I type a lot. I mean, a lot. Code, email, documents, articles, whatever – keyboard is still the main input device for me, much more than mouse is.
Now, ignoring the high-school time when I owned Amiga 500, I’m typing on PC keyboards for little over one decade. I changed probably two dozen keyboards in that time, either at home or various companies I worked for.
There is only one I really loved and that is Focus 2001, the old model, with Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause keys at the top. New model include stupid, useless Sleep/Wake/Power keys, and the middle part of the keyboard is totally ruined. A depressing-to-look-at successor, since the type-feel of this keyboard is fantastic. Just the right dose of pressure, clear clicking sound and desired letter is up – there’s no chance of mis-typing or false-typing, something often happening with my current HP-branded soft-touch garbage.
These sentences are written on the very same Focus; I found it in an old closet, wrapped away long time ago when some keys (both Shifts among them) deteriorated from unhuman usage (pinball simulators and Mortal Kombat). I unhinged the problematic keys (there was like 8–9 of them), clean them separately, washed the whole board, reattached the keys and it all worked, apart from the Space key, of which one under-part was broken. I worked-out a replacement using some plastic and glue, and it seems to work so and so.
Even so badly broken, it is better than membrane-based keyboards you can buy for 10 bucks in any store.
Strong-click keyboards are long-extinct beasts. I mean, when is the last time you saw some high-profile company offers a keyboard with 5-year warranty? Something that can handle over 1 million key-presses? When is the last time you saw an ad for the computer system where they brag about the keyboard? It’s amazing that no one pays attention anymore to the quality of the keyboards, even though most people type way more than they point and click.
If you dig through computer industry’s waste yards, you’ll find that less than a decade ago all of them made endurable, heavy-duty beasts, that could easily handle 5, 10 or even 25 millions clicks. The last, kingly number is reserved for IBM’s buckling-spring keyboards, especially the famous Model M. Just look at the pictures and you’ll see how trusty engineered they are. I mean – just look at the amount of layers and mechanisms those beauties have. It’s no wonder they were priced at $100 back in those days – but they would last for 20 years, no doubt about it.
If you want one of these, eBay is your best bet where you can find them for as little as $10–25. Or if you want a brand new one, look at the current holder of IBM’s patented technology, Unicomp for $49. For me, the shipping costs are higher than the keyboard price, so I just sadly look at these links.
Old Apple keyboards are highly valued too, although they used Alps mechanic keyswitches. They have similar never-miss-a-key feel, but the sound is a bit different. Recently, few companies sprang up trying to revive the notion of the good keyboard, especially for Macs. Mac owners are generally thought-of as “pay more to get more”, so it’s no wonder to have TactilePro or Kensington StudioBoard there.
In the PC world, apart from Focus and IBM, you have CVT AVant Prime with the killing price of $149 (they have one of $189).
One feature is common though – they are all noisy and your non-geeky partner in life will hate them as much as you love them. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t insist on the click sound, but I do insist on the endurance and quality.
Thus now, I’m starting the quest to get one of these for me, or at least something close to it. I’ve had enough of beating my fingers into plastic wall of membrane keyboards.
Will let you know how it goes.
Nice. I adamantly used an old salvaged IBM keyboard in the office until I was forced to abandon it for a more silent (and somewhat stylish) Microsoft keyboard. Damn, do I miss that clickety-click…
After all the nostalgy whining for old keyboard, a friend remembered that he had an old Focus 2001 in the office’s closet.
Some keys were not working, but after a lot of cleaning I managed to get them all to work. From time to time some of the keys would stuck, but it seems that is getting better. It just needed some hard typing to get all clickety again.
Thus, after 8 years, I’m typing with clicks. :)
I can’t believe that I found another person who enjoys the spring loaded keyboards. The soft touch keys just hold no water to them.
I worked at a pc-repair shop and we (the technicians) would battle like crazed junkies for the most-clickety keyboards. Thanks man!
I was so sick of the mushy logitech and microsoft keyboards. Then I remembered the bullet proof Focus 2001 a friend of mine had been using for years. So, I went to newegg.com a couple of years ago and found the Focus 2001 for $18. Stupid me, I only bought one and they no longer carry them. Oh well, this one is still going strong.
I have salvaged an old Focus 2001 of mine and it is recently starting to be problematic. Found a newer one on the web and ordered it. It was no where near the quality of the old one and the keys pop off of it, and are obviously are not as solidly made as the older keys. I’m still seeking them and came across this site in the search.
Nice to see that some people still like them. my girlfriend certainly hates hearing mine though, haha…
Other than the amazing amount of space it took up on the desktop the old IBM Model M remains indesputeably (IMHO) the finest keyboard ever made. After that, the silver medal has to go to the original Focus 2001, of which I have owned at least half a dozen over the years.
Considering all the complaints about noise I got when using mine (brought in from home when I couldn’t get the boss to order me one) it’s gratfying that I’m not alone in my love for true tactile feedback, mechanical switch keyboards.
I was born a bit earlier than Alex Vacic, about 40 years earlier, but like him — and the responders — I am in love with the Focus 2001. As my computer experience goes back to 1961, and the IBM 1401, I’ve never had to use a “mushy” keyboard — I’ve been putting my own home computers together from components since I retired in 1985.
But I am very disappointed to find that the FK-2001 seems to be out of production. I have two of them (and Alex, they are both the “new” model with the useless Wake,Sleep, Power — but that is no problem as they are separated from the “directions” pad.) I have been pirating between them for years, and carefully cleaning one while using the other.
But I just decided to buy a new one as the key faces are wearing out on the high use keys (E,S, and D — with a bit of fade on A, K, and N — the K as is my “home” for the right hand). Not a problem, I am a touch typist who learned on manual typewriters in about 1950. But the wife is a “hunt and pecker” so I thought I’d buy a nice new one. Imagine my disappointment in learning they can’t be found.
OK, I’ll preserve the two I have (and be a lot more carefull about cleaning them than before). But I do have a question for you all. I have to assume that there is an OEM for the key caps — not every keyboard maker would have the production for the plastic extrusion. Does anyone know if there is a standard for replacement key caps used by the FK-2001?
I figure that being age 70 I have to keep these Focus 2001s operational for another 25 years, unless someone decides to accomodate we classicists by reintroducing production.
Best, Jon
For those looking for Focus keyboards, they have a replacement for the 2001 now called the FK-6000. With no windows keys and no power management keys. The way keyboards were meant to be. :)
Check out http://www.keyboardusa.com/ to see them. I haven’t purchased one since my 2001 is still going strong, but it sounds like they’re solid.
–Toby
My first PC had a Focus 2001 and I didn’t know what I had until years later. When Descent, a truly 3D 1st-person shooter came out, I loved flying around in space using just the keyboard. Oh, the multitutes of axes I could use with several fingers inputing thrust, bank, turn, slide, up, down, left, right, fire primary, secondary, shoot a flare, drop a bomb–all at the same time if I wanted! Then I found out the “modern” keyboards don’t let you hold down more than about three keys without losing input from one of them (at least, among the keys I my fingers grew acustom to). To this day, I’ve worn out several 2001’s because they seem to be the only keyboard that allows me to simulateously hold down more than five keys at a time! Plus, the touch and the sound is great.
Glad to hear there are other Focus 2001 fans out there.
–Craig
Just got my Focus FK-6000 today. Ordered from keyboardusa.com. What a great feel to the keys! To my fingers this thing has an even better feel than the UniComp (IBM Model M copy) that I had been using. The springs have a sharper click, and are even noisier than the Model M. The UniComp does feel a little more solid though, and the keycaps have less movement to them than the Focus FK-6000. I guess it depends on your preferences, but you can not lose with either one, and both are heads and shoulders above the membrane atrocities sold today. I also have a MCK 142 PRO keyboard that uses the alps switches, but the spring tension on the keys is just a little bit too soft for me. It is a really cool keyboard though, and would be great for anyone who uses lots of macros.
Nice to know I’m not insane about this, or at least I’m not the only one!
I ended up with a 2001 with my first 386 machine years ago (to this day the most expensive machine I ever bought or built for myself). I instantly fell in love with it and used them almost exclusively for my customers as well. BTW, the very early versions even allowed you to swap the CapsLock and left Ctrl key putting Ctrl back where God intended it as well! They actually came with the extra keycaps needed and there was a switch on the underside to toggle them. That was pretty important to me at the time since I was constantly back and forth between the PC and Wyse 50 terminals. There was also a switch to toggle XT/AT mode so it would work with any PC.
By the time they dropped those extras I really didn’t mind so much (though of course I grumbled about it). Even the terminal makers like Wyse had thrown in the towel and gone to the silly PC layout. To this day I still don’t know what possessed IBM to put the CapsLock in such a prominent place.
The addition of the Windows keys came next, which I also grumbled about, but that wasn’t such a big deal except in some games. Some of my friends took to glueing the keys so they couldn’t hit them by mistake! I never went quite that far. The addition of the power keys was a different story though. I simply cannot use one of those to this day. Unfortunately, even the FK6000 is gone now and the FK6200 has the power keys. Nonetheless, I may have to give it a try. I’m currently using a couple of old Acer click keyboards with no windows keys. Is it really too hard for people to hit Ctrl-Esc? These aren’t too bad, but they are NOT focus for sure. They probably use the Alps keys, but I’m not really sure.
Anyway, enough rambling through history. I did come across one place that has a few used FK2001’s. I’m almost afraid to post it here since you will all buy them out! But here it is:
http://www.recycledgoods.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=17112
They’ll cost you about $65 apiece with shipping and I have no idea what condition they are in. Nor can I vouch for the company since I haven’t ordered from them yet.
Good luck!
man, I had a Focus FK-2001 from newegg 5 years ago, and it was only 27 shipped. I have used that keyboard for about 1.5 years ago and one day accidentally poured Coke on the keyboard. I went back to newegg to buy more only to find out they are out of those beautiful keyboards. :( Now I am kicking myself for not buying more when I had the chance.
I have several Fk-2001 Keyboards with keys off. Does anyone refurbish them.
Awesome: I’ve finally found the others on this planet who appreciate this clickety-clack, rock-solid beast! Mine only stopped working after 20 years when I spilled coffee all over it, and I just took it out to gaze fondly at it. The attention to detail is incredible, all the way down to the oversized “Enter” key and the use of different colors for the “shift”, “alt”, and “control” labels. Plus, it was actually made in the USA. Can you believe it? It’s unheard of for anything not to be made a Chinese-made piece of crap anymore, let alone a computer peripheral. Anybody who knows where these can be purchased or repaired as of July 2009, please post a link. Thanks!