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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: kishagi on Fri, 06 March 2015, 18:08:28

Title: What happens when you bleach a PBT keycap?
Post by: kishagi on Fri, 06 March 2015, 18:08:28

So like the title of the thread asks, what would happen if one were to bleach a PBT keycap? If it had print on it (the regular kind; laser was it?) would the print be removed?

The reason why I'm asking is because a while back I decided to dye some of my keycaps using RIT Dye and well it didn't turn out the colour that I wanted. I know that it is recommended that one tests the dyeing procedure first, and I did; just not all the way till the end.

Instead of getting a Celosia Orange (http://store.ritstudio.com/spring-2014/celosia-orange/) colour, I ended up with more a rosier Salmon Pink.
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t111/kishagi/2014-07-21165031.jpg) (http://s158.photobucket.com/user/kishagi/media/2014-07-21165031.jpg.html)

This is what I had before dyeing:
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t111/kishagi/2014-07-03172448.jpg) (http://s158.photobucket.com/user/kishagi/media/2014-07-03172448.jpg.html)

I truly appreciate your help with this self-inflicted dilemma of mine.

Also if I can't reverse what I did, then what do you recommend that I do instead?

Title: Re: What happens when you bleach a PBT keycap?
Post by: SpAmRaY on Fri, 06 March 2015, 18:56:47

Learn to like salmon?

Title: Re: What happens when you bleach a PBT keycap?
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 06 March 2015, 19:05:44

RIT Dye em to some other color...
Or be brave and test what bleach does to em, for science!

[attachimg=1]

Title: Re: What happens when you bleach a PBT keycap?
Post by: aref on Sat, 07 March 2015, 19:25:13

You may need to talk to a materials' guy who specializes in plastics polymers. PBT has excellent chemical resistance; but before I'd bleach the keycaps, dye them with a color you might prefer to salmon.