Jumping into the Mechanical Keyboard Hobby

by Tony Thomas

I found out that I really love mechanical keyboards. 

However, after analyzing the mechanical keyboard hobby for a while, I am not sure that I am ready to jump off at the deep end.  If you don't know, mechanical keyboards can be a tremendously expensive hobby--a black hole where your Benjamins go.

While I now have a total of 9 (count 'em) mechanical keyboards, I don't consider myself a real enthusiast.  A few of those keyboards are entry level boards that I don't even use anymore. The other ones helped me find what I like in terms of form factor, switches, keycaps, ergonomics, etc. 

At this point, really don't feel the need to acquire any more keyboards just for the sake of having more. I have spent my time lately buying replacement keycaps and experimenting with a few different switch options. I may experiment with switches in the future. 

While a new build certainly provides an adrenaline rush, I am not into soldering, lubing switches, changing out stabilizers, or other fine details.  

Maybe my attitude will change if I give it time, but right now I'm pretty happy with what I have.

Keychron K6 with Side Printed PBT Keycaps - No talking

I decided to change out the ABS keycaps on my Keychron K6 to a side-printed PBT set. They are very thick and comfortable and a pleasure to type on. I got the smaller set and kept the original ABS keys for the extended keys, the right shift, and the number keys with legends since they are not used as frequently. It is something of a "mix and match" set but I think that it looks nice. What keycaps are you using on your Keychron K6?

Keycap set I used: https://amzn.to/34kiaVz

Larger 108 keycap set: https://amzn.to/2TfXQ1o


Music by Tony Thomas - Copyright 2020 - All Rights Reserved


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Keychron K6 with Side Printed PBT Keycaps

 

I decided to change out the ABS keycaps on my Keychron K6 to a side-printed PBT set.  They are very thick and comfortable and a pleasure to type on.  I got the smaller set and kept the original ABS keys for the extended keys, the right shift, and the number keys with legends since they are not used as frequently.  It is something of a "mix and match" set but I think that it looks nice.  What keycaps are you using on your Keychron K6?

The Wonderful World of Mechanical Keyboards

 

by Tony Thomas

After playing with a very inexpensive Red Dragon mechanical keyboard for a few weeks, I decided that I wanted something that was quieter so that I would not drive my wife crazy as I typed.  The "blue" keys in the Red Dragon have a high-pitched tactile click that is great for improving your typing speed but hard on the ears.

As a result I picked up a Techware "Phantom" TKL (ten key-less) keyboard that looks very similar to the Red Dragon but also includes RGB LED backlighting.  It looks so cool.  

Then, I started reading more and watching YouTube videos (very dangerous, BTW) and decided I need a keyboard that I can customize with different switches and keycaps.  

The recently released Keychron K8 arrived on my doorstep followed by a smaller Keychron K6 to use with my iPad.  I also picked up a few 60% keyboards and ordered a keyboard kit and some switches from China.  Plus, keycaps from several different places.

I am now in that black hole that is the mechanical keyboard hobby and my wallet is a bit emptier.  And yes, I paid for everything with my own money!  (It's only money, right?)

I can tell you that mechanical keyboards and addicting.  But, at least in my case, they have provided a needed productivity boost.  I love to write free hand and to dictate, but there is something about a mechanical keyboard that gets my juices flowing!

If you are interested, there are plenty of great YouTube channels that are devoted to mechanical keyboards (Taeha Types, Switch and Click, The Techne, and TaeKeyboards are standouts) as well as a sub-Reddit: r/MechanicalKeyboards.

The good news is mechanical keyboards have made me way more productive since they are a joy to type on.  If you are a writer or gamer, you may want to give mechanical keyboards a try!

Dierya/Kemove DK61E 60% Mechanical Keyboard

 

by Tony Thomas

The Dierya DK61E (also known as Kemove DK61E—the name of the parent company) is an affordable 60% mechanical keyboard that features a fairly standard layout, RGB back lighting, PBT double-shot key caps, hot-swappable Gateron optical switches, a IPX4 certified water-resistant circuit board, and down-loadable editing software.

Its compact form factor takes up very little desk real estate and facilitates easier access to your mouse than larger keyboards.  I bought the wired version, although a Bluetooth version (DK61 PRO) is also available at a slightly higher price.  I initially tried that version but experienced battery charging issues and returned it.  

The DK61E build quality is solid for a keyboard that typically costs around $50.  It sports a USB C jack and comes with a nice cloth-wrapped USB cable, key cap puller, switch puller, operation guide and a few extra switch samples (I received one brown switch and one blue switch—both tactile switches).  The case is flex-free plastic and it has a bit of heft for a keyboard of that size. I received one brown switch and one blue switch.  The software is available for download of the Keymove/Dierya web site.

The version that I bought has black PBT keycaps and Gateron optical brown switches that have a subtle tactile “bump” without the clicky sound of blue switches.  Versions with blue, black, and red switches are also available.  I found the keyboard to be very pleasant to type on and pretty low noise since I type lightly and don't tend to “bottom out” the switches.  If you are a heavier typist, you will hear a low frequency “clack”.  

The stabilizers are pretty nice for such a low priced keyboard and I suspect they are factory lubricated and clipped.  Although the switches are hot-swappable, you are limited to using Gateron optical switches only.  MX compatible switches from companies such as Cherry, Gateron, Kailh, etc. will not work.  That said, you can find a pretty wide variety of Gateron aftermarket optical switches in blue, red, brown, black, and silver.

As with most 61 key mechanical keyboards, there are no dedicated arrow keys, so you have to use the function key along with the adjacent CTL, menu, ALT, and ?/ keys to access the arrow keys.  

The function keys, navigation keys, delete key, and multimedia keys also reside on the function layer.  The RGB lighting effects are very impressive and there are a variety to chose from.  You can also edit them via the available software.  The keycaps are see though and my biggest criticism of them is that the legends for the function layer are not that visible without ample ambient light.

In summary, the Dierya DK61 is an impressive budget mechanical keyboard that will serve both gamers and typists quite well.  I really love mine and find myself using it often.