I got my Norbaforce Mark II this week. This is my second Norbauer product and boy, he just does not disappoint. The Aperture has a mottled, texture black and grey finish that invites your hand to slide over its surface. There are whole worlds wrapped in the cells that live on the surface of the case. There is such a comforting solidity to the whole thing. At 2-3 kg and is an object of real substance. My obsession with the tools of writing has lead me from fountain pens and mechanical pencils to dabbling in typewriters and now to these mechanical keyboards. It is a connection, a physical connection to the words that I write that I seek and Norbauer has given it to me in a new way. I volunteered, today, in an online video conference meeting to take notes just so that I could be typing. The quiet reassuring thock of each key press was satisfying and real in a way that belies the impermanence of my digital scribing. I think a good part of the satisfaction comes from knowing that I have a part of the creation of this thing. I have lubed the rails and installed silencing rings on each slider. This collaboration between the engineers and factory worker in Japan, Norbauer’s relentless pursuit of perfection in case design, and myself in applying the finishing touches in exactly the way that I desire them has produced a result that completely satisfies me. Well, not quite completely. While I love the sculpt, sound, and texture my SA keycaps but the visual aesthetics are something that I am still waiting to change. Thank you Ryan, this is excellent work.
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