Reducing roughness of PBT keycaps

[Fandom]

Hey everyone,

I recently was introduced to the beauty of PBT keycaps and I am pleased by the quality, even though I have noticed a much higher surface roughness compared to the ABS one. Also, strangely, I have noticed that the left shift is particularly rough as a surface compared to the other keys. It really stands out.

My question is, has anyone figured out a method to smoothen out the PBT keycaps? (one could think of sandpaper for example)

[riotonthebay]

PBT texture depends on the manufacturer as well. What caps do you have specifically?

Also, no one I know of is smoothing out their caps in any way.

[smknjoe]

I assume you are talking about the rougher texture on Topre PBTs? There are different PBT makers out there and the texture is not the same on all of them. IBM (early) PBT rougher than HHKB PBT rougher than etc....

Personally, I like it. It's like grip tape for your fingers.

[HPE1000]

I assume you are talking about the rougher texture on Topre PBTs? There are different PBT makers out there and the texture is not the same on all of them. IBM (early) PBT rougher than HHKB PBT rougher than etc....

Personally, I like it. It's like grip tape for your fingers.

I'm not a huge fan of them being rough, but it is certainly better than being really smooth, where they start getting dirty faster it seems.

[Fandom]

I assume you are talking about the rougher texture on Topre PBTs? There are different PBT makers out there and the texture is not the same on all of them. IBM (early) PBT rougher than HHKB PBT rougher than etc....

Personally, I like it. It's like grip tape for your fingers.

Indeed I was referring to the pretty rough Topre keycaps. Is there any way around them?

[dorkvader]

You can probably polish the keycaps to shine them: they will be smooth then.

If you want them to be a little rough bot not smooth, getting them that way without recasting the keycap would be very difficult to get even.

[lolkey]

Take some 50 grit sandpaper to it..

[HPE1000]

Take some 50 grit sandpaper to it..

@_@ sounds like the proper grit to use

[Findecanor]

Take some 50 grit sandpaper to it..

Hehe. No 50 grit sandpaper is even coarser than the Topre keycaps themselves. I would recommend 200 grit or so.

Too bad that you don't like the texture of the Topre keycaps. I really like those. I think that my Cherry PBT keys are too smooth.

[Fandom]

My primary worry with sandpaper is that it might ruin the legends on the keycaps. Any other recommendations lads?

[Dreamre]

You'll end up making it worse than any better IMO.

[Findecanor]

There is no way to modify the key surface without damaging the legends.

I have seen some early images of hobbyist-made Topre sliders that are Cherry MX-compatible. There are more  keycap options for them. I am not too interested in that myself, so I don't remember where I saw them though.

[tbc]

hobbyist made or the Coolermaster novatouch ones?

[HPE1000]

hobbyist made or the Coolermaster novatouch ones?

There were ones that people made themselves a while before the CM board. I cannot remember what board they salvaged the hybrid plunger things from though.

[Linkbane]

They all vary by brand in terms of roughness, and there's really not much you can do about it unless you don't care about the legends or it's blank. The medium-thick Keycool blank caps I have are rough-textured (I prefer it actually), while the thick PBT on my Ducky is as smooth as ABS.

[Findecanor]

smooth as ABS.

Signature Plastics' ABS keys are rough as Topre's.

[Linkbane]

smooth as ABS.

Signature Plastics' ABS keys are rough as Topre's.

Well, what we usually associate with cheaper ABS like those on CM boards. And I actually really like the caps on my FC660C; are they similar to those on Realforces or HHKBs?