• ✅ Customer Service
  • ✅ Ease of Use
  • ✅ Durability
  • ✅ Availability of Spare Parts
  • ✅ PS/2 Adapter for n Key Rollover (if you’re into that sort of thing)
  • ❌ Keyboard wire sheathing wore out after 8 years (fixed with electrical tape)
  • ❌ Foot broke after 12 years (replacement sent quickly and free of charge)

It’s been over 12 years of constant use, so I figure I’d give everyone a snapshot of what my keyboard is like.

I purchased my Das Keyboard Model S Professional in January 2014 for $139 (US), and I’ve been using it daily ever since. I do a lot of writing and typing, and I’m able to do so at 100+ words per minute with the Cherry MX Blue switches that it came with… though if I ever do replace this keyboard, I’m going to go with a quieter switch. Typing on the thing is easy, and I even got two Tux the Penguin key caps to replace the standard Windows ones. Looking at their website, I’m seeing that the super keys on their newer models don’t even have the Windows logo on them anymore. Good.

As you can see from the picture, I’ve had to use some electrical tape on the wire, whose sheathing had started to crack where it meets the thick rubber piece meant to prevent that kind of thing. A tapered, thick wrapping of electrical tape seems to have fixed the issue.

You can see it’s a little dusty in the picture (not to mention some bonus cat hair), but cleaning it’s not hard at all. All of the key caps come off easily (though they also give you a remover tool), and all you have to do is wash the key caps with regular soap and water and put them back on after they dry. Once the keys are off, just running a cloth over the plastic around the key switches underneath will get everything clean.

One of the feet broke off a little over a week ago, and I was curious to see if I could buy one. eBay had a few molded feet from a third party, but I wanted to make sure I had the model correct. I logged into the Das Keyboard website to check, and saw that they still had my receipt from 12 years ago. And what do you know, a button for “Support”.

I opened a ticket, and an actual person got back to me via email. They had checked their warehouse, found a spare foot, and had already sent it out free of charge. Damn. Why can’t more companies be like this?

It’s rare for me to go out of my way to give props to some company, but… this was too good not to share.

This particular model isn’t offered anymore, but if I ever do need a new keyboard, I know where I’m going to buy one.

  • 9point6@lemmy.worldEnglish
    16·
    2 days ago

    Now there’s a name I’ve not heard in a while

    I coveted the das keyboard with blank keys for a little while long ago

  • Botzo@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    2 days ago

    My Das Pro 4? just crossed 9 years of professional daily use.

    It was a massdrop special with mx clears and I added custom caps with a funky profile.

    Here it is in 2018 when it was still fresh.

  • Egonallanon@feddit.ukEnglish
    6·
    2 days ago

    Yeah I loved my one loads. Probably would still have it if it didn’t get crushed in a moving accident.

  • Brave Little Hitachi Wand@feddit.ukEnglish
    4·
    2 days ago

    I had the same model (Mac) for something like a decade, it still works except for the USB ports on the side. I only have it up because I got ambitious and wanted to build my own. I ended up making something quite similar, but white with pretty lights and super heavy clicky switches (a mix of kailh box white and navy). But I’ll always have a soft spot for my first mechanical keyboard.

      • Brave Little Hitachi Wand@feddit.ukEnglish
        4·
        2 days ago

        The navies are downright visceral, they’re super stiff. Keystrokes take about as much pressure as you’d use to squash a bug, and they click loud enough that the neighbours probably know my average WPM better than I do. When I type it sounds like a bag of cracking knuckles falling down the stairs. Fucking love it.

    • wolfeh@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      On an unrelated note, I have the soundtrack from The Brave Little Toaster… and I can only imagine the sort of musical number your username would have. xD

  • Evil_Shrubbery@thelemmy.clubEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    My Enter key stopped working last year after about 12 years too (I just use the numpad one), but due to the bonded board I didn’t get around to fix it (maybe I should open the switch first & test the contacts, perhaps it’s an ez fix).

    Love that keebler.

    • wolfeh@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      3·
      2 days ago

      Ooh, so I’m into “keys stop working” territory… if I ever have that happen, I’ll try to remember to come back to this post and give everyone an update.

      • Evil_Shrubbery@thelemmy.clubEnglish
        2·
        2 days ago

        Well, I haven’t done much beside clean the switch from the outside … and look up how hard it is to get to the switch - it’s fine (good case & screws, thicc pcb), I just can’t even (anything) atm.
        Not even sure if switch is faulty or the pcb damaged somehow.

        If I ever get to it I’ll try to post an update.

  • Atropos@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    I have the exact same board! Similar vintage, keycaps are all polished, but everything is perfectly legible. Great keyboard!

  • Soapbox@lemmy.zipEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    I have also had no printed labels on the keys version of this keyboard for 12 years. Not a single thing has broken or gone wrong with it. Though last year I did buy some new keycaps for it, as I was finally over the “no labels on the keys” aspect after a decade.

    • wolfeh@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      Yeah, I thought about buying that one… I think it was called the Model S Ultimate*. Same price point, if I remember correctly, but a completely blank keyboard.

      I don’t really have to look while I’m typing much, but I still need to fall back on the labels once in a while for some of the peripheral keys, and I’d imagine not having labels at all being a pain.

      *Edit: Yes it was.

      • Soapbox@lemmy.zipEnglish
        1·
        2 days ago

        Yep. The peripheral keys and seldom used characters were the struggle for me. I had a piece of blue electrical tape on the print screen key for years just because it was one in that block I regularly needed. The new key caps have the labels on the front of the keys so it still look blank from the top, but I can see the labels when I really need them.

  • doc@fedia.io
    2·
    2 days ago

    I spilled tea on mine and killed it. I think it was about 10 years old at that point. It was the pro model with the volume knob in the top right corner and a USB 3 hub. It was great except it had shiny keycaps after only a couple months.

  • cannedtuna@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    Damn! 8 years for the cord and 12 years on the feet! Not bad.

    Willing to bet someone probably has guide for a mod to replace that cable or changing it to a removable one.

    • wolfeh@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      1·
      2 days ago

      I updated it when I logged in and saw the address from two moves ago, and I expect they saw that it had been updated.

  • hendu@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    1·
    2 days ago

    I had the blank one from 2014, and it was so good. I upgraded to one of the newer models because I wanted USB ports and media controls, and it’s also so good. I love that this newer model uses a magnetic ruler as the feet instead of flip-out feet - way more durable!

  • heavyboots@lemmy.mlEnglish
    1·
    2 days ago

    Really wish they made these in a Mac kbd layout. (3 modifier keys both sides of spacebar and * - + Enter down the numpad right side instead of the oversized +.) I’m on a Logitech MX and it’s got okay keyboard feel, but it’s not perfect.