GMK Dolch ABS vs PBT

[shadowku]

I'm considering a GMK Dolch set that's on Massdrop right now but I've been wanting to get a PBT set.

I've heard that GMK ABS (doubleshot) is very shine-resistant compared to normal ABS.
But how does GMK ABS compare with PBT?

How long will the GMK ABS last before it starts showing signs of wear?

[NorrisB]

GMK is the best key caps.

[rowdy]

That depends on how much you use it and how dirty/oily your hands are.

For some people under light usage they might not shine for a year.

The space bar is usually the first to start shining, hence why a lot of sets provide space bars are optional extras.

[njbair]

I just want to throw out there that shine isn't as big a deal as people make it out to be. Yeah, it happens, but you're thinking of shine in the context of the junk keyboards you've seen in the past. It's different with high-quality caps and they still feel great. Embrace the shine.

[Jokrik]

That depends on how much you use it and how dirty/oily your hands are.

For some people under light usage they might not shine for a year.

The space bar is usually the first to start shining, hence why a lot of sets provide space bars are optional extras.

I can't agree more,
Currently using GMK Dolch on my daily driver and after 1+ year the only thing which shines is the space bar
Though shining doesn't bother me anyway, it adds sort of vintage look and shows that the keyboard is actually being used like what it made for

[shadowku]

Thanks for the replies.

I bought the Ducky PBT on Massdrop but I'm reconsidering now.
I think I may perhaps get the GMK Dolch that's on Massdrop.

Anyone here have both GMK ABS and BSP PBT and can comment?

[njbair]

Thanks for the replies.

I bought the Ducky PBT on Massdrop but I'm reconsidering now.
I think I may perhaps get the GMK Dolch that's on Massdrop.

Anyone here have both GMK ABS and BSP PBT and can comment?

I actually have OG Dolch caps, as well as some newer GMK caps. They are my favorite caps. PBT dyesubs are nice, but those Ducky PBT caps on Massdrop have etched legends?? I don't think I would like the feel of that at all, and they will accumulate dirt very easily. The price is a huge difference but if I were getting those PBTs I would only get the blanks, because those etched legends would feel weird and bother me too much.

[KnivesM]

Thanks for the replies.

I bought the Ducky PBT on Massdrop but I'm reconsidering now.
I think I may perhaps get the GMK Dolch that's on Massdrop.

Anyone here have both GMK ABS and BSP PBT and can comment?

PBT will take longer than GMK ABS to shine, but after years of use will eventually shine, GMK will shine in about a year of heavy use if you don't have too oily of hands. I have both but haven't use my GMK long enough to get any shine and my BSP/other PBT sets definitely have no shine.

What board are you wanting to put these on? As BSP doesn't have 1.25 standard bottom rows, so if it isn't 84/86 key layout you can't use it without supplementing keys for the bottom row.

Personally I like BSP over GMK but that is an unpopular opinion as many people here rave about GMK. Just I like ultra-smooth keys which BSP is the king of, but the color choices you get with ABS makes the occasional set appealing.

[shadowku]

I actually have OG Dolch caps, as well as some newer GMK caps. They are my favorite caps. PBT dyesubs are nice, but those Ducky PBT caps on Massdrop have etched legends?? I don't think I would like the feel of that at all, and they will accumulate dirt very easily. The price is a huge difference but if I were getting those PBTs I would only get the blanks, because those etched legends would feel weird and bother me too much.

Actually I didn't even consider that etched legends would probably accumulate dirt.. I'm definitely cancelling that now. Thanks a lot for that idea. BTW, How do the OG Dolch caps compare with GMK caps?

PBT will take longer than GMK ABS to shine, but after years of use will eventually shine, GMK will shine in about a year of heavy use if you don't have too oily of hands. I have both but haven't use my GMK long enough to get any shine and my BSP/other PBT sets definitely have no shine.

What board are you wanting to put these on? As BSP doesn't have 1.25 standard bottom rows, so if it isn't 84/86 key layout you can't use it without supplementing keys for the bottom row.

Personally I like BSP over GMK but that is an unpopular opinion as many people here rave about GMK. Just I like ultra-smooth keys which BSP is the king of, but the color choices you get with ABS makes the occasional set appealing.

I have a Filco Majestouch 2 (with WinKey).. I'm rather unfamiliar with keycaps so I'm not sure what would fit my keyboard. Would I be able to use BSP easily?

Do people like GMK over BSP because of the color choices or do people actually generally prefer the feel of GMK ABS over BSP? My default was to try to get BSP because PBT would take longer to shine although I haven't tried either. I may end up getting GMK because they seem more easily available (through various group-buys) and have more color choices.

[FrostyToast]

I did some gaming for a couple months on my GMK dolch and it got shiny on the wasd keys and the spacebar. Even the E key as well.
After months of extremely extended periods of gaming on my Realforce with their standard PBT keycaps I have zero shine. (excluding the spacebar which is ABS)
That being said, Realforce has extremely good quality on their PBT so keep that in mind. Other companies may have less durable PBT.

At the end of the day, even though GMK has top quality, no amount of quality can change the inherent properties of a material.
ABS is still ABS and PBT is still PBT. GMK caps are good but they aren't invincible.

[KnivesM]

I have a Filco Majestouch 2 (with WinKey).. I'm rather unfamiliar with keycaps so I'm not sure what would fit my keyboard. Would I be able to use BSP easily?

Do people like GMK over BSP because of the color choices or do people actually generally prefer the feel of GMK ABS over BSP? My default was to try to get BSP because PBT would take longer to shine although I haven't tried either. I may end up getting GMK because they seem more easily available (through various group-buys) and have more color choices.

Yea BSP wouldn't be able to fit on that board without using the stock bottom row or one from another set, a Vortex or Gateron Dyesub set from a IMSTO groupbuy would work though.

[Polymer]

I did some gaming for a couple months on my GMK dolch and it got shiny on the wasd keys and the spacebar. Even the E key as well.
After months of extremely extended periods of gaming on my Realforce with their standard PBT keycaps I have zero shine. (excluding the spacebar which is ABS)
That being said, Realforce has extremely good quality on their PBT so keep that in mind. Other companies may have less durable PBT.

At the end of the day, even though GMK has top quality, no amount of quality can change the inherent properties of a material.
ABS is still ABS and PBT is still PBT. GMK caps are good but they aren't invincible.

I agree..GMK is top quality but it will still shine easier than good PBT...there is no doubt about that at all.

Is that a big deal?  I dunno...for some no..for some yes...GMK keycaps feel nice and solid..but they do feel different than good PBT..not bad different..just different..

But given the choice between Ducky PBT with ENGRAVED vs. GMK...no brainer..GMK....Thick Ducky PBT w/ Dye Sub...I like both..

[shadowku]

Yea BSP wouldn't be able to fit on that board without using the stock bottom row or one from another set, a Vortex or Gateron Dyesub set from a IMSTO groupbuy would work though.

Why wouldn't BSP fit? Is it because of the height of the keys or is it because of the layout that BSP uses?

[shadowku]

I agree..GMK is top quality but it will still shine easier than good PBT...there is no doubt about that at all.

Is that a big deal?  I dunno...for some no..for some yes...GMK keycaps feel nice and solid..but they do feel different than good PBT..not bad different..just different..

But given the choice between Ducky PBT with ENGRAVED vs. GMK...no brainer..GMK....Thick Ducky PBT w/ Dye Sub...I like both..

I think I'm likely to get the GMK Dolch off of Massdrop.. it's pretty expensive compared to anything else I've considered though but I do like the look.

[KnivesM]

Yea BSP wouldn't be able to fit on that board without using the stock bottom row or one from another set, a Vortex or Gateron Dyesub set from a IMSTO groupbuy would work though.

Why wouldn't BSP fit? Is it because of the height of the keys or is it because of the layout that BSP uses?

Layout, the height makes no difference on what they are compatible to. The layout needs a 1.5 1 1.5 7 1.5 1 1.5 or 1.5 _ 1.5 7 1.5 _ 1.5 bottom row and the Majestouch 2 along with most modern boards has 1.25 1.25 1.25 6.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 bottom row.

[njbair]

I actually have OG Dolch caps, as well as some newer GMK caps. They are my favorite caps. PBT dyesubs are nice, but those Ducky PBT caps on Massdrop have etched legends?? I don't think I would like the feel of that at all, and they will accumulate dirt very easily. The price is a huge difference but if I were getting those PBTs I would only get the blanks, because those etched legends would feel weird and bother me too much.

Actually I didn't even consider that etched legends would probably accumulate dirt.. I'm definitely cancelling that now. Thanks a lot for that idea. BTW, How do the OG Dolch caps compare with GMK caps?

I don't notice a big difference between OG and GMK. I think the OG are slightly "slippery"-er, if I can put it that way, but I'm not even sure I'd be able to tell the difference by feel alone.

[shadowku]

Layout, the height makes no difference on what they are compatible to. The layout needs a 1.5 1 1.5 7 1.5 1 1.5 or 1.5 _ 1.5 7 1.5 _ 1.5 bottom row and the Majestouch 2 along with most modern boards has 1.25 1.25 1.25 6.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 bottom row.

Ah I see what those numbers mean now. I've seen them before but wasn't sure what they meant. Darn yeah I guess I'll just get a GMK for now.. and maybe a Gateron PBT eventually if I see one that I like.

[shadowku]

I don't notice a big difference between OG and GMK. I think the OG are slightly "slippery"-er, if I can put it that way, but I'm not even sure I'd be able to tell the difference by feel alone.

GMK sounds pretty decent so far.. I think it should be fine for me since I don't even use my keyboard all that much. The ABS default keys on my Filco have only just started to shine after 2 or 3 years and those caps are pretty crappy.

[icyskyz]

Yea BSP wouldn't be able to fit on that board without using the stock bottom row or one from another set, a Vortex or Gateron Dyesub set from a IMSTO groupbuy would work though.

I was thinking of doing the same thing (having stock bottom from a Gateron Dyesub set and rest alpha & mods from a BSP Keyset), because I have a modern bottom 1.25 1.25 layout.
Will there be any obvious color difference when they are placed on the same keyboard since they are from different sets?

[KnivesM]

Yea BSP wouldn't be able to fit on that board without using the stock bottom row or one from another set, a Vortex or Gateron Dyesub set from a IMSTO groupbuy would work though.

I was thinking of doing the same thing (having stock bottom from a Gateron Dyesub set and rest alpha & mods from a BSP Keyset), because I have a modern bottom 1.25 1.25 layout.
Will there be any obvious color difference when they are placed on the same keyboard since they are from different sets?

There is some differance, as I've done that with my BSP and Vortex Red on Beige sets before, it's not super noticable but you can tell the differance as Vortex uses a darker grey and lighter beige
Took a quick comparison shot for you, not sure which sets your trying to mix but here's these.

Vortex on the left, BSP on the right.

[icyskyz]

Yea BSP wouldn't be able to fit on that board without using the stock bottom row or one from another set, a Vortex or Gateron Dyesub set from a IMSTO groupbuy would work though.

I was thinking of doing the same thing (having stock bottom from a Gateron Dyesub set and rest alpha & mods from a BSP Keyset), because I have a modern bottom 1.25 1.25 layout.
Will there be any obvious color difference when they are placed on the same keyboard since they are from different sets?

There is some differance, as I've done that with my BSP and Vortex Red on Beige sets before, it's not super noticable but you can tell the differance as Vortex uses a darker grey and lighter beige
Took a quick comparison shot for you, not sure which sets your trying to mix but here's these.

Show Image

Vortex on the left, BSP on the right.

Thank you for the explanation with the photo!
I was thinking of getting a BSP set with black legend, but haven't really thought of the other set which I'm going to mix with the BSP due to the uncertainty of color difference.

I just recently joined the GMK Classic Biege Group buy. If this group buy does not work out at the end, then BSP mixing with another set will be my go to.
Is there any keyset recommendation in terms of matching color with BSP set?

[KHAANNN]

+1 for the shine love

I think oily fingers would prevent shine though, things shine through friction, oil would reduce it

Acetone is another matter, they say diabetic issues make body produce acetone, that would melt ABS quick

Shine was only a bit of an issue with my white on yellow CMYW shift, since I press shift with my thumb, I make them shine in a month, since yellow and white is close, the shine reduces the contrast a bit

But for regular keycaps, just stick to GMK Dolch, make them shine, the double-shot will protect the legends :)

dye-sub PBT is pretty good too, IMSTO dye-subs pretty well (Vortex keycaps suck tho, you can see the stem holder lines from the top of the keycap, and various issues like these, that's why GMK's are/were loved)

[dutC4]

 

[KHAANNN]

Is the shine from oils on our fingers or is ABS worn easier and just becoming smooth and reflective from the wear? I wonder if the shiny areas could be sanded down effectively..

Does anyone have an ABS SA set with shine? If the shine is from the texture on keycaps being worn smooth and reflective it may never show on an already completely smooth set.

I have both, the shine shows whatever the texture is

sanding would screw things further, 2 days later keycaps would shine again and you would be left with unevenly sanded keycaps

just embrace the shine

[rowdy]

Or just buy multiple keycap sets (same design, or different) and periodically rotate them.