Worn keycaps -- what causes grooves?

[Wilkie]

What caused the grooves in these keycaps?  Typing too hard, acidic fingers, poor quality keycaps, ... ?  What types of keycaps would be most resistant?

This is a laptop keyboard, Dell Latitude E5510.

Thanks.

[SpAmRaY]

Not sure what caused it but you can't really replace a laptops key caps with anything other than what comes with it...

[Wilkie]

I wasn't clear...what types of keycaps for a standalone keyboard would be most resistant?

[TheSoulhunter]

The reason for the uneven wear could be the result of uneven "toughness" distribution in the material itself (some areas might be denser or harder),
or it could result from uneven abrasion by you fingers (uneven force to surface distribution, parts of the fingertip skin might be harder than others, fingernals?)

I wasn't clear...what types of keycaps for a standalone keyboard would be most resistant?

Out of the ones currently available, probably titanium keycaps...
Out of the less expensive plastic ones, probably POM, PBT or even PC (my bet is on POM).

[eth0s]

(Attachment Link)

What caused the grooves in these keycaps?  Typing too hard, acidic fingers, poor quality keycaps, ... ?  What types of keycaps would be most resistant?

This is a laptop keyboard, Dell Latitude E5510.

Thanks.

That looks like acetone was dripped on those keycaps.  That's nail polish remover.  Don't do your nails at the keyboard.

Also it could be from fertilizer with nitric acid, or benzene from gasoline, or hydrogen peroxide if you've been color-treating your hair.

There are a lot of household chemicals that could melt your keycaps.  It is impossible to say which one caused your problem, without coming to your house and investigating.  But it was some chemical contaminate that was either on your hands, or that was spashed onto the keyboard.

As for replacement keycaps, you probably want to look for PBT keycaps, which are generally more chemically resistant than ABS, but there are things that melt PBT too.  So maybe just be more careful?

[Wilkie]

(Attachment Link)

What caused the grooves in these keycaps?  Typing too hard, acidic fingers, poor quality keycaps, ... ?  What types of keycaps would be most resistant?

This is a laptop keyboard, Dell Latitude E5510.

Thanks.

That looks like acetone was dripped on those keycaps.  That's nail polish remover.  Don't do your nails at the keyboard.

Also it could be from fertilizer with nitric acid, or benzene from gasoline, or hydrogen peroxide if you've been color-treating your hair.

There are a lot of household chemicals that could melt your keycaps.  It is impossible to say which one caused your problem, without coming to your house and investigating.  But it was some chemical contaminate that was either on your hands, or that was spashed onto the keyboard.

As for replacement keycaps, you probably want to look for PBT keycaps, which are generally more chemically resistant than ABS, but there are things that melt PBT too.  So maybe just be more careful?

None of the above chemicals came in contact with the keyboard or my hands, as far as I know.  I don't recall precisely when, but I think this happened gradually.

[eth0s]

(Attachment Link)

What caused the grooves in these keycaps?  Typing too hard, acidic fingers, poor quality keycaps, ... ?  What types of keycaps would be most resistant?

This is a laptop keyboard, Dell Latitude E5510.

Thanks.

That looks like acetone was dripped on those keycaps.  That's nail polish remover.  Don't do your nails at the keyboard.

Also it could be from fertilizer with nitric acid, or benzene from gasoline, or hydrogen peroxide if you've been color-treating your hair.

There are a lot of household chemicals that could melt your keycaps.  It is impossible to say which one caused your problem, without coming to your house and investigating.  But it was some chemical contaminate that was either on your hands, or that was spashed onto the keyboard.

As for replacement keycaps, you probably want to look for PBT keycaps, which are generally more chemically resistant than ABS, but there are things that melt PBT too.  So maybe just be more careful?

None of the above chemicals came in contact with the keyboard or my hands, as far as I know.  I don't recall precisely when, but I think this happened gradually.

IF that is true, then your keyboard came into contact with those chemicals in the Chinese factory where it was made.  The only other explanation is that those keycaps were defective when made, at a different Chinese factory.  Somebody used substandard plastic in production.  But who would think the Chinese would make shoddy goods?  That's some crazy talk right there.

[Lu_e]

Looks like fingernails