Author Topic: zinc or magnesium or non-plastic  (Read 2278 times)

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Offline technobuddha

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zinc or magnesium or non-plastic
« on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 14:31:36 »
Hello all,
I'm on the prowl for a laptop/tablet that has magnesium or zinc, or non-plastic (not aluminum) keys to type upon.
I have been searching for ever and I suspect it just doesn't exist, so I have to focus on the next best thing:
either a keyboard that has zinc or magnesium keys, or key caps.
even if its a tablet bluetooth keyboard i'll take it!

I saw someone making an awesome mechanical keyboard here:

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38320.0

and i would just love to find one, even if used!

so if anyone can send me into the right direction, I would DEEPLY appreciate it!
even if I have to pay up to $300!

thank you soooo much!

Offline Puddsy

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Re: zinc or magnesium or non-plastic
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 14:36:04 »
doesn't exist on a laptop

a scarface set alone costs like $400

and that's if you can find one
QFR | MJ2 TKL | "Bulgogiboard" (Keycon 104) | ctrl.alt x GON 60% | TGR Alice | Mira SE #29 | Mira SE #34 | Revo One | z | Keycult No. 1 | First CW87 prototype | Mech27v1 | Camp C225 | Duck Orion V1 | LZ CLS sxh | Geon Frog TKL | Hiney TKL One | Geon Glare TKL



"Everything is worse, but in a barely perceptible and indefinable way" -dollartacos, after I came back from a break | "Is Linkshine our Nixon?" -NAV | "Puddsy is the Puddsy of keebs" -ns90

Offline technobuddha

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Re: zinc or magnesium or non-plastic
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 15:03:29 »
ahhhh 'scarface' I saw that word a few times in my searches, and YEP! I figured it would be up to $400, which is why i assumed I'd get a keyboard, and find a tablet "latch on" and have a system that way!

Thanks for your time!

Offline Oobly

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Re: zinc or magnesium or non-plastic
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 16:21:33 »
The scarface caps are aluminium. Feng sells some zinc caps and you can find a few options here: http://www.banggood.com/MKC-One-Set-37-Keys-Kirsite-Keycaps-For-Cherry-MX-Keyboard-p-90013.html

Kirsite is a zinc alloy, made mostly from zinc with a small percentage of other metals.

Not so easy to fill out a whole board, though. I have not seen shift, enter, etc, but you can find all the 1x sizes and even 1.25x and spacebars. A 60% like the Poker 2 would be easiest to try to fill up. At a stretch you could use 1x caps on everything except spacebar, but I suspect shifts will be awkard to use.
Buying more keycaps,
it really hacks my wallet,
but I must have them.

Offline Puddsy

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Re: zinc or magnesium or non-plastic
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 16:57:09 »
I've seen mods before

a full set is still like $150-200
QFR | MJ2 TKL | "Bulgogiboard" (Keycon 104) | ctrl.alt x GON 60% | TGR Alice | Mira SE #29 | Mira SE #34 | Revo One | z | Keycult No. 1 | First CW87 prototype | Mech27v1 | Camp C225 | Duck Orion V1 | LZ CLS sxh | Geon Frog TKL | Hiney TKL One | Geon Glare TKL



"Everything is worse, but in a barely perceptible and indefinable way" -dollartacos, after I came back from a break | "Is Linkshine our Nixon?" -NAV | "Puddsy is the Puddsy of keebs" -ns90

Offline divito

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Re: zinc or magnesium or non-plastic
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 17:09:19 »
The scarface caps are aluminium. Feng sells some zinc caps and you can find a few options here: http://www.banggood.com/MKC-One-Set-37-Keys-Kirsite-Keycaps-For-Cherry-MX-Keyboard-p-90013.html

Kirsite is a zinc alloy, made mostly from zinc with a small percentage of other metals.

Not so easy to fill out a whole board, though. I have not seen shift, enter, etc, but you can find all the 1x sizes and even 1.25x and spacebars. A 60% like the Poker 2 would be easiest to try to fill up. At a stretch you could use 1x caps on everything except spacebar, but I suspect shifts will be awkard to use.

The mods do exist (sold out currently): http://www.banggood.com/MKC-14-Keys-Kirsite-Keycaps-For-Cherry-MX-Keyboard-p-906863.html

Bought them and they are with my 37-key blank set on my QFS. With that, the 37-key set, and 3 zinc StarCraft keys, I'm short 29 R4s and 3 R3s for a full TKL. Not to mention having to get an aluminum or titanium space bar.

Feng actually sold a full blank zinc set in the classifieds a short while ago and I missed out on it. Was quite depressed. :(
Varmilo (MX Grey) KeyCool 87 (MX Clear) Quickfire Stealth (MX Green)

Offline technobuddha

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Re: zinc or magnesium or non-plastic
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 06 July 2014, 23:10:02 »
thanks for the help! I went to the links you sent me, and it does seem likely I can do it that way... but yea I still need the spacebar, etc...

it seems my best bet is to buy a complete stainless steel keyboard with stainless steel keys. These things go for over $400 though!

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: zinc or magnesium or non-plastic
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 07 July 2014, 18:45:36 »
These things go for over $400 though!

$400 is not a "high" price in the rarefied specialty market.
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