My Mechanical Keyboard Journey: Customization, Firmware, and the Perfect Typing Experience

For the past five months, I’ve been diving deeper and deeper into the world of mechanical keyboards. While I’ve owned several over the years, I had never modified them beyond their stock configurations—until now. What started as a casual curiosity quickly turned into an obsession with custom switches, firmware flashing, form factors, and advanced key remapping.

Discovering Mechanical Keyboards

My first mechanical keyboard was a Ducky Shine 5 with Cherry MX Brown switches. It was a massive upgrade from my work-provided rubber dome keyboard and quickly became my faithful companion at the office for many years.

Around the same time, I upgraded my home keyboard to a Corsair K95 RGB Platinum, replacing my Logitech G510. The K95 was a clear improvement in build quality, but it took me months to adapt to its lighter switches and altered form factor. At first, I frequently triggered unintended key presses just by resting my fingers on the keyboard. Over time, I got used to it, but I never found much use for the macro keys.

Eventually, an unfortunate accident involving a can of soda led to the K95’s demise. I replaced it with the Corsair K100, which featured slightly heavier switches than the K95 but still felt too light for my liking. The linear switches lacked the tactile feedback I had grown accustomed to, which made typing feel less satisfying.

Later, I picked up a Corsair K70 Pro Mini Wireless (60%) for our living room media PC. While its switches felt similar to the K100, its compact size proved frustrating. As a programmer, I rely heavily on shortcuts and function keys, and their absence slowed me down significantly.

However, my biggest issue with Corsair keyboards wasn’t the hardware—it was the iCUE software. It frequently conflicted with software from my motherboard, RAM, and GPU, forcing me to configure the keyboards on one computer and then transfer them to another just to avoid software conflicts.

My First Step Into Custom Keyboards

During the holiday season, I stumbled upon a hefty discount on the Glorious GMMK 2 (96%) and impulsively bought it along with a few packs of Glorious Panda tactile switches.

From the first keystroke, I knew I had entered a different world. The tactile bump on the Panda switches felt satisfying, and the metal construction of the keyboard gave it a premium feel.

However, my enthusiasm quickly faded. The 96% form factor removed several keys that I relied on for programming, making my workflow more cumbersome. The keyboard’s software, while promising in theory, was riddled with bugs, making remapping keys a frustrating experience.

For about a week, I tolerated toggling the numpad on and off to regain access to missing keys. Frustrated, I began researching alternative layouts and better software solutions.

Exploring Different Keyboard Form Factors

Through my research, I discovered that different keyboard layouts reduce size while preserving essential functionality. The two that intrigued me most were:

• Tenkeyless (TKL): This layout removes the numpad but retains function keys, navigation keys, and modifier keys, making it a solid choice for programming and general productivity.
• 75% Layout: A more compact design that retains arrow keys, function keys, and four navigation keys (Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down) while eliminating unnecessary spacing.

I was also fascinated by the community of keyboard enthusiasts who go beyond pre-built keyboards. People design and manufacture their own keycaps, switches, and even entire PCBs. However, the most exciting discovery was the world of custom firmware.

Unlocking the Potential of Custom Firmware

Many modern keyboards, including the Glorious GMMK 2, support open-source firmware like QMK and VIA, which allow for a level of customization far beyond what most stock software offers. With the right firmware, you can remap keys, create macros, add multiple key layers, and even control LED lighting effects at a more advanced level.

Intrigued, I flashed a custom version of the QMK-based Vial firmware onto my GMMK 2, allowing me to control key mappings, macros, and LED configurations with far more precision than the stock software.

Over the next few weeks, I experimented with different firmware setups and started coming up with unique ideas:

• Could I securely store common passwords directly on my keyboard?
• Could I program a mouse jiggler to prevent my computer from sleeping?
• Could I create universal shortcuts that worked across different operating systems and IDEs?
• Could my keyboard’s LEDs display real-time system information instead of just providing static lighting effects?

To avoid the risk of damaging my GMMK 2, I picked up an Adafruit Macropad, a small programmable keypad that also supports QMK firmware. It became my testing ground, and after some trial and error, I was able to create working prototypes for most of my ideas.

A Christmas Surprise: The Drop CTRL V2

A week before Christmas, my wife surprised me with an early gift—a Drop CTRL V2 High Profile in Silver.

I had been considering the Drop CTRL as a replacement for my GMMK 2, and from the moment I unboxed it, I was impressed. The keyboard’s solid aluminum case gave it a sturdy feel, and its RGB lighting was both bright and customizable.

After experimenting with different keycap and switch combinations, I finally settled on:

• Keycaps: Drop + Matt3o MT3 /dev/tty Triumph
• Switches: Gateron Baby Kangaroo 2.0 Tactile

This combination delivered a deeply satisfying typing experience, with a muted yet pronounced tactile bump.

I initially gravitated toward OEM-profile keycaps, but after testing sculpted, high-profile keycaps, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed them. Similarly, I experimented with different switches before settling on the Gateron Baby Kangaroos. The LTC Jerrzi tactile switches felt too light, while the Durock T1 Ice King tactile switches lacked the punchy actuation force I was looking for.

Expanding My Collection: The Epomaker Tide75 and Beyond

A Christmas Eve sale led both my wife and me to order matching Epomaker Tide75 keyboards. These wireless, plate-mounted keyboards further refined my experience with compact form factors.

I swapped out the factory linear switches for Durock T1 Silent Shrimp tactile switches, which made the keyboard whisper-quiet. To further customize the board, I mixed keycaps from multiple MT3 profile sets:

• Modifiers: Drop MT3 Fairlane
• Alphanumerics: Drop + Matt3o /dev/tty MT3 R3
• Accent Keys (ESC, Enter, HJKL): Drop + Matt3o MT3 3277 Red Accents

The typing experience on the Tide75 was exceptional, thanks to its plate-mounted switches and flex-cut gasketed FR4 plate. It became my go-to keyboard for quieter environments.

Combining My Hobbies: 3D Printing and Keyboards

I have always enjoyed tinkering, and before keyboards, 3D printing was one of my primary hobbies. The two interests naturally merged, allowing me to print custom parts for my keyboards.

So far, I’ve used my 3D printers to:

• Print and assemble fully custom hand-wired keyboards
• Create switch testers to experiment with different switches before committing
• Design and print keyboard stands, switch openers, LED diffusers, and keycap organizers
• Experiment with fully 3D-printed key switches

Where I Stand Now

A few months have passed, and my keyboard collection continues to grow. While my Drop CTRL V2 remains my favorite, I’m constantly exploring different form factors, testing new switches, and optimizing my workflow with macros and key layers.

Mechanical keyboards are far from a solved technology. With so many options for customization, they offer endless opportunities to enhance productivity and express creativity. I look forward to continuing this journey and sharing my discoveries along the way!