High-end OEM profile ABS keycaps. Options?

[Learis]

I've been enjoying the smoothness of my Maxkey double-shot abs keycaps. But I can definitely see that the SA profile is less friendly to typing than the typical oem. I don't want to get the gmk profile because of the risks with interference since my keyboards all have north facing switches.

With that in mind, I'd just like to get a high-end oem abs keycap set. I want abs because I like their smoothness. But I'm actually not seeing any that fit this description. Most if not all the high-end manufacturers don't seem to make the oem profile and abs is kind of rare too since it's often seen as inferior to pbt. The closest I've come to is Tai-Hao, but they're more entry level than high-end. It's fine if there's nothing else, but I just wanted to make sure. Does anyone know of other manufacturers?

[HungerMechanic]

If you are accepting of Cherry-profile but don't want to use GMK, you could try DCS. It's basically Cherry, but with heavy bottom-row sculpting. Available in ABS double-shot, still being manufacturers. In fact, there's a Drop for a DCS clone of Muted right now.

But yeah, DCS is thin. Like GMK prices for 1mm thick ABS!

So another option, if you are willing to consider Tai Hao, is Tai Hao Cubic. Cubic is basically a taller Cherry, I think. A little more squarish / angular. It's almost an OEM-profile being produced to a higher standard than regular Tai Hao ABS.

[Learis]

Interesting... I'll look into cubic.

[HungerMechanic]

Some places like MechanicalKeyboards.com have exclusive colourways. Many of the Tai Hao Cubic colourways are classic Tai-Hao "let's use whatever plastic is in the vat today," but some of them are well-considered.

[Learis]

Yes they certainly have some random colors; almost like they spun the colorwheel a few times and just picked whatever it landed on lol. But I really liked the colorset labelled Ultraviolet on that site and ordered that one, so hopefully it's a winner!

[HungerMechanic]

Let us know what you think! It's still a pretty minority profile. Some complain that it is loud, or that the squarish edges make it easier to hit a key by mistake. But others say that it thicker and better-sounding than regular Tai-Hao OEM, and some think it is faster.

[Learis]

So I got the cubic keycaps. Overall the quality is good enough for the price. As far at the profile is concerned; there is not enough to justify calling it a different profile. Literally the only difference I can see from OEM is the edges are more sharp. The keycaps themselves are of medium thickness I'd say, but oddly the sidewalls are thicker than the top and bottom. Nothing is so much that it produces a significantly different sound from other oem keycaps.

There's nothing to really propel this over other oem keycaps in my opinion. So if you like one of the color sets than get it. Here's some pics, the split spacebar section and the little red keycap with the up arrow are not from this keycap set.

[HungerMechanic]

That sounds about right from what I've heard of the dimensions and feel of Cubic-profile.

I'm sorry to hear that you felt it wasn't propelled above other OEM-profile keycaps. I thought at least it's above Tai Hao OEM [and the OEM keycaps that came with my Filco.]

[Learis]

I just stumbled upon another manufacturer, JTK. Although I haven't tried their keycaps, they fit the bill of doubles-shot ABS and they seem to be a bit pricier around $90, so perhaps they're more premium. Below are links with the first being results from mechanicalkeyboards shop, and the second from WASD keyboards who also sells one JTK set. The picture from WASD keyboards gives an idea of the thickness, and they seem promising.

https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_list&c=804

https://www.wasdkeyboards.com/doubleshot-abs-104-key-jtk-keycap-set-bianco.html

Has anyone used the JTK keycaps and can comment on how their quality is?

Edit: sorry, didn't realize that JTK was cherry profile. I originally saw it on WASD keyboards and thought it was OEM profile like all the other keycaps there. Nevermind this post

[phinix]

What about those WASD keyboards custom keycaps?
Are these worth a try? I understand these are printed and covered with some layer?

[Learis]

What about those WASD keyboards custom keycaps?
Are these worth a try? I understand these are printed and covered with some layer?

I have a set of these. It was really fun choosing the colors. The keycaps themselves are perhaps "cheap" since they are thin, but I had no flaws with my set so I didn't mind that. But there was one thing that unfortunately made me get sick of them. Whatever method they use printing the lettering and legends and whatnot, it causes them to have a noticeably different texture from the rest of the keycap. You can feel the lettering as you rub your fingers across any keycap, and it just became really annoying for me. So I stopped using them. I may be overly critical and this may not bother others, but it's definitely noticeable and makes the texturing feel uneven imo. It's a shame because I genuinely enjoyed the creativity of choosing your own colors.

[phinix]

What about those WASD keyboards custom keycaps?
Are these worth a try? I understand these are printed and covered with some layer?

I have a set of these. It was really fun choosing the colors. The keycaps themselves are perhaps "cheap" since they are thin, but I had no flaws with my set so I didn't mind that. But there was one thing that unfortunately made me get sick of them. Whatever method they use printing the lettering and legends and whatnot, it causes them to have a noticeably different texture from the rest of the keycap. You can feel the lettering as you rub your fingers across any keycap, and it just became really annoying for me. So I stopped using them. I may be overly critical and this may not bother others, but it's definitely noticeable and makes the texturing feel uneven imo. It's a shame because I genuinely enjoyed the creativity of choosing your own colors.

Dont know if you tried Cooler Master Quickfire keyboards, but are theyvthe same?
Those have printed legends and you can feel them being rough and thicker than cap surface.

[yqqdrasil]

What about those WASD keyboards custom keycaps?
Are these worth a try? I understand these are printed and covered with some layer?

I have a set of these. It was really fun choosing the colors. The keycaps themselves are perhaps "cheap" since they are thin, but I had no flaws with my set so I didn't mind that. But there was one thing that unfortunately made me get sick of them. Whatever method they use printing the lettering and legends and whatnot, it causes them to have a noticeably different texture from the rest of the keycap. You can feel the lettering as you rub your fingers across any keycap, and it just became really annoying for me. So I stopped using them. I may be overly critical and this may not bother others, but it's definitely noticeable and makes the texturing feel uneven imo. It's a shame because I genuinely enjoyed the creativity of choosing your own colors.

I had a set of PBT WASD keycaps I bought years ago, after months of use I decided to clean them.

There's some kind of textured layer on them, started coming off and left small dimples/craters on the top. Stopped using them, wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

[Riverman]

WASD's PBT keycaps are just reboxed Tai Haos.  They must have their "nano-antibiosis" coating, which is infamous for coming off and making the keycaps look like crap.  It can all be cleaned off with alcohol, though, and you'll be left with a nice set of keycaps.

[yqqdrasil]

Ah I see, guess I can clean them off and use them lol. I don't know why they put a coating on keycaps that are bound to get dirty and need to be cleaned though..