this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2023
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Mechanical Keyboards

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Topre Collection (i.imgur.com)
submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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This is my Topre collection. I’ve been a collector for years now and mainly collector Topre and Alps boards.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The bottom three boards are a Japanese layout with ISO English keycaps right? Are the function layers programmable on those? I've always wondered.

I use a Tex Yoda II and operate the function layer with my thumb on the middle trackpoint mouse button so very little movement is required (see image). I have always loved my Topre boards though and would like to replicate this convenience on something using Topre. The Japanese layout with extra bottom row keys and a smaller spacebar seems perfect in theory. It's a lot of money to spend on something I might not be able to use at all if it's not programmable though.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Correct! The bottom 3 are JIS boards. The newer models have a program you can use to program the function layers. The older Pro 2 boards don’t, but you can buy an aftermarket controller that adds programmability. I use Hasu controllers and they’re great. You should be able to get what you want with these controllers.

I love your board!

Here’s a link to the page

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=71517.0

If you want to find a board with this layout you can use something like Buyee to proxy ship a used one or buy the newer model that’s programmable stock.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Thanks, that's really great info! Aaaannd just like that the stack of keyboard boxes gets a little higher and my wallet gets a little lighter =]

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

No problem! I understand your pain. I think I have close to 40 keyboards now…

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

Some of those space bars be like "oh look a penny!"

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Which one is your favorite, and what makes you love Topre so much? (I’m a newbie)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

The Enigma Black Heavy Grail is my favorite. Using stock HHKB internals and 55g OEM domes. I personally just love the way Topre feels.

Topre is incredibly smooth and has the best key feel in my opinion. I have many other boards (MX, Alps, Buckling Spring, Space Invaders) but I always come back to Topre.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Are these even attainable anymore? And is it really worth the price tag?? Just some quick googling and they seem to be over a grand

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

The aftermarket cases get pretty expensive, but the boards themselves are obtainable. The Fc660c and HHKB are pretty widely available. You could check out SHO cases.

It’s worth the price tag to me. They are expensive but they also hold their value pretty well so if you’re not a fan you can recoup most of your money.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

I'm absolutely convinced that everyone who professes their love for some flavour of mechanical switch keyboard is someone who hasn't tried Topre / electrostatic-capacitive switches yet.

Love your collection.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Just finally got my HHKB Professional Hybrid Type-S. Any must-have modifications or you think stock is fine? I have no experience disassembling and lubing so it's a little intimidating, especially if there's a chance I fuck something up lol

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Congratulations on the HHKB! The only must do mod is lubing the stabilizers heavily. There are a lot of great videos on lubing Topre boards through YouTube. Thankfully Topre is pretty easy to work with once you get used to it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Well damn then I guess I'll have to lol Any specific lube you recommend?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

206g0 is what I normally use for stabilizers. I normally buy from this site.

https://divinikey.com/products/206g0-switch-lubricant

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

If anyone wants photos of specific boards let me know! I can take individual photos and post them here.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I've been looking for a topre board but I cannot for the life of me justify the crazy price tag for an ANSI realforce. It doesn't help that I'm steadfast in my "only TKL" layout choice, but I've spent way too much money to find out that I just prefer TKL's. So despite trying a HHKB at a meetup I'll never own one because of the layout. I know that buying a realforce from Japan is an option, but ISO-style return is just bleh, I'm too used to hitting return with my pinky. Pretty much all of the boards I've seen on mercari and yahoo auctions JP are ISO-style return.

It just seems fun to mod something that isn't a MX platform, and I don't really open my alps switches unless I have to. But with topre you can just take it all apart and change the sliders and domes and such, so you could really dial in the board to exactly how you want it. Plus the good feeling of oneness with cup rubber crowd is definitely on the rise as more and more custom groupbuy boards have EC support.

I just wish the cost for an ANSI realforce was so high, otherwise topre would probably be my daily. But I know how it entitled it is to complain about prices when I have 2 alps custom keyboards.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, Topre is way too expensive. I love these boards, but they’re probably not worth it. Enjoy your Alps boards! What switches did you go with?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

I've got a kage with NOS blues and a dolphin with SKCL green. Both did cost me a hell of a lot of money, but these 2 boards are sort of the culmination of what I like about custom keyboards and were a couple years in the making from when I had the idea. There was an orange alps board planned but I'm not the biggest fan of tactile switches. That's why I've been looking into topre, as tactile offerings from MX designs aren't great, and alps are either expensive as hell(brown alps) or have to be paper modded which when I did it really affected the feel of the switches.

Cup rubber seems to be the true end game for tactile switches, so I'll keep looking for a deal on a realforce.