Sexy Mechanical Keyboard Thread

[Solaris17]

I keep seeing keycaps on massdrop, but they're usually $20-30+. I don't suppose that's normal, is it?

I'd say thats a pretty normal price.

It's all about what type of keys they are for and what kind of caps they are. Dye sublimation? Double shot ABS?, Lazer etch? etc etc..

 

[xvi]

Dye sublimation? Double shot ABS?, Lazer etch? etc etc..

Those sound like they go from least to most expensive. Here's Massdrop's only current deal at the moment. Seems fair for doubleshot.

 

[tabascosauz]

Those sound like they go from least to most expensive. Here's Massdrop's only current deal at the moment. Seems fair for doubleshot.

View attachment 74035

Tai-haos caps are pretty mediocre IMO. They are usually, if not always doubleshot ABS or PBT (doubleshot being the most durable type of legends that you can get) but are very inconsistent and can have rather poor quality control.

It all depends on what your preference is. The Miami caps from Tai-hao on Massdrop were my first set of keycaps but OEM profile isn't for me. Might be exactly what you want though, and the new colors seem quite pretty. At that price, it doesn't hurt to try.

Basically ABS and PBT (and rarely POM) are the materials of choice, and the legends go from

pad printed <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< laser etched <<<<<< dye-subs ≈ doubleshot

Dunno if you live in Washington state or DC, but in the event that you live in the former, check out pimpmykeyboard.com / Signature Plastics. They're up in Custer and manufacture caps in DCS profile (similar to OEM profile of Tai-Hao and usually ABS doubleshot), DSA (PBT/ABS, dye-sub and sometimes doubleshot) and SA (unfortunately not available in the usual way from their website).

I wonder if anyone has actually tried to reason with SP and skip out on their USPS shipping charges by driving up to their Custer facility seems reasonable enough

 

[Shou Miko]

Ordered a Lolita Spyder for work. So I dont have to use the trash wireless microsoft keyboard.

Its my phone cam so bare with me. I got the reds so that and the switch type are different from my MX blues on my DKS4 at home so far I like it though.

haha DAT NAME

 

[xvi]

They're up in Custer

Washington State and I *live* in Custer. o__O

Edit: Custer as in population 300-500-ish Custer? That's me.

Edit 2: It's an 8 minute drive.

 

[sneekypeet]

I got a set from WASD, full custom in colors, legend placement/font, even grabbed a coupe of their random caps. Pretty pleased, but pricing is a bit more than the massdrop sets. http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keycap-set.html

Also, just because i thought this thread needed more images:

 

[tabascosauz]

Washington State and I *live* in Custer. o__O

Edit: Custer as in population 300-500-ish Custer? That's me.

Edit 2: It's an 8 minute drive.
View attachment 74036

Hahah I only happen to know Custer because of SP located in Custer and the fact that Blaine, Custer and Birch Bay are literally the first 3 *towns I pass coming over the border. Technically it's like a 20 minute drive for me, assuming not many people are making the rounds across the border.

Anyways PMK's keysets are considerably more expensive (even just the generic DSA/G20 Blank and Dyesub sets which cost around $50), and DSA and G20 are unique and not for everyone, so Tai-hao is a great place to start with a lot of familiarity in key profile to most off-the-shelf keyboards. modern selectric cost me $145USD + shipping and troubled minds cost me $125USD; $30 is good.

 

[Solaris17]

Whats the deal with massdrop you buy in but dont get the product unless x amount of people commit. Otherwise you get your investment back?

What sets do people recommend, figure I'll test peoples experiences before I buy a new set for my lolita.

 

[tabascosauz]

Whats the deal with massdrop you buy in but dont get the product unless x amount of people commit. Otherwise you get your investment back?

What sets do people recommend, figure I'll test peoples experiences before I buy a new set for my lolita.

Yep it's a group buy site, for products with pricing tiers you get slight discounts with more people joining the drop. the MOQ (minimum order quantity) is generally low for Massdrops and they are quite popular so MOQ is usually not a problem. Most of the novelty and original keysets on Geekhack for example always come in group buys, because the individual designers never have the resources to manufacture and have to go to manufacturers such as Signature Plastics or GMK, which in turn require a MOQ and are expensive to do small numbers of products...so group buys and large numbers of orders are the only way to go.

If drop doesn't reach MOQ, you get refunded. Otherwise it would be nothing less than a scam

What kind of keycaps are you looking for? Do you like cylindrical keycaps or would you like to try sphericals for a change? Flat and uniform throughout all the rows, stepped like regular keycaps or curved? Colourful or subdued? ABS or PBT?

 

[Solaris17]

Yep it's a group buy site, for products with pricing tiers you get slight discounts with more people joining the drop. the MOQ (minimum order quantity) is generally low for Massdrops and they are quite popular so MOQ is usually not a problem. Most of the novelty and original keysets on Geekhack for example always come in group buys, because the individual designers never have the resources to manufacture and have to go to manufacturers such as Signature Plastics or GMK, which in turn require a MOQ and are expensive to do small numbers of products...so group buys and large numbers of orders are the only way to go.

If drop doesn't reach MOQ, you get refunded. Otherwise it would be nothing less than a scam

What kind of keycaps are you looking for? Do you like cylindrical keycaps or would you like to try sphericals for a change? Flat and uniform throughout all the rows, stepped like regular keycaps or curved? Colourful or subdued? ABS or PBT?

Curved. I hate stepping. ABS prefered though Id like to Try POM.

 

[tabascosauz]

Curved. I hate stepping. ABS prefered though Id like to Try POM.

Unfortunately, the only curved keycaps (that I know of) are SA profile. And SA can only be found in the form of expensive, beautiful groupbuy sets like Penumbra/Pulse/Carbon/Nuclear/Modern Selectric that are a one-time thing. PMK only sells replacement caps to existing owners and add-on sets. AFAIK Modern Selectric and Troubled Minds are the only sets you can get a hold of, on the Clueboard shop (shop.clueboard.co because skullydazed who runs the shop designed the MS set) and Originative (originativeco.com) respectively. A word of warning, however, they are expensive, and some people don't like that SA is very tall (it is very high profile compared to even common OEM profile). SA caps only come in ABS, there are no PBT molds for SA.

The only SA keycaps that are not directly affiliated with Signature Plastics is this peculiar set that Filco sells as "doubleshot keycaps" over at The Keyboard Company (keyboardco.com). It is an SA set, ABS, doubleshot, and looks a little more traditional. EDIT found it: http://www.keyboardco.com/product/double_shot_filco_104_key_usa_keyset.asp

If you like sphericals but hate very very tall keycaps, however, DSA could be for you; DSA does not have any stepping or curve (all rows all caps the same height) and is slightly less expensive. On the other hand, you must buy one of the named sets (as opposed to the generic DSA Blank or DSA Sublimated) as in Dolch or Eve to get ABS caps as the Blank and Sublimated kind come in only PBT. DSA is available on Signature Plastics (pimpmykeyboard.com).

G20 is a unique type of keycap manufactured by Signature Plastics that is completely uniform like DSA, but is completely flat like laptop chiclet keyboards. I believe you can still get a hold of Blank and Sublimated sets on PMK; they are quite niche, like DSA though.

Mechanicalkeyboards.com is also a good place to look for keysets, though they will usually only have a wealth of caps in OEM profile.

 

[Solaris17]

Sorry I thought you were talking about the normal curve (inner) of standard keys. I'm not looking for adventure and I'm not sure id be excited about dome or exterior curvature in keys.

Are there some pretty solid sites for custom key sets? Im looking for some tone. Figured id give it a shot. instead of one uniform color.

EDIT: looks like mechkeyboards has a good amount of setz to keep me busy. I'v delt with them before for my duckies, probably should have looked at them haha.

Have you guys bought any sets you recommend me looking at?

 

[tabascosauz]

Sorry I thought you were talking about the normal curve (inner) of standard keys. I'm not looking for adventure and I'm not sure id be excited about dome or exterior curvature in keys.

Are there some pretty solid sites for custom key sets? Im looking for some tone. Figured id give it a shot. instead of one uniform color.

My bad. Here are the ever popular candidates.

1. mechanicalkeyboards.com

There are virtually billions of keyboards and keysets on this site and although I don't fancy most of them, surely everyone will find something that they like.

For colour, you are looking at Vortex PBT and Ducky PBT sets. Vortex sells plenty of doubleshot PBT in your standard OEM profile, and they are nice thick PBT too. Ducky has nice colours, but you must be careful as they have these funky legend printing methods including "engraved legends", which are literally carved physically into the keycap without any ink.

Lots more. Tai-hao sells nice ABS and PBT, but beware of Tai-hao PBT as it has a coating called Anti-Biosis on the outside of each key, which attracts grime and gets sticky. You can remove it with isopropyl alcohol like I did, but it takes a whole damn day with a toothbrush and a bowl of ISA, and is very tiring. Tai-hao ABS never comes with the coating.

2. wasdkeyboards

WASD now sells "doubleshot PBT" sets which, at $40 are arguably the stars of the show. They are actually made by Vortex (virtually the same you see on MK.com).

The "custom" sets are problematic because no one knows how the legends are printed. They could be lasered, which is subpar compared to dyesubs. Also there are reports that they have a UV coating that wears off an makes the keys look extremely ugly. But if you want 100% custom colors there are no other options.

3. zealpc

Zealpc makes the custom "Zealio" switches, but they also sell keysets from time to time. They sell what I think is the only POM set around. I have not tried POM but apparently this Cherry POM set is an original from Cherry Corp. and is fantastic while different from both ABS and PBT.

4. Originative

You will find some very expensive SA and GMK sets on Originative. GMK sets are manufactured in Germany and are in Cherry profile, which is shorter than regular OEM profile. They are ABS and doubleshot and I don't understand the hype and price, but some people swear that they are the ultimate in quality keycaps.

The "Dolch" that you find here is made by GMK and is I guess considered closer to the "original" Dolch, while the Tai-Hao "Dolch" is considered by some to be a cheapo clone.

5. Clueboard

Skully's site is mainly for Clueboards, but he also sells Modern Selectric because he designed it. Earlier last year the group buy for Nantucket Selectric finished, and later after all of the orders have shipped he may have extras for Nantucket on his store as well.

This ain't an exhaustive list; I'm sure there are plenty of sites out there that I've missed. In the US there are tons of options.

EDIT @Solaris17 the Tai-Hao dolch is a nice place to start, if the coffee brown scheme is for you. It is quite cheap if you can find it. I'm not sure if MK.com stocks it. Otherwise, the Ducky and Vortex sets are quite nice but I have not owned them like I have the Tai-Hao Dolch.

 

[manofthem]

I have a few pics to share that may look slightly familiar. This keyboard is pretty fantastic!!! The switches are a nice change from blues on my other Das, so much quieter, but the other one is awesome too.

I got a set from WASD, full custom in colors, legend placement/font, even grabbed a coupe of their random caps. Pretty pleased, but pricing is a bit more than the massdrop sets. http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keycap-set.html

Also, just because i thought this thread needed more images:

That's pretty amazing.

 

[jboydgolfer]

Yep, that's what I paid for this one (mouse was $10). Only quirk is that it makes you have a purple backlight if you have the Win key enabled. If you change to a different profile, it disables the Win keys. Apparently, when it first came out, Rosewill said they're going to fix that, but they haven't.
Other than that, it's a nice sturdy keyboard and I love the feel of the blue switches.

You like that KB?
its a total software nightmare running on Win 7 for me. When i install the driver it stops my mouse, and itself from working . in the process of sending this P.O.s back. VERY unhappy.
hopefully its working better for you. Physically is seems fine tho.sadly thats like having a ferrari with no wheels.

 

[xvi]

You like that KB?
its a total software nightmare running on Win 7 for me. When i install the driver it stops my mouse, and itself from working . in the process of sending this P.O.s back. VERY unhappy.
hopefully its working better for you. Physically is seems fine tho.sadly thats like having a ferrari with no wheels.

I'm decently happy with it, yeah. That whole mouse thing sounds really weird though. Haven't had any issues like that.
This purple-only backlight (when in "PC-mode") is getting old fast and is the only issue I've really had with it, which is kind of as-designed, but was supposed to be fixed long ago.

 

[sneekypeet]

You like that KB?
its a total software nightmare running on Win 7 for me. When i install the driver it stops my mouse, and itself from working . in the process of sending this P.O.s back. VERY unhappy.
hopefully its working better for you. Physically is seems fine tho.sadly thats like having a ferrari with no wheels.

I am on the phone ATM, so I don't have the link handy, but that sounds like a ghosted USB device issue. I got the link from @erocker. He may offer it up before I am done with beers and sunshine. If not I will try to return later with a link that helps to remove them. Could help.

 

[jboydgolfer]

I am on the phone ATM, so I don't have the link handy, but that sounds like a ghosted USB device issue. I got the link from @erocker. He may offer it up before I am done with beers and sunshine. If not I will try to return later with a link that helps to remove them. Could help.

really?!
yeah, im totally dumbfounded as to the cause, but HAVE been able to find Lots of complaints regarding the Software bundled with that KB online with a simply "RGB80,driver problem" search.
If i open device manager, it just keeps refreshing like its trying its damdest to figure out what i have plugged into it, and as i posted above, if i leave it with no driver it Seems to work okay, but the second i install the proper software, it goes to hell quick, and locks all peripherals up.

 

[tabascosauz]

really?!
yeah, im totally dumbfounded as to the cause, but HAVE been able to find Lots of complaints regarding the Software bundled with that KB online with a simply "RGB80,driver problem" search.
If i open device manager, it just keeps refreshing like its trying its damdest to figure out what i have plugged into it, and as i posted above, if i leave it with no driver it Seems to work okay, but the second i install the proper software, it goes to hell quick, and locks all peripherals up.

Sorry to hear all that. Though it does look as if it's a pretty bog-standard TKL, so perhaps it could do well without drivers?

I dunno your stance on Win 10 but 10 does a pretty good job of fetching drivers for me automatically. On the other hand, using peripherals with Win 7 was quite painless for me with regards to it automatically installing device drivers upon connection...

 

[jboydgolfer]

Sorry to hear all that. Though it does look as if it's a pretty bog-standard TKL, so perhaps it could do well without drivers?

I dunno your stance on Win 10 but 10 does a pretty good job of fetching drivers for me automatically. On the other hand, using peripherals with Win 7 was quite painless for me with regards to it automatically installing device drivers upon connection...

tried it on my Win 10 machine, same issues. it wouldnt even light up, or show up in Dev Manager

 

[sneekypeet]

tried it on my Win 10 machine, same issues. it wouldnt even light up, or show up in Dev Manager

maybe i just got lucky, I never had an issue with my RGB80. Even gave it to @AthlonX2 , and he had no issues either, but I am not sure he use the software.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ff184583.aspx There is the link to try removing ghosted USB devices. Although it seems that even with a new OS you still had issues, might be worth a try.

 

[tabascosauz]

Snatched an essentially new G80-3700 off eBay this week, I think it may have been for £30. Apparently this keypad was surplus for a UK bank, even though it is technically the French version, G80-3700HQAFR.

Has MX Black switches, a PS/2 connector, and a PS/2 passthrough. The keycaps are classic ABS doubleshots in Cherry profile, made by Cherry.

Cherry Corp. (German maker of original Cherry MX switches and boards since the 1980s) made this specific pad in January of 2000, which, IIRC is actually quite young amongst the elder generation of G80-3700s which were manufactured in the 90s (the older generation has white/beige high quality thick doubleshot ABS from Cherry, while the newer ones just have white lasered ABS caps).

Overall a great improvement over my former rubberdome and cheap MX knockoff numpads.

 

[tabascosauz]

Just dropped an order for Sky Dolch keyset and the accent kit. This was like the 3rd time in mere months it had gone in and out of stock and it was like dangling a steak in front of a starving man so I had to . Dat price thostill better than $$$$$GMK Hyperfuse$$$$$ though

​

There goes my plans I guess. No NCase M1 this year then.

 

[Solaris17]

Just dropped an order for Sky Dolch keyset and the accent kit. This was like the 3rd time in mere months it had gone in and out of stock and it was like dangling a steak in front of a starving man so I had to . Dat price thostill better than $$$$$GMK Hyperfuse$$$$$ though

View attachment 76294
​

There goes my plans I guess. No NCase M1 this year then.

that legend color is beautiful

 

[Solaris17]

My Miami set came in! I put them on Lolita Spyder I use at work.