On GMK made double shot ABS cap sets: The shiny spots.

[ideus]

DS ABS made by GMK are some of the thicker caps available with just the right weight to make typing an enjoyable experience. Their crisp and bold legends look nice. Their sculpted profile has a terse curve and the area of the tops is tall and wide, all these characteristics allow a more comfortable typing experience than other cap designs.


However, these caps tend to get some shine with use, this shine is OK on alphas, and it could confer them a nice feeling to the touch, but the shine looks very ugly on those caps that are wider than one unit, specially the shift, backspace, enter caps, and specially on the space bar. On them, the irregular shiny spots looks entirely out of place, make the set to look used.


How would it be to pair PBT modifiers and space bar with ABS alphas in the same profile?

[SpAmRaY]

Why shouldn't a used set look used? Do you expect your key caps to look new forever? If so don't use them.

Also where will you find matching colors, legends etc in ABS and PBT to mix and match?

The first though that came to mind is ewww gross, but that just like my opinion.

[hwood34]

And even if you do find ABS and PBT sets that are the exact same color, it still looks a bit off. With something like a Desko set where you have DS ABS and dyesub PBT side-by-side it is noticeable

[ideus]

Why shouldn't a used set look used? Do you expect your key caps to look new forever? If so don't use them.

Also where will you find matching colors, legends etc in ABS and PBT to mix and match?

The first though that came to mind is ewww gross, but that just like my opinion.

Rephrasing it: What looks odd are the shiny spots that make the wider caps to look uneven.


Do not use them, of course, would not be an option. 

[ideus]

And even if you do find ABS and PBT sets that are the exact same color, it still looks a bit off. With something like a Desko set where you have DS ABS and dyesub PBT side-by-side it is noticeable

Do you have a picture of the Desko with both? And, thank you very much for the reference.

[MJ45]

With regular use all keycaps even PBT will develop shine.

[ideus]

With regular use all keycaps even PBT will develop shine.

Some individuals have reported they witnessed PBT being as new, after several years of use. Maybe you could share a picture, or a reference.

[hwood34]

So I see now that it's kinda hard to tell from the picture. But in real life, you can definitely discern the different materials

[ideus]

Show Image

So I see now that it's kinda hard to tell from the picture. But in real life, you can definitely discern the different materials

Well, in beige, there are differences of tones even between ABS caps of the same manufacturer, or due to aging and yellowing. Maybe with an easy color like black, the difference in colors of materials may be less evident.

[hwood34]

Show Image

So I see now that it's kinda hard to tell from the picture. But in real life, you can definitely discern the different materials

Well, in beige, there are differences of tones even between ABS caps of the same manufacturer, or due to aging and yellowing. Maybe with an easy color like black, the difference in colors of materials may be less evident.

Well, tonal differences might be less evident, but I feel like with black the different materials would be more obvious

[ideus]

Show Image

So I see now that it's kinda hard to tell from the picture. But in real life, you can definitely discern the different materials

Well, in beige, there are differences of tones even between ABS caps of the same manufacturer, or due to aging and yellowing. Maybe with an easy color like black, the difference in colors of materials may be less evident.

Well, tonal differences might be less evident, but I feel like with black the different materials would be more obvious

I am staring at a black PBT space bar under black GMK Alphas now. The surfaces look different, but it relates more with their textures, than with the color of the plastics. that diffuses and reflects the light in different ways on both materials

[hwood34]

Show Image

So I see now that it's kinda hard to tell from the picture. But in real life, you can definitely discern the different materials

Well, in beige, there are differences of tones even between ABS caps of the same manufacturer, or due to aging and yellowing. Maybe with an easy color like black, the difference in colors of materials may be less evident.

Well, tonal differences might be less evident, but I feel like with black the different materials would be more obvious

I am staring at a black PBT space bar under black GMK Alphas now. The surfaces look different, but it relates more with their textures, than with the color of the plastics. that diffuses and reflects the light in different ways on both materials

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, that black would show the textures more obvious.

[ideus]

Show Image

So I see now that it's kinda hard to tell from the picture. But in real life, you can definitely discern the different materials

Well, in beige, there are differences of tones even between ABS caps of the same manufacturer, or due to aging and yellowing. Maybe with an easy color like black, the difference in colors of materials may be less evident.

Well, tonal differences might be less evident, but I feel like with black the different materials would be more obvious

I am staring at a black PBT space bar under black GMK Alphas now. The surfaces look different, but it relates more with their textures, than with the color of the plastics. that diffuses and reflects the light in different ways on both materials

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, that black would show the textures more obvious.

ABS looks crisper, and PBT looks washed out.

[billnye]

Show Image

So I see now that it's kinda hard to tell from the picture. But in real life, you can definitely discern the different materials

nice spacebar you got there :thumb:

[ideus]

Show Image

So I see now that it's kinda hard to tell from the picture. But in real life, you can definitely discern the different materials

nice spacebar you got there :thumb:

it is just an special "finishing" :))

[Lu_e]

With regular use all keycaps even PBT will develop shine.

Some individuals have reported they witnessed PBT being as new, after several years of use. Maybe you could share a picture, or a reference.

The current PBT set i'm using has been in-use since February 2013. It has the slightest shine on the most used keys, just about un-noticeable (WASD etc.). The spacebar I really can't see a noticeable shine spot... even the left shift I can't! Left control...? MAYBE.... it's that hard to tell.

ABS would be like glass at this point.

[ideus]

With regular use all keycaps even PBT will develop shine.

Some individuals have reported they witnessed PBT being as new, after several years of use. Maybe you could share a picture, or a reference.

The current PBT set i'm using has been in-use since February 2013. It has the slightest shine on the most used keys, just about un-noticeable (WASD etc.). The spacebar I really can't see a noticeable shine spot... even the left shift I can't! Left control...? MAYBE.... it's that hard to tell.

ABS would be like glass at this point.

The Granite set installed on my Poker X daily driver shows no sign of wear so far.

[Lu_e]

With regular use all keycaps even PBT will develop shine.

Some individuals have reported they witnessed PBT being as new, after several years of use. Maybe you could share a picture, or a reference.

The current PBT set i'm using has been in-use since February 2013. It has the slightest shine on the most used keys, just about un-noticeable (WASD etc.). The spacebar I really can't see a noticeable shine spot... even the left shift I can't! Left control...? MAYBE.... it's that hard to tell.

ABS would be like glass at this point.

The Granite set installed on my Poker X daily driver shows no sign of wear so far.

What are you trying to say? You're talking about a cap set im not familiar with... Its pbt? Or abs? Im not sure the point you're trying to make.

Also if you're defending abs, you gave no time frame for how long you've been using the caps.

[ideus]

With regular use all keycaps even PBT will develop shine.

Some individuals have reported they witnessed PBT being as new, after several years of use. Maybe you could share a picture, or a reference.

The current PBT set i'm using has been in-use since February 2013. It has the slightest shine on the most used keys, just about un-noticeable (WASD etc.). The spacebar I really can't see a noticeable shine spot... even the left shift I can't! Left control...? MAYBE.... it's that hard to tell.

ABS would be like glass at this point.

The Granite set installed on my Poker X daily driver shows no sign of wear so far.

What are you trying to say? You're talking about a cap set im not familiar with... Its pbt? Or abs? Im not sure the point you're trying to make.

Also if you're defending abs, you gave no time frame for how long you've been using the caps.

Granite is PBT DSA set with dye sublimated legends. I suppose most GH members know it, my bad, sorry. And the time is now 6 months in 5 hours per day roughly. I like ABS more, they feel gripper which facilitates my typing. PBT feels dry, besides the DSA has smaller tops that makes typing a little bit difficult.

[Lu_e]

Oh ok gotcha

I too like the feel of abs if it would just stay textured.... But it wont, I love the feel when they're new. So I made the switch to pbt and dont think ill ever go back. I see no reason NOT to use pbt.

[BrewCaps]

+1

[Puddsy]

the shine just adds character, i like it

[ideus]

the shine just adds character, i like it

+1

[tbc]

so....

do people actually pay extra for shiney caps?

[Puddsy]

so....

do people actually pay extra for shiney caps?

some people do

i had a guy decline a set because it wasn't shiny enough

it's all preference

[ideus]

so....

do people actually pay extra for shiney caps?

The shine is only a side effect of otherwise very nice cap design, a necessary evil, to have a very comfortable key cap set.