What did you get in the mail today? (Part 2)

Couple of switches.

First is the reissued Snow Crash linears from Unikeys. I’m really impressed with the fact that these are meant to replace the first batch that has lubrication issues, and I didn’t have to do a thing to get them. Just got new switches and fast. :+1:

They definitely sound much better now. Gotta try them in a few setups. At a quick glance, they seem impressive for their lubrication and tolerances. I like the uniquely solid feel of these switches.

Next is the hojicha reserve from Invokeys

The housings are very well done on these. Good looking and tight tolerances. No need to worry about loose tops on these even after several openings. In fact, I had a tough time getting the tops off with my openers. They pop open, but the legs are designed so that they still want to grip the lower half. Great design to eliminate top rattle.

They sound and look very nice, however, I’m not impressed with the feel.

Maybe they’re trying to be a new and unique tactile, but I don’t see the point in them. The large bump starting at the top without a defined tactile event just feels like a slightly heavy linear when typing. The only way you would know they were tactile is if you carefully press.

I tried them side by side with an OG holy panda in a board and they just don’t hold a candle.
The OG holy panda feels much lighter and snappier with its tactility.

I think if you like the way tactile switches feel when they are heavily lubricated on the stem legs, you might like these.

I will try some spring swaps to see if I can liven the hojicha up:

Tried a few swaps. Lighter springs make the switch much more appealing to me. The original switch has a medium-heavy 20mm single-stage spring. I tried some 14mm 40g, 16mm 67g, and a dual-stage 22mm 63.5g spring.

All of these springs are significantly lighter than the stock spring. In fact, in a stem to stem press comparison with the original, all but one completely bottomed out before the stock switch stem moved down.

Out of all 3, I would say the 16mm 67g spring had the most interesting results. None of the swaps resulted in a more tactile feel. However, this spring resulted in the most unique feel when typing. The result was a very satisfying full clack on bottom out with a slightly lighter top-out sound. It sounds like a nicely tuned linear. It also kind of feels that way when typing quickly. But you can still feel out the long tactile bump if you so desire with a slow press. I think the heavy spring was a misstep on these. But, that’s the cool thing about switches, everyone can have their own opinion, and you can easily modify them!

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Liking all the spring talk. :slight_smile:

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Fun mail day late last week:

  • GMK CYL Extended 2048 Dark Base
  • WS Stupid Stabs
  • Designer Studio Stabs

As far as I can tell the Stupid Stabs are pre-assembled, pre-lubed Maiz stabs - or at minimum extremely similar to them. More places to get those is always good IMO.

I’m marginally curious about the Designer ones, but got them just as much for the dark blue color to go with a blue build.

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No. These are not greased assembled stabilizers and without stickers)

This set came pre-assembled with light oil on the wires:

I got them from DiviniKey

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I’m a bit overwhelmed – this Luminkey Magger 68 HE arrived about two weeks ago.
This is the “budget” ($99) Performance variant in e-milky white and with the default PBT dye-sub caps offered with this colorway, featuring Hiragana sublegends.

My thoughts and more photos:

This relatively scaled-down bundle goes for about third of the Luminkey80 I tested earlier, but the board and especially the alu case is of similar quality. This brand somehow always hits the perfect case weight and thickness, at least for my taste.




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Well. I don’t remember ordering this, but a tree80 in maple with a steel weight.

And my classic-TKL arrived. It seems more modern than vintage in person. The forehead isn’t quite as big as I expected. But it’s top notch plastic work. This really feels premium. :heart:



And it says classic in the name so I had to get some DCS Honeywell for it.

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Amazing. Everything in that post is amazing.

I guess the Classic-TKL doesn’t have adjustable feet? Would have to use risers with it.

Been looking for a ‘softer NCR-80.’

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Correct, no adjustable feet

The angle is 5°. Just measured

The tree80 is shockingly nice for what I paid. Punches way beyond its price point.

But neither of these boards have storage cases. Ha. Most people probably don’t care. But for my collection it’s required. So they both end up costing $30 more with a case

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I will buy one when they release it in gray, olive, or an interesting shade of blue.

Or just copy the Class80 colours.

Maybe they can finally do the “Cool Gray” that the ZFrontier NCR-80 GB didn’t.

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I’m just curious what you guys tell your partners about all these purchases. Are they ready to end your bloodline or are they into it with you… or are they just silently putting up with it (for now)?
I think mine may be a severe case of the first and last…

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My wife patiently listens to me explaining how each new keyboard is interesting. She usually likes them but isn’t genuinely all that interested. :man_shrugging:

I’m very fortunate and have money to spend on the hobby without worrying too much about overspending.

I try my best to curb my purchases to things that I personally find interesting and unique or projects that help support my other colleagues in the hobby.

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Fun little tool to add to the arsenal. The GTK TYPE-01 torque screwdriver from Artifact. Heard about them from Geistmaschine and knew I needed something like that in my life.

I also gots some supplies from Mode, such as their stabs (which I have heard good things about…)

…as well as some Mill-max sockets (which they sell for ridiculously cheap!)


(They don’t come in this little container, but I just put them all in there instead of trying to keep track of tiny baggies with even tinier contents…)

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Honestly, my wife couldn’t care less about keyboards. She doesn’t get the hobby at all but does listen when I talk about them. I have built two boards for her, two completely different platforms, that she claims there is no difference between. I don’t know if she is serious or just bustin my chops.
As far as money goes, well I really don’t have much excess to spend which is why I only have 10 boards. Wife thinks 10 is enough, anything else from here out must be kept secret and safe. That being said, at this point I would only get something unique and interesting.

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That’s pretty much how it is for me. She’ll listen to me talk about them, will look at links if I send them, I’ve built her a board that she likes (though she rarely uses her computer), and even after selling a bunch off still thinks I have too many. Every so often I’ll show her one that she actually likes and would probably be okay with buying, but mostly I’ve stopped buying them or anything keyboard related (put that in place after Supermassive, it took some explaining to explain why I dropped that much on a keyboard).

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No worries about there here as I’ve stayed single for awhile now (had to focus on life before I let it pass my dumb ass by). However I do catch some flack from family & friends about he hobby, but I just give that right back by calling them out about some of their hobbies I don’t get. :smirk: Seriously though, just be responsible about your spending, grow your collection when you can afford to, & you’ll be good to go. If a broke ass like me can have a pretty decent collection without it becoming a problem for myself or family anyone can! :rofl:

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In general, hobbies are (strictly speaking) unnecessary expenditures, but we invest into them anyways, because we enjoy them. As long as something provides entertainment and the costs are within one’s means, what’s the issue?

Relatively speaking, keyboards aren’t really that expensive as a hobby. Compare to, for example, restoring old sports cars, operating a yacht, or keeping a string of polo ponies.

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This 100%, there are many more hobbies out there that are vastly more expensive than custom KBs.

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A few co-workers were confused about why I had so many keebs until I made analogies to their own hobbies; collecting sneakers, dress outfits, fountain pens, vinyl records, cars.

My partner is wary of overspending and isn’t specifically into keebs herself, but does get what I enjoy about them and is supportive of the hobby. I still pick up stuff that especially interests me, but collecting over the past 6 or so years has left me with plenty to fiddle with :smile:

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Got my last 3 Ws from Maison of the West in today! Really loving the Aquamarine Cretin & La Rosa as March is my birth month!

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