Buy Keys for Cherry Keyboard?

[milkcow500]

I got this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170449713094&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Is there a place that sells keys for this certain keyboard? I'm looking into dyeing the keys, but I want to have some extras just in case I mess up.

[ch_123]

Nice find, those SMK switches are meant to be quite nice, possibly moreso than real Blue Cherries.

I'm not too sure if the keycaps are completely compatible with Cherry ones. A few people around have keyboards like that so I'm sure they can chime in.

[milkcow500]

I'm looking at pictures of cherry keycaps right now and they look very similar.

[ch_123]

That's true, but if there's even a slight difference, it could cause the keys not to fit properly.

Assuming that they are completely compatible though, your options are -

A) Buying a set of Filco keycaps from EliteKeyboards.com
B) Buying a cheap Cherry G80/G81 or another fake Cherry keyboard from eBay, and cannibalizing it for keycaps.

Cherry doesn't sell keycaps by themselves unfortunately. You also have the problem that you have a backwards-L return which aren't particularly common on Cherry keyboards. I'd recommend perfecting your technique on individual letter keys before moving to things like return or the space bar.

[microsoft windows]

Nice find, those SMK switches are meant to be quite nice, possibly moreso than real Blue Cherries.

I'm not too sure if the keycaps are completely compatible with Cherry ones. A few people around have keyboards like that so I'm sure they can chime in.

Are these the SMK switches?

This keyboard feels pretty good. It has a light touch and all the keys require the same amount of pressure and never stick.

[Mental Hobbit]

Are these the SMK switches?

Are you sure that's not a rubber dome plunger?

[keyb_gr]

You people need to put on your glasses or something. While the side view of the switch is less common, I don't see why these shouldn't be SMKs, PCB mounted in this case.

[kishy]

It seems the BTC capacitive crap keyboards use Cherry compatible keycaps.

I have one of those keyboards waiting for death. Anyone is welcome to take the keys off me...



Not doubleshot, quite yellow, nasty, weird layout. Make an offer? Keyboard's going in the trash at some unknown point, not sure if I'll keep the keys or not.

[kishy]

Wow, I am just mixing up a RetrObrite batch.  That one looks like it needs it.

Most definitely.

Don't suppose you're interested in another batch of badly yellowed keycaps?

[microsoft windows]

You know, when your computers are old like mine, it doesn't matter how yellow the keyboards are. They'll be ugly and dirty no matter what.

[milkcow500]

Ok so I dyed my keys and the space bar slightly melted along with a few other single spaced key caps. The space bar works fine, but a couple of keys like my up arrow and my ESC key are slightly bent inward.

The problem with this is that it catches on the outer part of the switch and get's stuck if you press down a little harder than you would normally. Is there anyway I can fix this and unbend these? Maybe a heatgun + flat pliers or something?

[milkcow500]

I'll try the acetone test, but I actually found out a way to fix my keys. By using pliers, I can bend the side of the key cap back to normal, so I think I'm good now.

[Hak Foo]

Good. That works.  

Next time I'm boiling noodles I'll toss some of these Focus 2001 keys in to see what they do.

One thing I've wanted to try-- the dye pens for fabric.

Could it be a good choice to tint, say, the filler on a double-shot white-with-black letter key, or the stuffing on a black Cherry lasered key?

[Mental Hobbit]

It doesn't have to be thick if you need only a bowl of the stuff to bathe some keycaps. For bigger parts you make a paste with the xanthan gum - unless you want to fill your bathtub with hydrogen peroxide. I think the glycerine is supposed to keep the paste wet.

What are you doing in a thread about Cherry keycaps anyway? ;P