Keychron C1 replacement caps?

[Mark Kaine]

I want to replace my caps with something more flashy... like pink, grey, white, purple... but especially i would like having keys with multiple functions,  like Alt del print wasd shift cntrl etc color coded.

 

any suggestions,  what should i look for? 

[saintlouisbagels]

I haven't purchased replacement keycaps in forever, so I don't have many suggestions.

 

Thankfully, the Keychron C1 is a normal TKL form factor, so buying keycaps should be extremely painless. However, C1 uses north facing LEDs, so you should avoid buying any keycaps that are "Cherry Profile" due to interference.

 

Drop.com carries some

https://drop.com/mechanical-keyboards/drops?sc=keycaps

Nuphy has a couple of options. They mostly sell 75% caps, but their Gem80 keycaps are TKL

https://nuphy.com/collections/keycaps

 

There are a LOT of vendors.

[GuiltySpark_]

That keyboard looks to take standard Cherry style keycaps so most anything will work. 

 

I personally suggest PBT keycaps as they tend to not wear and get shiny like ABS. 

 

https://kbdfans.com/collections/keycaps

Aliexpress actually has a ton of options and they're cheap. https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-gmk-clone.html?initiative_id=SB_20220225211444&origin=y

[saintlouisbagels]

@Mark Kaine just to clarify, my post was referring to the Cherry keycap "profile" i.e. the shape and height of each key.

@GuiltySpark_ is referring to the Cherry MX stem (+) that 95% of switches use and keycaps accept.

[Mark Kaine]

36 minutes ago, GuiltySpark_ said:

That keyboard looks to take standard Cherry style keycaps so most anything will work. 

 

I personally suggest PBT keycaps as they tend to not wear and get shiny like ABS. 

 

https://kbdfans.com/collections/keycaps

Aliexpress actually has a ton of options and they're cheap. https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-gmk-clone.html?initiative_id=SB_20220225211444&origin=y

thanks, this is funny i saw this set on Amazon (and yeah... i know the style is pretty weird )

 

https://kbdfans.com/collections/keycaps/products/mocha-cat-mao-profile-keycaps-set

 

i absolutely love everything about this, especially the form of the caps... BUT, does this work with the backlight/LEDs of my keyboard??

 

26 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

@Mark Kaine just to clarify, my post was referring to the keycap "profile" i.e. the shape and height of each key.

@GuiltySpark_ is referring to the Cherry MX stem (+) that 95% of switches use and keycaps accept.

honestly i knew i should make this topic as to not buy the "wrong" keycaps... but looking at Amazon and google in general  - this is far more confusing than it should be...

 

 

So i have keychron c1 TKL gateron brown switches as far i can tell... shouldn't be so hard to find keycaps for that, but google disagrees! >.< 

 

 

 

[saintlouisbagels]

10 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

So i have keychron c1 TKL gateron brown switches as far i can tell... shouldn't be so hard to find keycaps for that, but google disagrees! >.< 

Nah it's not confusing at all!

You have a TKL board, so buying keycaps is infinitely easier.

 

75%/65% keyboards place the Navigation cluster in unusual locations and thus cause "aesthetic incompatibility" because finding the correct "height" for Home/End/PgUp/PgDwn is slightly more challenging. They still work perfectly, but they won't be the right visual height.

 

The only thing you specifically need to know about your board is that you should avoid "Cherry Profile" or "Cherry OEM" keycaps because your keyboard uses north facing LEDs instead of south facing LEDs.

 

The rest is just finding the aesthetic you want.

The Cherry MX stem (+) makes buying keycaps painless because essentially the entire market has agreed to use it.

 

Gateron Brown switches use Cherry MX stem.

[Mark Kaine]

16 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

Nah it's not confusing at all!

You have a TKL board, so buying keycaps is infinitely easier.

 

75%/65% keyboards place the Navigation cluster in unusual locations and thus cause "aesthetic incompatibility" because finding the correct "height" for Home/End/PgUp/PgDwn is slightly more challenging. They still work perfectly, but they won't be the right visual height.

 

The only thing you specifically need to know about your board is that you should avoid "Cherry Profile" or "Cherry OEM" keycaps because your keyboard uses north facing LEDs instead of south facing LEDs.

 

The rest is just finding the aesthetic you want.

The Cherry MX stem (+) makes buying keycaps painless because essentially the entire market has agreed to use it.

 

Gateron Brown switches use Cherry MX stem.

ok... thanks, except the part where i need cherry switches while avoiding... cherry profile its not confusing i agree, but that makes sense!

 

but... for real now... would these work, and work with my backlight /LEDs?

 

https://kbdfans.com/collections/keycaps/products/mocha-cat-mao-profile-keycaps-set

 

 

i bought this keyboard specifically for the LEDs (because its usually dark in my room) so it would suck if they're not compatible,  but it doesn't look like they are? but i could be wrong? 

 

ps: and i don't mean the profile necessarily, but if these caps leave any light through at all lol (doesn't look like it ?) 

Edited June 11, 2024 by Mark Kaine

[saintlouisbagels]

12 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

but... for real now... would these work, and work with my backlight /LEDs?

https://kbdfans.com/collections/keycaps/products/mocha-cat-mao-profile-keycaps-set

They fit 100% perfectly

 

13 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

ps: and i don't mean the profile necessarily, but if these caps leave any light through at all lol (doesn't look like it ?) 

ah right.

If you want letters on your keycaps to glow, you need to look for "shine through" keycaps.

 

The Mocha Cat keycaps do not glow, but you will still get glowing through the gaps between each key.

It's not awful. Most of Keychron's keyboards have RGB LEDs but they don't typically equip their boards with shine-through caps.

My NuPhy Halo75 is the same way - the default keycaps are not shine through.

[Mark Kaine]

21 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

They fit 100% perfectly

 

ah right.

If you want letters on your keycaps to glow, you need to look for "shine through" keycaps.

 

The Mocha Cat keycaps do not glow, but you will still get glowing through the gaps between each key.

It's not awful. Most of Keychron's keyboards have RGB LEDs but they don't typically equip their boards with shine-through caps.

My NuPhy Halo75 is the same way - the default keycaps are not shine through.

ahhh... ok yeah there should definitely still come some light through the gaps! thanks... i think I'll get those... i really like'em and they seem good quality and not too expensive...

 

21 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

Most of Keychron's keyboards have RGB LEDs but they don't typically equip their boards with shine-through caps.

see that's also a bit confusing I've seen "shine-through" caps, but ive also seen ones that didn't say that and where clearly glowing (just like mine do)...

 

also mine isnt RGB but they're shine-through..? (well at least the letters) 

 

[saintlouisbagels]

11 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

see that's also a bit confusing I've seen "shine-through" caps, but ive also seen ones that didn't say that and where clearly glowing (just like mine do)...

also mine isnt RGB but they're shine-through..? (well at least the letters) 

Some keycaps are so thin that light can shine through.

But maybe yours are shine through without advertising it?

 

You can remove a keycap and check the underside to see if it's semi-transparent.

Typically good shine-through keycaps are double-shot, so the lettering and the stem are a semi-transparent plastic, while the surrounding plastic a different piece and fully opaque.

 

However, there are very cheap shine-through caps where the whole thing is semi-transparent, but then it's painted over. So over time with enough wear, a keycap will have hot spots lol.

 

edit:

The Amazon page says your keycaps are double-shot, so they are shine through

https://www.amazon.com/Keychron-Swappable-Mechanical-Keyboard-Tenkeyless/dp/B08CNBL4Z4?th=1

Edited June 11, 2024 by saintlouisbagels

[Mark Kaine]

On 6/11/2024 at 3:12 AM, saintlouisbagels said:

Some keycaps are so thin that light can shine through.

But maybe yours are shine through without advertising it?

 

You can remove a keycap and check the underside to see if it's semi-transparent.

Typically good shine-through keycaps are double-shot, so the lettering and the stem are a semi-transparent plastic, while the surrounding plastic a different piece and fully opaque.

hey, so they arrived! 

 

 

but now im wondering how durable they will be? i mean won't that wear off after a year or so?

 

i dunno, my keychron keycaps look as good as new after a year (makes sense cause the letters arent printed, they're just some see through material apparently)  

 

[saintlouisbagels]

15 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

but now im wondering how durable they will be? i mean won't that wear off after a year or so?

 

i dunno, my keychron keycaps look as good as new after a year (makes sense cause the letters arent printed, they're just some see through material apparently)  

Very cute!

 

The keycap material is PBT, so it's very durable and won't shine like ABS plastic.

The printing is dye sublimated, so it will also have ultra long life. You'll be bored of the keycaps before they start wearing out.

[Mark Kaine]

25 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

Very cute!

 

The keycap material is PBT, so it's very durable and won't shine like ABS plastic.

The printing is dye sublimated, so it will also have ultra long life. You'll be bored of the keycaps before they start wearing out.

ah, alright thanks, that's what i hoped to hear!

 

and yes they are

 

 

[saintlouisbagels]

6 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

ah, alright thanks, that's what i hoped to hear!

 

and yes they are

I expect an update post when you have them installed