I love custom mechanical keyboards but is the wider community limiting itself by only sticking to MX switches? I know there are projects out there for custom topre, space invader, and alps. But with all the research the community has done, why hasn’t something truly unique come to market yet?
Using and reviving old switches is great but is there anyone working on making a new switch that isn’t affiliated with a large manufacturer like gateron or kailh?
The only new switch that’s independently made I can think of is Riskable’s void switch, which uses 3D printed switches that are actuated by magnets. Chyrosan22 did an review of them and they seem pretty cool given their customization, here’s a link https://youtu.be/iv6Rh8UNWlI. *Edit: fixed a small spelling error
Compatibility is kind of king. People want something that will work with the zillions of boards and keycap sets already out there. I’d be happy to give Topre a try but only being available on a handful of very-expensive-but-very-cheap-looking prebuilt boards is a huge turn-off.
Besides, Cherry is really just the stem. There’s already a near infinite variety of weight, bump style, material combo out there.
The first switches I used were MX Blues. Then MX Browns. Then MX Black. Then I stopped using a mechanical keyboard because I hated all of them.
Since then I discovered the Model M with it’s Buckling Spring switches and Matias keyboards with their Alps clone switches.
I like mechanical keyboards again.
