Are these key caps compatible with Leopold Cherry switches?

User avatar
wabewawa

10 Oct 2011, 21:15

Howdy, folks. My first post here, so hope I don't accidentally violate any board etiquette. I can't seem to get a truly useful answer to this question at GH, so thought I'd try here.

Specs:
Beige Key Cap.
Heavy-duty beveled top design. For use with the above
keypad or pushbutton switches or any other keypads
or switches that use standard "Cherry Type"
3/4" sq. cruciform caps.

Image

Cap size: 0.715" sq. x 0.315".
Cruciform size: 0.160" x 0.150" deep.

About halfway down the page, just below the yellow (and double width farther down): http://www.smcelectronics.com/swkey.htm

They would be for a Leopold in my case. I don't know what they mean by "standard." The stems seem a bit short to me. I wouldn't mind going lower profile if they'll work.

What I'm really seeking are any decent roundish-on-the-top sphericals, like these vintage ones (that are pictured for just the purposes of color samples, unfortunately, and not actually available): Image

Versus something like these more squarish sphericals, for example (do not want): Image

Thanks for any help.

User avatar
sixty
Gasbag Guru

10 Oct 2011, 21:34

I have a few similar ones (original Cherry ones), see here:

http://keyboardporn.com/keycaps/cherry- ... l-keycaps/

They fit - sure, but they are not very comfortable to type on if you mix them with standard keys, which you will have to since the store only seems to offer 1x1 and 1x3 keys.

ripster

10 Oct 2011, 21:46

Even lower than Cherry Corps. Will be difficult to mix and match with the larger keys.
Image

Those GH guys are dweebs.

User avatar
wabewawa

10 Oct 2011, 21:52

ripster wrote:Even lower than Cherry Corps. Will be difficult to mix and match with the larger keys.
Those seem to be of what I'd call the more "squarish" variety (in terms of the corners and the shape of the actual top face), which I'm not interested in.
Those GH guys are dweebs.
Ahem. ;)

User avatar
wabewawa

10 Oct 2011, 21:54

sixty wrote:They fit - sure, but they are not very comfortable to type on if you mix them with standard keys, which you will have to since the store only seems to offer 1x1 and 1x3 keys.
Right, I was wondering what I'd do about the modifier keys, especially if different profiles. I'd probably just leave them all as is and not bother with the 1x3 for replacement and see if I could cope with the difference in heights. The ideal thing would be a full set of vintage like your originals there, I guess, but for my Leopolds, unless I could do some stabilizer modifying, that probably wouldn't work out either?

User avatar
sixty
Gasbag Guru

10 Oct 2011, 22:05

You will probably have a hard time to find a full set. Most problematic will be the spacebar. The rest can ALMOST be done, see here:

http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=262

User avatar
wabewawa

10 Oct 2011, 22:14

Oh, slobber, drool. Are you thinking about selling them, sixty? (edit: sorry, I probably violated etiquette right there. you're a major collector, aren't you?) I've already turned my spacebars around, speaking of. I'm not as concerned about uniformity and looks as some/most keyboard enthusiasts seem to be, my highest priority being the feel and comfort.

I'm also having issues around the slickness of my PBTs here and will probably end up doing a Plasti Dip mod at some point as well. Just ordered some transparent vinyl stickers (oh, sacrilege!) to see if that will help with my lack of grippiness problem. I seem to remember that whatever plastic the old IBM Selectric caps were made made of, for example, even though extremely smooth, gripping my fingertips better than anything I've used recently.
Last edited by wabewawa on 12 Oct 2011, 09:48, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
kbdfr
The Tiproman

11 Oct 2011, 06:03

sixty wrote:I(...) since the store only seems to offer 1x1 and 1x3 keys.
As far as I can judge, these are not 1x3 keys, but double keys with 3 cruciform fittings spaced exactly like the "0" NumPad key of a Cherry keyboard (one centered, the other ones to fit the stabilisators).

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