I'm just surprised that this low level of engagement with keyboards is considered on the "unhealthy" side of the fence. I mean, this is only about 5 keyboards and not even owned at the same time.

I own seven, at the moment. One is an IBM Model M buckling spring keyboard (1983, needs a PS2-to-USB adaptor). Two others I use daily, including the Das Keyboard (Cherry MX Blues) I'm typing this on.

My latest is the Launch Heavy with Kaith Brown keys that arrived yesterday (with a new system). It's replacing a gaming keyboard I've had for more than a decade.

I'm not even "in to keyboards," I've simply been using computer equipment at home for so long that I have them around.

Right. My unhealthy relationship with keyboards is that I have 5 of them which I use on a regular basis, but I haven't bothered update to the same version of my custom firmware, so they differ in subtle and maddening ways--but none more maddening than going back to a standard layout.

I'm happy for this person that they so utterly lack an awareness of what an unhealthy relationship actually looks like. Although a small evil part of me wants to send then a mountain of cocaine so they can find out.

I'll send you my address

I almost feel that people might be surprised if they knew just how extensive and diverse the world of custom keyboards truly is.

Apologies for the clickbait headline.

My dad worked in IT and used the same keyboard for like 20+ years. Part of me hopes that one day I can find a board that survives for an extended period of time, but I guess modern spending habits and build quality has changed. I have to buy a new phone every 2/3 years for the same reasons.

I bought my Unicomp Model M 15+ years ago and it’s still perfectly great.

My current favorite keyboard is a Unicomp Mini M, and my collection includes a couple of IBM Model Ms, which I grew up typing on.

It's basically a slightly nicer mechanical tenkeyless than the original IBM SSK: lighter, slimmer, native USB, and more simultaneous keypresses, but still hefty and solid, with the same buckling spring action and wonderful curved backplate.

Unicomp's brand new Model M keyboards are also quite affordable by custom keyboard standards: $125 for a New Model M, $150 for a buckling spring Mac keyboard, and $150 for the excellent Mini M.

I have some of the more common, modular custom keyboards with the Cherry-compatible switches and all that. By and large, they're more expensive and more work to get into an agreeable actuation force range if you're used to dealing with real buckling spring switches. At the same time, the actuation force curve is never quite right because the 'tactile bump' of such a switch always involves a brief spike in actuation force instead of the regular increase and then collapsing action you get with a buckling spring.

If you've never used a buckling spring keyboard, you may find that you prefer some of the newer switches, especially the ones that don't imitate the 'clickiness' or heaviness of IBM/Unicomp buckling spring switches. But IMHO a brand new buckling spring keyboard is not just cheaper but plain better to type on them any of the more expensive, more 'modern' options.

I happily used my Unicomps for more than 15 years. They're still fine but I got a Model F reproduction a couple of years ago. It's much more expensive but the feel is even better!

Ugh, don't tell me that! I've been thinking about those ungodly expensive keyboards for months...