geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: c0rbin on Mon, 24 October 2011, 23:59:04
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Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am here to inform you that keycaps can totally transform the feel of your keyboard.
I'm typing on KBC PBT caps on my Filco with brown switches right now and for the first time experiencing the awesomeness of not bottoming out.
Honestly, I was a bit disappointed when I first got my Filco because the ABS keycaps made it feel cheap. If you think you are satisfied with the stock ABS caps that came with your keyboard, try PBT, Doubleshots, or POM and you won't be disappointed. I really didn't think it was going to be this big of a difference changing just keycaps. The board is totally transformed. Just a quick informational thread for anyone who is on the fence about buying new keycaps.
They really aren't even that expensive if you play your cards right in the classified section. I ended up paying a total of about $7 to trade stockies for PBT's. Right now I'm rocking engraved black everything with an orange Geekhack Doubleshot Escape key... have plans for other color combinations later.
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PBT feels sooooooooooo good ;D
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got a Rosewill Red and Blue both geting PBT keys, o-rings, and lubed just about everything. Wouldnt do without any of it! I plan to change the feet and possibly add weight if their room inside the case.
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Edit: double post?
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I'm wondering if it would be worth it to lube my stabilizers on my board. Right it doesn't seem to really be making any abnormal noises but if its more pleasurable with lube, why not? Well, actually, because it attracts dirt... I'm not sure what to do.
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I'm wondering if it would be worth it to lube my stabilizers on my board. Right it doesn't seem to really be making any abnormal noises but if its more pleasurable with lube, why not? Well, actually, because it attracts dirt... I'm not sure what to do.
WASD recommended White Lithium grease and man you get a lot for $3. I picked it up in the automotive department. Im waiting for my keys (got side printed white and black from qtan), stabilizers (WASD), o-rings (WASD), and weights (bulk amazon) to show up so that I hopefully only have to pull them apart once each.
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abs ftw
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ABS FTL! i like me some pbt plox!
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One of the reasons I use my unicomp every day: PBT keycaps feel excellent.
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This thread got me extremely excited for my white PBT keys from qtan. I only have to wait two weeks ;_;.
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I wouldn't say ABS suck, but in comparison to PBT they feel cheap and from a normal store purchased keyboard. They can feel slippery to people compared to PBT. I did appreciate the difference later with the light feel of the ABS caps from stock Filco's. Just overall still prefer the PBT key feel for typing, and gaming. At least the PBT ones I've tried have felt slightly sandy. I guess it's just preference, but most people will find the PBT's probably more desirable. I think the last poll I saw on Geekhack leaned that direction (towards PBT over ABS).
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Gotta throw my hat in w/ the PBT folks. I like the thunk of my Cherry ABS Doubleshots, but it didn't take long at all for them to be worn down to the shiniest, slipperiest things.
PBT makes my Filco feel as close as it's going to get to the feel of my HHKB.
Speaking of the HHKB, I bought it used, have used it constantly, and the only shiny part is the spacebar--which from the key reference wiki appears to be ABS while the rest is PBT.
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Where did you trade your stock keycaps? I'd love to get this done too!
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I dont know what you mean my trade but there are a few sellers that sell pbt caps.
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what about POM? especially the laser POM from Cherry.
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The thick PBT keys is what makes people pay $100 more for a Realforce than a Filco and be happy about it, despite it being a rubber dome.
(this was typed on a Realforce, and I loved it)
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The thick PBT keys is what makes people pay $100 more for a Realforce than a Filco and be happy about it, despite it being a rubber dome.
(this was typed on a Realforce, and I loved it)
You can get PBT keys for Cherry MX even some really close to Topre keycaps. I think people buy Topre keyboards for the switches not the caps. Also Topre keyboards are not rubber domes. Just because there is a rubber dome involved doesnt mean thats what defines the switch.
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The thick ABS Topre spacebar is what makes me think it costs too much.
If KBC can make PBT spacebars, why cant Topre?
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If KBC can make PBT spacebars, why cant Topre?
That's the question: KBC, IBM (unicomp), etc have PBT spacebars. There are some defects on some, but KBC seems to have got it right (It the pictures can be trusted) Maybe they sholud OEM for Topre?
Also, Ripster likes to complain constantly about minutiae.
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most non-topre keypads have awful color palette, apart from the group buys from signature plastics etc.
and i think the cherry POM with laser printing is still a bit thicker than the topre ones.
i have a filco ninja, the keypads are pure rubbish, whichever sides the letters are printed. filco should really hire someone from apple to head their design team.
why can't everybody make some decent keypads, is it really that expensive or unprofitable? look at those iphone/ipad jackets out there, I am sure there is a market there.
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thick ABS like the cherry double shot can be just as good or better than PBT acoustically except it will shine sooner
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I all about the fell of PBT on my finger tips.
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I all about the fell of PBT on my finger tips.
Yeah, I prefer the PBT of the portal keys and my Unicomp to the thick doubleshot WYSE on my other 'board.
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Even changing the keycaps on my rubber dome to quality IBM caps makes all the difference in the world.