Any experience using Vortex PBT Black on Black dye-subs?

[Rhinofeed]

I'm looking at this ebay listing here from qtan:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vortex-105-PBT-black-on-black-sub-dye-keycaps-for-Cherry-MX-switches-keyboards-/300836182296

And it looks like a fair price with a really cool look for PBT Dye-subs. Anyone out there have any experience with these PBT keycaps? Are they good, worth it, etc...?

[noisyturtle]

I have a set that I used for about a day. I didn't like not being able to see the legends very well, but if you're a great touch typist and know all the alt function keys then it's a good looking set. It almost takes on a metallic look when bright light hits it. Price is about what I paid as well, but that included shipping from China. Plus they come with additional ISO layout keys and a cap puller.

[Jocelyn]

They have them here - http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=287

[Rhinofeed]

Can you use the larger keys with both Costar and Cherry stabilizers? That looks like a great deal at mechanicalkeyboards. It does say it's 104 keys instead of 105 keys though, do you know which key is missing?

[bazemk1979]

Can you use the larger keys with both Costar and Cherry stabilizers? That looks like a great deal at mechanicalkeyboards. It does say it's 104 keys instead of 105 keys though, do you know which key is missing?

by the 1st pic on top left above the left shift I see the regular CapsLock  and I see the stepped one for Cherry boards, so that would make it 105 keys in total

[file_id]

I currently use this keyset. What would you like to know about it exactly?

[Rhinofeed]

Do the larger keys work with Cherry stabilizers and Costar stabilizers?
If you've used this key set for awhile, have they worn down at all, or gotten shiny since you bought them?

[bazemk1979]

Do the larger keys work with Cherry stabilizers and Costar stabilizers?
If you've used this key set for awhile, have they worn down at all, or gotten shiny since you bought them?

any keycaps that are made for Cherry switches are compatible either with Costar or Cherry stabilizers, and no these Vortez don't shine as easy, they are PBT after all, nor the legends will wear off since they are dyesublimated. Although they are not thick PBT like the rest ov Vortex PBT dyesublimated keycaps, thin PBT don't mean you'll wear off the keycap fast.... it would most likely take 10-20 years of everyday hard work use in order to affect the cap in any way....

[Jocelyn]

Although they are not thick PBT like the rest ov Vortex PBT dyesublimated keycaps, thin PBT don't mean you'll wear off the keycap fast....

I thought these were thicker than thin PBT, but not quite as thick as Thick PBT.

[Goodfella]

I own the set that techkeys was selling for a short bit, didn't purchase them through him, but another member off this site who had just bought them and couldn't deal with keycaps that are so close to blanks.

I honestly really enjoy them, I am slightly bias as I will always choose pbt now over abs, they feel better to me and look newer for much longer.

These are as I said though, very very similar to blanks. It takes hitting the keys with the light from a desk lamp at a very specific angle to reflect off the black legends on the keys.

I will admit sometimes in the morning I have to type my password in a couple of times if I have't been using the keyboard since the night before.

If you like pbt's and want to get a feel for what blanks would be like with a black dyesub cheat sheet printed on the caps, then these are for you. I won't be selling mine, they are great.

[esoomenona]

I own this set, and honestly, until imsto or someone else does a thick black set with a nicer font in black dyesubbed legends in Cherry profile, this is the best you can hope for.

So, with the downfalls of not being thick and not so nice font out of the way and OEM profile, what do we get: something that we don't have offered anywhere else. These things are sleek. The black on black is a nice understated look. They match amazingly well with colors, as you can see in my picture. And the legends are NOT that hard to see. Unless you're sitting in the complete dark, in which case, almost any legends are hard to see.

[Rhinofeed]

Thanks everyone for your mini reviews! It has helped quite a bit. Someday I'd love to go with all blank keycaps — so this is probably a good start. I would like to get thicker pbt but it seems those can only be found at much higher prices. ($90+)

[Badwrench]

How do these compare to the Vortex?

Ducky Black on Black PBT:
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=69

Any ideas on how thick these are?

[TheProfosist]

I have those sexy beasts on my KMAC2 they gave it a look a iwasnt even going for but it looks downright amazing!

[Lu_e]

How do these compare to the Vortex?

Ducky Black on Black PBT:
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=69

Any ideas on how thick these are?

No idea on thickness but they do have extra legends and led windows that may not match up to your specific keyboard layout. The vortex have nothing but standard legends/printing, and NO led windows. Which I actually like for simplicity sake... & for example my keyboards media functions would not line up to those ducky caps media legends.

[Badwrench]

How do these compare to the Vortex?

Ducky Black on Black PBT:
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=69

Any ideas on how thick these are?

No idea on thickness but they do have extra legends and led windows that may not match up to your specific keyboard layout. The vortex have nothing but standard legends/printing, and NO led windows. Which I actually like for simplicity sake... & for example my keyboards media functions would not line up to those ducky caps media legends.

I had not thought of that with the led windows.  I have a Ducky and those windows don't even line up (my leds are on the top of the switch). 

[Lu_e]

Shouldn't matter about top or bottom led... would still light up I think.