Author Topic: 【IC】Neson Design×Zephyr Lab 60% Entire SS bottom case HHKB Keyabord (Read 6928 times)

Simen · « **on:** Sat, 19 April 2025, 01:30:19 »

What’s up GeekHackers, this is Simen from： NESON DESIGN. It has been a while since we last posted here.
Please follow our Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/neson.design/ or join our Discord：https://discord.gg/g6YQHD9e4b for the latest updates!
This keyboard we're announcing today is a collaboration between us and Zephyr Lab: a 60% HHKB-style keyboard featuring a full stainless steel bottom case.Due to the difficulty in production, we have produced a very limited number of stocks. If you are interested, you can enter our DC channel to pay attention to the sale time.

Keyboard Introduction
·This keyboard design concept for Z1 originates from my friend, Zjay. Both of us shared the same passion for keyboards with ambient lighting design, and also were fascinated by the concept of interstellar spacecraft. From the very beginning, the goal of this design was to express a philosophy of “standing firmly on the ground while gazing at the stars.” At its core, a custom keyboard is an industrial design art piece—one that reflects the designer's vision while balancing functionality and aesthetic expression. We wanted the front of the Z1 to be designed as simple and clean as possible: no logos or patterns, allowing it to seamlessly blend in with any desktop setup or accessories. But if you look closely at the curved chamfers, you’ll see our dedication to industrial design details.In hand, we wanted the keyboard to feel distinct and refined.
Below are some renders of the keyboard.
Rendering

·Once again, the goal for the front of this keyboard was to be as simple and clean as possible. There are no logos or patterns—when placed on a desk, it seamlessly blends in with any desktop setup or accessories. At the same time, the rounded chamfers around the edges reflect our meticulous attention to detail. Holding it gives a sense of subtle sophistication. As for the back design, we went through many rounds of discussion. Good design isn’t just about how it looks on paper—it also has to be feasible within current manufacturing capabilities, or at least within a realistic level of difficulty. Of course, functionality is still the priority.

The most challenging and time-consuming part of the entire design was the solid stainless steel bottom case. Since we were aiming for a “spaceship” and “hovering” feel, we didn’t want the sides of the keyboard to be completely flat. Instead, we added 3D-angled slopes on both sides of the stainless steel base. This serves two purposes: first, to allow the ambient lighting to diffuse more softly through reflection, and second, to create a visual effect that suggests a gentle levitation. Each bottom case is CNC machined from a solid 28×110×292mm block of stainless steel, requiring over 9 hours of machining time per piece. To achieve soft, evenly distributed lighting on both sides of the keyboard, we split the side lighting system into 4 aluminum parts, 4 acrylic + PC diffusion panels, and 2 independent RGB LED PCBs.

Keyboard Structure
The keyboard uses a more traditional top-mounted gasket structure approach, secured by 6 internal locking screws. The soft and responsive typing feel that was provided by Poron gasket strips still remains a classic choice for many of us. Personally, I really prefer this pure gasket mounting method over the more popular silicone jacket sleeves used today which provide the bounce feedback from typing, and to provide alignment on the keyboard. Combined with the heavy stainless steel bottom case, this mounting method delivers a satisfying typing experience and acoustic feedback.

Zephyr Lab / Z1 Specifications
●Layout: 60% HHKB
●Mounting Style: Gasket mount
●Typing Angle: 8° (Front height: 18.6mm, including feet: 19.4mm)
Weight: 2.3kg (weight only includes the kit itself, excluding switch, keycaps, etc.)
●Sales Quantity: Limited in-stock units (Exact quantity will be announced before GB)
●Price: Sandblasted Stainless Steel Bottom Case $370 USD
Brushed Stainless Steel Bottom Case $380 USD
●Vendors: TBD
●PCB: 1.6mm black core, hot-swappable PCB, with separated RGB USB-C daughterboard, supports QMK, VIA, VIAL (Designed and manufactured by Astro)