I wanted to share my keyboard colection for a while now. These are not the most beautiful nor the best ones but i like'em a lot. I'm quite proud of it. Most of them were found while dumpster diving.
I tried to took good pictures to show them off. They are all working and i use some of them from time to time.
Just a last warning : I didn't cleant them perfectly so they aren't all shiny and chrome ! You'll probably see that i host some cats and their fur.
If you click on pictures you'll have a better shot of them.
Microsoft Natural Keyboard 🔗
Here is my first thoughtful purchase, a long time ago. I liked it a lot and I'm still a bit nostalgic each time I see it… but i can't bear it's touch-feeling now.
Once you tried mechs, you can't go back to those crappy switches.
It's a PS2 version which had some succesors.
Good, let's go back to the closet. Sorry mate.
Razer Black Widow 🔗
A basic gamer mechanical keyboard. I barely used it because it's my wife's keyboard (at least it was).
It uses cherry MX Blue so it's quite… noisy. It's an USB one. We tweaked it a bit (replaced some switches to MX Blacks, some O-rings, a keycap) but nothing very hard.
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This one isn't used anymore. It's still plugged to a tiny server in the closet in case of maintenance (one a year).
Siemens ?? 🔗
This one was rescued from the dumpster. It relies on black cherry MX
It's a PS2 keyboard with a nice cable.
Bleudo 🔗
Not it's real name but it fits well !
It's PS2 with Cherry black which were plugged to a PBX. Coupled with a telephone and some computer software you could do anything with it very efficiently and fast.
Alcatel 4059 🔗
This one could be the big brother of the previous.
It's quite a heavy board. It's bigger than usual keyboards and uses MX black switches.
It can't be plugged directly to a computer, it needs an external box with a lot of electronic to work. There is an USB version but it's not this one. This one was used for telephony stuff too.
I never tried it at home but i used it at work a bit.
Alcatel ?? 🔗
Another one from Alcatel but a PS2 black cherry.
This one is more classic than the previous two.
I didn't used it a lot.
Sesam ?? 🔗
It's not it's real name but i'll explain it. This one is the one currently used by my wife.
It's one the favorite but i won't spoil you !
This keyboard was used by french doctors. It can read smartcard used by french people to get some medicine and all. It's plugged with PS2 and also RS323 !
These are black switches.
I only plug the PS2 to use it. It then boot !
I plug it back !
IBM Model M 🔗
What would be any keyboard enthusiast without a Model M ?
Here is the legend ! It's not Cherry MX switches but it uses custom buckling springs. The click is very distinctive but you'll need to press them hard.
The originat connector was a DIN which i cut to put a Teensy inside to get USB. Bad luck, not every keys are recognized. It's barely usable.
Maybe tweaking the firmware (soarer) could help it work better.
I baught it for 10€.
My favorite ! 🔗
This is my handmade keyboard with Cherry MX Brown using USB.
It's a mix of different keycaps with four different profiles. 65 keys but one isn't used at all.
This is the one i used for the last 4 years most of the time.
Typematrix 2030 🔗
I don't have it anymore, so no photos.
I used it while i learned to type with the bépo layout ("french dvorak"). I gifted when my handmade was ready to be used.
Combo clavier/trackpad Cherry G80-11800 🔗
The newcomer in my collection ! It's one of the few Cherry Mx Brown but its main peculiar point is its small trackball !
It's a simple cherry keyboard with a Compaq branding. While looking at it you are back to the 90s. This one is from 98 and plugs to the computer with 2 PS2.
It's the first time i use a trackball and it may push me to buy one. One with a bigger ball and a better ergonomic design. This one is not so precise and the keyboard is not perfectly right to my taste.
Ergodox EZ 🔗
My first bought keyboard since 13 years ! (we are in June 2021) At last a splitted keyboard ! An ergodox with Cherry MX Red running on a FLOSS firmware named QMK.
It's now my daily driver keyboard configured with a bépo layout (french dvorak).
That's all for now but probably more to come.