I want to introduce you to The Wolf 🐺 — A 40-key split keyboard that I designed and built from scratch.

I posted some 3D renders a few weeks ago and promised to come back with updates after testing the final keyboard. And honestly, it’s been awesome. The layout is inspired by Corne and designed for GLP 3.0 switches.

Core features:

• Wireless BLE using XIAO nRF52840
• Ultra-low-profile build (8mm case and 11mm total)
• Lightweight (only 300 g for both halves)
• Case made of Anodized Aluminum 6061
• White backlight
• RGB status LEDs
• MX-Spacing and Gateron 3.0 LP switches (Nuphy Silent Blush)
• Long battery life with 700 mAh (each half)

First, I want to thank u/jlccnc for sponsoring the aluminum case production, they were super helpful and answered a ton of questions about the case design and production details.

Now that everything is in place, here are some details about my experience with it over the past few weeks:

The keyboard layout turned out to be pretty consistent with how I use it. Adding around 4.76 mm of column stagger was essential. It helped me improve my hand posture and made finger movement feel more natural, especially since I have wide hands.

The only two keys on the outermost column played a key role in the design. Since I shifted the column down by +U/2 (~9.525 mm) so it stays in the middle, it's easy to reach without stretching the fingers. It was challenging at the beginning, but now I'm pretty comfortable with them.

The ultra-thin 8 mm case also helps a lot with ergonomics, reducing the strain caused by long typing sessions.

Since the case is made mainly from 6061 aluminum, the keyboard has a clean, minimalistic, and premium look, especially with the matte black finish (anodized and bead-blasted). It's also pretty lightweight, which isn't necessarily a problem, but I wish it were a bit heavier so it would stay more firmly in place on my desk pad. I might still add something to give the build a little extra weight.

The RGB status LEDs work really well and do exactly what I wanted them to do. With my previous keyboards, I often felt like I was "in the dark" since there was no easy way to tell whether they were powered on or what state they were in.

Having white-only backlighting is also great. With a 700 mAh battery in each half, battery life has been excellent. Another thing that makes me happy with this design is the decision to power the backlight directly from the battery, avoiding unnecessary load on the MCU's voltage regulator. As for brightness, it's more than enough for its purpose, and I always keep it at the lowest setting.

I loved the process of building this keyboard, and learned a lot from open-source keyboards, which is worth mentioning here:

• Corne
• Delta Omega
• Klor
• Krteq

Sources:

Gallery Site: https://willacosta.github.io/wlfkbd/
GitHub: https://github.com/WillACosta/wlfkbd/
Firmware: https://github.com/WillACosta/zmk-config-wlf

I would love to hear your feedback. Thanks!

I got me a wireless Corne split Keyboard to scratch an itch I didn't know I had until I stumbled across this subreddit.

Since the learning curve is there anyway, I decided to jump straight into the Miryoku layout, might as well learn it now if I ever want to go smaller.

Problem is, I type a lot in Portuguese, and it uses a few accents, something that the Miryoku layout doesn't prioritize.

What I came up with was an "accent layer" right above the HRM. Holding it gives me the accented keys, pressing space produces the symbol on its own.

I'm wondering if this is the best method, or if I'm complicating things. It's my first time with ZMK and split keyboards with custom mapping.

Any feedback is welcome!

I’ve been mapping per-finger reach zones on a flat surface: each finger’s motion while the other four stay planted (typing-like posture), left hand only so far.

I care about two practical outcomes:

1. Layout rules from the zones e.g. bottom row tends to want one key per finger; home/upper can support two for index/pinky; thumb zone is huge in area. I’m treating the painted region as not uniform comfort — edges are often reachable statically but awkward dynamically (hand lifts and “hovers”).
2. Dual-row thumb clusters on flat boards Area-wise, two thumb rows look justified. Anecdotally (small Telegram sample), two keys in the same column are hard to press cleanly with the thumb and can misclick when the palm rests. Mitigations people mentioned: different physical heights, short travel / recessed keys, or avoiding a pure Y-pair (arc / X-offset instead). I’d like more than a handful of opinions.

What I’m looking for

• Links to studies or write-ups of finger reach / motion envelopes for keyboard layout (anything systematic — academic, blog, repo notes). I haven’t found good references yet.
• Experience with two thumb rows on flat (non-keywell) boards: misclicks? workable arrangements? what failed?
• Flat or near-flat layouts that actually use two thumb rows (not just a long single arc). So far the main dual-row example I’ve overlaid is yacc46; most of my other refs (TOTEM, Lapka, etc.) are single-row thumbs with various splay.

Images: raw zone map; TOTEM overlaid (single-row thumb, partial splay); yacc46 overlaid (two-row thumb).

Not selling a design — still at the measurement / comparison stage. Happy to adjust the method if people have better ways to capture dynamic comfort, not just static reach.

Thanks.

What are some Ortho staggered (similar to cheapino/chocofi) 34/36 Unibody with aggressive tent?

I’m looking for an external trackpad for Windows 11 that works without additional drivers and supports gesture customization through Windows settings.

My main concern is cursor latency, especially when starting to move my finger.
I’m considering the Sanwa 400-MABTY201GM and POLARMETA X2, but I’m open to other suggestions.

Has anyone tried these or similar models? How’s the responsiveness, and is there a noticeable difference between wired and Bluetooth connections?

Hi,

to the ppl who had both keebs. Which one has higher curvature horizontally?
Especially regarding the curva for the index finger.

From the pictures I would guess that the G80 has more curvature at the innter part for the index finger compared to the dactyls.

Hi, I'm Ross. I run Boards Before Breakfast, a small shop in Virginia. I bought the remaining inventory from KeyHive after they closed; and I have some Egg58s that came separately, straight from its designer, who I work with.

Ordering a batch makes sense if you already have plans for the extra boards. If you're building just one, I sell single PCB pairs, so you can get the parts you need without accidentally starting a PCB collection. I also carry board-specific parts for several splits:

-Corne v2 Classic PCB pair and component kit — bare PCB pairs or selected plate options; through-hole parts

- Corne v3 PCB pair and component kit — bare PCB pairs or selected plate options; SMD parts

- Sofle RGB PCB pair and component kit — black or white PCBs, with selected plate options

- Lily58 PCB pair and component kit — white PCBs

- Egg58 PCB pair and component kit — low-profile Kailh Choc v1; PCB pair includes matching top plates

The PCB and component kits are separate listings, so you can choose what you need. Kit contents and controller options vary by board; Egg58 uses Choc v1 parts, not MX. Check each listing for details, or browse the [shop](https://boardsbe4breakfast.etsy.com).

These are DIY parts, not complete keyboards. Switches, keycaps, and cases aren't included; plates are only included with selected PCB options.

Ordering a batch from JLC or PCBWay may still be cheaper if you'll use the extras. My pitch is simpler: get one PCB pair, skip the overseas sourcing scavenger hunt, and have it ship domestically. [Boards Before Breakfast on Etsy](https://boardsbe4breakfast.etsy.com).

Hi,

I have been trying for quite a while now to flash my 5 column corne with Miryoku. I copied the repository and ran the workflow with build inputs.

I used the Build Inputs workflow with the shield corne_left,corne_right and the board nice_nano (v2 seems to be expired and the nice_nano option is the v2 version by default).

The workflow compiles the firmware and I can flash it but I cannot type anything. I used a firmware from the vendor for the kit and this firmware worked, so it is not a hardware issue.

Does anyone have an idea what is going wrong or what I could check to find the issue? Thanks a lot in advance.

I don`t need the full fledged miryoku, so if there are alternatives for colemak I am also interested in such ideas. I must admit I neglected the board for 2 years but want to give it another try. So my knowledge is maybe a little outdated.

I wanted a keyboard that could be used at a desk in full ergo form (fully split), but also easy to take around (unibody) if I wanted to work somewhere else. I designed this to satisfy both needs, in addition to having a trackpoint since integrated pointing devices are great!

It uses a single microcontroller with a GPIO expander on the other side over I2C and a 4-pin magnetic pogo connector and USB C connectors to bridge the two halves together. Even though the magnets on the pogo connector are small, I designed the enclosure and interface to be sturdy enough to be picked up by one side.

Design is open source and can be found here: https://github.com/justinmklam/dabao

Howdy yall,

I'm currently trying to reflash the firmware for my Sofle Hybrid, and I'm running into issues of understanding. Can I bother someone to ELI-5 me through getting this keyboard back up and running?

Ergomech was generous enough to help me replace a board I broke, although I was never able to get them to pair to each other, and now I think I've done too much go back on my own.

I loved using this keyboard, and would love to get it off my "In-progress Projects" shelf once again.

Thanks in advance for any assistance or engagement

I made CoreX, a replacement right-side PCB that adds pointing controls to the Cornix while keeping its original case, battery, switches and keycaps.

Powered by RMK, with keymaps and trackball settings editable in Vial. The trackball build works over Bluetooth or USB.

I’m also developing CoreX Studio, which lets you customize keymaps, cursor speed and trackball gestures wirelessly. The screenshots include a preview!

The hardware accommodates a 19 mm trackball, TrackPoint or trackpad, with room for up to two pointing modules. The PCB swap uses the screwdriver included with the Cornix.

What would you pair with the trackball: an encoder, TrackPoint or trackpad?

Firmware & build guide: https://github.com/yuchamichami/CoreX-Proto-RMK

Hardware & modules (BOOTH, Japanese): https://yukeyshop.booth.pm/items/8933715

Keycap legends in the first photo by Paraph14.

For people doing their own design, I'm curious what the ordering and shipping side looks like in practice.

A typical build seems to be boards from JLC or PCBWay, controllers and hotswap sockets from one shop, switches and keycaps from another, a printed case from a print service or your own printer, and screws and magnets from Amazon. Each one has its own shipping, and the cheapest PCB order is 5 boards when I only need 2.

Do you split group orders with friends, buy kits to skip all of it (and if yes from where), or just accept it?

Argh, I spilled water on my board and now at least two keys are misbehaving.

Is there a Vial-compatible split board that I can get quickly in USA? I am not a DIY guy.

https://store.happort.org/

I've had a Microsoft sculpt for a long time, and am looking to upgrade

I really like the layout and size and profile of the sculpt, so something that is as nice as it would be the natural progression (i think the ridge and negative slope are the important parts for me)

Idk anything about split keyboards, but I'm not really for diy, and ideally it will be something i can return if it's not fit for me...

Dropped down from Sofle to 36key Totem. At first touch I felt like I’m paralyzed and couldn’t made a suitable mapping. Someone on the community recommended Selenium and it saved me! Now I’ve finished last upgrade with KLP Lame and it’s even better. Only thing is that keyboard is plastic and without lighting. Plan is to switch to the CNC one but it’s hardly available in Europe unfortunately. Any recommendations in reasonable price? 🤠

DISCLAIMER: This is not an ad, everything is open-source. All links go to GitHub.

Hi everyone,

A few months ago, I made an engine to find a (near-)optimal one-handed Lily58 keyboard layout, linked below. From that, I selected what I believe to be the best of the best and called it my prototype.
The Engine: https://github.com/aaa308-aub/lily58-anneal
The Prototype: https://github.com/aaa308-aub/Lily29

The prototype has 4 layers: one main layer, two layers for symbols, and one backup layer for QWERTY -- mainly for people who game. The home position (e.g., what used to be WASD on regular keyboards) is now HTNE here.

This project might be for you for a lot of different reasons, in order of importance:

• To stop moving your right hand between your mouse and your regular (two-handed) keyboard. I noticed that we do this all the time and it distracts us in the moment, and that people who have certain disabilities or challenges may find that really annoying.
• To deprecate most functional keys: F1 to F12, Print Screen, Home/End, Page Up/Page Down, Insert, Alt, Tab, Shift, etc. Yes, there's a real disadvantage here where you have to rebind all your favorite shortcuts like Alt+Tab, but the idea behind this is to personalize your shortcuts using only one "Super" key to do all things functional. For best compatibility, that Super key should be Ctrl.
• To reclaim space on your desk. You don't have to move your keyboard away just to place an A4 paper in front of you.

This may not be for you for also a lot of reasons:

• Your main preference is typing speed over flow, where a two-handed keyboard (split or not) is obviously better. Or, you program without a mouse in Vim-mode and find that superior. Sidenote: This is why I chose a software remapper (called Kanata -- also open-source) instead of flashing all the layers in firmware; for people who already own a Lily58 split and want to use this without abandoning their old layouts.
• The learning curve is obviously pretty high, and you may not like that. I tried to keep it to a minimum by not introducing fancy functionality, like chording, and only apply basic toggles/holds we're all familiar with.
• Not all of us own a mouse with two side-buttons, which is a functional requirement of this prototype. All the PRO's and CON's and other requirements are listed on its GitHub page.

Please feel free to comment whether it's for a critique or a question, or whether it's about my engine -- I haven't discussed the details on that to keep the post short.

I’m building my own split keyboard using a Chinese STM32 Blue Pill clone (STM32F103C8T6). I etched the PCB myself at home, assembled everything, and flashed the firmware. Almost everything works, but the far-left and far-right columns don’t register any keypresses. All the other keys work perfectly.

I’ve tried:

• Continuity check with a multimeter from switch pins through diodes to MCU pins.
• Reflowed all solder joints on those columns.
• Re-routed the column trace to a different MCU pin and updated the firmware pin mapping.
• Verified firmware matrix size and pin definitions.
• Checked for shorts between adjacent columns/rows.

Could you help me identify the problem? I can send over the assembled board.

Hi everyone,

I'm building my own split keyboard using a Chinese STM32 Blue Pill clone. I etched the PCB myself at home (garage fab), soldered everything, and it mostly works. However, the two outermost columns - the far left and far right - are completely dead. All other keys/columns work perfectly.

I’ve tried:

Continuity check with a multimeter from switch pins through diodes to MCU pins.

Reflowed all solder joints on those columns.

Re-routed the column trace to a different MCU pin and updated the firmware pin mapping.

Verified firmware matrix size and pin definitions.

Checked for shorts between adjacent columns/rows.

I got gifted a bulk set of Azoteq TPS43's from Digikey. What overlays do you suggest to use with them? I read online that most laptops have a frosted glass or a mylar finish. Which one do you prefer? How do I go about sourcing these?

A good friend of mine had a major medical event earlier this year which has left him unable to use his left hand. We’re looking for good options for single-hand typing, and ideally some gaming if possible.

I have multiple 3d printers and soldering irons, and have built my own Sofle Choc v2, so I’m very comfortable with the DIY route.

Anyone have any suggestions for good designs to try?

Additionally, he has raised the idea of using one of his feet for meta keys, so that’s also something we’re keen on investigating (he can only move one foot as well).

Thanks in advance!

Hello! Decided to share here my first ergomech build!

Got a kit from PandaKB, first time soldering and somehow managed to not destroy the entire thing lol

3D printed the keycaps and body with some glitter PLA (I can find the brand if anyone needs it, it's been a while) and the wrist rest in TPU. Very happy that I got the LEDs to shine through the keycaps quite well!

Switches are kailh choc red pros.

I still need to solder the battery, been using it wired for a while now and I'm super happy. Currently using workman as layout, but I may consider switching to colemak someday.

My keyboard can use Choc v1 and v2 switches. I had the Ambient Twilight and loved them, till I got the Deep Sea Whale, which IMO are vastly superior -- both from the typing feel as well as lower noise.

I am only interested in silent switches. In general I seem to like tactile switches most, but I am also open to linear ones. I prefer the Deep Sea Whale over Island/Islet for the alpha keys. On the layer keys I use the lighter linear switches (Island or Nocturnal). But I was also typing happily with the Twilight and would not rule out linears.

Although I am pretty happy with the Whale I would likely prefer a little lighter switch. For those who have the Kiwi, how do they compare to the Whale? The Sunrise will likely become available finally as well and might be another option.

Another route I might test is to use the super low travel Purple Swallowtail (or also known as Purple Glede or Purple Iris -- depending on the seller). Anyone experience with those?

For keycaps I use KLP Lame, which made a huge difference in typing comfort -- together with the switch (pun intended) to the Whale.