Best replacement keycaps for Filco Majestouch 2 TKL (UK ISO)

MichaelBurgess · 15 Mar 2018, 00:16

Hi there,

I recently got this keyboard and love everything about it apart from the quality of the keycaps. After just a few weeks some of the print is fading off them, particularly the left Ctrl and Shift keys.

I’m going to explore my options for either swapping out the keycaps, or the whole unit, but I suspect the same will happen again. I’ve already had ink come off the home key bumps and onto my fingers twice after a few days usage.

If I can’t get any joy via RTM etc, what keycaps are there that I can use? From what I’ve read I’d want PBT caps and if I want a legend, double shot are the keys for me?

I’d also consider blank (or possibly ninja) print as I think that looks great too.

I’ve got blue switches and don’t mind if the caps are heavier / thicker as I wouldn’t mind them feeling a fraction lighter.

As mentioned in the title, this is a UK ISO layout TKL board.

Many thanks,
Mike.

002 · 15 Mar 2018, 03:35

The Filco is so shit for this. The UV coating on their caps is like the Juicy Fruit chewing gum -- great while it lasts, which happens to be about 2 minutes.

ISO probably limits you somewhat but otherwise it's the sky's the limit in terms of keycap options for a Cherry keyboard -- and also how much you can spend. GMK do some really nice double-shot sets but be prepared to pay through the nose for them. Lots of options here too: https://kbdfans.myshopify.com/collections/keycaps. I bought a set like this one which I am pretty happy with: https://kbdfans.myshopify.com/collectio ... keycap-set

MichaelBurgess · 15 Mar 2018, 08:16

Thanks - I’ll take a look!

Ideally they would be in the UK, or shippable to the UK. They seem to be around £50/$70+, expensive but I use them all day every day, so actually not bothered too much. Just a shame that a £115/$160 keyboard comes with such poor quality keys!

Do you rate the Filco PBT keycaps? I think they’re made by someone else, but I forget who. http://www.keyboardco.com/product/doubl ... keyset.asp

mustcode · 15 Mar 2018, 09:29

What you found looks like ABS, but they are actually pretty good. It's double-shot so, legends will never rub-off, prices, colors, thickness, are all great, and high profile to boot!

Daniel Beardsmore · 15 Mar 2018, 09:45

002 wrote: ↑The Filco is so shit for this. The UV coating on their caps is like the Juicy Fruit chewing gum -- great while it lasts, which happens to be about 2 minutes.

Has something changed? I've had an original Majestouch since 2010 and the lettering is all perfectly intact. I know it's owner-dependent, but the feeling I got is that the coating generally holds up pretty well. I've seen an image or two where it's really worn away and the lettering has gone, but I was never under the impression that it was prone to wear. When people sell these keyboards on, the legends always seems to be OK, I thought.

002 · 15 Mar 2018, 10:03

My Majestouch was also an original from 2010 or 2011. I wonder if it depends on where you live and humidity etc, although it definitely does get very humid in Japan too. All I know is that my legends started to go brown and yucky very quickly and it was the same for a guy at work (he had a Majestouch 2). Body chemistry might play a part too. Some guys at work seem to be sweating acid and put a shine on even PBT spacebars, although the guy I'm thinking of is our technical author so he's probably typing a bit more than the rest of us. Filco aren't the only ones though -- second-hand examples of Topre's black lasered Realforces on Yahoo Auctions are often gross and sad looking. I felt that the Filco's coating is more premium and smooth feeling than Topre's, but maybe more delicate -- kinda like the difference in feel between 1200 and 800 grit sandpaper if you can relate to that.

chip chop · 15 Mar 2018, 11:27

Maybe drop Wodan a PM. I think he might have some ISO Cherry sets from older Cherry boards he has broken down for the switches. He is in Germany so the postage won't be crazy.

Daniel Beardsmore · 15 Mar 2018, 20:42

"That Hans that do dishes, can be soft as Gervais …"

I still have intact paint on the keycaps of my backlit Poker II I've had for over four years — I guess I am just lucky.

002 · 16 Mar 2018, 03:56

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: ↑"That Hans that do dishes, can be soft as Gervais …"

I still have intact paint on the keycaps of my backlit Poker II I've had for over four years — I guess I am just lucky.

As lucky as the hairy lipped squid turned out to be.

TuxKey · 18 Mar 2018, 11:49

002 wrote: ↑The Filco is so shit for this. The UV coating on their caps is like the Juicy Fruit chewing gum -- great while it lasts, which happens to be about 2 minutes.

ISO probably limits you somewhat but otherwise it's the sky's the limit in terms of keycap options for a Cherry keyboard -- and also how much you can spend. GMK do some really nice double-shot sets but be prepared to pay through the nose for them. Lots of options here too: https://kbdfans.myshopify.com/collections/keycaps. I bought a set like this one which I am pretty happy with: https://kbdfans.myshopify.com/collectio ... keycap-set

As always 002 gives excellent advice..my first thought after reading the title and your explanation of it was kbdfans.
The also have a Aliexpress store front if you want just one item it can save on shipping..bangood is also an option..
but my first choice would be kbdfans.. Other options are pretty much a no-no for me as i live in Europe The Netherlands.
That's a tax heaven for big companies and the opposite for it's citizens !! i have to add 21% vat and 11% customs fees..

if i would buy something like “BLACK DYE-SUBLIMATED PBT KEYSET” from Massdrop.
They would add around $10 shipping totalling $73 or €60 + €13 vat + €7 customs fees..

Totalling €80 or $99 ...So that’s almost $100 for the same set.. that’s almost 50% on top ..
But if i buy it from kbdfans or aliexpress it almost always just slips by because they assume its
cheap chit from china and read the labelling that says value a couple of bucks like $12..

i know i know it's not 100% legit.. but considering i pay €0,50 on earch €1 i make i'm allowed to go for a break now and then...Besides reading "the most dangerous superstition" by Larken Rose makes me feel a oke with this..btw free book online ...

a bit of a rant at the end there .. but i always get worked up when it comes to finding nice keycaps and other keyboard related hardware living in Europe..