Worth replacing keycaps on Mechanical Keyboard

[Javilen]

I have a 10 year old Ducky that is starting to look a bit gross with its keycap shine and tarnished legends.  Is it worth replacing the caps or would it be better going for a new keyboard?   Caps seem to be around $50 whine a new keyboard world be $100.  Switches feel fine in comparison to a tester board. 

[Rugg]

I'd argue you should get just a new keyboard. Unless you are very attached to your current one. If you buy a brand new one it's gonna last a lot longer and hopefully give you more features.

[SupaKomputa]

$50? well there are some cheaper caps if you want to.

[Entropy.]

6 minutes ago, Rugg said:

I'd argue you should get just a new keyboard. Unless you are very attached to your current one. If you buy a brand new one it's gonna last a lot longer and hopefully give you more features.

If they like it and it's not broken, why bother? 

 

5 minutes ago, SupaKomputa said:

$50? well there are some cheaper caps if you want to.

I mean, not everybody can afford small-batch custom keycap sets lol. $50 ain't bad. 

[Rugg]

1 minute ago, Brok3n But who cares? said:

If they like it and it's not broken, why bother?

It's just usually pretty price inefficient to buy keycap sets is all I'm saying. There's plenty of reasons to just buy new keycaps but idk what the budget is or what OP is working with right now.

[Javilen]

1 hour ago, SupaKomputa said:

$50? well there are some cheaper caps if you want to.

Not really a budget issue.  Not having luck finding something I would like,  Closest would be a color scheme similar to this:

 

[Javilen]

Welp looks like a pre-ordered a keyboard.  I may or may not get it eventually:

https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1554

 

[SupaKomputa]

You can just buy 2 cheap $10 set, and just mix and match it.

All i'm saying is getting a new keyboard is a waste of engineering.

Ducky can last like forever, if it broke you can just replace the switch.

[Javilen]

20 minutes ago, SupaKomputa said:

You can just buy 2 cheap $10 set, and just mix and match it.

All i'm saying is getting a new keyboard is a waste of engineering.

Ducky can last like forever, if it broke you can just replace the switch.

I'm not throwing it out.  Gonna make a good macro/gaming board.  Also a good excuse to also try blues since i have been using browns for a while.

[SupaKomputa]

Well you've set your mind then, go ahead.

[seon123]

16 minutes ago, Javilen said:

I'm not throwing it out.  Gonna make a good macro/gaming board.  Also a good excuse to also try blues since i have been using browns for a while.

If you want to try clicky switches, I recommend getting decent ones, and not Cherry MX Blues. E.g. Box Pink, Box Navy or Box Jade.

[Dr0y]

6 hours ago, seon123 said:

If you want to try clicky switches, I recommend getting decent ones, and not Cherry MX Blues. E.g. Box Pink, Box Navy or Box Jade.

totally agree

 

Bleu switches are using click jacket and they sound rattly compared to switches that uses click bars which sounds really sharp.  my favorite for now is kailh box white

[Javilen]

5 hours ago, Dr0y said:

totally agree

 

Bleu switches are using click jacket and they sound rattly compared to switches that uses click bars which sounds really sharp.  my favorite for now is kailh box white

Ill try a switch tester.  My pre-order wont be fulfilled until late march anyways. Pretty painless to cancel.

[Dr0y]

1 hour ago, Javilen said:

Ill try a switch tester.  My pre-order wont be fulfilled until late march anyways. Pretty painless to cancel.

 

gmmk with some switches and keycaps are usually the go to for someone that want to experiment with switches ... that way it doesn't cost a complete keyboard if you want to try another set of switches. 

[Javilen]

On 2/14/2021 at 12:37 PM, Dr0y said:

 

gmmk with some switches and keycaps are usually the go to for someone that want to experiment with switches ... that way it doesn't cost a complete keyboard if you want to try another set of switches. 

Turns out I like the feel of the blues more.  The box whites do sound sharper though.  I tend to bottom out and would probably be fine with either.

[Dr0y]

On 2/15/2021 at 5:18 PM, Javilen said:

Turns out I like the feel of the blues more.  The box whites do sound sharper though.  I tend to bottom out and would probably be fine with either.

maybe the box navy then spring is heavier and click bar thicker

[Javilen]

Things have escalated quickly.  This had turned into another quarantine project.  Ended up going full custom with box pinks.  Currently developing a modified QMK firmware in Visual Studio since IntelliSense is such a crutch.  Gonna get those lock leds working.

 

 

[Dr0y]

On 3/30/2021 at 3:13 AM, Javilen said:

Things have escalated quickly.  This had turned into another quarantine project.  Ended up going full custom with box pinks.  Currently developing a modified QMK firmware in Visual Studio since IntelliSense is such a crutch.  Gonna get those lock leds working.

 

 

It looks beautiful, love the keycaps ...

 

how do you like the box pink ?

[Javilen]

On 4/2/2021 at 2:11 AM, Dr0y said:

It looks beautiful, love the keycaps ...

 

how do you like the box pink ?

Box pinks have a nice weight to them.  Louder than whites but not as loud as jades.  I like them a lot.

[geo3]

On 3/30/2021 at 1:13 AM, Javilen said:

Gonna get those lock leds working.

This may not be possible with any amount of coding if the LED's aren't addressable individually or just plain on separate physical circuits from each other. 

[Javilen]

5 minutes ago, geo3 said:

This may not be possible with any amount of coding if the LED's aren't addressable individually or just plain on separate physical circuits from each other. 

I lucked out on this one.  Soldered in the leds and it worked without any modification.  QMK does have functions for indicators however, you are right about the address issue on some boards.

[geo3]

3 minutes ago, Javilen said:

I lucked out on this one.  Soldered in the leds and it worked without any modification.  QMK does have functions for indicators however, you are right about the address issue on some boards.

Out of curiosity, what PCB is it?

[Javilen]

Just now, geo3 said:

Out of curiosity, what PCB is it?

melody 96 with hot-swap sockets.  I did flash it with the default QMK profile before testing the leds.