deskthority

From Full-size to 60%

My first mechanical keyboard was a full-size IBM Model M. I was reasonably happy with it until a right-shoulder injury precipitated a search for a smaller keyboard that would enable me to move the mouse closer to the centerline. I was lucky to find an IBM SSK, the TKL version of the Model M, but my search had also turned up contemporary versions of compact keyboards, and I became interested in trying them.

After joining mechanical keyboard forums such as DT and GH, people kept suggesting 60% keyboards. For some, the ultimate 60% was the PFU HHKB Pro 2. I was intrigued, but hesitant, because of the absence of dedicated arrow keys and the non-standard layout. When I finally gave the standard HHKB Pro 2 a try, I liked every aspect of the board including the 60% form factor, efficient and intuitive layout, dye-sublimated keycaps, and Topre switches. I got the black version, but I replaced the alphanumeric keycaps with a blue set and added some red accents:
Silencing the Clack

While I enjoyed the celebrated "thock" of downward keystrokes on Topre switches, I grew weary of the "clack" of the return keystrokes. The hollow plastic-sounding clack is more noticeable in the case-mounted switches of the HHKB Pro 2 than it is in the plate-mounted switches of Realforce keyboards. I learned that is possible to do various silencing modifications on the HHKB Pro 2, such as installing dental bands or ironed soft-landing pads on the sliders. However, some people report that the dental bands noticeably shorten key travel, and the landing pad method can be tedious, with good results depending upon aggressively ironing the pads until they have flattened to about 0.15 mm from a starting thickness of about 0.5 mm.

Another way to deal with the return-stroke clack is to buy the Type-S version of the HHKB Pro 2. The Type-S has foam rings on the sliders to dampen the return-stroke, and the base of the sliders has been shortened to compensate for the ~ 0.5 mm thickness of the foam rings. Unfortunately, this luxury adds to the already high cost of the HHKB Pro 2. Nevertheless, considering the cost in time and materials for doing a silencing mod, I finally decided that the price differential for a Type-S was worth it, especially when it became available for a sale price.

Initial Disappointments

At first, I didn’t like the Type-S. The damped sliders felt and sounded as if they had been wrapped in tissue paper. Moreover, the silencing was not uniform across the board. In particular, the Left Shift and Spacebar sounded almost the same as they did in the standard HHKB Pro 2. I also noticed the whistling sound on some keys that has been reported by others.

In addition to the tactile and aural drawbacks, an aesthetic limitation of the Type-S is that it is available only in white. Some purists would maintain that the white color scheme represents the one true HHKB, but the blizzard of white on white was giving me snow blindness, and the high albedo of the keyboard just didn’t agree with the generally noir theme of my office.

Adaptations to Shortcomings

Despite my quibbles with the Type-S, the reduction of the plastic-on-plastic clack on most of the keys has been a sufficiently welcome change from the standard model to make the Type-S worthwhile.

To lessen the reflectance of the Type-S somewhat, I have replaced the white alphanumeric caps with blue. I first tried black modifiers rather than the stock light gray, but these looked too stark against the white case. The legends also looked too busy, and so I replaced the mods with blanks. For a bit of extra contrast, I added a red Escape and a red arrow key for Function (Fn):
These aesthetic changes are possible because superb, albeit expensive, dye-sublimated keycaps are still available for the HHKB Pro 2. Black or white printed or blank sets can be purchased through EliteKeyboards (EK), and Topre sets in white, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red are available through eBay. EK also has Topre modifier sets, arrow keys, and Escape keys in various colors.

Eventually, I would like to transfer the Type-S sliders (with their damping rings) into a black case and swap the 45g domes with 55g domes from an RF board. If the slider and dome swaps are successful, I anticipate that the resulting black 55g version of the Type-S could become my favorite keyboard.

Other 60% Contenders

Poker II. Much of the popularity of 60% keyboards is due to the Poker II. It has a completely standard layout and Cherry mx switches, which opens up a wealth of choices for replacement keycaps. However, I have discovered that Cherry mx switches are my least favorite, and I have tried most of the sub-classes, including blue, green, red, black, brown, and clear. In addition, I like the HHKB layout so much that I use Karabiner software to remap all other keyboards to something as close to the HHKB layout as possible. Unfortunately, the Program (Pn) and Function (Fn) keys on the Poker II are hard-wired and cannot be remapped with software, and so on the Poker II, I have sacrificed the Right Control as Fn.

V60 Matias-Switch. Keyboard Paradise (KBP) recently introduced its 60% line of keyboards, first with Cherry mx switches and later with Matias (“Alps-inspired”) switches. The Matias switches come in three varieties: tactile click, tactile quiet, and linear.

I have purchased two of the Matias-switch boards, one with Matias Click and the other with Matias Quiet switches. The Matias Click and Quiet switches have pleasing force-displacement characteristics, with a tactile bump force of 60g, bottoming out force of 35g, and actuation at 2.2 mm out of a total displacement of 3.5 mm.

The Matias Click switches are highly tactile and loud; the sensation is similar to typing on IBM Model F capacitive buckling spring switches.

The Matias Quiet switches are also highly tactile and extremely quiet. I have not done recordings or sound measurements, but to me the V60 Matias Quiet keyboard sounds as quiet if not quieter than the HHKB Pro 2 Type-S. Indeed, the Spacebar is definitely quieter in the V60 Matias Quiet keyboard. Matias has done an excellent job at damping both the down-stroke and return-stroke sounds.

Unlike the Poker II, the Fn key on V60 keyboards can be moved and remapped in software, enabling me to replicate closely the HHKB Pro 2 layout.

Unfortunately, high-quality (e.g., dye-sub PBT) keycaps are difficult to source for Matias switches. However, I have purchased black blank ABS modifiers and spacebars from Matias, and harvested dye-sub PBT alphanumeric keycaps from an IBM 5140 keyboard:
Matias 60. Matias is currently running a Group Buy for what they call a 60% keyboard, but with the inclusion of dedicated arrow keys. They are offering PC and Mac layouts and a choice of Cherry mx or Matias switches. Because of odd sizes of keys on the bottom row, these switches will be Matias only. The bottom row will be PBT, and remaining rows will be progressively populated with PBT keycaps depending upon the number of units sold. Although I am unsure about the unusual layout, I am considering purchasing a Matias 60 because of my liking for the switches.

Infinity 60. Massdrop ran a Group Buy for the Infinity 60 keyboard kit with either Cherry mx or Matias switches. Blank PBT keycaps were available, and the layout choices are two variants of the HHKB Pro 2 layout. Depending upon the success of this Drop, it might be re-launched. I have purchased the Hacker layout with Matias Click switches. After I have received my order and assembled the keyboard, I will post my impressions.

Conclusions

After some initial misgivings, I am warming up to the HHKB Pro 2 Type-S. However, I think that PFU/Topre might have done a better job at engineering a silenced Topre-switch keyboard. In addition, for those like me who would prefer a black case and/or 55-gram Topre switches, a slider-swap and/or dome-swap will be required.

For those who don’t mind ABS keycaps, a V60 Matias-Quiet keyboard could be viewed as a “poor man’s Type-S”. The V60 also has the distinction of being slightly smaller than the HHKB Pro 2 or Poker II. However, for those like me who must have dye-sub PBT keycaps, it will be necessary to harvest them from vintage Alps-mount keyboards. Considering the cost of the vintage board and the value of one’s own time, this could double the cost of a V60 Matias-Quiet keyboard. Even so, it would be less expensive than a Type-S HHKB Pro 2.

Couldn't you just swap the case and keycaps between the white Type-S and the normal black one?

Now that you have written down your opinions about your 60% keyboards in a condensed form, please stop repeating them in every suitable thread. Don't take it harsh, but I've read almost all your opinions and statements on this thread multiple times in several other threads and at least to me it got kind of annoying.

@Nuum: Thanks for the suggestions. Regarding the case swap, I haven't gotten into the nuts and bolts yet, but it is my understanding that you would need to push out the sliders and swap them over.

Sorry about the redundancy. I will try to be more mindful of how annoying this might be and cease and desist. Perhaps it is time for me to take a leave of absence from the forums.

No, don't go, I like to hear your opinions, as they often sound quite sophisticated, but I don't need to hear it multiple times. It just occurred to me over the last weeks and I just wanted to give you a little hint, I'm quite sure this happened to me quite often, too. We all have strong opinions about our favourite keyboards and like them to be heard and that is fine!

Oh yes, I forgot, that the barrels of the HHKB are molded directly into the top case, so you can't simply swap cases and would indeed have to swap the sliders, my bad.

I am thinking of purchasing a HHKB or second-hand Model M...based on some fora I've read...after some time your fingers hurt when typing on IBM Model M? Is this true?

eldorange wrote: I am thinking of purchasing a HHKB or second-hand Model M...based on some fora I've read...after some time your fingers hurt when typing on IBM Model M? Is this true?

I have never suffered any pain in my fingers when using a Model M

eldorange wrote: I am thinking of purchasing a HHKB or second-hand Model M...based on some fora I've read...after some time your fingers hurt when typing on IBM Model M? Is this true?

Once i broke my left pinkie, and could not type for about 4 weeks. Just joking, the buckling springs are indeed not a soft switch, and are for lots of people too heavy. I could imagine that heavy typists feel tiredness in the fingers, but probably not hurt. I like the buckling spring switch very much, it is one of the best clicky switches out there. I would never compare it with a Topre switch, or HHKB. So you are choosing between two different worlds!

Everyone has their preference. And all of us get fatigue eventually, depending on many things including the obvious daily word count and ergonomics of our workplace.

I don't get weary from my IBMs, but I don't push myself especially hard, typing-wise. And I have a standing desk, which really helps me take frequent breaks as I don't even have to think about standing up to nip off for something.

In any case, Topre's well worth a look and is the easier route for guaranteed success. Model Ms vary a lot in condition (you often can't tell from the outside what they'll feel like) while Topres are available new, in various weights and sizes. Expensive, but easily resold if you wind up not liking it.

The most fatiguing switches I ever tried were Cherry mx clears. I like to bottom out, and with clears, after getting past the tactile bump and reaching actuation, the force required to continue pressing down increases sharply.

Buckling springs and Topres seem relaxing because their mechanisms involve a release of tension via a buckling spring or collapsing rubber dome. The sensation is similar to pressing a key on a real piano.

Beamspring is closer to a piano. Topre's sort of there, but light and comfortable and significantly quieter than IBM or the musical instrument! But buckling spring — which I do like and use plenty in its own right — isn't swingy at all. It's a nice smooth slide with a sharp decisive click 75% or so of the way down to the bottom. There's no S shape to its force curve, though. Topre and beamspring both achieve that with horizontal "springs" — a real spring in beamspring's case, and the dome walls in Topre's — while buckling spring works with a vertical spring which has the same linear Hooke's Law defined movement as Cherry MX and the rest, until it buckles with the click.

Ah, yes, the beam spring! It's -14 C outside and my garage workshop is not heated. Although I actually enjoy the crisp cold weather, I am looking forward to summer when I will be able to resume work on keyboard projects that require some shop work, such as sanding and painting. This includes work on a beam spring, which is currently boxed up and sitting on a shelf in my study.

Great, thorough review. I absolutely dislike that the type s don't come in black as well. Isn't that their most popular color?

Just a question about the keycaps in the above photo. I love the setup btw. Is that a blue or a grey for the keycaps?

redkeys wrote: Great, thorough review. I absolutely dislike that the type s don't come in black as well. Isn't that their most popular color?

Doubt it. The white is the original colour HHKB, and I suspect still the best seller too.

The white yellows though :/

A reminder of life's impermanence.

@redkeys: The keycaps on the black HHKB Pro 2 are blue alphanumerics and black modifiers plus spacebar. In addition, there is a red Escape and red arrow key for the Fn key. It is still possible to get some Topre keycaps from EK and Topre RF keycap sets from eBay.

@Mu: "A reminder of life's impermanence." Yes, we should probably make keyboards out of sand or butter.

Since posting the review of the Type-S, I have transplanted 55g domes from an RF into a black HHKB Pro 2 and swapped the sliders with their silencing rings from a Type-S into the black HHKB Pro 2. While I was inside, I lubed the stabilizers and slider rails. I also installed some self-adhesive rubber strips under the spacebar. I am typing this on my transformed black 55g Type-S; it has become my new favorite. The modded keyboard is quieter than the original Type-S and more responsive with its 55g domes.

Now I am working on duplicating the silencing rings used in silenced RF and Type-S boards. I think I am getting close. When I have some rings that are ready for prime time, I will let everyone know.