Keycaps getting shiny

[sequencius]

I bought a used Black Cherry ML 4100 and the keys show that shiny-ness that happens on the surface of the keys where usage is heavy...like the right side of the spacebar.

It's pretty ugly. I'm assuming there's really nothing you can do about it other than switch keycaps which I'm sure is pretty hard to find for this keyboard?

Does this happen to all keyboards after awhile? Or is this one just made with cheap plastic or something...

[Lpb45]

all keys given enough time some are better then others, checkout the wiki for more info.  Or just wait for Ripster to go into more detail.

[Mr. Perfect]

You have two options: sandblast the keys back to a rough texture, or polish them all to a shine. Everyone takes the first choice.

My old Cherry POS board has an awful lot of smooth keys, and they're actually kind of sexy feeling. It's a texture not unlike a marble counter top or fine furniture with a high gloss finish. Every once in a while I hit an unused key, which just feels like course plastic... :brick:

I'm weird though. Everyone else hates smooth keys. :pound:

[Megaweapon]

Fight shiny with shiny:  Titanium keycaps.

They were $9 per key (except for the space bar) on the KBC group buy...

[CurtisLeon]

PBT and POM keycaps wear much less than normal ABS keycaps, like the one on your board. Unfortunately, I believe double shot injection molding can't be used with PBT for some reason or another and I've never heard of a POM double shot either.

[False_Dmitry_II]

Supposedly something about people using the keys makes it wear faster or less. I've never caused a shiny key yet. Not even on cheap rubber dome boards, they seem to last me an infinite amount of time like anything else.

[Tony]

Keycaps become shiny after heavy use with oily fingers. For a change, wearing gloves and washing hands before typing could help.

Or better, touch type and never look at keyboard while typing, you will be less concerned about shiny keycaps.

[liist]

With my heavy use typing on the computer as fast as we can constantly, my hands get sweaty and the keyboard shined up really fast. It all depends on how greasy your hands are and how hard you kit the keys.

[gilgam]

Sandblasting with 80-120 sandpaper works fine. I've done a whole 105 set of yellow/shiny keycaps and it gives a nice feeling (like pbt realforce/HHkb).

[Lpb45]

PBT and POM keycaps wear much less than normal ABS keycaps, like the one on your board. Unfortunately, I believe double shot injection molding can't be used with PBT for some reason or another and I've never heard of a POM double shot either.

The titanium keys were actually 17 per key and the spacebar is 100.

[kbdfr]

(...)
I'm weird though. Everyone else hates smooth keys. :pound:

Not everyone ;-)

Rough keys keep abrading your fingertips.
They slow down your typing by preventing your fingers from gently gliding on their surface.
They are more difficult to clean than smooth keys.
They make your keyboard look like it's just a matter of showing off.

Smooth keys are the witness of your hard work, the companion of your busy hours.
They show scars you inflicted on them.
They tell the story of a long lasting symbiosis, I would even say: of a friendship.

And I would never tell a friend: "If you don't undergo cosmetic surgery, I'm not interested in your friendship any more".

Sandblasting - pah!

[Peter]

The titanium keys were actually 17 per key and the spacebar is 100.

So they've got a Gucci-logo somewhere or what ?

[Ascaii]

Stop with the advice to use mx caps or sandpaper his caps.

First off check which model g84-4100 you have. is it a g84-4100 S/L,P model?
If it is S or L get some 1000/1200 grain fine Sandpaper and gently rough the top. If it is a P model, dont use sandpaper or you will have no letters left. Youll just have to live with that.

Remember guys, this uses small ML switches, so only g84-4100 caps will fit. No titanium, no mx stems, just g84-4100.

[Chobopants]

I like my shiny keys actually, means I actually use my boards instead of collect them.

[Lpb45]

I didnt suggest Titanium keys I was just correcting the price.

[NimbleRabit]

I wouldn't mind shiny keys as much if they were all equally shiny; it has more to do with my desire for uniformity than anything else.  Those keys really stick out, not just in how they look but in how they feel, and that's super annoying to me.