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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: o7 on Sun, 30 August 2020, 06:23:12
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I bought these (https://www.ebay.com/itm/293654610423) cheap PBT keycaps because I was able to get them for $8 with a coupon and I wanted to replace the ugly default ABS ones on my Redragon Kumara K552 but they do this weird thing where they will lean unevenly after being pressed on the sides, they're not super loose, maybe a bit looser than I would like and the stems seem to be fine, and yet the keycaps are all tilted in different directions because they won't spring back straight - does anyone have any fix for me or are the keycaps just wack?
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You should not expect quality from a key set that is cheaper then a Mc Donald menu.
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The standard fix for loose keycaps is to cut very thin plastic (eg baggies) into tiny squares and use that on top of the stems.
PS - I can't believe that price for PBT! Let us know how the baggie fix works, that might make it worthwhile.
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The standard fix for loose keycaps is to cut very thin plastic (eg baggies) into tiny squares and use that on top of the stems.
PS - I can't believe that price for PBT! Let us know how the baggie fix works, that might make it worthwhile.
I think I'm going to try that!
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Small Update: I started working on the keycaps and instead used scotch tape - all was going okay, sometimes I would press too hard when reinserting the keys and end up collapsing the tape into the switch but other than that it was fine, well I did that to the N key and had to pull it off (you can tell it's collapsed because it gets resistance) so I bring out my puller and pull just a little bit too hard (I was frustrated, it was the third time in a row the N key had collapsed.) and the cap flew off, I searched the floor and it seemingly vanished, perhaps pulled to eBay hell by a supernatural force...
and so I'm taking a break until tomorrow, and for now this (https://imgur.com/ErZUKC9) will have to do. Disgusting.
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I also used Scotch tape when doing the same thing to some Mistal keycaps. It's amazing how far some of those things can fly, and where they end up. I was out in my messy garage changing the keycaps on a Topre board, and the space bar spring flew off. I never thought I'd find it again, but a day later, I did, underneath a shelving unit.
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Ebay is hit or miss. some are very nice some are junk but I mean for $50 and up. Try this. Put them in a glass of very hot water but not boiling for 4(not 5) minutes. Quickly wipe them completely dry. Especially the underside. Then then pinch hard the part of the keycap that goes onto the switch stem and quickly push it onto the switch stem while holding it there for 20 seconds. hold it firmly and straight. Also when you pinch it, make sure that you pinch it straight closed. The hot water softens the plastic, so then you pinch it closed. When you put it on, it opens to fit just right for your switch. If you perform this right it should work. To loosen it, just insert a Philips screwdriver blade that is slightly too large after it is in hot water. If it snaps, it was too brittle and absolute junk. ABS or PBT should never snap.
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At that price I would never have taken pbt keycaps ...
Are the spacebars at least straight?
I wish you to be able to fix them
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I also used Scotch tape when doing the same thing to some Mistal keycaps. It's amazing how far some of those things can fly, and where they end up. I was out in my messy garage changing the keycaps on a Topre board, and the space bar spring flew off. I never thought I'd find it again, but a day later, I did, underneath a shelving unit.
tape worked great for me, I had some stabilizer that were loose in the key caps. Thankfully I put it sticky side on the stabilizer to be able to get it off later when I switched keys
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I also used Scotch tape when doing the same thing to some Mistal keycaps. It's amazing how far some of those things can fly, and where they end up. I was out in my messy garage changing the keycaps on a Topre board, and the space bar spring flew off. I never thought I'd find it again, but a day later, I did, underneath a shelving unit.
tape worked great for me, I had some stabilizer that were loose in the key caps. Thankfully I put it sticky side on the stabilizer to be able to get it off later when I switched keys
how do you use the tape? I can't figure it out. I have a Corsair keyboard with very loose keycaps and I would love for them to stop flying off any chance they get.
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I also used Scotch tape when doing the same thing to some Mistal keycaps. It's amazing how far some of those things can fly, and where they end up. I was out in my messy garage changing the keycaps on a Topre board, and the space bar spring flew off. I never thought I'd find it again, but a day later, I did, underneath a shelving unit.
tape worked great for me, I had some stabilizer that were loose in the key caps. Thankfully I put it sticky side on the stabilizer to be able to get it off later when I switched keys
how do you use the tape? I can't figure it out. I have a Corsair keyboard with very loose keycaps and I would love for them to stop flying off any chance they get.
I used the tape, a very small piece like maybe 1/4" of scotch tape, sticky side on the stabilizer and then pushed the stabilizer into the key cap. If your keys that are not stabilized are loose, I guess you could put it sticky side towards the cap then press it down, but I would make sure someone else confirms that way of doing it. With the stabalizer I could just take it out later and remove the tape.
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I also used Scotch tape when doing the same thing to some Mistal keycaps. It's amazing how far some of those things can fly, and where they end up. I was out in my messy garage changing the keycaps on a Topre board, and the space bar spring flew off. I never thought I'd find it again, but a day later, I did, underneath a shelving unit.
tape worked great for me, I had some stabilizer that were loose in the key caps. Thankfully I put it sticky side on the stabilizer to be able to get it off later when I switched keys
how do you use the tape? I can't figure it out. I have a Corsair keyboard with very loose keycaps and I would love for them to stop flying off any chance they get.
I used the tape, a very small piece like maybe 1/4" of scotch tape, sticky side on the stabilizer and then pushed the stabilizer into the key cap. If your keys that are not stabilized are loose, I guess you could put it sticky side towards the cap then press it down, but I would make sure someone else confirms that way of doing it. With the stabalizer I could just take it out later and remove the tape.
Thanks, I'll try that
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So are the keycaps actually good? I'm usually wary of cheap "PBT" caps, but if these are actually made from PBT and require some small tinkering to fix I might pick something similar up. Since I use keyboard a lot while working for pro-essay-writer.com (https://pro-essay-writer.com) typing comfort is important to me.
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So I picked up some other cheap PBT caps on ali and they're printed well but... not gonna lie, they kind of have sharp edges and seem to be making my finger tips hurt. i mean they don't have flashing or rough edges or anything, it's just that the corners aren't very rounded off, and that seems to be enough. pbt seems to be waaay harder than plastics i've used normally in my household. these ones are just normal oem / cherry profile. so if you're getting pbt, i suggest getting something that isn't like that exactly. something with slightly rounded edges, like say DSA.
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So are the keycaps actually good? I'm usually wary of cheap "PBT" caps, but if these are actually made from PBT and require some small tinkering to fix I might pick something similar up.
it's really not worth it to get ****ty keysets, you can get cheap pbt stuff off kprepublic that'll be pretty decent for like $40 anyway