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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: codymaust on Tue, 08 January 2013, 06:12:59

Title: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: codymaust on Tue, 08 January 2013, 06:12:59: Is this a possibility? Looking for blank caps on a budget, and the idea popped into my head.

Would some turpentine work to strip off pad-printed legends? If so, would it harm ABS?

After some research, it seems that the following are possible options:
1) Vegetable Oil
2) Turpentine
3) Linseen Oil
4) Model plastic paint-removal products -- Chameleon, Scalemaster
5) PineSol

Looking for feedback before I ruin a perfectly good set of caps :eek:

Thanks!
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Tue, 08 January 2013, 11:14:51: Depending on the pad print (won't work with plastic based ink/paint), dot5 brake fluid works. It will just lift the paint off and does not harm plastic. Defineatly don't use anything with acetone it will melt abs literally.
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: codymaust on Tue, 08 January 2013, 11:40:21: I'll keep that in mind as well.

I think I am just going to experiment with a few of the extra WASD that came with it, depending on if the pad ink looks/feels the same

Will report back eventually, in case anybody is interested
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: file_id on Tue, 08 January 2013, 18:28:59: Don't use brake fluid. It's carcinogenic.
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: codymaust on Tue, 08 January 2013, 20:17:54: Thanks for the heads up!
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: laffindude on Wed, 09 January 2013, 14:23:17: Caps from? They're more likely to be laser printed than pad printed. Even if pad printed, you may not be able to remove it since there may be a UV coating.
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: codymaust on Wed, 09 January 2013, 19:28:42: Quote from: laffindude on Wed, 09 January 2013, 14:23:17
Caps from? They're more likely to be laser printed than pad printed. Even if pad printed, you may not be able to remove it since there may be a UV coating.
Good call :|

They're from a QFR, and indeed laser printed.

:-[
Title: Re: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: SmallFry on Wed, 09 January 2013, 19:36:35: Quote from: codymaust on Wed, 09 January 2013, 19:28:42
Quote from: laffindude on Wed, 09 January 2013, 14:23:17
Caps from? They're more likely to be laser printed than pad printed. Even if pad printed, you may not be able to remove it since there may be a UV coating.
Good call :|

They're from a QFR, and indeed laser printed.

:-[
A QFR is pad printed...?
Title: Re: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: codymaust on Wed, 09 January 2013, 19:56:04: Quote from: SmallFry on Wed, 09 January 2013, 19:36:35
Quote from: codymaust on Wed, 09 January 2013, 19:28:42
Quote from: laffindude on Wed, 09 January 2013, 14:23:17
Caps from? They're more likely to be laser printed than pad printed. Even if pad printed, you may not be able to remove it since there may be a UV coating.
Good call :|

They're from a QFR, and indeed laser printed.

:-[
A QFR is pad printed...?
Nope, I was just mistaken

They're laser-marked
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: SmallFry on Wed, 09 January 2013, 20:06:11: ??
I swore they were pad printed. Meh, not worried.
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: codymaust on Wed, 09 January 2013, 21:05:25: I was under that impression haha! If I had to take a guess at what pad-printed legends felt like, this would be it

Coolermaster website says "laser-marked" though
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: esoomenona on Wed, 09 January 2013, 21:09:49: I think there is a difference between laser printed and laser etched.
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: JackA$$ on Tue, 06 August 2013, 13:36:41: Hey there,
i think the K65 from Corsair is using pad printed key caps.
Some experience to make them blank?
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: Beelzebro on Wed, 29 January 2014, 11:15:39: bump. is this possible to do with kbt pure pro or poker 2 keycaps? fancy making myself some blank ones :)
Title: Re: Strip legends off of pad-printed keycaps?
Post by: fohat.digs on Wed, 29 January 2014, 16:03:16: Find someone who is an old-fashioned draftsman or artist and borrow his electric eraser. Use pink or green eraser, but be careful how you do it.