BlackwidowTE w/ PBT keycaps!

[ianxblog]

Hello.

I finally could acquire my first truly mechanical keyboard. I would like it being a QFR but as I explained here due to availability in my country and inflated prices (due to high dollar cost and also because stores don't import/sell this items very often so they put higher prices).
So it is a Blackwidow Tournament Edition. I want to clarify that I don't like Razer brand because of their overrated products and the high prices, but in my case it was the only good choice.

I got it used from a guy who was selling all his gamer stuff (mouse, mousepad, headphones and the keyboard) and the price was pretty good. I was surprised of the extremely good condition of the keyboard. The guy also include all the packaging, manual, CD and even the stickers untouched. It only needed some alcohol rubbing on some keys and it was good as new.

I chosen it for having blue switches and being tenkeyless, and the price too, obviously.
I liked the keyboard. The board and plate mount is pretty well built, it doesn't flex (Well, at least you really want to flex it).

My only concern with this keyboard was the keycaps. When I taken one off, I could see the low quality keycap mount (It's thinner than regular cherry mx mount [weaker]).
So what I did? I have a Chicony KB-5161 with hammered domes and using cherry mx mount. The quality of the keycaps on the Chicony was outstanding. And I also have a BTC-53 foam and foil  that used cherry mx mount too (I used only three keys from the BTC).

So I started replacing keycaps.
It isn't perfect because the spacebar obviously is interchangeable (Old keyboard's long spacebar + blackwidow 6" spacebar!) and I also couldn't replace enter and backspace because the Chicony used big-ass enter key and 1x backspace and the BTC-53 backspace doesn't use costar stabilizers.

The other problem that I had was with the Caps Lock and Scroll Lock keys. The led is right behind them and it wouldn't light through the dark grey keys (it does on the beige ones).
I don't have a dremel so I drilled a hole in scroll lock using a screw. First, it turned out bad as it cracked the key (ABS) and I also drilled in the wrong part (The led is above and I drilled below)
The key didn't break so I drilled another hole correctly and this time it got perfect without cracking and the led shines through it fine.
I also drilled Caps Lock.

So, the keyboard feels already better and doesn't have any major consistency problems because I can't feel the difference in the spacebar, enter or backspace because I hit those keys hard enough to almost feel like linear.

So, here's the pics:
http://s345.photobucket.com/user/ancoak/slideshow/

[ianxblog]

I always suspect that the Chicony keycaps could be PBT due to they still being perfectly beige (no yellowing) and no glossy marks at all. Also, they are solid as **** when you try to bend them
Turns out they are PBT and here's the proof:

[Oobly]

They could also be POM. It is even denser than PBT so will also pass the water test. Also, a drill bit works better for making holes than a screw. A little trick is to wrap some tape around it to give a larger diameter to grip and then just turn it by hand to drill through "thin" objects like keycap tops, etc.

In any case, congratulations! You have decent mechanical board with quality caps now 

[cmadrid]

That tiny spacebar!  <3

Those chicony keycaps look nice

[ianxblog]

They could also be POM. It is even denser than PBT so will also pass the water test. Also, a drill bit works better for making holes than a screw. A little trick is to wrap some tape around it to give a larger diameter to grip and then just turn it by hand to drill through "thin" objects like keycap tops, etc.

In any case, congratulations! You have decent mechanical board with quality caps now 

Yeah thanks for the advice, Im just not that handy-dandy at all..
Anyways the holes are fully functional and the scroll lock key altough it looks ugly does not have any functional/stability problem. I never use it, anyways.

I think the keycaps are just PBT because they don't sink as fast as I've seen in a video (where pom keycaps where dropped in water)

[mougrim]

Pretty nice. But you screw up some caps badly

And you right. I have Black Widow Expert... 2012, I think. And keycaps there thin and crappy. Switches are a-ok, but, hey, it's Cherry

[ianxblog]

Pretty nice. But you screw up some caps badly

And you right. I have Black Widow Expert... 2012, I think. And keycaps there thin and crappy. Switches are a-ok, but, hey, it's Cherry

The caps lock isn't screwed at all, IMO. Just the hole .
Scroll lock case is another case.

[ynrozturk]

I did something similar with my BW TE. Replaced the keycaps with blank ones.