Key-Cap Contour Can Make a Signicant Difference in Keyboard Feel

[aref]

I really like my keyboard. However, this evening I thought I'd change out the key caps with a more contoured, more concave, set from a used-to-own Leopold TKL. The Leopold key caps are simple ABS; however, the difference, improvement, in my keyboard's feel is marked. I did this on my lone Cherry KB: Corsair K65/MX Red. And I just gave away a set of new Filco key cap--figures. The stock key caps on the K65 are somewhat concave, but not as concave as those off the old Leopold TKL. My keyboard went from one I really liked to one that is incredible because of contoured key caps. I should mention that Leopold's TKL key caps have a bit of gritty surface that, for me, enhances the feel of each cap. I'm sure the surface texture will smooth out with use.

With MX Red switches, accidental key strikes is a common complaint. I find that I'm making far fewer accidental key strikes with these contour caps. I'm accustomed to MX Reds, and the feel is so much improved with contoured key caps. If I'm repeating myself, mea culpa, but this is making such a difference in a key switch that I liked before making the key-cap change. For me, this is a discovery. I thought that I preferred the feel of flatter key caps, like on a standard CMQFR. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the improvement in accuracy and speed with the contoured key caps. They feel as if they center and align one's fingertips, which stands to reason, far better than flatter key caps (why isn't key cap a compound word; same for key switch?). There may be many on GH who have made this discovery; for me, this is a first.

Question for GH: I'm sure GH knows the answer to this question: Are WASD's key caps concave like, say, Filco's or those on Leopold's TKLs? Thanks, GH.

[Oobly]

I can't really comment on WASD's caps, but if you want a good set of contoured caps, try something with Cherry profile. It also sounds like you'd like the feel of PBT caps.

Can't go wrong with some good, thick PBT Cherry profile caps.

[tricheboars]

Sphericals on everything!

[aref]

Sphericals on everything!

tricheboars:
I learned something from your post. I had to research spherical key caps. Now I understand that what I've been referring to as contoured or concave, is actually, as you know, spherical--thanks
for the information. I agree! Spherical key caps on everything; and this is what I'm doing. I have to ask, would you recommend a particular manufacturer for spherical key caps? I have a set of
WASD caps on order; but I'm open to trying other companies caps, so long as they are spherical.

[Pacifist]

Sphericals on everything!

tricheboars:
I learned something from your post. I had to research spherical key caps. Now I understand that what I've been referring to as contoured or concave, is actually, as you know, spherical--thanks
for the information. I agree! Spherical key caps on everything; and this is what I'm doing. I have to ask, would you recommend a particular manufacturer for spherical key caps? I have a set of
WASD caps on order; but I'm open to trying other companies caps, so long as they are spherical.

dsa or sa, from sp

[jdcarpe]

Sphericals are fine, as long as you mean Signature Plastics' SA-profile, or similar.

SP's DSA-profile are spherical, but about the worst feeling keycaps due to their lack of "contour," i.e. all rows have the same profile.

Keycaps such as WASD's OEM profile, SP's DCS-profile, and GMK's Cherry profile are what we call "cylindrical." They normally have a contoured profile which varies according to which row they are on.


I grabbed this from Signature Plastics' web site:


http://keycapsdirect.com/key-caps.php

[aref]

Sphericals are fine, as long as you mean Signature Plastics' SA-profile, or similar.

SP's DSA-profile are spherical, but about the worst feeling keycaps due to their lack of "contour," i.e. all rows have the same profile.

Keycaps such as WASD's OEM profile, SP's DCS-profile, and GMK's Cherry profile are what we call "cylindrical." They normally have a contoured profile which varies according to which row they are on.

So not all spherical profiles are identical. It's unfortunate their isn't a standard in key-cap profiles. I have the WASD caps on order. If they're cylindrical, they may be listed in Classifieds shortly after I receive them. I should have kept the stock key caps I had from modified Filco.

[jdcarpe]

Sphericals are fine, as long as you mean Signature Plastics' SA-profile, or similar.

SP's DSA-profile are spherical, but about the worst feeling keycaps due to their lack of "contour," i.e. all rows have the same profile.

Keycaps such as WASD's OEM profile, SP's DCS-profile, and GMK's Cherry profile are what we call "cylindrical." They normally have a contoured profile which varies according to which row they are on.

So not all spherical profiles are identical. It's unfortunate their isn't a standard in key-cap profiles. I have the WASD caps on order. If they're cylindrical, they may be listed in Classifieds shortly after I receive them. I should have kept the stock key caps I had from modified Filco.

WASD are indeed cylindrical, just like the Filco OEM keycaps. Sphericals are unusual to find nowadays, unless created by the community (see: Calm Depths, Penumbra, 23 Commando). Most spherical keycaps were on vintage keyboards.

[aref]

I have to eat crow for lunch
(for those who don't know, 'eating crow' is an idiom that means admitting one was wrong--and I was wrong, incorrect, mistaken...)

I did a closer examination of my old set of Leopold TKL key caps--the Leopold board is long gone. It appears these caps are cylindrical, who knew? The feel as if they have a spherical depression; but it just "ain't" the case. Well, I had the concave bit right; but concave profile, depression, is equal and symmetrical on each lettered and special-character key cap; yes, it's as if a cylinder had been placed atop each key in order to make a depression or a concave profile. Okay, I gather the WASD caps I have on order may work for me.

Well, I learned from pursing information from the contributors on GH, yet again. Thanks GH. By the way, what's the best way for me to prepare crow? My bad, guys. Mea culpa.

[aref]

Sphericals are fine, as long as you mean Signature Plastics' SA-profile, or similar.

SP's DSA-profile are spherical, but about the worst feeling keycaps due to their lack of "contour," i.e. all rows have the same profile.

Keycaps such as WASD's OEM profile, SP's DCS-profile, and GMK's Cherry profile are what we call "cylindrical." They normally have a contoured profile which varies according to which row they are on.

So not all spherical profiles are identical. It's unfortunate their isn't a standard in key-cap profiles. I have the WASD caps on order. If they're cylindrical, they may be listed in Classifieds shortly after I receive them. I should have kept the stock key caps I had from modified Filco.

WASD are indeed cylindrical, just like the Filco OEM keycaps. Sphericals are unusual to find nowadays, unless created by the community (see: Calm Depths, Penumbra, 23 Commando). Most spherical keycaps were on vintage keyboards.

Thanks for all the information, brother. You really helped me out. Now, about preparing crow for my lunch...

[jdcarpe]

I have to eat crow for lunch
(for those who don't know, 'eating crow' is an idiom that means admitting one was wrong--and I was wrong, incorrect, mistaken...)

I did a closer examination of my old set of Leopold TKL key caps--the Leopold board is long gone. It appears these caps are cylindrical, who knew? The feel as if they have a spherical depression; but it just "ain't" the case. Well, I had the concave bit right; but concave profile, depression, is equal and symmetrical on each lettered and special-character key cap; yes, it's as if a cylinder had been placed atop each key in order to make a depression or a concave profile. Okay, I gather the WASD caps I have on order may work for me.

Well, I learned from pursing information from the contributors on GH, yet again. Thanks GH. By the way, what's the best way for me to prepare crow? My bad, guys. Mea culpa.

Well, I just hope I could help you understand a bit better WHY you like the feeling of certain keycaps on certain keyboards. Contour or "sculptured" profile among the rows of keys on a keyboard makes the typing experience more enjoyable. That's why IBM curved its backplate for the Model M, and modern MX switch keyboards use keycaps with different profiles for different rows.

[aref]

I have to eat crow for lunch
(for those who don't know, 'eating crow' is an idiom that means admitting one was wrong--and I was wrong, incorrect, mistaken...)

I did a closer examination of my old set of Leopold TKL key caps--the Leopold board is long gone. It appears these caps are cylindrical, who knew? The feel as if they have a spherical depression; but it just "ain't" the case. Well, I had the concave bit right; but concave profile, depression, is equal and symmetrical on each lettered and special-character key cap; yes, it's as if a cylinder had been placed atop each key in order to make a depression or a concave profile. Okay, I gather the WASD caps I have on order may work for me.

Well, I learned from pursing information from the contributors on GH, yet again. Thanks GH. By the way, what's the best way for me to prepare crow? My bad, guys. Mea culpa.

Well, I just hope I could help you understand a bit better WHY you like the feeling of certain keycaps on certain keyboards. Contour or "sculptured" profile among the rows of keys on a keyboard makes the typing experience more enjoyable. That's why IBM curved its backplate for the Model M, and modern MX switch keyboards use keycaps with different profiles for different rows.

You did; and I thank you. I found the graphic you posted from SP interesting and helpful, too.

[aref]

New WASD Cylindrical-Profile Key Caps

I received my order for black/white WASD key caps today, promptly installed them, and after two hours of typing all kinds of prose, I like them. They were a bit pricy for ABS, but nicely labeled and the cylindrical profile suits me. WASD's packaging is exceptional: They had the caps packed according to row with each row's keys in a separate plastic bag--mindfully done. The keys feel freshly minted, almost tacky to one's sense of touch, much like paint when it's on the precipice of being completely dry; it may be the tack from the color additive used in these black key caps or it could be a protective surface coating. I'm sure the tacky feel will diminish with use. The key tops feel slightly larger than my Leopold caps and superior in feel to Leopold and Corsair's ABS caps (I'm using a Corsair K65/MX Red keyboard).

I like the key caps' feel and the slightly stippled-like surface; also, the bumps on the F and J keys are more pronounced, which I like, than the stock Leopold 200 series TKL and Corsair caps. Another plus for WASD.

The result: I like concave/countered key caps; and WASD's cylindrical profile suits this old guy's digits. Thus far it's high marks for key caps' feel and WASD's execution. I ordered the caps on May 20th and received them today, May 23rd (I'm on the east coast and WASD is on the west coast)--I had them shipped USPS Priority, which was about $7. Well done, WASD for quick turnaround and super-fast
shipping.

As an afterthought, I cleaned the key caps with some antistatic cleaner, iKlear; and the majority of the tack has been eliminated. By they way, I love the feel of these caps on my MX Red keyboard.