geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: EvilSaint on Tue, 31 August 2010, 15:54:38
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So, I've been lurking for ~one week now, grabbing boatloads of great information and maddening myself while trying to make a decision on a mechanical keyboard to buy for medium/heavy gaming and heavy typing. I'm all about hardware "enthusiasm", but I never got into keyboards/mice as much as most "gamers" do - I would mention what I'm typing this post on, but it's too embarrassing.
Anyway, long story short, I finally ordered a Filco Majestouch 104K (I'd climb the walls without a 10-key) with Cherry Browns and NKRO. However, unfortunately, I got an email back from the Filco salespeople stating that they are no long making the Otaku versions of their keyboards. This didn't seem like much of an issue, seeing as how one would (in theory) only have to replace the key caps with blank ones. Then, I tried to find a place to order the blank keycaps and... yeah, absolutely not happening. 15 pages of Google results later and I'm reaching out for help - what options do I have for blank key caps and a DIY Otaku version?
I checked out the mods section, but the only method that I found was sandblasting. While I already have an air compressor and don't mind buying the attachment to do the blasting itself, I can't for the life of me find out what kind of lettering is on the Filco caps, but I would assume that it's not "sandblastable" =(
Anyway, any ideas are very welcome. TIA!
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http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=639
Atleast they sell those, maybe some other place too..
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http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=639
Atleast they sell those, maybe some other place too..
That is beautiful, thank you! Now to wait until they get my 'board back in stock and shipped, and then those lil' beauties will be mine =)
How tough is it to replace all the keys on these boards? It seems pretty easy with the replacement tools, but looks could always be deceiving...
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That is beautiful, thank you! Now to wait until they get my 'board back in stock and shipped, and then those lil' beauties will be mine =)
How tough is it to replace all the keys on these boards? It seems pretty easy with the replacement tools, but looks could always be deceiving...
Check the wikis, there is likely some trick for atleast space bar and other larger keys.
Edit: Why have I started to write phoneticly, but still almost corret spelling... base bar = space bar...
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You can sandblast the Filco keys, they are pad printed.
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You can sandblast the Filco keys, they are pad printed.
or you can wait 10 years they should be Otaku by then :P
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or you can wait 10 years they should be Otaku by then :P
I just wonder if 10 years would be enough to lear touch-typing...
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Yea, I'd noticed that even elite keyboards wasn't offering the blank sets and I'm kinda bummed the tenkeyless with browns is sold out. I had even noticed that signature plastics keeps blank MX keys in stock, so minus the keyboard company, or if you want otaku color, then that should be an avenue that can be pursued. Given they already have certain profiles, I'd imagine a blank set from signature plastics must be far more reasonable than their double shot set.
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Sig Plastics doesn't even allow small orders of their blank http://www.keycapsdirect.com/key-capsinventory.php inventory they keep a list of?
I know the point of their inventory is they want to charge for printing on those blanks for a custom keys for a company, but I didn't realize they'd not even ship a small subset of stuff they have laying around. They have as few as 10 keys of some of those colors, so they don't even have a quantity for a large order.
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=KE-10487]This Australian store (http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/show_product_info.php?input[product_code) has them too.
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I have a filco tenkeyless blank key set. However it is missing the WASD keys (which are replaced with purple lettered WASD) and ESC key (which is replaced with a geekhack key). I would be happy to trade these for your printed keycaps, however you won't be able to make the numpad blank. Lemme know, send me a PM thanks.
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Wow, $54 US is kinda spendy.
If anyone is in Japan they sell a blank set for only $10 at Cleverly in Akihabara. Probably from China like the KBCs.
Yeah, but how much is it worth to have one of the first "custom" Otakus? ;) Are the Keyboard Company caps really from China?
@Elbow - I appreciate the offer, but I would like to have both marked and blank sets on hand, for when I *snicker* end up selling the 'board down the road.
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KBC is a Chinese keyboard manufacturer.
Aha, had me mighty confused there (KeyboardCo.com).
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Ah, well if they sell Filco compatible sets in Japan and for as low as $10, then I'm good should I discover myself to need replacements. My sister has a friend in Japan.