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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: benfrain on Fri, 10 January 2020, 12:21:46
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I’m curious. It seems most key sets come with a stepped caps lock and offset stem mount.
However, most keyboards *seem* to have a centered switch for the caps lock key.
If you’re someone who wants a stepped caps lock do you need to look for boards with a specific plate/PCB or just look out for key sets with a center stem stepped caps lock?
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Stepped caps lock key caps are generally only there for Cherry G80-3000 series keyboards. If you want to use those, you'll have to get one of those boards. I'm not aware of any other keyboards that use off-center caps lock switches that require a stepped caps lock key cap, but they probably do exist.
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I’m curious. It seems most key sets come with a stepped caps lock and offset stem mount.
However, most keyboards *seem* to have a centered switch for the caps lock key.
If you’re someone who wants a stepped caps lock do you need to look for boards with a specific plate/PCB or just look out for key sets with a center stem stepped caps lock?
A lot of modern PCB's for custom boards give you the option of using stepped caps lock by having footprints placed for both stepped and non-stepped. I prefer the aesthetic and practicality of stepped caps lock and always go with that when I have the option.
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As mountainblocks said, some PCBs have two choices for that switch location. This is my GH60:
[attach=1]
And here on the PCB you can see how you are given a choice where to put that switch:
[attach=2]
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Some Leopold keyboards come with a stepped, centre-stemmed keycap with the legend "Control" instead of "Caps Lock". The area that you can press is 1.5u, not 1.25u like original Cherry/GMK stepped keys.
Pad-printed or blank Leopold keycap sets that included that key used to be available to buy separately, but I have not found them for some time. New Leopold keyboards don't have keys with pad-printing: it has been replaced with higher-quality dye-sub or double-shot moulding.