Comments on: Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000

By: PA

PA — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:35:34 +0000

I think the spacebar problem resolves itself over time as the parts wears smooth from friction. I own two Natural 4000s; one at work and one at home. I bought the one for work first, and eventually bought another one for home when I killed some keys on my older Natural Elite while trying to clean it. When I initially got the home keyboard, I ran into the stickiness problem with the space bar and I noticed that the unit at work didn’t have the same problem. Now, both have smooth space bar action. So, it’s a bit like the break in period for a new car engine: you have to be a bit more careful for the first little while until the rough edges get smoothed out.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:04:19 +0000

@Joe - The spacebar works best if pressed with a light touch which, in hindsight, is better for the fingers. I still use mine, and I don’t fill the friction anymore.

Eddy.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:27:37 +0000

I just bought a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 and agree that the spacebar is horrible. It really slows down the typing and is extremely annoying. I wouldn’t recommend this keyboard to anyone looking to buy one.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:45:59 +0000

You’re welcome, Fred.

By: Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:39:15 +0000

Thanks for your reply Eddy.

I applied some silicone oil around the friction points I could see around the spacebar, without actually removing the key since I recall that resetting the spring if the key is removed on some of the old MS Natural keyboards was a hassle (though your comment seems to imply that it’s not the case here…). Anyway, this seems to be working fine now. :)

Thanks again!

Cheers,
/F

By: Eddy

Eddy — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:24:47 +0000

Fred,

If you remove the spacebar, you can see small plastic protrusions that are meant to ensure a vertical downward motion when the key is pressed. But, the problem is, when you press on one side of the key instead of right in the middle of it, these protrusions have friction. I used a cotton swab to apply *plastic-safe* lubricant to them.

Good luck!

— Eddy

By: Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:11:47 +0000

Hi,

I’m curious to know how you applied the lubricant without getting it all over the keyboard. Did you remove the spacebar first or did you apply it around it, and what kind of lubricant did you use?

I just got one recently and I’m finding this spacebar thing to be kind of annoying.

Cheers,
/F

By: victor_r

victor_r — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:54:48 +0000

Have just bought a second keyboard, it has a problem with a space bar, while the first one is just fine, space bar is perfect. I’m curious, so I’ll try to fix it, since it is really irratating.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:14:04 +0000

Force yourself to press the space-bar fully instead of just tapping it. I did, and now I don’t even notice that it is sticky. Also, alternate between the left and right thumbs.

Good luck!

— Eddy

By: A. Simon Mielniczuk

A. Simon Mielniczuk — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:55:14 +0000

Purchased the keyboard soon after its’ arrival to head off wrist pain from intensive use of notebook keyboard. Solution worked very well, however, developed bad habit of hitting the spacebar too hard with right thumb and now have very irritating pain in the wrist bone at the base of the thumb. Trying hard to retrain thumb for lesser impact.