What is SpaceFN and why you should give it a try
The SpaceFN concept - setting up your space key as a layer switch when held - is probably one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby. Let me explain how it works. My SpaceFN article on kbd.news made some rounds recently - quite surprisingly given the age of this concept. This piece you're reading is a condensed version of the full post. If you're left with unanswered questions, you'll most likely find the info you're looking for in the original write-up. On my imaginary top list of the most useful keyboard features, tweaks and hacks, SpaceFN would deserve a podium finish for sure. But what makes it so special? In short: SpaceFN is easy to implement, easy to learn, costs nothing, can be used with any keyboard, and can improve your productivity instantly. I will list its benefits below, but can state right at this point that the SpaceFN concept, setting up your space key as a layer switch when held, is clearly one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby....
Apr 30, 2024
However a lot of people now are moving over to clickBAR clickies. These work in a different way, in which there is a thin metal bar that the stem pushes down on, and the click is made from the bar snapping back against the plastic housing. The feeling these give are different when typing, and the sound is also different. As these don't have loose parts, for a start they have no rattling sound. It's just a straight click noise (sort of like a mouse click sound). They also offer a really nice sharp tactile bump. They come in two flavours, which are the normal clickbar, or the thick clickbar. Normal ones are found on the Box Whites and the heavier Box Pale Blues. Thick clickbars are found on the Box Jade and the heavier Box Navy. There are also a couple of non-box versions of clickbar for those that might want to try lubing their clickbar switches, which are the Kailh Speed Bronze / Pink (same switch just different colour stems), and the heavier Speed Heavy Pale Blue, and also the Speed Navy, which might I add is even heavier feeling than the Box Navy, although a bit scratchy even with lube from my findings. Very interesting switch nonetheless. I actually really like the feeling of a lubed Speed Bronze. The reason you can't lube the box switches is they are designed to reject liquid as they are designed to be waterproof, and it means it will push the lube out of the hole in the bottom of the switch and will make a mess.