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Author Topic: Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel  (Read 5852 times)

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Offline c0rbin

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« on: Mon, 24 October 2011, 23:59:04 »
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am here to inform you that keycaps can totally transform the feel of your keyboard.

I'm typing on KBC PBT caps on my Filco with brown switches right now and for the first time experiencing the awesomeness of not bottoming out.

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed when I first got my Filco because the ABS keycaps made it feel cheap. If you think you are satisfied with the stock ABS caps that came with your keyboard, try PBT, Doubleshots, or POM and you won't be disappointed. I really didn't think it was going to be this big of a difference changing just keycaps. The board is totally transformed. Just a quick informational thread for anyone who is on the fence about buying new keycaps.

They really aren't even that expensive if you play your cards right in the classified section. I ended up paying a total of about $7 to trade stockies for PBT's. Right now I'm rocking engraved black everything with an orange Geekhack Doubleshot Escape key... have plans for other color combinations later.
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Filco Majestouch-2 Tenkeyless Cherry MX Brown w/ PBT caps and O-ring mod

Offline tsangan

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 00:04:14 »
PBT feels sooooooooooo good ;D
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Offline TheProfosist

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 00:32:31 »
got a Rosewill Red and Blue both geting PBT keys, o-rings, and lubed just about everything. Wouldnt do without any of it! I plan to change the feet and possibly add weight if their room inside the case.
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Offline TheProfosist

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 00:33:37 »
Edit: double post?
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Offline c0rbin

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 00:36:52 »
I'm wondering if it would be worth it to lube my stabilizers on my board. Right it doesn't seem to really be making any abnormal noises but if its more pleasurable with lube, why not? Well, actually, because it attracts dirt... I'm not sure what to do.
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Filco Majestouch-2 Tenkeyless Cherry MX Brown w/ PBT caps and O-ring mod

Offline TheProfosist

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 00:39:43 »
Quote from: c0rbin;438668
I'm wondering if it would be worth it to lube my stabilizers on my board. Right it doesn't seem to really be making any abnormal noises but if its more pleasurable with lube, why not? Well, actually, because it attracts dirt... I'm not sure what to do.
WASD recommended White Lithium grease and man you get a lot for $3. I picked it up in the automotive department. Im waiting for my keys (got side printed white and black from qtan), stabilizers (WASD), o-rings (WASD), and weights (bulk amazon) to show up so that I hopefully only have to pull them apart once each.
« Last Edit: Tue, 25 October 2011, 00:42:04 by TheProfosist »
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Offline noodles256

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 00:40:25 »
abs ftw
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Offline slueth

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 01:13:29 »
ABS FTL! i like me some pbt plox!
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Offline dorkvader

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 09:23:49 »
One of the reasons I use my unicomp every day: PBT keycaps feel excellent.
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Offline Slowhand

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 10:46:33 »
This thread got me extremely excited for my white PBT keys from qtan. I only have to wait two weeks ;_;.
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Offline Trueepower

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 22:04:57 »
I wouldn't say ABS suck, but in comparison to PBT they feel cheap and from a normal store purchased keyboard. They can feel slippery to people compared to PBT. I did appreciate the difference later with the light feel of the ABS caps from stock Filco's. Just overall still prefer the PBT key feel for typing, and gaming. At least the PBT ones I've tried have felt slightly sandy. I guess it's just preference, but most people will find the PBT's probably more desirable. I think the last poll I saw on Geekhack leaned that direction (towards PBT over ABS).
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Offline jaynoon

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 25 October 2011, 22:13:13 »
Gotta throw my hat in w/ the PBT folks. I like the thunk of my Cherry ABS Doubleshots, but it didn't take long at all for them to be worn down to the shiniest, slipperiest things.

PBT makes my Filco feel as close as it's going to get to the feel of my HHKB.

Speaking of the HHKB, I bought it used, have used it constantly, and the only shiny part is the spacebar--which from the key reference wiki appears to be ABS while the rest is PBT.
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Offline Kira

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #12 on: Sat, 19 November 2011, 23:22:40 »
Where did you trade your stock keycaps? I'd love to get this done too!
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Offline TheProfosist

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #13 on: Sun, 20 November 2011, 07:01:45 »
I dont know what you mean my trade but there are a few sellers that sell pbt caps.
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Offline heliar

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #14 on: Sun, 20 November 2011, 07:36:58 »
what about POM? especially the laser POM from Cherry.
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Offline Findecanor

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #15 on: Sun, 20 November 2011, 10:48:02 »
The thick PBT keys is what makes people pay $100 more for a Realforce than a Filco and be happy about it, despite it being a rubber dome.

(this was typed on a Realforce, and I loved it)
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Offline TheProfosist

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #16 on: Sun, 20 November 2011, 10:51:26 »
Quote from: Findecanor;456086
The thick PBT keys is what makes people pay $100 more for a Realforce than a Filco and be happy about it, despite it being a rubber dome.

(this was typed on a Realforce, and I loved it)
You can get PBT keys for Cherry MX even some really close to Topre keycaps. I think people buy Topre keyboards for the switches not the caps. Also Topre keyboards are not rubber domes. Just because there is a rubber dome involved doesnt mean thats what defines the switch.
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Offline TheProfosist

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #17 on: Sun, 20 November 2011, 10:52:08 »
Quote from: ripster;456087
The thick ABS Topre spacebar is what makes me think it costs too much.
If KBC can make PBT spacebars, why cant Topre?
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Offline dorkvader

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #18 on: Sun, 20 November 2011, 11:37:05 »
Quote from: TheProfosist;456089
If KBC can make PBT spacebars, why cant Topre?
That's the question: KBC, IBM (unicomp), etc have PBT spacebars. There are some defects on some, but KBC seems to have got it right (It the pictures can be trusted) Maybe they sholud OEM for Topre?

Also, Ripster likes to complain constantly about minutiae.
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Offline heliar

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #19 on: Sun, 20 November 2011, 22:17:17 »
most non-topre keypads have awful color palette, apart from the group buys from signature plastics etc.
and i think the cherry POM with laser printing is still a bit thicker than the topre ones.

i have a filco ninja, the keypads are pure rubbish, whichever sides the letters are printed. filco should really hire someone from apple to head their design team.

why can't everybody make some decent keypads, is it really that expensive or unprofitable? look at those iphone/ipad jackets out there, I am sure there is a market there.
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Offline pitashen

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #20 on: Mon, 21 November 2011, 16:04:48 »
thick ABS like the cherry double shot can be just as good or better than PBT acoustically except it will shine sooner
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\\\\ DSI Mac Modular Keyboard (Brown) w/ Leo  Blank Keycaps //
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Offline TheProfosist

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #21 on: Mon, 21 November 2011, 16:06:45 »
I all about the fell of PBT on my finger tips.
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Offline dorkvader

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #22 on: Mon, 21 November 2011, 21:45:56 »
Quote from: TheProfosist;456939
I all about the fell of PBT on my finger tips.
Yeah, I prefer the PBT of the portal keys and my Unicomp to the thick doubleshot WYSE on my other 'board.
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Offline rodtang

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Keycaps Make a Huge Difference in Feel
« Reply #23 on: Tue, 22 November 2011, 17:36:35 »
Even changing the keycaps on my rubber dome to quality IBM caps makes all the difference in the world.
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