02 Feb 2016

New Model F Keyboards Available

The eagerly awaited project is nearly complete. You are currently able to order an F62 or F77 in this early round. This early round is running until 2/29/2016 and aiming to ship April/May time. This is not your only chance as a later round will run from 3/1/2016 through 6/30/2016 and shipping August/September.

There is no price difference between ordering in the early or later round. But these will likely be the only opportunities to order one.

They are available to purchase through https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/shop/

Buckling Spring Reimagining

I couldn’t quite think what to call this but the premise is buckling springs in a single unit. A switch much like the cherry design but containing all the parts that make buckling springs the switch they are.

This did seem to come out of nowhere and it is an excellent project that could bring some very interesting possibilities.

As a new switch this is an excellent idea but I have no idea how it could feel and if it replicates the buckling spring feel.

The project seems to be fairly close to coming to fruition and with patent pending we could see this somewhere soon.

PuLSE and Flatline.

The popular keyset is back in two forms or almost back.

PuLSE run by Mito is back on massdrop. Previously being never run again, now running again!

If you are interested in some drama and other matters relating to ownership of colourways this thread is what you are looking for.

Flatline keyset keycap render What is more interesting is what happened in fallout from the debacle. Fulse (it went through a couple of names) now Flatline was created. A colourway reminiscent of the Pulse arrangement. Although, this is good because there was demand for a set like this. But the real reason this is important is the information it may have brought to light. And this is the new pricing structure for community GB’s from Signature Plastics.

25 sets $237.61 per set
50 sets $171.32 per set
75 sets $149.23 per set
100 sets $138.18 per set
150 sets $127.13 per set
200 sets $121.61 per set
250 sets $118.29 per set

If you look at the currently run PuLSE keyset on massdrop, you will see the difference in pricing.

This post in relation to who owns a colourway from a SP representative.

Signature Plastics Response to pricing.

VE.A

VE.A Split keyboard With very little information this is a split Korean custom keyboard created by zefyr.

Aluminium Armor
Poly-carbonate Frame
STS switch mounting plate
Alps / Cherry MX compatible
Keymap Programmable firmware and control program by winkeyless.kr

Price around 400~450 USD

Undeniably good looking keyboard.

Division Zero by daskeyboard

This is the introduction of a new brand of gaming peripherals as well as some new switches.

Two new switches:

  • Alpha-Zulu Tactile
  • Alpha-Zulu Linear

Both of these are 45g actuation.

The X40 Keyboard X40 daskeyboard keyboard Looks very much like a gaming keyboard. Unlike the regular daskeyboard this design involves more fins around the edges as well as a set of macro keys on the right-hand side.

Typed on HHKB Pro 2

19 Jan 2016

SPECIALEE MADE Sleeves

POK3R keyboard sleeve

I saw these a little bit of a while ago but did not remember their name. But I did remember them as they have a very distinctive look about them. The awesome looking business card and packaging also attributes to a aesthetic.

At $35 + shipping these are quite reasonable.
Custom orders are also available.

January GH GB

GEEkhack January GB This is a small GB for the geekhack keycaps. Set’s are $5 + shipping and each set includes an MX and Alps mountable keycap.

RoastPotatoes Posters

RP posters hhkb and Topre

These are my posters and I now have both designs available.

If this interests you, here is an order form.

RoastPotatoes Poster Order Form

New F62 & F77 Order Available End of Jan

Possible new F62 box art Possible Box art

This was something else that struck me as incredibly exciting. These new pictures are further proof that this project is indeed more than hot air. The image above is the potential box art.

The other images are photos of almost fully assembled prototypes. At the bottom is a link to all the photos. Also, pictured is the custom styrofoam case. Industrial Grey F77

Orders are likely to open up sometime around the end of January.

The website is also close to completion however do not order anything yet.

https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/

JD45

This project has been around for a while and it could be closer to a wider GB. You might have guessed from the name, but the JD45 is similar to the JD40 but has 5 more switches. JDCarpe does know what he’s doing so it is of solid design.

The indication of movement is the twitter photo of an aluminium (probably) milled case.

Hunger Works Studio :~$ynth

This was probably the most exciting new project as I was not at all aware of something like this happening.

This is the :~$ynth :~$ynth

It is the underside of a keycap mould that makes keycap making a bit easier. If you are interested in making your own keycaps, I suggest you read the whole thread.

This video featuring binge is also tells you what you need to know.

Zealio R2 Live

Zealios are the popular Gateron custom switches made by ZealPC.

R2 brings:

  • 78g weight
  • Different Purple for stem colour

  • Milky bottoms that withstand higher temperatures

  • Available on ZealPC.net

Max Keybords Custom Backlit Keycaps

Max Falcon-8

This is an 8 key keyboard. Make of it what you will. It could be a media pad, WASD or whatever use you have for it.
You are given a large amount of customisation options on the maxkeyboards website so this is a bit of a unique product.

Granite R4 is on Massdrop

Granite R4 bonus pack

Every time Granite ends it immediately becomes in demand again. This is R4 the most likely final round.
Already it has proved to be very popular with 4310 kits purchased.

ErgoDox Infinity Back on Massdrop

I don’t remember the final number of the last drop but I do remember it being a success. The ErgoDox has always done will on Massdrop and this is the next iteration.

EnjoyPBT GB

This is a really awesome GB as it’s run by Shadowvved and they look to be excellent keycaps. Shadovved is a good name to be attached to a GB and you are likely to be very safe with this one. I have seen EnjoyPBT’s name continue to crop up over the past weeks but they did not see to be too freely available.

I absolutely love the CMYKRGB kits although they are printed.

Everything is a little more expensive than the previous Gateron GB caps but they do look to be of nice quality.

ISO Interest Check

Cooler Master Masterkeys Pro L/Pro S

L = Fullsize S = Tenkeyless

This is an RGB keyboard. I am sort of seeing a peak in RGB keyboards. If this good quality, I think it could at least fill the need for RGB keyboards.

1upkeyboards Woodland Camo and ErgoDox

POK3R, HHKB and 40% sizes available

The other new availability is the ErgoDox sleeve. This is a nice design and something I haven not seen before.

PMK Slightly Back

It seems PMK is back to normal, and you are able to vote on new keyset designs. It still isn’t the most responsive or fluid design. But as of now it seems to be doing something.

Typed on SSK

11 Jan 2016

This is playing catch-up for December so recent January stuff has been omitted.

Clack is Back

I would like to tentatively say that clickclack, The Clackman, ClackFactory is back. This came as a very nice surprise to everyone. It has been quite a long hiatus and it is very exciting to see geekhack with this member back. I am very interested to see what happens in the future and what current geekhack will be like with clickclack back.

The small resurgence resulted in completing some past sales and completing the keypaciter sale.

I found the keypaciters to be one of the more interesting keycaps I’ve seen in a while and seeing the photos they do look very special. Also, a special mention to Whizzard who created a similar design first.

Massdrop Vader

Dark Lord Vader Keycap The other exciting thing to happen in December was of course the release of The Force Awakens. In due time, a dishevelled Vader helmet keycap was put on massdrop. This drop went very quickly and I didn’t even see the live massdrop page.
It was created by HiddenPower who you will most likely know from their previous War of Betrayal series of keycaps.

Nubbinator

Nubbinator has been doing something very interesting for a while now. I never see too many sales but I see caps and an understanding that Nubb knows what they are doing. The project I am interested in is the Modular Cap System. This is interesting because of the ambition and also because it does seem to be working to an acceptable degree, and only getting better.

This project is really encompassing two things. The modular cap system works by itself having stems that can be swapped out into a specially made keycap that fits all of these stems. The other part of this project is Nubbinator’s TMX stem which is a Topre and MX stem.

Modular Cap System Stems Modular Stems

TMX Keycap Render TMX Keycap

I am very interested in where this is going and I really like the idea of the TMX stem. But I’m not really sure how this will be released, if it will be open sourced or just a Nubbinator thing.

Of course I would love to be able to use this for myself but this is not mine and I would be fine with it staying a Nubbinator thing.

SpinningWaffle Wooden Caps

wooden cherry keycap This was very surprising to my eyes as I have heard more about people making wooden keycaps but not actually seen them. From these initial images they do look really nice.

Krytone Year of the Sheep

Sheep krytone krap

Krytone has been creating a new store and it has been intermittently working. The last time I looked it was down for maintenance. Pictured above is the sheep which I imagine has something to do with the Year of the Sheep sale.

Bcredbottle

Bcredbottle has continued to make progress with some alps keycaps to fuel some giveaways

Pictured above is my favourite.

Gen.S Keycaps on Techkeys.us

For those who missed out on all the opportunities to get these gem keycaps, a couple of colours are still available on teckkeys.us

KatzenKinder

Something worth mentioning is that KatzenKinder now has a blog. I’m not sure how long this has been around but it is here now.

Bro

Just like KatzenKinder Bro now also has a blog. I did find this a while ago but forgot to put it in somewhere.

Many Giveaways

In the Christmassy spirit there were a nice spate of giveaways that popped up in the lead up to the new year.

  • Retro Caps giveaway_2015

  • BroCaps

  • Booper Keywok Artisan In keeping with the Star Wars theme of the month, a couple of keywoks.
    As well as the booper giveaway a new keycap was revealed.
    This is Enraged Bruce enraged bruce shark artisan

Meowcaps V2 Been and Gone

Meowcaps V2 lineup These were the more popular of kudos_and_goodspeed’s debut keycaps that I did not see a lot of in the wild. But this second round was bountiful. It is fair to say that KeyKollectiv has been doing some very good things these past months.
I think the simpler paw design is one of my favourites. But the technical ability in furt makes it a special keycap.

Don’t forget, KeyKollectiv also has a blog.

Zazie

Zazie had an incredible debut with some excellent patterns and colours. This was a beta sale of sorts with some defects.

R.A.G Caps

/u/flehrad had another sale in December featuring a lot of designs and colours. Also, featuring the more unusual MX tab’s.

Badnewscaps

This is a maker who came out of nowhere with a surprising amount of designs. Not only a lot of designs a very BN mark.

_joe_king

With only one keycap they are doing ok.

Carbonman24

This is a very well sculpted keycap and appears to be painted. I have no love for super meat boy but this will certainly appeal to many.

Typed on SSK