The Unicomp Ultra Classic is a clone of the classic IBM Model M, the “clicky” keyboard. It’s like the polar opposite of the scissor switch, but included here because sensitive typists also favor this type of keyboard.
Year: 2018
Computer Keyboards
Some people love their laptop keyboards, and want one for their desktop or mobile phone that feels exactly like their laptop. This type of keyboard is called a scissor switch keyboard. “Scissor” refers to a small plastic mechanism that distributes a keypress’ force, allowing for the construction of a very thin keyboard.
While most people aren’t sensitive to the differences between laptop keyboards and desktop keyboards, typists with a light touch will notice the difference in the way the keys resist pressure, and how the keys travel only 1mm to 2mm. When they switch from a laptop to a desktop, they find themselves pressing too lightly, and need to slow down to re-press. A solution is to use scissor switch keyboards on all devices.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to find these keyboards, because “scissor switch” is not usually indicated. This website will attempt to find and list all the scissor switch keyboards, and link to purchasing websites.
Bluetooth keyboards are usually designed to work with tablets and phones, and are light and portable, and usually use scissor switch mechanisms.
The most popular keyboard in this class is probably the Apple Wireless Keyboard. The main company serving the laptop market with add-on keyboards is Adesso.
Scissor Switch Keyboards for Desktop Computers
These are exceedingly rare to find, but a few manufacturers still produce them, and a few brands still sell them. The most popular keyboard is probably the Apple Aluminum Wired Keyboard.
These are keyboards for desktop computers, but are a lot more expensive, and broken out into a different category, because they tend to have some features which non-gamers may not want, like extra keys, clicking, and backlit keys.
Most gaming keyboards have full-travel, mechanical keys, so, as a category, this isn’t what typists are seeking. However, the gaming keyboard companies are mostly re-branding products made by OEMs, so some may add a scissor switch keyboard to their product line.
Replacement Keyboards for Laptop Computers
If your laptop keyboard breaks, you can replace it. The most common way to find a replacement is via Ebay. The cheapest way to replace the keyboard is to purchase a used keyboard.
Replacement Keycaps for Laptop Computers
It’s common to lose a key from a laptop keyboard. You can replace it by purchasing a single key from vendors on Ebay. They hoard keyboards from broken laptops, and resell the keys one at a time. Make sure that they include the plastic scissor mechanism.
Low Profile Keyboards without Scissor Switches
Desktop keyboards fit into three main classifications: low profile, regular height, and ergonomic. The low profile keyboards attempt to replicate the laptop typing experience, but at a much lower cost. The most popular brands are Logitech, Microsoft, and HP/Compaq.
Ultra-low Profile Rubber Button Keyboards
These are “roll up” rubber keyboards that are meant to give full size keys to mobile devices. In photographs, they may appear to be low-profile scissor switch keyboards, but they are not, so be careful.
Hose Bibb Washers for Made in China Faucets, Smaller than #00
Buy on Ebay: Made in China Washers for the Garden
These washers measure 11mm diameter x 4mm thick height.
We recently had a hose bibb, the garden water faucet, replaced, and this new one has already started leaking. I fixed it with a #00 (double aught) neoprene washer, but it wasn’t the right size.
I ended up carving the edges off with a knife to fit, but it took a long time, and the fit wasn’t quite right, and it bulged in places, causing the washer to squish down when I shut the valve. It worked, but what a headache.
Eventually, I found the right item.
Once the #OO wore out – and prematurely because, after it got seated into the handle, there was less than 1 mm of rubber left to wear away – I replaced it with this washer. It was a 5-10 minute job. It worked perfectly, and was slightly thicker, so it should last longer.
These are not widely sold in the US. I was unable to find any of these at any of the regular hardware store websites, so I turned to China. There, I could only find them in bulk, so I decided to buy some, and resell them, shipped from the US, so you can get a set of them delivered in a week or less.
Most hose bibbs on the West Coast of the United States use the flat OO washer. I think if the valve is made in the USA, it’s 00. Now, 00 is a weird size, being around 1/2 inch, at a nominal 16/32″. The 00 washer is as common as pennies. You find them all over the place, and they were the standard for hose bibbs, water faucet handles, clothes washer inlet valves, and pretty much everything consumer-size.
(The weird thing is that the official designation is 1/4S, or 1/4 something, small. There are two other sizes 0, and 000, which correspond to 1/4 and 1/4L, which are 15/32″ and 17/32″ respectively. These are also hard to find, and I’ve only found them as part of “assorted washer” packs. If you need 0 or 000, you’re kind of stuck with that, but you’ll get a bunch of 00 and hose washers along with it.)
Back to the story.
I measured my worn washer with a regular metric ruler, and it was 11mm across, and 4mm thick. I didn’t use a caliper, so I can’t tell if that was an accurate measurement, but it seemed pretty close. (You can get better precision by using a thin plastic ruler.)
Searches for this dimension turned up a bunch of Asian options, so I assumed it was common over there.
If you find that the 00 doesn’t fit right, try out these washers. $3 for six, delivered by mail.
Henry Comic Newspaper Cartoons
Odds are, you have never heard of Henry, by Carl Anderson. It was a largely wordless newspaper comic strip about a bald boy who would often come up with a clever way to make money.