit speculative (I should take out some old strands and have a good look at them), but in any case, my experience is that my floss modded Ms and Fs are an absolute joy to type on and sounds quite a bit classier than their un-flossed selves.

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Maledicted

22 Jun 2022, 18:34

clickandthock wrote:
21 Jun 2022, 16:37
If you don't mind linear switches instead of tactile or clicky, Zenith ZKB-2... Best layout, great switches (Alps SKCL Green) and better built than Model M!
Yes, ZKB-2 is a great board. I never seem to be able to find them for a reasonable price without them having looked like they were recovered from the Titanic once I have a good look at the plate though.

Built much better than a Model M. It can be easily argued that the Model M isn't built very well at all by comparison to its peers.

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fohat
Elder Messenger

22 Jun 2022, 18:56

Bjerrk wrote:
21 Jun 2022, 19:48
Muirium wrote:
18 Apr 2022, 16:57

I’ve never tried it.
My experience is actually the complete opposite
I swear by floss modding.
In fact, its gotten to the point where I always floss mod my buckling spring keyboards.
It does a world of good for the sound -- makes it sound much more refined
sounds quite a bit classier than their un-flossed selves.
I always floss-mod Model Fs, I would describe it as mostly cutting out the higher overtones which are the annoying ones.

There is much less change and/or improvement with Model Ms, in my opinion, and I don't usually do it.

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Bjerrk

22 Jun 2022, 19:17

fohat wrote:
22 Jun 2022, 18:56
I always floss-mod Model Fs, I would describe it as mostly cutting out the higher overtones which are the annoying ones.

There is much less change and/or improvement with Model Ms, in my opinion, and I don't usually do it.
Yeah, they're not as high pitched in the first place. Still, it's enough that my wife noticed a definite improvement in the sound after I floss modded my Model M :)

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clickandthock

23 Jun 2022, 14:00

Maledicted wrote:
22 Jun 2022, 18:34
clickandthock wrote:
21 Jun 2022, 16:37
If you don't mind linear switches instead of tactile or clicky, Zenith ZKB-2... Best layout, great switches (Alps SKCL Green) and better built than Model M!
Yes, ZKB-2 is a great board. I never seem to be able to find them for a reasonable price without them having looked like they were recovered from the Titanic once I have a good look at the plate though.

Built much better than a Model M. It can be easily argued that the Model M isn't built very well at all by comparison to its peers.
Yeah! They are so pricey...

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