Gateron Blank PBT Key Caps, Cherry Profile (whoa 5MB of pictures)

[infiniti]

I had the opportunity to play around with some Gateron blank PBT key caps in Cherry Profile!

Each set is a single color and includes the following:



The stem placements for the space bars are as follows:


Scan of the space bars alongside a ruler: Reply #23

A comparison with other space bars:



From left to right: Dark Gray, Light Gray, Beige, and White.  Included also in the photo are pebble (F8) and pearl (F9) key caps from a Model M for color comparison.




Comparison of profiles:



Thickness comparison:


Texture comparison in Reply #16

Now for some pictures!










Edit 1: Added link to texture comparison.
Edit 2: Added link to scans of the space bars alongside a ruler.
Edit 3: Reuploaded pictures to imgur.

[CPTBadAss]

Are these engineering samples or is the public going to be able to buy these soon? They look pretty nice . Maybe a good option in place of BSP?

[infiniti]

Are these engineering samples or is the public going to be able to buy these soon? They look pretty nice . Maybe a good option in place of BSP?

These are finished products.  I know Shadovved will run a GB soon^tm.

I've never tried BSP so I don't have a basis for comparison.

[Lastpilot]

These look beautiful! Damn I will have so many keysets in the mail lol...

[nubbinator]

Those look really nice.  Any ideas about cost?  And is it a smoother or more textured PBT?

[strict]

Surprised by how nice those look. Ill be keeping my eyes open for a GB

How textured is the surface? Very rough like keycool or smoother like BSP?

[CommonCurt]

Surprised by how nice those look. Ill be keeping my eyes open for a GB

How textured is the surface? Very rough like keycool or smoother like BSP?

+1   I'll be on the lookout for a GB.

[Joey Quinn]

I need that white set. Any idea what the price will be?

[infiniti]

I need that white set. Any idea what the price will be?

Those look really nice.  Any ideas about cost?  And is it a smoother or more textured PBT?

No word on pricing.  I'll bug Shadovved in the morning and update.

BTW, what do you mean textured PBT?  I have a rough description below.  Get it...rough...description? )


== == == == ==

Surprised by how nice those look. Ill be keeping my eyes open for a GB

How textured is the surface? Very rough like keycool or smoother like BSP?

I haven't had the opportunity to try keycool or BSP key caps.

On texture, the Gateron PBT (the light gray one in the middle) has a finer surface texture than a fresh SP key cap (the WoB Esc)...you can kinda see it in this picture but I'll try to get some better texture shots tomorrow.

[KnivesM]

I need that white set. Any idea what the price will be?

Those look really nice.  Any ideas about cost?  And is it a smoother or more textured PBT?

No word on pricing.  I'll bug Shadovved in the morning and update.

BTW, what do you mean textured PBT?  I have a rough description below.  Get it...rough...description? )


== == == == ==

Surprised by how nice those look. Ill be keeping my eyes open for a GB

How textured is the surface? Very rough like keycool or smoother like BSP?

I haven't had the opportunity to try keycool or BSP key caps.

On texture, the Gateron PBT (the light gray one in the middle) has a finer surface texture than a fresh SP key cap (the WoB Esc)...you can kinda see it in this picture but I'll try to get some better texture shots tomorrow.

Show Image

+1 curious to know the texture, and I don't have a SP set so I can't take anything from that comparison. I will definitely buy a set when Shadovved runs a GB, but curious if they are rough or smooth.

[Findecanor]

No ISO Enter?

I wonder how they are compared to Leopold...

[mason]

Nice, can't wait for the GB

[ceflame]

Wow that looks really good. Sadly I'm out of keyboards to put keysets on..

[IvanIvanovich]

ISO enter may be coming soon... or at least I was told they were thinking about it. I really hope they get the tooling for it made as it's really all they are missing for 'standard' key sizes per row in their current line up.
Pricing is something like $27-35 a set depending on some things. Custom colors are possible. I'll likely be using them for all PBT and POM that I deal with in the future.

[Latin00032]

Does the 6.25 spacebar work with leopolds like the fc660m?

[nubbinator]

ISO enter may be coming soon... or at least I was told they were thinking about it. I really hope they get the tooling for it made as it's really all they are missing for 'standard' key sizes per row in their current line up.
Pricing is something like $27-35 a set depending on some things. Custom colors are possible. I'll likely be using them for all PBT and POM that I deal with in the future.

So we're talking $50 dyesub set potential.  That would be awesome.

[infiniti]

Yep, that pricing Ivan mentioned is about right.

Here's some pictures for texture comparison.  I need a proper macro lens and rails.

Gateron PBT

Full Size: link

GMK Double Shot

Full Size: link

HHKB PBT

Full Size: link

SP DCS

Full Size: link

== == == == ==

Does the 6.25 spacebar work with leopolds like the fc660m?

I'm not sure.  I could measure the stem spacing if that would help.

Edit 1: Reuploaded pictures to imgur.

[GenKaan]

I refuse to get my hopes up but any word on a ISO set?

[greath]

Cool pics!

I wonder why the HHKB PBT looks so much less shiny than the others.

[rainb1ood]

This is awesome! Atleast it has 1.5 mods which I need because the imsto beige set I have does not have it.

Where is this available?

[Latin00032]

This is awesome! Atleast it has 1.5 mods which I need because the imsto beige set I have does not have it.

Where is this available?

I'm excited about the 6u spacebar.

[Flyersfan1]

This looks fantastic! I need that grey set for my Kmac 2!

Is there anything Gateron isn't doing these days?  )

[Hak Foo]

With the strong positive buzz the product range has, I'm eager to see a brand explicitly advertise a board containing them, rather than the usual linguistic handwaving you see with Kailh switches.

[infiniti]

I scanned the space bars alongside a ruler for those that will be able to confirm if it'll fit on an FC660M.

7u

Full Size: link


6.25u

Full Size: link


6u

Full Size: link

Edit 1: Reuploaded pictures to imgur.

[Latin00032]

This might be a dumb question but, what stabilizers can I find that would work with a 6u spacebar?

[yuktsi]

Where can I get a set of this?

[metalliqaz]

Those look really good.  If they had dyesub legends I'd jump on it.

[Flyersfan1]

Those look really good.  If they had dyesub legends I'd jump on it.

Yeah! They should make a fine candidate for Ivan's future PBT GB's! 

[Johan]

Black blank ISO POM sounds amazing.

[Acerk]

I wonder why the HHKB PBT looks so much less shiny than the others.

It could be the angle. If you look at the shadow from the keycap on the lower right side, the light hits the HHKB keycap from a different angle than the other keycaps.

[azhdar]

This might be a dumb question but, what stabilizers can I find that would work with a 6u spacebar?

By harvesting it from a donor board, or bending your own wire (you should find info on this somewhere on GH).

[billnye]

Yep, that pricing Ivan mentioned is about right.

Here's some pictures for texture comparison.  I need a proper macro lens and rails.

Gateron PBT

Show Image

Full Size: link

GMK Double Shot

Show Image

Full Size: link

HHKB PBT

Show Image

Full Size: link

SP DCS

Show Image

Full Size: link


== == == == ==

Does the 6.25 spacebar work with leopolds like the fc660m?

I'm not sure.  I could measure the stem spacing if that would help.

Awesome shots infiniti! I would be interested in one of these sets for sure.

[Dee1]

Thanks for the texture pictures, infiniti!

These look really good. Hopefully I can get my hands on some soon.

[infiniti]

Thanks guys!  I'm still working on my macro skills.


== == == == ==

Where can I get a set of this?

Shadovved will be running a gb soon.^TM.


== == == == ==

I wonder why the HHKB PBT looks so much less shiny than the others.

It could be the angle. If you look at the shadow from the keycap on the lower right side, the light hits the HHKB keycap from a different angle than the other keycaps.

The HHKB key cap really does have more of a matte finish.  However, the angle of the light played a part since I may not have placed the key caps in the same spot for each shot.

[potatowire]

I'm interested in any GB run by Shadovved..

[Nuum]

Could you do a colour comparison between these and Cherry dyesub PBT keycaps?

[rowdy]

So Gateron make keycaps?

Wonder if we will see Kailh keycaps.

Or Tai Hao switches?

[Hak Foo]

Tai-Hao makes an ALPS-compatible switch.  I think it's used in the Rosewill RK-6000 and some of the "Clicker" branded boards.

[rowdy]

Tai-Hao makes an ALPS-compatible switch.  I think it's used in the Rosewill RK-6000 and some of the "Clicker" branded boards.

TIL

[nubbinator]

Tai-Hao makes an ALPS-compatible switch.  I think it's used in the Rosewill RK-6000 and some of the "Clicker" branded boards.

TIL

Do you even DT?   


There are so many Alps clones out there that it's hard to keep them straight...yet we still can't get custom Alps caps 

[infiniti]

Could you do a colour comparison between these and Cherry dyesub PBT keycaps?

Sorry but I don't have a Cherry dyesub PBT set.


== == == == ==

So Gateron make keycaps?

Yep!

[Acerk]

Thanks for making this thread, by the way. I will definitely be interested if they cost less than $45 including shipping. I just hope they make this a complete replacement set for ISO, ANSI and other common variations. That would make a set like this very useful to a wide audience.

Before I came across this thread, I was looking at BSP and Vortex PBT Blanks. I'm excited to hear how these compare when people get their hands on them.

[infiniti]

Let's try to get some more comparisons with other key caps!

I will part out the num pad keys and send one of each color (i.e. Dark Gray, Light Gray, Beige, and White) to people that have other key sets with which they can compare the color, texture, thickness, and feel to.

So far we need to compare to:
- BSP
- Cherry dyesub PBT

Post here or PM and let's work something out.

[Nuum]

I've got some German Cherry PBT dyesubed and lasered and also some white Imsto PBT keycaps I could compare them to, if you'd be willing to ship those keycaps to a relatively new user here on Geekhack. I'm much more active on DT, if you need a reference.

[Evo_Spec]

I've got some German Cherry PBT dyesubed and lasered and also some white Imsto PBT keycaps I could compare them to, if you'd be willing to ship those keycaps to a relatively new user here on Geekhack. I'm much more active on DT, if you need a reference.

Couldn't you send him some caps? Lol
That said if you're active on DT then I imagine it'd be fine if he has extra's to send.

[KnivesM]

I have a bsp classic beige set(along with a lot of other brands

More

vortex(dyesub&doubleshot), plum, tai-hao doubleshot, geekkeys thick, leopold thick

) I could compare them to but I don't have a good camera to compare colors. I could see about borrowing a friend's but that being said I'd love to try them but will understand if you send them to others.

[infiniti]

I've got some German Cherry PBT dyesubed and lasered and also some white Imsto PBT keycaps I could compare them to, if you'd be willing to ship those keycaps to a relatively new user here on Geekhack. I'm much more active on DT, if you need a reference.

PM'd you.

== == == == ==

I've got some German Cherry PBT dyesubed and lasered and also some white Imsto PBT keycaps I could compare them to, if you'd be willing to ship those keycaps to a relatively new user here on Geekhack. I'm much more active on DT, if you need a reference.

Couldn't you send him some caps? Lol
That said if you're active on DT then I imagine it'd be fine if he has extra's to send.

I was thinking of borrowing caps to photograph but I didn't want to risk breaking up someone set in fear of losing something.


== == == == ==

I have a bsp classic beige set(along with a lot of other brands

More

vortex(dyesub&doubleshot), plum, tai-hao doubleshot, geekkeys thick, leopold thick

) I could compare them to but I don't have a good camera to compare colors. I could see about borrowing a friend's but that being said I'd love to try them but will understand if you send them to others.

PM'd you too.

[Latin00032]

Important question:
Do you think this 6u spacebar will work with the infinity keyboard?

I was looking at the pictures trying to figure out if the stems align.

I don't think they do but I'm not completely sure.

Any ideas?

[ideus]

Any chance to get stand alone space bars? I am not really into blank sets.

[luckynet]

can we get an ETA on the "soon" thing? what colors will be available?? can we like start voting from now what will they be, i think the basic colors or klaxon (whispers hail klaxon), beige and dolch should be available, plus 1 or 2 custom sets, it may sound crazy, but we have the technology, we can do it.