Looking at Availability while choosing keycap profiles

[validifyed]

So despite having a mechanical keyboard (K70) and being pretty into electronics (I study Computer Science so...), I only recently got into customizing keyboards - in-fact being the type of person who likes to jump straight into the deep end I have been planning a full custom build for a while now.

When I started looking at the keyboards other people made I saw the DSA profile keycaps where quite popular, and look super neat. The problem is, almost no-one seems to sell them.
The people I have found so far are: techkeys.us, pimpmykeyboard.com

This is all fine and good but raises 2 main issues; The available text-on-keys and color sets are severely limited, and given that I plan for a highly custom layout I may end up needing to buy multiple combination sets (eg.. ISO + ISO Modifier + Separate keys), this could cost a tonne and leave a lot of keys that I buy wasted/unused. Additionally DSAs seem less widespread and finding one-off keysets seems much more difficult than more standard non-spherical sets.

Basically I am not the biggest fan of DCS staggered key-heights and changing profiles as you go up the rows of keys, and the rest are all high profile which is bad both for typing feel (for me) and not good for a portable device. All that leaves is DSA (let me know if I missed any, like I said, Im a newbie in this area). Kind of a problem for me.

TL;DR :
Are there loads of places to find DSA keycaps that I am simply unaware of?
Are they actually quite rare and therefore a bad idea if I want to go very custom?

WIP custom layout; stuff around the side are alternative possibilities I am working on. Trying to keep keys to what I understand are more common lengths.

More

[katushkin]

I think for fully customisable layouts, your only realistic options are SA and DSA. If you are really set on your row heights, these two profiles usually appear in sets that are all one profile so you don't have a problem with your bottom row.

If you really want to spend the least amount of money, you probably have to wait for a set you like the look of to appear on Massdrop. They usually offer all the child sets separately so you can get only the keys you like while spending the least amount of money. Although you will then have to pay Her Majesty's Government for the pleasure of buying items from overseas...

[rowdy]

SP invented the DSA profile, AFAIK, and are the only company that makes them.

Hence only SP/PMK and their resellers will be found selling them.

[zslane]

The only way to get a completely custom set of keycaps is to design the set yourself and try to launch a group buy somewhere. Of course, the challenge there is getting enough other people to join in the group buy to reach MOQ, which means your design has to appeal to someone other than yourself (a bunch of someones, actually).

If you like DSA and don't need light colored text on dark keys, you can go with dye-sublimated legends which lets you use any typeface you like. If, however, your design requires light colored text on dark keys, you will have to go with double-shot legends, and that means either using SP's standard typeface (Gorton Modified) or paying big $$$ to have custom legend plates cut with your own typeface design ($50 per legend per key size).

[Malenky]

I would advice making any future keyboard purchases in ANSI. Being limited by ISO layout is really awful.

[validifyed]

I would advice making any future keyboard purchases in ANSI. Being limited by ISO layout is really awful.

I have strongly considered switching to ANSI, the keycaps are more available like you said and the design is also far more versatile and easy to change, I do however have concerns about how easy it will be to change between ISO and ANSI, perhaps ill buy a cheap rubberdome ansi to try the layout out a bit first hand.

[FLFisherman]

I would advice making any future keyboard purchases in ANSI. Being limited by ISO layout is really awful.

I have strongly considered switching to ANSI, the keycaps are more available like you said and the design is also far more versatile and easy to change, I do however have concerns about how easy it will be to change between ISO and ANSI, perhaps ill buy a cheap rubberdome ansi to try the layout out a bit first hand.

Good call on testing the layout first. They really aren't that different; just a few keys switched around here and there. I bet it will feel natural to you within a week.

It's unfortunate you have to swap from your accustomed layout for the keycaps, but at least you get to try out the best keyboard layout.  )

I think future keysets will include more compatibility sets though. It seems as though the keyset designers (and SP) are realizing just how much diversity there is in their market, and how many of their customers clamor for an ISO layout.

[kasakka]

I would advice making any future keyboard purchases in ANSI. Being limited by ISO layout is really awful.

I have strongly considered switching to ANSI, the keycaps are more available like you said and the design is also far more versatile and easy to change, I do however have concerns about how easy it will be to change between ISO and ANSI, perhaps ill buy a cheap rubberdome ansi to try the layout out a bit first hand.

They aren't really that different, I use an ANSI Apple keyboard at work but ISO mechanicals. That said, the only reason I use the ANSI version is because Apple's ISO layout sucks. I love that big Enter key and they don't offer that. I'm really not all that fond of the small horizontal Enter on ANSI.

I recently bought an ANSI JT Royal Purple set for my ISO 60% keyboard and it comes with enough generic keycaps and different bottom row key variations that I'll probably be able to have everything except the ISO Enter and obviously nordic letters on some keys. Since WASD Keyboards seems to offer a purple color fairly close to the keyset shade, I'll probably just order a custom ISO Enter from there as I don't mind if a big single key like that ends up looking a bit different.

[Malenky]

As a life long user of ISO UK, who now uses a HHKB for the majority of my typing, I feel like the ANSI type enter is in a much better position for your right hand little finger (pinky). The only time I used the backslash key next to Z was in a few games. For typing, a longer left shift makes a lot more sense.

Basically, ANSI brings a few important keys (namely left shift and enter) closer to the centre of the keyboard, ideal for home-row typing.

The only real downside is that there is no readily available £ sign. If that is such an issue to you, there is plenty of software to remap the $ sign for example.

[pr0ximity]

If you're up for blanks (you study CS, you can do it ): http://pimpmykeyboard.com/blank-key-packs/

That's the best you're going to get in DSA for high-customizeability.

[zslane]

The bigger issue with ISO is that there isn't just one ISO layout. In order to "support ISO", a keycap set designer must decide which nationalities to support. This is especially tricky with sculptured SA sets. Unfortunately, many nationality-specific sets other than UK don't reach MOQ, and so many set designers don't bother with them.

[validifyed]

The bigger issue with ISO is that there isn't just one ISO layout. In order to "support ISO", a keycap set designer must decide which nationalities to support. This is especially tricky with sculptured SA sets. Unfortunately, many nationality-specific sets other than UK don't reach MOQ, and so many set designers don't bother with them.

I'm using the keyboard layout editor, and hope that the default iso is correct to the official design. That said,  I could end up switching to ANSI if I don't mind the swap when I get my hands on one. I use the k70 as my main atm, I kinda assume it's the standard layout with nothing much changed?

[validifyed]

If you're up for blanks (you study CS, you can do it ): http://pimpmykeyboard.com/blank-key-packs/

That's the best you're going to get in DSA for high-customizeability.

I saw the options and I think Ill go with that. While I do type by touch, I don't do the standard home row rest, and tend to glance down to orientate by eye right before typing.

To be honest I have no idea how a key label removal would effect my typing, I do fear that the symbols for programming would make it a bugger though.

Currently I am thinking that I should deliberately go for a Mix and match color set at present,  so I can update and change keys as I see fit without worrying about style.

[kasakka]

The bigger issue with ISO is that there isn't just one ISO layout. In order to "support ISO", a keycap set designer must decide which nationalities to support. This is especially tricky with sculptured SA sets. Unfortunately, many nationality-specific sets other than UK don't reach MOQ, and so many set designers don't bother with them.

Personally I'm ok with not having the ÖÄÅ labeled keys as long as other properly sized keys and the ISO Enter is available and there are a few decent 1u keys for that extra <> key. In fact I'm happy if an ISO kit is available in the first place considering how hard it is to get keycaps sometimes.

[zslane]

Well, there's also the whole QWERTZ/AZERTY/etc. thing too. Only the Z is flexible enough to go either on row 4 or row 2. Q, A, and Y present...issues. If one can get by with an ISO UK kit, then chances are they'll find what they need in most SA keysets out there. If not...