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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: peter79 on Sat, 30 November 2013, 04:15:50

Title: Topre Spacebar
Post by: peter79 on Sat, 30 November 2013, 04:15:50
I would like to buy Topre spacebar in White, Grey and black Color.
Where can I buy it? Only the spacebar not the whole set keycaps including the spacebar.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: terran5992 on Sat, 30 November 2013, 07:09:29
I would like to buy Topre spacebar in White, Grey and black Color.
Where can I buy it? Only the spacebar not the whole set keycaps including the spacebar.

Dont think that they have those for sale
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 30 November 2013, 07:26:39
You can't
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: AKIMbO on Sat, 30 November 2013, 11:57:26
You can't

It sucks but it's the truth. Once that abs spacebar starts to shine you're sol for a cheap replacement.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 30 November 2013, 12:02:30
the only thing you can do is be proactive and put some tape on it before you use it....but who really wants to use a spacebar with tape on it :P
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: Danule on Sat, 30 November 2013, 12:33:26
It gets shiny. Which is sad. But at least your still typing on a topre.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: eth0s on Sat, 30 November 2013, 12:39:27
You can try to rough up the shiny spacebar with some fine grain sandpaper, try p600 or p800 or maybe p1000 grit.  Don't go too low on grit, or you'll just make deep scratches.  Don't go too high (like p2000), or you might polish that ABS even shinier.  Even better would be sand blasting, but unless you own a sandblaster, it would probably be easier and cheaper just to buy a replacement set of keycaps from EK, just for the spacebar.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: MJ45 on Sat, 30 November 2013, 12:44:03
Use it enjoy it, they all will get shiny including PBT with use. A sad fact of keyboard life.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: Danule on Sat, 30 November 2013, 15:34:41
The pbts on my realforce are starting to shine a bit. Maybe i sweat acid.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: peter79 on Mon, 02 December 2013, 03:57:35
I saw many Topre keycap set available. White, Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange.
Is it available in all black? or Grey?
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: Dude on Tue, 03 December 2013, 11:26:05
I saw many Topre keycap set available. White, Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange.
Is it available in all black? or Grey?

My understanding is that Topre isn't manufacturing keycap sets anymore.  On EK, over half of them are sold out already.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: MJ45 on Tue, 03 December 2013, 13:40:22
I saw many Topre keycap set available. White, Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange.
Is it available in all black? or Grey?
I have seen the all black, grey&white, and other colors on Leopolds Korean web site but you need to get proxy. Also I could not determine if they had them in stock but it showed them.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: Awful on Thu, 05 December 2013, 17:31:53
Just saying, I would punch a baby for an aluminum spacebar for my Topre.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: peter79 on Sat, 07 December 2013, 09:56:09
I have seen the all black, grey&white, and other colors on Leopolds Korean web site but you need to get proxy. Also I could not determine if they had them in stock but it showed them.

I wish I could buy topre keycaps easily. At Elitekeyboards.com No white, black, white and grey, Red keycaps with printed letter.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: peter79 on Sat, 07 December 2013, 09:57:44
Just saying, I would punch a baby for an aluminum spacebar for my Topre.

I wish there's Aluminium or Titanium Spacebar for topre, someone please custom make it, from Vietnam or Korea probably?  ;)
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: Puddsy on Sat, 07 December 2013, 09:59:00
I think there's a reason you can't make metal keycaps for Topre, but I can't remember what that is right now.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: MKULTRA on Sat, 07 December 2013, 10:22:44
You can try to rough up the shiny spacebar with some fine grain sandpaper, try p600 or p800 or maybe p1000 grit.  Don't go too low on grit, or you'll just make deep scratches.  Don't go too high (like p2000), or you might polish that ABS even shinier.  Even better would be sand blasting, but unless you own a sandblaster, it would probably be easier and cheaper just to buy a replacement set of keycaps from EK, just for the spacebar.
There's a guide to sandblasting keycaps on r/mech
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: AKIMbO on Sun, 08 December 2013, 21:53:42
EK has replacement black spacebars in stock right now.  I just ordered 5 (It usually takes me a month to shine up one spacebar).
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: dustinhxc on Sun, 08 December 2013, 22:08:24
EK has replacement black spacebars in stock right now.  I just ordered 5 (It usually takes me a month to shine up one spacebar).

Nice buy! I ordered 2. maybe I shouldve got more  :confused:
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: Dude on Sun, 08 December 2013, 22:28:16
EK has replacement black spacebars in stock right now.  I just ordered 5 (It usually takes me a month to shine up one spacebar).

Thanks!  Just picked up 4.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 09 December 2013, 00:03:12
EK has replacement black spacebars in stock right now.  I just ordered 5 (It usually takes me a month to shine up one spacebar).

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52065.0

 :D
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: peter79 on Mon, 09 December 2013, 02:45:00
I've just order 4 as well, I hope EK would also sell the white one  :D
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 09 December 2013, 03:50:04
I've just order 4 as well, I hope EK would also sell the white one  :D

At this rate I don't think they will last very long.

Hopefully EK and their supplier see this as a positive sign for demand for these keycaps!
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: Elrick on Mon, 09 December 2013, 04:38:04
Hopefully EK and their supplier see this as a positive sign for demand for these keycaps!

Too right.  Next will be the white spacebar, which will move even faster - off their shelves.  I know, it's a little too hopeful in regards to anything Thorpie related  :( .
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: peter79 on Fri, 13 December 2013, 21:40:38
Is it possible to paint the black topre space bar become white?  ;D
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: dustinhxc on Fri, 13 December 2013, 21:41:32
I got my spacebars today! They are perfect! exact OEM Topre. Love it.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 14 December 2013, 16:08:45
I got my spacebars today! They are perfect! exact OEM Topre. Love it.

Congratulations!

Now if only they had white ones ...
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 14 December 2013, 16:12:48
I got my spacebars today! They are perfect! exact OEM Topre. Love it.

Congratulations!

Now if only they had white ones ...

My white one is starting to bother me, color just doesn't match good enough. I wouldn't mind a light grey hhkb space bar.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: MJ45 on Sat, 14 December 2013, 18:06:43
I got my spacebars today! They are perfect! exact OEM Topre. Love it.

Congratulations!

Now if only they had white ones ...

My white one is starting to bother me, color just doesn't match good enough. I wouldn't mind a light grey hhkb space bar.
I belive the light grey and white HHKB sets all come with a white space bar and will yellow with age. I have both printed and non printed. Because they are ABS the color is a shade different than the PBT, same with the dark grey sets.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 14 December 2013, 18:09:05
I got my spacebars today! They are perfect! exact OEM Topre. Love it.

Congratulations!

Now if only they had white ones ...

My white one is starting to bother me, color just doesn't match good enough. I wouldn't mind a light grey hhkb space bar.
I belive the light grey and white HHKB sets all come with a white space bar and will yellow with age. I have both printed and non printed. Because they are ABS the color is a shade different than the PBT, same with the dark grey sets.

Well my set is brand new from EK and the space bar color just looks a little yellowed already.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: terran5992 on Sun, 15 December 2013, 07:03:37
I got my spacebars today! They are perfect! exact OEM Topre. Love it.

Congratulations!

Now if only they had white ones ...

My white one is starting to bother me, color just doesn't match good enough. I wouldn't mind a light grey hhkb space bar.
I belive the light grey and white HHKB sets all come with a white space bar and will yellow with age. I have both printed and non printed. Because they are ABS the color is a shade different than the PBT, same with the dark grey sets.

Really my hhkb is still fairly white
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: adhoc on Sun, 15 December 2013, 09:06:42
How fast does your space bar discolor, really? Some people report after a month, which is ridicilous...not even my cheap rubber dome wore off after a month, my blackwidow NEVER wore off at all (even after 2 years of daily usage) and neither my POM is missing any colour whatsoever after a year and a half of daily usage.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: Wildcard on Sat, 21 December 2013, 15:55:32
How fast does your space bar discolor, really? Some people report after a month, which is ridicilous...not even my cheap rubber dome wore off after a month, my blackwidow NEVER wore off at all (even after 2 years of daily usage) and neither my POM is missing any colour whatsoever after a year and a half of daily usage.

It just starts to show basic wear (i.e. shine) after a month or so. While this isn't that big of a deal, several of us with mild to severe OCD can't stand the fact that we've got a shiny ABS space bar and crisp PBT key caps. It's annoying. I'm surprised we haven't done a GB yet for an aluminum or titanium Topre space bar. It would probably require a stiffer spring under the space bar, but it could be done.
Title: Re: Topre Spacebar
Post by: adhoc on Sat, 21 December 2013, 15:57:47
I don't find the finish all that great to be honest...caps are not uniform black, you can see sort of discoloration here and there and they are definitely not all the same shade of black...I don't know if this is a PBT thing or something, because my POM Cherry did not have this.