New switches from Matias -- 2 years in the making

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Just a thought — I took the Steelseries Alpha survey this morning, and I wanted to recommend Matias switches to them in place of the MX browns (which kinda suck).

The problem is, for gaming, linear is better. However, Steelseries could not possibly bring out a keyboard with MX reds for linear and Matias switches for tactile as the switches are completely incompatible. They can't go Ergo Clears as they don't exist, and they can't go all Matias as Matias linear switches don't exist either.

I would suggest that Matias get a relatively lightweight linear switch tested (make sure it feels good etc) with the idea that it would be producible, even if not in put into production initially. Hopefully once Matias switches become popular this will cease being a chicken-and-egg problem, as companies could say "we love the tactile and clicky switches, can we have linears too?" and the answer would be an easy "yes". (I don't know whether it would really just be as simple as removing the tactile leaf, because that would be easy to adjust manufacturing for. Probably not, as people prefer reds for their lighter spring.)

Otherwise, no company could use the switch for any board where they plan to offer both linear and tactile switches (e.g. Leopold, Diatec, Cherry), and of course linear is becoming popular. (No idea why, but there you go ;-)

[Matias]

I would suggest that Matias get a relatively lightweight linear switch tested (make sure it feels good etc) with the idea that it would be producible, even if not in put into production initially. Hopefully once Matias switches become popular this will cease being a chicken-and-egg problem, as companies could say "we love the tactile and clicky switches, can we have linears too?" and the answer would be an easy "yes"...

Otherwise, no company could use the switch for any board where they plan to offer both linear and tactile switches (e.g. Leopold, Diatec, Cherry), and of course linear is becoming popular. (No idea why, but there you go ;-)

You make a good argument.

(I don't know whether it would really just be as simple as removing the tactile leaf, because that would be easy to adjust manufacturing for. Probably not, as people prefer reds for their lighter spring.)

I have a pile of work stacking up, but I'll see if I can't try this over the weekend.  We'll likely need a different spring tension, but who knows, it's worth a try.

[Matias]

Does ordering a TP3 now guarantee that we will get the new switch?

The only TP3 models left are European Mac layouts.  We haven't had any US ones since January. 

If you order a TP4 from our website, that's what you'll get.  Also, if you order a Tactile Pro from OWC, it will be a TP4 (regardless of what their page says)...

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Matias/FK302

We had a big back order of TP3, which we filled with TP4 units, only to find that there were none left for new orders.  Because of this, we decided to hold off formally announcing the TP4 until we have new stock (in Nov).

Also, just to clarify, the TP4 has the new clicky switches -- not quiet switches or fukkas.

Sorry for the confusion...

[Zehkul]

Just wondering, since those switches have transparent housings, would a backlit keyboard be cheaper to do than with Cherry MX?

[furosuto81]

I'm not so sure, unless you were to use more powerful LEDs inside the switch. It's enough to light the window on the Caps Lock key, but I don't know if there's enough light there to fully backlight a keycap. It would be nice though, because I'd love a backlit board with these switches.

[Matias]

Just wondering, since those switches have transparent housings, would a backlit keyboard be cheaper to do than with Cherry MX?

I'm not so sure, unless you were to use more powerful LEDs inside the switch. It's enough to light the window on the Caps Lock key, but I don't know if there's enough light there to fully backlight a keycap. It would be nice though, because I'd love a backlit board with these switches.

I don't know if it would be cheaper, but the transparent housings give you more evenly spread illumination vs. one superbright LED illuminating one spot on the key (what you get on Cherry backlits).

[damorgue]

My Zenith pings like an angelic choir.

One of the most beautiful descriptions of a switch I have ever heard.

Anyone interested in a GB where we split the switches? I want 1 or 2 to test.

[AKIMbO]

My Zenith pings like an angelic choir.

One of the most beautiful descriptions of a switch I have ever heard.

Anyone interested in a GB where we split the switches? I want 1 or 2 to test.

I'm going to be buying 200 of each switch most likely.  I only need 104 of each type.  If you pay for shipping I will give you a few of each type that I have spares of.

[furosuto81]

I don't know if it would be cheaper, but the transparent housings give you more evenly spread illumination vs. one superbright LED illuminating one spot on the key (what you get on Cherry backlits).

Matias, is the LED on the PCB, or actually integrated into the switch itself? The nice part about being able to illuminate one spot on the key is that you can directly light under the label, instead of the entire key.

[Matias]

I don't know if it would be cheaper, but the transparent housings give you more evenly spread illumination vs. one superbright LED illuminating one spot on the key (what you get on Cherry backlits).

Matias, is the LED on the PCB, or actually integrated into the switch itself?

It's on the PCB.

The LED is right next to the edge of the switch.

The nice part about being able to illuminate one spot on the key is that you can directly light under the label, instead of the entire key.

This is true, but that way only brightly illuminates the area above the LED.  Other areas of the keycap are dimmer.  Our approach requires the LED to be brighter, but you get a more even distribution of light.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

The nice part about being able to illuminate one spot on the key is that you can directly light under the label, instead of the entire key.

That's the whole problem – backlit keyboards either have weird legends where keys with two symbols have them side by side instead of one above the other (since only one of them will be lit correctly) or they have one of the two symbols poorly lit. The single point of light from the LED doesn't work all that well.

[furosuto81]

The nice part about being able to illuminate one spot on the key is that you can directly light under the label, instead of the entire key.

That's the whole problem – backlit keyboards either have weird legends where keys with two symbols have them side by side instead of one above the other (since only one of them will be lit correctly) or they have one of the two symbols poorly lit. The single point of light from the LED doesn't work all that well.

I see your point, but I think it works pretty well on my Ducky Shine, where the legends are directly above the LED. It does a good job illuminating the legend, but not spilling too much light outside the keycap. I'm not dismissing that the Matias design could be better, because I'm actually inclined to think that it might be. I just think it would need a brighter LED than the one used for the lit keys on the MQP. Or a variable one like the on the Shine, which I generally only use at the lowest brightness level.

[therecorder]

After a few days use:

- Beautifully designed keyboard, with fabulous switches.
- A bit disappointed with the intensity of the LEDs and the bleeding of the two R4 LEDs (as discussed above).
- At a loss as to why something wasn't added to the bottom rear of the keyboard and feet to prevent it from slowly sliding/creeping.

[Matias]

Okay, better late than never, we finished our sound comparison widget, so you can hear the difference between our keyboards and typical Cherry boards...

   http://matias.ca/quietpro/mac

For Cherry Brown, we used a Das Keyboard.  For Cherry Blue, we used a Razer BlackWidow.

Also, Engadget has posted their review of the Quiet Pro...

   http://engadget.com/2012/10/11/matias-quiet-pro-keyboard-review

[furosuto81]

Okay, better late than never, we finished our sound comparison widget, so you can hear the difference between our keyboards and typical Cherry boards...

   http://matias.ca/quietpro/mac

For Cherry Brown, we used a Das Keyboard.  For Cherry Blue, we used a Razer BlackWidow.

Music to my ears!

Fantastic job on the recordings, Matias. Very well done! And I can say from owning MX Brown and MX Blue boards as well as the MQP, that those recordings are absolutely representative of what those boards sound like. I don't own the Tactile Pro, but it sounds a lot like the Green Alps board I have, which is VERY tactile and VERY clicky. Was the Tactile Pro recording done with the old TP3 or the new TP4 with your new clicky switch?

[bionicroach]

I agree - Matias' recordings sound very accurate to me as well.  Nice job!

So far, I'd say my experience with my Quiet Pro is pretty much in line with the Engadget review.  I'm quite pleased with the compromises overall.  I find the tactility of the Quiet Pro's switches to actually be quite good.  To me, the compromise seems to be more about slightly reduced key travel, similar to the feel of putting rubber O-rings on Cherry switches to quiet down the "clack" when bottoming out.  However, the way the dampening "bumpers" on the Quiet Pro work definitely has a less noticeable effect than the O-ring solution.  There's more "give" when bottoming out, so I'd say if you're a heavy-handed typist like me, the very bottom of the keypress feels similar to a high quality rubber dome "landing".  (The tactile point, of course, feels NOTHING like a rubber dome, just to be clear...that part definitely still has the ALPS spirit intact!)

When comparing the tactility vs. sound tradeoff against my Cherry Brown boards, the Quiet Pro wins, no contest, largely because I do tend to type fairly hard, so for me Brown switches have very little tactility and actually "clack" pretty noisily.  If you have a very light touch, then I think the sound difference on the Browns would be less noticeable (and maybe the tactility would be sufficient), but in my experience it is VERY difficult not to bottom out when typing on either Brown or Red Cherry switches.

Regarding build quality, I'd rank the Quiet Pro (glossy black PC version) slightly below Das Keyboard and Filco overall, mainly because the plastic casing doesn't feel quite as sturdy or premium and neither the flip-out feet nor the back edge of the Quiet Pro have anti-skid rubber on them.  It also feels slightly lighter weight overall, though admittedly I haven't taken the time to actually put it on the scale yet.  That said, I haven't noticed any pinging or creaking / flexing problems, so the Quiet Pro is certainly sturdy enough in a practical sense.  One thing I am impressed by build-wise is how smooth and rattle-free the space bar and other stabilized keys are on the Quiet Pro, however.

The key caps themselves seem to be about the same quality as the Das lasered/infilled ones.  Nothing really stands out about them or detracts from them.  The legends don't seem to be wearing / fading quite as quickly as my Filco ones have, but like all laser-infilled keys I've used, finger oils do still tend to make the white infill get dingy rather easily.  I can see a difference already, as even after my first week of constant use, the number row looks whiter than the letter keys.  Not really a slight against Matias, just an unfortunate limitation of the labeling technology.  For this reason, I will always prefer PBT / dyesub keys if available.  The Quiet Pro keys do seem like they might be slightly more resistant to getting shiny than the Das or Filco ones, but I think it's probably too early to tell on that yet.  One other small issue, as others have mentioned, is that the LEDs under the Num Lock and Caps Lock keys do "bleed" out the bottom since the keys sit kind of high on the switches, more so on the Num Lock than the Caps Lock on my board.  Not really a big deal for me, but it seems to bug some people.   

Overall a great board at a fair price, especially considering all the R&D on the new switches and the fact it caters to a niche market.  Thanks, Matias!

[Matias]

Thanks for the comments!  Glad you like the recordings.  We're pretty happy with how they turned out.  We'd considered doing videos, but I think the interactive widget works better for comparing sound levels.

I'm pretty sure the Tactile Pro recording was of the new switch, since I don't hear the residual Fuhua ringing in the recordings.

The keycaps are ABS, but not infilled.  We're looking into PBT, but likely won't have them before the end of the year.  My next trip to Asia is in December, so we'll be visiting/evaluating some vendor factories then.

Regarding case materials, I should point out that Das and the others are all ABS -- which you all appear to hate for keycaps, but are fine with for cases.    Our cases are polycarbonate, which is a harder material and much more resistant to scratching.  That's why ABS keyboards are always textured or painted.  Polycarbonate is also more expensive than ABS.

We're still on track to start selling the switches next month.  Will keep you posted.

Thanks again for your interest.

[AKIMbO]

Thanks for the comments!  Glad you like the recordings.  We're pretty happy with how they turned out.  We'd considered doing videos, but I think the interactive widget works better for comparing sound levels.

I'm pretty sure the Tactile Pro recording was of the new switch, since I don't hear the residual Fuhua ringing in the recordings.

The keycaps are ABS, but not infilled.  We're looking into PBT, but likely won't have them before the end of the year.  My next trip to Asia is in December, so we'll be visiting/evaluating some vendor factories then.

Regarding case materials, I should point out that Das and the others are all ABS -- which you all appear to hate for keycaps, but are fine with for cases.    Our cases are polycarbonate, which is a harder material and much more resistant to scratching.  That's why ABS keyboards are always textured or painted.  Polycarbonate is also more expensive than ABS.

We're still on track to start selling the switches next month.  Will keep you posted.

Thanks again for your interest.

Will you be selling the keycaps separate from the keyboard?  There really isn't anyone making readily available after market alps keycaps....let alone PBT ones. 

[bionicroach]

My next trip to Asia is in December, so we'll be visiting/evaluating some vendor factories then.

I'm not sure what factory makes the keycaps that IMSTO sells or whether they do ALPS compatible, but the quality is fantastic.

[Matias]

Will you be selling the keycaps separate from the keyboard?  There really isn't anyone making readily available after market alps keycaps....let alone PBT ones. 

Yes, we're working that out now.  If you have any specific requests, please post them here (colours, printing vs. blank, Mac vs. PC).

[AKIMbO]

Will you be selling the keycaps separate from the keyboard?  There really isn't anyone making readily available after market alps keycaps....let alone PBT ones. 

Yes, we're working that out now.  If you have any specific requests, please post them here (colours, printing vs. blank, Mac vs. PC).

My only two requests are key caps with a PC layout and dye subliminated printing (i.e. no lasered legends or laser infilled legends...they wear off/dirty too quickly). 

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I'm pretty sure the Tactile Pro recording was of the new switch, since I don't hear the residual Fuhua ringing in the recordings.

I do. That positively sounds like Fukka switches, with the specific clack pitch and spring frequency.

[Elrick]

My only two requests are key caps with a PC layout and dye subliminated printing (i.e. no lasered legends or laser infilled legends...they wear off/dirty too quickly).

So true.  The dye subs always last longer than any other method of letter/number applications upon plastic.  We've still got some old Cherry G81's in the workshop covered with red dust and engine oil yet all the keyboards still work and the text/numbers can still be seen clearly.

Any other form of key-cap printing is really a waste of time and money.

I know you are trying to make money out of your product but including PBT caps with dye-sublimated printing shouldn't raise the cost that much.....?

Besides, shouldn't your product be widely available to all businesses such as harsh Industrial locations not including comfortable air-conditioned offices?

[Elrick]

Or you can learn to type like you have a pair and use blank keycaps.  There - problem solved.

Not if it's in a workshop location.  Not everyone can touchtype or spend time looking for keys/numbers when their job is to get something finished in the fastest time possible.

Plus, everyone has access to the keyboard(s) meaning all the STAFF need to be fluent in using "blank keycaps"?  As far as I know there is no company that will tolerate or push their staff in that direction simply because it costs too much time and money.

The clowns I work with would really love blank keycaps,  they will really stuff up the production line so they can sit around and do nothing for hours.

[furosuto81]

I agree - Matias' recordings sound very accurate to me as well.  Nice job!

So far, I'd say my experience with my Quiet Pro is pretty much in line with the Engadget review.  I'm quite pleased with the compromises overall.  I find the tactility of the Quiet Pro's switches to actually be quite good.  To me, the compromise seems to be more about slightly reduced key travel, similar to the feel of putting rubber O-rings on Cherry switches to quiet down the "clack" when bottoming out.  However, the way the dampening "bumpers" on the Quiet Pro work definitely has a less noticeable effect than the O-ring solution.  There's more "give" when bottoming out, so I'd say if you're a heavy-handed typist like me, the very bottom of the keypress feels similar to a high quality rubber dome "landing".  (The tactile point, of course, feels NOTHING like a rubber dome, just to be clear...that part definitely still has the ALPS spirit intact!)

When comparing the tactility vs. sound tradeoff against my Cherry Brown boards, the Quiet Pro wins, no contest, largely because I do tend to type fairly hard, so for me Brown switches have very little tactility and actually "clack" pretty noisily.  If you have a very light touch, then I think the sound difference on the Browns would be less noticeable (and maybe the tactility would be sufficient), but in my experience it is VERY difficult not to bottom out when typing on either Brown or Red Cherry switches.

In regards to the dampening found the opposite to be the case. I recently put O-rings on my MX Brown board and didn't notice a whole lot of difference. If anything it made the board feel WORSE, and didn't reduce the clacking as much as I expected. I guess its partially because I had been using a AEKII at work for about a month or so, and the ALPS dampening is better...I find the internal dampening on the Quiet Switches to be far more effective and noticeable than OP-rings...and closer to the AEKII.

I tend to bottom out as well, so I'm with you on the Browns and their "tactility". They're so light, I barely notice it. They just feel "gritty" and kind of annoying.

Regarding build quality, I'd rank the Quiet Pro (glossy black PC version) slightly below Das Keyboard and Filco overall, mainly because the plastic casing doesn't feel quite as sturdy or premium and neither the flip-out feet nor the back edge of the Quiet Pro have anti-skid rubber on them.  It also feels slightly lighter weight overall, though admittedly I haven't taken the time to actually put it on the scale yet.  That said, I haven't noticed any pinging or creaking / flexing problems, so the Quiet Pro is certainly sturdy enough in a practical sense.  One thing I am impressed by build-wise is how smooth and rattle-free the space bar and other stabilized keys are on the Quiet Pro, however.

The case is constructed well enough. The gaps between the top & bottom pieces are a little large, but that's just an aesthetic thing. The thing that makes it SEEM more cheap is the glossy finish. It shows dust and fingerprints very easily. And I work in a dusty office. I think just making it matte would be an improvement. The thing I LOVE about the case: the USB hub, and the placement of the ports. I especially like the third port on the back. I use all three ports throughout the day.

[Burz]

If you have any specific requests, please post them here (colours, printing vs. blank, Mac vs. PC).

I would like to see keycap sets that are two-tone, as you would see on an AT101W (putty/beige). Black keys w/charcoal modifiers, tan/brown, etc.

Also, lower-profile keycaps with 2-4mm shaved off the normal height. I noticed in the Quiet Pro photos the keycaps tend to stick up very prominently. Its a little unattractive in that respect (or at least it makes the aesthetic more like TRS-80 than iMac), and I suspect it could detract from typing comfort.

Low-profile white keycaps on the QP/TP might make the Apple-like styling gel better.

[Elrick]

Low-profile white keycaps on the QP/TP might make the Apple-like styling gel better.

Please we need to separate far away from so-called "Apple Styling".  I'm sure Apple would love nothing better than to sue Matias for every cent he owns because he dare's to show the Apple Styling anywhere on his product.  Also trying to copy any of Apple's designs in previous keyboards would certainly get the million dollar lawyers all hot and bothered.

Just stick with designing and making decent caps for your Matias keyboard and try not to copy/emulate any of Apple's 'lamo' keyboard design's, that really aren't that great.

[Burz]

Low-profile white keycaps on the QP/TP might make the Apple-like styling gel better.

Please we need to separate far away from so-called "Apple Styling"...

Too late  Notice the Apple logo in the top-center. I don't think Apple cares.


While we're talking about keycaps, a Colemak set would be nifty to have.

[Zehkul]

Yes, we're working that out now.  If you have any specific requests, please post them here (colours, printing vs. blank, Mac vs. PC).

PC Layout, dye sublimation. :-) Or blank. And I’d really love to get one with Neo layout. Lasered doesn’t look nearly as good, sadly. Dye Sublimation (+ Moogle doubleshots from SP) vs lasered, both from Cherry:

(Crappy photo, sorry)

I’ve noticed, today in fact, that I really like those clicky grey alps. Are yours similar?

[bionicroach]

In regards to the dampening found the opposite to be the case. I recently put O-rings on my MX Brown board and didn't notice a whole lot of difference. If anything it made the board feel WORSE, and didn't reduce the clacking as much as I expected. I guess its partially because I had been using a AEKII at work for about a month or so, and the ALPS dampening is better...I find the internal dampening on the Quiet Switches to be far more effective and noticeable than OP-rings...and closer to the AEKII.

Actually, I think we're in agreement there! Re-reading my post, I didn't word it very well. I meant to say I don't care for the O-ring mod because it reduces the key travel too much and kind of makes a sudden "thunk" at the bottom landing as opposed to the Matias dampening which has less effect on key travel and a more gradual softness to the landing with more "give" than a sudden stop.

Also agree that a Filco style matte finish would be better on the Quiet Pro case. For practicality, shiny finishes are just too high maintenance. I think the Das looks more expensive just because they went for the glossy piano look, even though the materials are cheaper. I hate cleaning my Das though....and it does scratch super easily.

[alaricljs]

Yes, we're working that out now.  If you have any specific requests, please post them here (colours, printing vs. blank, Mac vs. PC).

Black and some form of white (cream, ivory, light grey, ??).  I'd love to see dye-sub PBT.

There may be interest in 1.5x and 1x bottom row caps to do winkey-less designs.  Also availability of all the bottom row sizes (l/r shifts, mods) at least in blank if not custom printed would be nice. 

[pasph]

Will you be selling the keycaps separate from the keyboard?  There really isn't anyone making readily available after market alps keycaps....let alone PBT ones. 

Yes, we're working that out now.  If you have any specific requests, please post them here (colours, printing vs. blank, Mac vs. PC).

My only two requests are key caps with a PC layout and dye subliminated printing (i.e. no lasered legends or laser infilled legends...they wear off/dirty too quickly). 

+2

[Daniel Beardsmore]

When you say dye sub, do you mean that you want white/beige keys with dark legends? You can't dye sub a legend that's lighter than the key.

I do wonder how good UV printing, as that's vibrant (far nicer than Cherry white-on-black lasered) and doesn't have the decal look — looks great, but I'm concerned about longevity. Think Topre, but with white instead of dark gold legends. I don't know that Topre use the same technique as the non-decal-look Acer and Dell laptops, as I've never seen vivid white Topre legends, but there's a suggestion that you could do what Topre do but with white paint instead of gold. (Whether that would still stain like laser, I don't know.)

[AKIMbO]

When you say dye sub, do you mean that you want white/beige keys with dark legends? You can't dye sub a legend that's lighter than the key.

I do wonder how good UV printing, as that's vibrant (far nicer than Cherry white-on-black lasered) and doesn't have the decal look — looks great, but I'm concerned about longevity. Think Topre, but with white instead of dark gold legends. I don't know that Topre use the same technique as the non-decal-look Acer and Dell laptops, as I've never seen vivid white Topre legends, but there's a suggestion that you could do what Topre do but with white paint instead of gold. (Whether that would still stain like laser, I don't know.)

Yeah...white keys with dark legends (black, dark grey, etc.)

[bionicroach]

I'd love a pbt/dye sub key set similar to the color scheme on the black topre boards, only with a bit more contrast, so basically lighter grey keys with black lettering. Front printed pbt keys are nice, too. I have a cherry set from imsto that I love.

[furosuto81]

Low-profile white keycaps on the QP/TP might make the Apple-like styling gel better.

Please we need to separate far away from so-called "Apple Styling"...

Show Image

Too late  :) Notice the Apple logo in the top-center. I don't think Apple cares.


While we're talking about keycaps, a Colemak set would be nifty to have.

Personally, I loved the silver and translucent-gray keycap version of that board, from an aesthetic standpoint. Obviously it felt like **** to type on though. I'd love a translucent gray set for ALPS sliders like the Cherry version QTan sells:

[Matias]

Wow, lots of activity in 1 day.  Thanks for all the feedback.

It looks like the most popular request is PBT caps in Black or White.  Limiting it to 2 colours, that's probably do-able.  A few comments / questions....

If we limited it to those 2 colours, what would be a reasonable price for a full keyset?

If we made them available blank, would there be any interest in having a kit that included a spray-on coating, so that you could dry-transfer on your own keycap art, and then spray on a protective coat?  You could buy pre-made Letraset lettering, or make your own...

      http://www.letraset.com/products/90-Letraset-Transfers

      http://www.pulsarprofx.com/decalpro/vertical/2_EXAMPLES/2a_Unique_Surfaces/Surfaces.html

The other option would be to cooperate with another company already supplying keycaps.  I've found these...

        http://www.qwerkeys.co.uk

        http://www.techkeys.us/custom-keys.php

        http://keycapsdirect.com

        http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/gallery2/customer-creations

Have any of you had any experience with them and/or would recommend them (or others)?

Please we need to separate far away from so-called "Apple Styling".  I'm sure Apple would love nothing better than to sue Matias for every cent he owns because he dare's to show the Apple Styling anywhere on his product.  Also trying to copy any of Apple's designs in previous keyboards would certainly get the million dollar lawyers all hot and bothered.

We generally avoid doing stuff that's too Apple-esque.  We did the positioning of the USB ports that way because that way makes the most sense.  It's really convenient for plugging in stuff, on the fly  That's the same reason Apple did theirs that way.  Doing something less convenient just to be less like Apple is retarded IMO -- assuming there are no legal considerations.

Speaking of legal considerations, we were once contacted by Apple lawyers and told not to use a particular shade of green.  Of course, many companies before Apple had used that green, but because Apple was using it now, and our product was related, they didn't want us using it.  Needless to say, we changed the colour of the box. 

[alaricljs]

Qwerkeys makes Cherry MX caps... TechKeys designs caps that Signature Plastics in the US then manufactures.  SP happens to have Alps molds.  KeyCapsDirect is one of their sites/fronts.  WASD laser engraves or etches ABS caps manufactured overseas for Cherry MX switches.


We as a community buy a ton of SP keycaps.  We've also bought a few Qwerkeys.

[Zehkul]

Well, WASD should be able to laser pretty much anything you give them, but somehow I doubt that would be the most cost effective way. But for custom orders it would be nice.

Imsto does pretty much anything Dye Sublimation related. Same as for WASD though.
PBT + coating wouldn’t be that sought after, I think, that destroys the whole purpose of PBT, the indestructibility.

[ms264556]

If we made them available blank, would there be any interest in having a kit that included a spray-on coating, so that you could dry-transfer on your own keycap art, and then spray on a protective coat?  You could buy pre-made Letraset lettering, or make your own...

I put transfers on the front of some of my thick pbt keys (lazertran wet decals). Even doing just a few, it was almost impossible to get them consistently positioned. I'd hate to have to do an entire keyboard.



What spray on protective coat were you going to recommend? Does it change the look or feel of the keys?

[alaricljs]

Well, WASD should be able to laser pretty much anything you give them, but somehow I doubt that would be the most cost effective way. But for custom orders it would be nice.

Imsto does pretty much anything Dye Sublimation related. Same as for WASD though.
PBT + coating wouldn’t be that sought after, I think, that destroys the whole purpose of PBT, the indestructibility.

WASD is pretty close to boutique quantity output and is only setup for MX, he's not likely to go for this.  I don't know if Imsto would do new molds or not, but he has niiiice PBT.

[Matias]

Qwerkeys makes Cherry MX caps... TechKeys designs caps that Signature Plastics in the US then manufactures.  SP happens to have Alps molds.  KeyCapsDirect is one of their sites/fronts.  WASD laser engraves or etches ABS caps manufactured overseas for Cherry MX switches.

We as a community buy a ton of SP keycaps.  We've also bought a few Qwerkeys.

Sounds like Signature Plastics and/or TechKeys are the best fit.

What spray on protective coat were you going to recommend? Does it change the look or feel of the keys?

We haven't look into this very much yet, so I had none in particular in mind.  I doesn't sound like it's practical, even for hobbyists.

[Elrick]

Sounds like Signature Plastics and/or TechKeys are the best fit.

Go on, Matias live a little.......  Get either to do a rough prototype(s) for your keyboard just to measure the interest from here (Geekhack) which will always be far more welcoming than anywhere else on the Planet.

PLUS you may even sell more keyboards overall.  A fully customizable keyboard with different coloured keys, now that would sell heaps.

[furosuto81]

Well, WASD should be able to laser pretty much anything you give them, but somehow I doubt that would be the most cost effective way. But for custom orders it would be nice.

Imsto does pretty much anything Dye Sublimation related. Same as for WASD though.
PBT + coating wouldn’t be that sought after, I think, that destroys the whole purpose of PBT, the indestructibility.

WASD is pretty close to boutique quantity output and is only setup for MX, he's not likely to go for this.  I don't know if Imsto would do new molds or not, but he has niiiice PBT.

Shame that you wouldn't get WASD to add the two new Matias switches as switch options for the WASD board. Although that might cut into Matias keyboard sales on other end.

[Binge]

signature plastics/keycapsdirect would probably be the best bet for options/flexibility.  They seem like really cool people.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

signature plastics/keycapsdirect would probably be the best bet for options/flexibility.  They seem like really cool people.

So long as they reach Matias's standard for keming :-)

[Matias]

Okay, I've already spoken to Signature Plastics.  They're interested and are going to check to see if their caps fit our boards.  I've also asked if they have PBT available.

Speaking of kerning :-) would you prefer that they to follow our keycap artwork, or their standard font?

Will keep you posted...

[alaricljs]

SP's got a number of fonts... many people aren't happy with all of them.  I'm willing to bet people ask you to use the not quite done yet Cherry replica font that has been worked on.

[Burz]

Can your new switches be used to replace XM switches on an existing keyboard? I have in mind a conversion project for a SiiG MiniTouch which comes with white XM switches.

[Matias]

SP's got a number of fonts... many people aren't happy with all of them.  I'm willing to bet people ask you to use the not quite done yet Cherry replica font that has been worked on.

Probably true.  :-)

Can your new switches be used to replace XM switches on an existing keyboard? I have in mind a conversion project for a SiiG MiniTouch which comes with white XM switches.

Yes.