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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: YouGotRioted on Sun, 22 June 2014, 01:31:23

Title: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: YouGotRioted on Sun, 22 June 2014, 01:31:23
I'm not sure why there aren't many drops for black PBT keysets, they seem to be mainly white/bi-coloured versions.

I started a poll in case there's any interest:
https://www.massdrop.com/vote/black-pbt-keycap-sets
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: divito on Sun, 22 June 2014, 03:20:38
Voted.
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: BlueBär on Sun, 22 June 2014, 13:15:48
It's pretty simple: You can only dyesub colours that are darker than the base colour, and doubleshot PBT is hard to do, and there isn't that much demand for other printing methods since they don't last as long.
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 22 June 2014, 15:16:20
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PBT-Keycap-Set-for-Cherry-MX-based-Leopold-Keyboards-Blank-Non-Printed-Navy-/271528821781?afsrc=1

Although these are for Leopold, so the space bar might not fit 90% of other keyboards.

Linked from Great Finds (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=59780.0).
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: YouGotRioted on Sun, 22 June 2014, 15:22:41
It's pretty simple: You can only dyesub colours that are darker than the base colour, and doubleshot PBT is hard to do, and there isn't that much demand for other printing methods since they don't last as long.

Is it generally accepted that there is a superior process for keycap legends? For example dye-sub vs doubleshot.
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: Pacifist on Sun, 22 June 2014, 15:26:13
It's pretty simple: You can only dyesub colours that are darker than the base colour, and doubleshot PBT is hard to do, and there isn't that much demand for other printing methods since they don't last as long.

Is it generally accepted that there is a superior process for keycap legends? For example dye-sub vs doubleshot.

It varies, but generally ABS is better doubleshotted, and PBT better dyesubbed, because ABS can't be dyesubbed and PBT has warping issues when doubleshot
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: BlueBär on Sun, 22 June 2014, 15:37:34
Is it generally accepted that there is a superior process for keycap legends? For example dye-sub vs doubleshot.

Doubleshot is common for ABS and dyesub common for PBT, so it depends more on your preference of material.

The downside of dyseubs in comparison to doubleshots is that dyesubbed legends are not as sharp and, as I said earlier, you can only dyesub on keys that are lighter than the legend. Another downside is that colour accuracy and visibility on dyesubs might not be perfect if you're trying to make colourful legends, this goes especially for lighter colours. Normally these issues aren't too bad though, especially if you want to go with the classic black on white/beige.

The downside of doubleshots is that with each colour added you have to add another shot (which makes things far more complicated), so something like a smooth transition between two colours is not possible. There are some tripleshot caps, and I have seen a picture of quadshots, both are unusual though.

I'm not sure if you can dyesub ABS, I think the temperature needed to dyesub would make it melt or warp.

It varies, but generally ABS is better doubleshotted, and PBT better dyesubbed, because ABS can't be dyesubbed and PBT has warping issues when doubleshot

As I said I'm not sure if you can even properly dyseub ABS.
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: eosph on Mon, 23 June 2014, 07:14:40
Ah damnit I created a similar poll as well - https://www.massdrop.com/vote/ducky-pbt-key-caps
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: YouGotRioted on Tue, 24 June 2014, 15:19:11
Ah damnit I created a similar poll as well - https://www.massdrop.com/vote/ducky-pbt-key-caps


Voted. Don't know the availability of most of these sets though.
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: Oobly on Wed, 25 June 2014, 08:50:11
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=774

Thick, doubleshot PBT with a nice (Cherry-like) profile.

And sets from Ivan's Pitch Black GB will eventually be available... Still at sampling stage, though, so it'll be a while before they're produced and shipped.

Leopold dark Navy blue sets, blank:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PBT-Keycap-Set-for-Cherry-MX-based-Leopold-Keyboards-Blank-Non-Printed-Navy/271530133899?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140602152332%26meid%3D7868822850497412872%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D20140602152332%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D271528821781

And "ninja" style front printed:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PBT-Keycap-Set-for-Cherry-MX-based-Leopold-Keyboards-Front-Face-Englih-Navy/281368659759?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140602152332%26meid%3D7868822850497412872%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D20140602152332%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D271528821781
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: YouGotRioted on Thu, 03 July 2014, 02:30:08
With Ivan's PBT sets, will they ever be available in larger quantities?
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: Oobly on Thu, 03 July 2014, 02:38:34
With Ivan's PBT sets, will they ever be available in larger quantities?

Not that I know of, they're just produced in the quantity needed for the Group Buy. But it means that there will be around 300 sets of thick black high quality Cherry profile PBT caps out in the wild and they'll sometimes appear in the classifieds. If you post in the thread, someone may be willing to sell their set to you.
Title: Re: Black PBT Keysets
Post by: Txduck on Tue, 08 July 2014, 02:29:20
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=774

Thick, doubleshot PBT with a nice (Cherry-like) profile
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I can vouch for that set of caps because I have a set of them. I really like the set, they're good caps.