Real force Boards are CHEAP in Australia...!

[ShivaYash]

Dear all,

I have an Australian connection, my wife is from there. This Xmas I'll be meeting the MIL in Dubai, she'll be flying in from AU. Perhaps I'll ask her to bring over two RF 87 KBs for me. One to keep and one to sell. The wonderful KeyboardCo are selling the same UNIT for £192 incl VAT, but not delivery.

In AU that SAME UNIT with the conversion comes in at £130... at that sort of money, it seems silly not to try. The big question is, do I stick to 55g all round, or go variable? If I buy two, I'll get one of each and try before deciding which one to keep. I'll be looking to sell the second board on here. But before I order, if you have a specific model in mind, let me know.

And to the mods, I hope this post is in-line with the rules. This is a one-off sale, I don't intend on giving up my day job to start grey-importing KBs at discounted rates!

[Muirium]

Ah, so you got into Topre after all, eh?

55g Realforces are always in demand here in Europe. Have you found a good price for HHKBs?

[ShivaYash]

Hi Mu, its been a while. The HHKB is actually fairly reasonable on Amazon. Its a premium status symbol item and at just under £200, It think its not bad at all. Plus it always holds its value in the event of a resale.

I preserved with the HHKB and have not looked back. It took some time but now I appreciate the layout, and accordingly, find ISO quite annoying, hence my earlier post about flogging the TLK FILCO for an ANSI model.

What are you typing on these days?

[Muirium]

Right now: a NovaTouch. It's not a perfect Topre, but it's a looker when you've a good caps collection.



Other than this (which I got gratis as a tester when it was in development) I'm mostly getting ever deeper into IBM. Including getting a hold of IBM's 30 year old "answer" to the HHKB: the Kishsaver.



Those are beyond ridiculously difficult to obtain these days, now we've got them running on USB. I suspect I could trade it for a whole stack of HHKBs, but no sale! I still need to buy an HHKB of my own, hence the question. You think you can really buy them new in Britain for £200, all taxes included? I get stung for every board I ever import, the Kishsaver included. Fortunately, that time 4 of us shared the fees.

[ماء]

or Type Heaven

[Hypersphere]

@ShivaYash: I recommend the uniform 55g model or RF 87u. The light keys on the variable are too light. In fact, when I have compared the all-45g with the all-55g, it seems that the full Topre experience is not quite apparent on the all-45g. However, 45g seems fine on the HHKB, where the switches are case-mounted rather than plate-mounted as they are on the RF.

[matt3o]

I noticed the same as hypersphere. HHKB 45g seem far more crunchy than those of a realforce or leopold. The initial bump seems harder for whatever reason.

[Muirium]

It's got to be the HHKB's plastic plate vs. the Realforce's metal plate. Plastic has some give, and instead of making the switches feel even lighter (as I'd imagine you'd guess, too) it's actually bringing the tactility to the fore. Funny thing, feeling…

Actually, it could be to do with our own expectations. My Kishsaver is lighter than my 3276 "sub-TKL" Beamspring; but because the beamspring is so much larger looking, I could swear the Kishy's heavier. Only scales tell the truth.

[matt3o]

I have to double check on this but it might be the actuation point. The plate material may change the sound and the overall feel, but not the switch stiffness. The leopold has a very high actuation point. The key is activated before you completely overcome the initial bump. This probably gives the impression that the key is lighter. On the HHKB you have to almost bottom the key to activate it, or at least you have to bypass the whole bump force.

I believe the realforce (and the novatouch) is a midway between the leopold and the HHKB.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Right now: a NovaTouch. It's not a perfect Topre, but it's a looker when you've a good caps collection.

Wait … what country are those legends intended for? Ґ isn't in the Russian alphabet.

[Muirium]

Those are my beloved (and hard wearing) PBT Granite Cyrillic set. I remember a Russian speaking forum member helped Matteo design them. There's actually a few choices for several of the keys:



If the NovaTouch came with fancy caps like that as stock, there'd be a lot less grumbling about its price point!

I have to double check on this but it might be the actuation point…

I believe the realforce (and the novatouch) is a midway between the leopold and the HHKB.

That's something I'd love to be able to tune on the fly. Dial an activation point!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I am not sure which makes you look more of a poser — green backlighting, or having legends in a language you don't speak. (I can recognise many Russian given names in Cyrillic as readily as English names, but I don't speak Russian.)

[Muirium]

Backlighting isn't for posers. it's for newbs who don't value their caps enough yet. But Cyrillic (or Japanese, Korean, Hieratic…) legends? That's posing all right! I'm especially looking forward to my Egyptian set once a few of us figure out exactly what to put on it.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Well, if I went with WASD I could have some very interesting keycaps ...

Confucius.jpg (407.72 KiB) Viewed 3559 times

Not sure what I'd do for digits 8 and 9 though …

[Muirium]

I've seen WASD's caps. Worth it if you can find no takers beyond yourself. (As in better than nothing.) Otherwise go dyesub. Granite gives me chills, just like the best modern doubleshots, only multicolour on PBT. Wonderful stuff.

We got ducks in both. There is hope!

[ShivaYash]

I'd be looking at the £150 if I can pull off this deal. I'll be in touch in due course...

[ShivaYash]

I think its possible... have a look on Amazon UK. Do you like ISO? I think ANSI is actually far better for me these days, but the switch back only take a few hours. If you have a Poker II or similar, I have been able to remap the keys to give an almost HHKB layout. You'll have to look on the 'otherwise' however on how to do it. It involves a private.xml file in KARABINER, a great mod if HHKB is your daily KB, but you'd like to travel with another similar unit. OR if you wish to trial the infamous layout

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54693.0

Right now: a NovaTouch. It's not a perfect Topre, but it's a looker when you've a good caps collection.



Other than this (which I got gratis as a tester when it was in development) I'm mostly getting ever deeper into IBM. Including getting a hold of IBM's 30 year old "answer" to the HHKB: the Kishsaver.



Those are beyond ridiculously difficult to obtain these days, now we've got them running on USB. I suspect I could trade it for a whole stack of HHKBs, but no sale! I still need to buy an HHKB of my own, hence the question. You think you can really buy them new in Britain for £200, all taxes included? I get stung for every board I ever import, the Kishsaver included. Fortunately, that time 4 of us shared the fees.

[Jersern]

If you guys thinks Realforces are cheap in Australia, I could always proxy forward them. I got a HHKB and it has dental band silencing and I love it.

[ShivaYash]

If you guys thinks Realforces are cheap in Australia, I could always proxy forward them. I got a HHKB and it has dental band silencing and I love it.

Hi, where is the best place in AU to purchase either Realforce or HHKB?

Thanks.

[002]

The best place just so happens to be the only place
mechkb.com

You can't get HHKB in Australia though.

[ShivaYash]

Thanks 002.

I'm ordering two 87 55g units. One to keep and one to sell.

I'll be selling the non-keeper for £162 + postage worldwide, and of course, pickup from my home in London is welcome.

I realise this is an edgy price but its a still a saving from Keyboard Co's £192 + postage of £6!

PM or I'll eBay.