MW Very Harry

Its not Harry Potter themed, its medieval themed, with elements from FMA - Fullmetal Alchemist...

The new draft keyboard label design has been completed!

While the current keyboard label was based on the IBM 4704 keyboards, the new one is based on the 1984-1986 IBM Model F and Model M labels (now that the 4704's are no longer the main project boards), but with some changes to make the font slightly thicker, etc.  Just like with the keycap characters, these characters were drawn based off the originals, but this time I made it into a font as needed for label creation.  It is my understanding that the originals were made not with a dot matrix, laser, or offset printer as was likely the case with other IBM keyboard labels, but instead with some kind of line printer, impact printer, or chain printer which involved the striking of the metal key into the paper label through a ribbon (which is why many of the characters were missing sections of ink or slightly varied in their thickness and spacing).  Some of my original IBM Model F122 labels even have typos, probably from a key striking twice (a date code of MAY844 instead of MAY84 for example).  I can't find any records of the IBM line printers that could handle large printing of about 1/4" line height, so my guess is that another company's printers were used.  The keyboard labels will be covered with a slightly oversized clear plastic label protector as IBM did for this series of labels.

You can't request the new label, replace your existing label, or check to see which label you are getting; there are still many old labels that are already printed and will be used first.  For simplicity sake the new designs will also be used with the F62/F77 boards.  The box labels will stay with the same design.

Please consider adding R1 pipe to the alert kit in order to support tsangan layout. Thank you!

[IC] Ferat S1800 - A Southpaw 1800 for people who live between the mouse and the numpad
(Attachment Link)
Designed in the Czech Republic. Named after a vampire.

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The story

In 1981, the Czech filmmaker Juraj Herz made *Upír z Feratu* ("The Ferat Vampire") — a cult sci-fi horror about a sleek black-and-red racing car that runs on human blood instead of petrol. Every time you pressed the pedal, it drank.

I'm a mechanical engineering student from the Czech Republic, and I've spent more hours than I'd like to admit with my left hand reaching across a TKL to hit the numpad while my right hand stays glued to the mouse — CAD, spreadsheets, the usual. So I designed the keyboard I actually wanted: numpad on the left, mouse hand free, and an aesthetic borrowed from the angular, industrial design language of the 1980s.

I called it Ferat. The prototype is black and red. Of course it is.
(Attachment Link)
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Who this is for

If you spend your day in SolidWorks, Fusion 360, AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor, or living inside Excel / Power BI / accounting software - and your right hand basically lives on the mouse - a southpaw layout is far from a novelty. It's a 30-40% reduction in how far your left hand has to travel, all day, every day.

If you've been wanting to try one but found the existing options either unavailable or too "gamer," Ferat is meant for you.

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The layout

Modified Southpaw 1800:

- Numpad on the left
- Full F-row
- Exploded arrow cluster (no cramped inverted-T)
- Supports ISO and ANSI
- Supports stepped Caps Lock for the purists

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Build & specs

Case: Full CNC aluminium, two-tone
Mount: Burger mount
Typing angle: 8°
Front height: 19 mm
Weight: Internal brass weight
Unbuilt weight: 2.6 kg
PCB: Hotswap, MX-only, custom design
Daughterboard: Universal S1 (USB-C)
|Layouts: ISO, ANSI, stepped Caps

Designed by a mechanical engineer, so yes - the internals were laid out with the same attention as the external surfaces.

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Design language

The 80s industrial aesthetic - think early CAD workstations, Braun, analogue technical instruments - is the visual reference. Hard edges, honest materials, no unnecessary decoration. Two-tone case to break up the mass.

The prototype colorway is black and red - a nod to the Ferat itself. Final colorways will be decided based on your feedback in this thread and the IC form. Tell me what you want to see.

You can find the improved renders on Imgur here.

(Attachment Link)
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Where we are

- Improved renders below (photography of the prototype coming soon - the prototype is in production now)
- Price: TBD - will be set based on quoted manufacturing costs at MOQ
- MOQ: 100 units
- GB timing: TBD - depends on interest reached here

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Register your interest

If Ferat is something you'd seriously consider buying, please fill out the interest form

The form takes 30 seconds and helps me gauge:
- Preferred colorways
- Preferred plate materials (if I offer options)
- Whether ISO or ANSI dominates demand
- Rough price ceiling

You can also reach me on Discord: **flametwist** or by email: **ferat@flametwist.cz**

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Questions I want your honest answers to

1. What colorways would make you pull the trigger?
2. Is there anything about the southpaw 1800 layout you'd change?
3. What's your honest price ceiling for a board like this?
4. ISO or ANSI?

Roast it, question it, tell me what's missing. That's exactly what an IC is for.

Thanks for reading - and if you've never heard of Upír z Feratu*, do yourself a favour and look it up.

- Honza

Update (2026-05-31): Reformulated the text, added new render album.