[IC] Touchstone

[upas]

Index:

• Concept & Inspiration
• Colorways
• Specifications
• Sale Plans

Concept & Inspiration:

From James: Touchstone was created from a simple idea: to strip away excess and let form, material, and proportion speak for themselves. I wanted to channel my interest in architecture and art into something tangible, translating those influences into the language of keyboards. In those fields every line and surface is intentional, shaped to feel comfortable and familiar without distraction, and I wanted to carry this approach through to the medium of keyboards. In spite of the bold shapes, the design language is rooted in restraint, aiming for honesty rather than novelty.

The physical design of the keyboard draws material inspiration from modernist and minimalist sculpture, particularly the structured clarity of Carl Andre and the spatial sensitivity of David Rabinowitch. Their focus on geometry, mass, and surface guided the relationship between metal, texture, and light within the piece. The “Mono” edition came first, built around a stark, clinical palette that defined the tone of the project from the outset. But as the design neared completion, the “Primary” colourway naturally emerged as the clean, geometric layout of the board’s underside aligned perfectly with the principles of the De Stijl movement. Piet Mondrian’s “Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow” felt like an inevitable reference at that point; you’d never guess it wasn’t the original inspiration.

With Touchstone we’ve taken those same ideas of structure and material honesty and translated them into a functional object, treating the keyboard not as a gadget but as a piece of design worth contemplating in its own right.





Colorways:

More

More

Specifications:

Typing Angle: 7°
Effective Front Height: 20mm
Layout: Full-size, 108 keys+
Mounting Style: Top-mounted, with separate PCBs and plates for the TKL & numpad sections.
Medium:  Brass and aluminum on aluminum (Primary), Steel and aluminum on aluminum (Mono)
Weight: 5.8lbs/2633g (Unbuilt), 7lbs/3117g (Built)




Sale Plans:

• We plan to sell the Touchstone in early 2026.
• The two colorways on show will be the only two available.
• Cost is estimated to be under $600. More info on that when we have it.

[upas]

Reserved

[HubertThemad]

I love you

Also GLWIC I will buy

Edit: That was meant for James. I mean Upas you still get love but I was fooled thinking James posted this lol

[goodnaruk]

I'm definitely feeling it! I would probably acutually purchase a mono, but the primary is the show stopper.

[upas]

I love you

Also GLWIC I will buy

Edit: That was meant for James. I mean Upas you still get love but I was fooled thinking James posted this lol

Well, tbf, James did write the IC seeing as he's the one who designed the board haha.
FWIW - I think it turned out amazing, and am actually really excited for this IC.

[basilkeys]

This is phenomenal! I've never been so convinced that I need a full-size in my life. The execution here is  gorgeous!!!

[MartinThePolarBear]

Oh wow we're in a Full Size Renaissance! Can't remember if Canonkeys has vendored a Full Size board before