Kaihua Box Navy Switches (supersized click bar)

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Elrick

24 Jan 2018, 00:30

codemonkeymike wrote: Elrick, The pale blues and navy blues have the same spring, but he navy blues have a thicker click bar. You have the pale blues as massdrop has not sold the navy blues
I got an email off KBDfans yesterday and they said they posted my purchase of Box Navy's. Paid for 120 of them so I'll see how they compare to the so-called 'Pale Blues' (Greyish Blues to be more correct).

Now is a GREAT time for Clicky Lovers ;) .

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mike52787
Alps Aficionado

24 Jan 2018, 00:36

Elrick wrote:
mike52787 wrote: 0/10 not enough zealios
I've got Zealios - worthless Crapola.

Placed an order for some Box Navy switches simply because I love their "Loudness" something every Model-M owner knows about. Every keyboard switch should be loud because that is what every keyboard should sound like 24/7 when used.

The Box Navy's is far more interesting and suits my preference to a Tee 8-) .
it was a joke

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Techno Trousers
100,000,000 actuations

24 Jan 2018, 05:30

I gotta say, I thought the "worthless crapola" comment was damn funny. Never tried zealios, since they seem like overpriced ergo clear equivalents to me.

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Techno Trousers
100,000,000 actuations

24 Jan 2018, 05:33

Elrick wrote:I got an email off KBDfans yesterday and they said they posted my purchase of Box Navy's. Paid for 120 of them so I'll see how they compare to the so-called 'Pale Blues' (Greyish Blues to be more correct).

Now is a GREAT time for Clicky Lovers ;) .
Here's a phrase I never thought I'd say: When they come in, give us your no holds barred opinion of them, Elrick.

The Navy version just seems so crazy heavy with an 80+g activation force.

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ohaimark
Kingpin

24 Jan 2018, 14:07

Without time on a Model M at the office, which measures around 70 - 75 grams, the Navies would have been unreasonably heavy. Finger training is necessary.

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Daniel Beardsmore

24 Jan 2018, 20:18

Techno Trousers wrote: I gotta say, I thought the "worthless crapola" comment was damn funny. Never tried zealios, since they seem like overpriced ergo clear equivalents to me.
Overpriced equivalents to Cherry's official ergo clears, you mean?

If Zealios are demonstrated to work reliably (i.e. the slider doesn't get stuck) maybe Cherry could be convinced to make real ones.

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Elrick

25 Jan 2018, 03:39

Techno Trousers wrote: Here's a phrase I never thought I'd say: When they come in, give us your no holds barred opinion of them, Elrick.

The Navy version just seems so crazy heavy with an 80+g activation force.
No worries :D .

The Pale (more Blue-grey) Blues, are quite light for myself hence I wanted to see how much more pleasure can be derived from the Navy's.
ohaimark wrote: Without time on a Model M at the office, which measures around 70 - 75 grams, the Navies would have been unreasonably heavy. Finger training is necessary.
Suppose that might be true but if you are a normal to heavy-typer than the navy's should be no different than a Model-M. I don't go by specs mentioned here it always comes down to you putting your fingers upon these babies and working them.

Sometimes it may even cause you to sweat, but that's good because first-rate things in your life will always create some dampness and result in some heavy breathing ecstasy :shock: .

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Elrick

29 Jan 2018, 08:33

Today my Brand new MK Typist Keyboard came in from Mechanical Keyboards and I have to say VERY impressed with this new keyboard.

Nice satisfying click from the full size layout. Very solid keyboard far stiffer than any Focus model keyboard which always creaks when you use them.

Thought I would be using another Ducky styled keyboard but having this all White Box Switches installed makes this a FAR better keyboard than most.

Not saying this is far better than a NIB NorthGate but this model is pretty close. After using these box switches I am no longer interested in any standard Cherry switch again.

Suggest you guys buy one and see for yourself where these box switches are at. These are the future of modern keyboards and I am glad I bought the first decent keyboard, sporting these wonderful babies :D .

rich1051414

30 Jan 2018, 23:10

I compared my pale blues next to my set of gateron greens, and the greens are louder. A lot of people say the click bar is louder than the cherry mechanism, but not from my experience. They are also less tactile with the tactility being higher up.There is a lot of travel after it which feels spongey compared to alps.

Personally I think a reduced travel version of a click bar switch will be fantastic. Maybe I am totally off base here though.

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Elrick

31 Jan 2018, 00:53

rich1051414 wrote: They are also less tactile with the tactility being higher up.There is a lot of travel after it which feels spongey compared to alps.
I have both the complicated White and Blue Alps keyboards and the new MK Typist is certainly comparable in noise and tactility. In fact the White Alps are just a smidgen noisier, than the White Box's but the White Box's do have a better kick back than the White or Blue Alps switches.

Maybe I have the white box switches here fitted to a very firm keyboard structure and there is NO 'sponginess' here. Plus with the MK Keyboard you get all PBT key-caps which might have an overall effect here, who knows.

Very firm clicks and the way I type I go the full length of the switch, all the way down. The Pale (blue-grey) Blues I have are simply switches yet not fitted into any keyboard, hence I can't judge to their own specs or feel as of yet.

Of course don't forget if you are using any older Alps based keyboards do expect severe sponginess, since that is the very nature of all Alps switches when dirt, moisture and grime makes it's way inside all Alps switches. Have no idea if Matias's switches are prone to gathering dirt and grime as well?

The Navy's are on their way to my address and when they arrive, shall be installed into some keyboard just haven't chosen which one as of yet.

rich1051414

01 Feb 2018, 00:48

Elrick wrote:
rich1051414 wrote: They are also less tactile with the tactility being higher up.There is a lot of travel after it which feels spongey compared to alps.
I have both the complicated White and Blue Alps keyboards and the new MK Typist is certainly comparable in noise and tactility. In fact the White Alps are just a smidgen noisier, than the White Box's but the White Box's do have a better kick back than the White or Blue Alps switches.

Maybe I have the white box switches here fitted to a very firm keyboard structure and there is NO 'sponginess' here. Plus with the MK Keyboard you get all PBT key-caps which might have an overall effect here, who knows.

Very firm clicks and the way I type I go the full length of the switch, all the way down. The Pale (blue-grey) Blues I have are simply switches yet not fitted into any keyboard, hence I can't judge to their own specs or feel as of yet.

Of course don't forget if you are using any older Alps based keyboards do expect severe sponginess, since that is the very nature of all Alps switches when dirt, moisture and grime makes it's way inside all Alps switches. Have no idea if Matias's switches are prone to gathering dirt and grime as well?

The Navy's are on their way to my address and when they arrive, shall be installed into some keyboard just haven't chosen which one as of yet.
Hmm, I never called Alps 'spongy' but pale blue box kailh's spongy, in comparison to white alps, mostly because of all that extra travel after the tactility, and the somewhat heavy weighting. I like the switch, it was just a bit different than I expected, and do not see pale blues as a suitable replacement for white alps.

My thick bars should be arriving within the week, so I my tune may totally change.

The pale blues I am using are in a screwless plastic case, and that may be hushing the switches up as well, which may explain why they seem so quiet to me.

Alps switches are usually the polar opposite of spongy, with the huge drop in weighting after the tactile bump.

I wish I had blue alps so I would understand how they feel, but they are far too expensive, and all the dice rolls on keyboards that possibly could have them hasn't paid off. However, I love white alps, and have a lifetime supply of them now, so it wasn't all for not.

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ohaimark
Kingpin

01 Feb 2018, 01:14

Navy Blues feel much more like Alps, along with Jades. The thicker click bar really makes a difference.

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Elrick

02 Feb 2018, 23:46

ohaimark wrote: Navy Blues feel much more like Alps, along with Jades. The thicker click bar really makes a difference.
Need to also get me some 'Jades' simply because I concentrated solely upon Navy Blues.

YES, these switches are looking to take over from the Alps brigade, watch all the alps fanatics contort with horror on this new found reality :D .

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