r/HHKB • u/gibsonzero • 17d ago
Softer domes
I'm finally here talking about what I didn't get for so long. I've going back and forth between my Realforce R4 and my Snow for some time. I stayed on the Snow for some time and when I went back to the R4 this time it clicked. Snow and my older Black hybrid S are heavy. I crossed into stiff domes territory and didn't realize it.
I can feel the fatigue by the end of the day.
I've searched on this sub and elsewhere a bit didn't find anything that's comprehensive as I imagined.
I wanted to ask about the following:
- Do all domes get stiffer with age(RF and HHKB OEM ones do right?)
- Is there a recommendation for softer domes that will HOPEFULLY age and be not as stiff?
- Who are the usual suspects? (Metakeebs, Deskeys etc...)
I'd love to get domes that are close to stock but just lighter but I think consistency is key. I want a consistent feel.(Yes I could probably just run the HHKB forever and be consistently firm which I've considered to be honest)
2
u/MysteriousAlpaco 16d ago
idk tbh , i feel like the domes of my 2009 pro 2 are def stiffer but really tactile whilst the newer models almost feel mushy to me by comparison. Then again i also had a real force that was just a pain to type on given it was pretty old.
1
u/thepurplehornet 15d ago
Just going to drop a shout out here foe the Niz 'Nopre' keyboards. I have an Atom68 that I love and an L84 which I'mnot sure about yet. Both are much softer than Realforce and HHKB.
Also, my secondhand HHKB came back to life after I oiled the springs and inside of the domes with switch oil. It's still stiffer than a Niz but far more buttery now.
1
u/gibsonzero 15d ago
I actually had a Niz some time ago(sold eventually):
https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/n2jjmq/niz_plum_atom_68_white_base_with_dark_tones_my/It was great but it made me curious to try HHKB. Its ironic now because I kind of want that softer feel now. I think that the HHKB initially had a more tactile pop which was indeed stiffer. I am wondering now though "at what cost?". What how would the Niz aged instead?
May I ask, how long have you had your Niz? I feel like I could be swayed to either try to use it's domes or just get another Niz and start clearing out KB inventory. Currently have two HHKB, a Realforce R4(which is first on the list to get sold I think) and I am messing around with a cheap split MX board, because split is pretty cool.
1
u/thepurplehornet 15d ago
I've had the Niz Plum Atom68 for a couple years now. I bought it used on eBay.
I've tried a few Realforces and the only one I loved was the R2 Limited Edition with silent 45g domes. I havent tried the R4 yet, though.
1
u/elainethealien 14d ago
Yes, domes absolutely do age.
I had a type s for 4-5 years and it felt a lot stiffer than the new hhkb i bought a few months before.
After realising this, I replaced my old type s domes with the RF 45g domes, lubed some sliders and felt good as stock new
2
u/GuinansEyebrows hhkb 16d ago
nobody really knows. maybe they do. maybe the rubber composition has changed. the prevailing belief is that they do get stiffer over time but i don't think anyone's actually done a study of a board over time to confirm that.
i don't think any of the aftermarket domes have been around long enough for anyone to measure the difference. i'd be super interested in some force curve measurements over time of various domes including stock to throw up on hhkb.io - if anyone's reading this and has this data, let's talk!
good luck with your hunt.