Wabi-sabi and the keyboard aftermarket

NEO60 Cu WKL ISO and EVO80 ISO – Both purchased secondhand, and both sporting KKB Ohm

I'm going to try something different tonight. I want to talk about another part of the mechanical keyboard hobby, one that has reinforced something I've been trying to practise more often: wabi-sabi.

The journey is the endgame.

That is something I have come to believe after my various interactions within the keyboard community. I think it really clicked after getting my third NEO board. You could argue that this is just me justifying retail therapy, and you may be partly correct there, but two things can be true at the same time.

One part of the hobby I was not prepared for was the concept of group buys, or GBs.

As someone used to shopping on Amazon, group buys were a bit of a shock. Even now, six months into the hobby, I am still apprehensive about them. There is also the possibility that I simply have not seen anything yet that would make me go out of my way to spend money on something I might receive half a year later, at the earliest.

But group buys are a topic for another post.

The reason I mention them here is because I think they are one of the main reasons why the keyboard aftermarket exists in the way that it does. Many keyboards and keycap sets are produced in limited runs. Once that run is over, that is often it. You can hope for another round in the future, but most of the time, if you missed it, your only real option is the aftermarket.

And this is where wabi-sabi comes in.

To set things up, I want to define what wabi-sabi means, or at least my understanding of it. At its core, wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept about finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. It is about appreciating things that are not flawless, not permanent, and not frozen in some perfect showroom state. You appreciate something for existing in the way that it currently is, warts and all.

That is where I think it intersects beautifully with the keyboard aftermarket.

A secondhand keyboard tells a story. It quietly says, “I lived a little before reaching you, my new owner.”

That idea has stayed with me.

Let's be clear, though; I am not dismissing pristine or excellent-condition keyboards at all. Those items stand on their own merit, and there is not much heavy lifting needed for them to sell.

A flawless board is easy to understand. It is clean. It is desirable. It photographs well.

But the keyboards with imperfections, especially minor marks, scratches, and small signs of use, often receive an extra level of scrutiny. Sometimes unfairly, I think.

Another thing I noticed in the hobby is something all gadget lovers and collectors experience – you want to use something, but at the same time you also love it when it stays new!

We buy keyboards to use them, then we panic a little when they start showing signs of use. Shout out to the owners of shiny GMK keycaps out there! I'm also dedicating this post to you all!

I digress, but this is where the concept of wabi-sabi really starts to make sense to me with regard to the hobby.

A keyboard with a few marks can be freeing. There is freedom to use it properly. Freedom to build it, rebuild it, type on it, move it around, and make it part of your actual desk setup rather than treating it like a museum piece.

When something is flawless, there is this strange instinct to baby it. You become careful with it in a way that sometimes gets in the way of enjoying it.

But when something already has a few marks, the pressure changes.

A pristine keyboard asks to be protected. A keyboard with imperfections asks to be used.

I want to be clear, though. Wabi-sabi is not an excuse to ignore the condition of an item or pretend there is no damage when something is clearly wrong. There is a difference between honest wear and hidden damage.

A small scuff that has been clearly photographed and priced fairly is one thing. A damaged PCB, stripped screw, or undisclosed dent is something else entirely.

What I am suggesting is that when you are looking at a keyboard for sale on the aftermarket, the age and imperfections can tell a story. They can become part of the object rather than something that automatically ruins it.

This really clicked for me with my TKD Cycle 7. (in case you missed my post on it, check it out here.)

It is not a brand-new keyboard. It has scuff marks. Not terrible damage. Not anything that stops it from being used or enjoyed. Just enough to remind me that this keyboard existed before it reached me. Someone else owned it. Someone else handled it. Someone else built it, typed on it, and from what I can tell, decided to let it go after careful consideration.

And now it is part of my own keyboard journey.

Being mindful of a keyboard's history is something I have started to appreciate more.

Not every keyboard needs to arrive in perfect condition to be meaningful. Sometimes the imperfections make it easier to connect with the object because it already feels real. It has lived a little.

Many folks in the hobby (myself included, just to be clear) often chase perfection, flawlessness, perfect sound tests, and the mythical idea of endgame...but there is something quietly comforting about owning a keyboard that is not perfect.

Because maybe sometimes, that is the point.

Maybe the best keyboards are not always the ones we preserve forever in perfect condition.

Maybe they are the ones we actually use.

That's about it from me. It's getting late, but these thoughts were something I had to write. I wanted to put these thoughts out there because the aftermarket has made me think differently about condition, ownership, and what it means to enjoy this hobby.

How do you feel about wabi-sabi in the keyboard aftermarket? Do you own any keyboards with marks, scuffs, or stories attached to them? I'd love to hear about it.

About the Author

Hi there, my name's Alan and I'm the creator of UK Tech Blog (UKTB), a UK-based technology website covering smartphones, gadgets, computing, mechanical keyboards, and the digital world that surrounds us all.

This blog is a place where I share my thoughts and journey through tech. I do this through hands-on reviews, commentary, and practical experiences.

Alongside my passion for tech and photography, I'm also an advocate for autism awareness and accessibility. I draw from personal experience as a parent. I believe technology should be inclusive, useful, and empowering for everyone.

Outside of tech, I enjoy photography, gaming, and music ranging from atmospheric black metal to post-rock.

UKTB was created as a space for my honest opinions, curiosity, and enthusiasm for modern technology without the unnecessary hype.