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Offline jcoffin1981

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keycap purchase
« on: Sun, 11 October 2015, 20:32:36 »
Hi fellow Geekhackers, I'm looking to make a keycap purchase for a v60 board.  The seller from Singapore sent me the wrong board and now there is a delay, uggghhhh, but that gives me some time to think this through.

I'd prefer to  buy domestic, if possible.  I prefer a lower profile.  I also want side printed, blank, or even laser etched giving that "faded" appearance (don't like dye sublimated.)  I also want a dark color whether it's graphite, navy, dark grey, black, etc. 

Here is one example I can find which fit's my criteria, but I'd rather find something more local.  Maybe there is an old standy which is routinely used.  I found the keycap vendor thread, but just by the website I cannot tell which are considered higher quality and which are not.

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/PBT-Keycap-Set-for-Cherry-MX-based-Leopold-Keyboard-Blank-Non-Printed-Navy-/281664522419?hash=item41948388b3
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KPB V60 Gateron Browns and Leopold Keycaps.  Poker 3 with Gateron Browns and Poker keycaps.  Poker 3 with Cherry MX Browns, ABS keycaps and white LED's.

Leopold FC660M- my new favorite, right out of the box.

Offline ManicMatt1125

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Re: keycap purchase
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 11 October 2015, 20:49:04 »
You have numerous options available to you, depending on material, manufacture etc.  You mentioned wanting high quality? May I suggest a GMK or SP set? You can find them in classifieds or at SP's website PimpMyKeyboard.com. I have a cheapo double shot for sale on my thread for $20, but it is definitely not high quality. It is better than stock and does the job. https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=74737.0.
Like I said there are a number of factors, the main one being how much you want to spend, and what you can find as a lot of the high quality sets are hard to find
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Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: keycap purchase
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 11 October 2015, 20:51:37 »
Those Leopold caps you linked are great caps and they sometimes come in black with side print. They sometimes show up in the classifieds and I think www.mechanicalkeyboards.com will possibly carry them as well eventually.
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Offline jcoffin1981

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Re: keycap purchase
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 11 October 2015, 22:20:32 »
The Leopolds are very thick 1.5mm, which is good.  They are also for a full size keyboard, so there will be waste.  I'm looking to spend as little as 30 and as much as 50-55.  More than that and I cannot justify the purchase.  I noticed that the caps on the v60 GTR board that was sent were pretty thin and junky. I will also check out sig plastics, but another recommendations will be investigated as well.  I would love side print :)

addendum:  I was looking at Sig Plastic website and they have lots of options in DSA.  However I do like the color of the Leopold set better.  Can anybody think of one reason to go with one of them vs the other?  They should be very similar in cost.

(sorry just realzied this was under "keyboard" and should have been placed in the "keycaps" section.
« Last Edit: Sun, 11 October 2015, 23:33:13 by jcoffin1981 »
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KPB V60 Gateron Browns and Leopold Keycaps.  Poker 3 with Gateron Browns and Poker keycaps.  Poker 3 with Cherry MX Browns, ABS keycaps and white LED's.

Leopold FC660M- my new favorite, right out of the box.

Offline user 18

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Re: keycap purchase
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 12 October 2015, 09:07:29 »
Quote from: jcoffin1981 on Sun, 11 October 2015, 22:20:32
addendum:  I was looking at Sig Plastic website and they have lots of options in DSA.  However I do like the color of the Leopold set better.  Can anybody think of one reason to go with one of them vs the other?  They should be very similar in cost.

(sorry just realzied this was under "keyboard" and should have been placed in the "keycaps" section.

Moved :thumb:

Personally, I would go for the Leopold set over the DSA set. DSA is a flat profile, with each key having identical height and (lack of) angle, while the rows in the Leopold set are sculpted to have a slight contour over the entire board. My personal preference is for sculpted keys, and that's likely what you've used on other boards in the past. Your preferences may well be different than mine though.
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Offline jcoffin1981

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Re: keycap purchase
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 16 October 2015, 01:26:03 »
What concerns me more is the height of the keycap vs whether or not they are sculpted.  I have typed very easily on laptop boards which of course are "as flat as a board."  I think sculpted is probably more slightly ergonomic.  However, if there are big differences in height what happens is you end up striking the  key on the edge and applying lateral force.  This makes the key stick or make it harder to press. 

I cannot tell what profile the Leopold keys are, but they are 1.5mm thick.  I've never used caps that thick, but I hear its the $h**. 

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KPB V60 Gateron Browns and Leopold Keycaps.  Poker 3 with Gateron Browns and Poker keycaps.  Poker 3 with Cherry MX Browns, ABS keycaps and white LED's.

Leopold FC660M- my new favorite, right out of the box.

Offline user 18

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Re: keycap purchase
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 16 October 2015, 08:12:51 »
Not having seen your board, the leopold caps are likely a similar profile overall to the ones that are on the board right now, both in relation between rows and overall height.

I never complained too much about laptop boards, but I didn't really like DSA. But you never know until you try. So much about this hobby is subjective, and what you like may be totally different from what I like.
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Please PM me if you are waiting on classifieds approval or have a question about the classifieds rules. | geekhack Terms of Service

Max Nighthawk x8 (MX Brown) | CM QFR (MX Blue) | CM QFR (MX Clear) | RK-9000 (MX Red) | Model M 1391401 | Model M SSK 1370475 | CM Novatouch | G80-8113 (MX Clear) | 60% (85g MX Blue) | Whitefox Aria (MX Clear) | CL-LX (MX Clear) | Mira SE (MX Clear)
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Offline jcoffin1981

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Re: keycap purchase
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 22 October 2015, 12:19:55 »
I went with the Leopolds.  Unfortunately I really dislike the board I purchased them for.  Haha, oh well
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KPB V60 Gateron Browns and Leopold Keycaps.  Poker 3 with Gateron Browns and Poker keycaps.  Poker 3 with Cherry MX Browns, ABS keycaps and white LED's.

Leopold FC660M- my new favorite, right out of the box.
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