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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: armenws on Fri, 21 May 2010, 02:42:30

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: armenws on Fri, 21 May 2010, 02:42:30

I'm wondering. I have this old double-shot ergonomic thing from a thrift store with the fake white Alps and I like it, but it's got the smooth polished key shine going on in a bad way. Besides some lateral wobble on the keys (unlike the M line which I mostly use) it's got a nice feel and a tastey snap, so I'd like to keep on hacking on it.

Is there a geekhack trick for removing the shine? My best guess would be taking some very fine sandpaper (like 2000 grit or whatnot) and sanding all the keys down until they're consistent, but I'm concerned it would just wreck them.

Goofy question?

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: sixty on Fri, 21 May 2010, 05:22:56

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:9491
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:6469
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:6715

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: armenws on Fri, 21 May 2010, 14:22:43

Quote from: sixty;185249

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:9491
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:6469
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:6715

THANKS! I tried a search but I guess I had the wrong keywords.

check out the pics if you want to see some glassy keys

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 21 May 2010, 14:34:19

Quote from: ripster;185469

Maybe a typo was in there.

Nice.  Don't worry, the right keywords would have come to you in a dream.  For now, just sleep on it.

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: bitflipper on Fri, 21 May 2010, 14:49:02

Ripster, do you have an update on how those sandblasted keys are holding up in comparison to the original texture? I'm curious if the plasti-dip ever grew on you too.

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: bitflipper on Fri, 21 May 2010, 16:34:19

Quote from: ripster;185498

I didn't do the plasti-dip one.

Where is rdjack21 when you need him? The plasti-dip looks interesting. I'm out of cheap rubber domes to try things on, otherwise I'd give a shot myself.

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: Rajagra on Fri, 21 May 2010, 17:14:36

Just a thought... In the UK we have a common DIY car polish (well, scratch remover) called T-Cut. In the wrong hands it has a remarkable ability to completely remove the shine from the paint finish. A friend once did his whole car with it. What a lovely matt finish he ended up with. My, how we laughed.

I bet a similar coarse polish would easily remove the shine from plastic keys.

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: lmnop on Fri, 21 May 2010, 22:42:12

Quote from: ripster;185498

I didn't do the plasti-dip one.

I'll pop some pics in the sandblasted mod post when I get a chance.

To the OP - those are some pretty nice Doubleshots.  If you don't have a sandblaster some wet and dry sandpaper soaked for at least an hour should at least get rid of the shine.

thank you.

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: armenws on Sat, 22 May 2010, 02:08:57

Quote from: ripster;185498

To the OP - those are some pretty nice Doubleshots.  If you don't have a sandblaster some wet and dry sandpaper soaked for at least an hour should at least get rid of the shine.

thanks for the info - Since I don't have a sandblaster I was thinking sandpaper - but I hadn't heard of soaking in water first.

Title: can you de-shine keys?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Sat, 22 May 2010, 02:21:26

Quote from: armenws;185651

thanks for the info - Since I don't have a sandblaster I was thinking sandpaper - but I hadn't heard of soaking in water first.

Sandpaper doesn't work that well because it's not being blasted on but scratched.

Best to borrow one or such. Sandpaper sucks, only good for removing surfaces, not changing their texture.