Can you tell me more about this keyboard?

[Bitsquid]

I'm still trying to figure out what kind of switches I actually prefer. I really wanted to try blue alps (because I almost like cherry MX blues... almost, but not quite right) and it looks like I finally got my hand on some.

But I know next to nothing about the keyboard and so I'd like to ask you guys to provide some details if you don't mind. What company made it? How old is it? I kinda expected to get doubleshots but was disappointed. Are the caps PBT or ABS? How is the printing applied? Most importantly: Are these genuine blue alps? And as I actually quite like them (actual typing has to wait for an adapter to arrive ) is there any way to get the caps less yellow and icky? Any kind of chemicals I can bath them in?

Anyway, here are the pictures:

Frontside

frontside.jpg (928.18 KiB) Viewed 2768 times

Backside

backside.jpg (906.27 KiB) Viewed 2768 times

Switch

blue_alps_switch.jpg (798.18 KiB) Viewed 2768 times

Caps

caps_not_doubleshot.jpg (748.39 KiB) Viewed 2768 times

4L inside the switch?

4L_inside.jpg (355.55 KiB) Viewed 2768 times

Nice feature!

switch_caps_with_ctrl.jpg (566.59 KiB) Viewed 2768 times

Highscreen Logo

fancy_logo.jpg (341.64 KiB) Viewed 2768 times

Also I forgot to make a foto of the connector. It's DIN connector.

[Redmaus]

I don't know much about that board, but I have alps boards I am selling if you are interested. A focus FK with white alps.

[scottc]

Nice find! The caps are almost definitely ABS if they're yellowed. They're not doubleshot since you can't see both colours on the back of the keycap:



This is what the back of doubleshot caps will look like. As a result, it's likely either lasered or pad-printed. Alps caps are unfortunately quite hard to come by, so you'll be stuck with the stock caps for the time being. No big deal, since blue Alps are some of the nicest switches out there.

Are they genuine blue Alps? I don't know. They don't have the Alps logo, so probably not. I don't know who makes them, but your best bet would be to check out the Wiki pages on this model number and on Alps clones.

Now for the adapter. The bad news: it can be one of two protocols: AT or XT. If it's AT, a passive DIN -> PS2 adapter will work perfectly. If it's XT, you'll need to build a converter with a development board like a Teensy or a Pro Micro. Again, a model number would help here because you could then check the wiki for other peoples' findings.

[Bitsquid]

The lack of any kind of model number is the main reason for the above post! Regarding the DIN connector I don't worry too much because there's a switch on the back-side where I can chose between XT and AT. Just like the switch allowing to swap the Capslock with the Ctrl key. (More keyboards should have that feature! Capslock is so useless^^)

I'm not sure if the lack of logo means they are clones: On the wiki it says: "Early Alps SKCL/SKCM switches only bore the Alps logo on the bottom, where it could not be seen without removing the switch from the keyboard. Around 1988, Alps added their new-style logo the top of each switch, just after Alps SKCM White was introduced."

As far as I understand it the blue switches precede the white ones? At least the picture of the blue switch in the wiki has no logo either. But the letters and numbers printed on it don't match the one on mine either. So, it remains a mystery!

[Chyros]

That's a rebadged Focus FK-2001. Caps look like ABS, test with acetone. If they're yellow they definitely are. Switches definitely look like genuine SKCM blues. If they're partially grey coloured, they definitely are. Very nice board, congrats!

[Chyros]

That's a rebadged Focus FK-2002. Caps look like ABS, test with acetone. If they're yellow they definitely are. Switches definitely look like genuine SKCM blues. If they're partially grey coloured, they definitely are. Very nice board, congrats! It's quite rare

[Findecanor]

Caps look like ABS, test with acetone.

Just a head's up for those reading: Wet a q-tip with acetone and rub it on the inside of a keycap to see if it smears. Be very careful not to get acetone anywhere else.

[Mal-2]

Caps look like ABS, test with acetone.

Just a head's up for those reading: Wet a q-tip with acetone and rub it on the inside of a keycap to see if it smears. Be very careful not to get acetone anywhere else.

You can also use nail polish to do the test. Swipe some on the inside of a key as noted (preferably clear in case it does show the plastic to be ABS), and let it dry. Then scrape the polish with something soft like a credit card or a fingernail (oh the irony). If it comes off clean and you can't even tell you did it, it's PBT or POM. If you either can't scrape it off, or some of it refuses to let go, it's probably ABS.

The reason is that nail polish (particularly clear) is just a varnish dissolved in acetone. I keep a bottle around so that if I should pick up a scratch on a lacquered instrument (or a deep scratch on silver plate), I can slap some on to prevent oxidation until I have a chance to make a real repair.

[Chyros]

Caps look like ABS, test with acetone.

The reason is that nail polish (particularly clear) is just a varnish dissolved in acetone. I keep a bottle around so that if I should pick up a scratch on a lacquered instrument (or a deep scratch on silver plate), I can slap some on to prevent oxidation until I have a chance to make a real repair.

FYI, nail polish and nail polish remover is based on ethyl acetate in the great majority of cases nowadays. Although they don't have the same reactivity towards plastics, as it happens, EtOAc also doesn't dissolve PBT, but will dissolve ABS.

[jacobolus]

You can tell these keycaps are ABS just by the yellowing. No need to test with acetone or whatever. Also, I’ve never heard of a Focus keyboard that used PBT keycaps.

Yes, those are real blue Alps switches. By the time Focus had switched from white Alps to some clone switch with a blue slider (“fake blue Alps”) the keyboards definitely had windows keys. Also, the slider color on the “fake” blue Alps switches is much brighter, and the housing is obviously slightly different.

Clone switch:


Blue alps:

is there any way to get the caps less yellow and icky? Any kind of chemicals I can bath them in?

Don’t bother. Thin printed ABS caps aren’t all that nice even when brand new. Instead try to find some nicer keycaps to replace them with, or transplant the switches into a nicer keyboard.

[Bitsquid]

The adpater arrives and it's working allright with the switch set to A (instead of X) and typing is great. Probably the best switches I've tried yet. So I'd actually like to use it in every day live. (Not for gaming - for that MX reds have proven pretty great imho. But for coding the clicky feedback is nice.)

Don’t bother. Thin printed ABS caps aren’t all that nice even when brand new. Instead try to find some nicer keycaps to replace them with, or transplant the switches into a nicer keyboard.

Can you elaborate on this? I had trouble to find some PBT caps for my Ducky Zero (and had to mod two keys to make the fit) and that's pretty standard keyboard. Now with alps I have no idea where to start looking for better quality keycaps.

Also transplanting the switches sounds not so easy... can you refer me to some guides, examples?

In the meantime, could I try to bath the caps (maybe the case too) in hydrogen peroxide? Anyone got some experience with that in relation to keyboards and ABS plastic?

[seebart]

I own one just like yours Bitsquid! Good to see someone enjoying that keyboard and those Alps.

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Focus_FK-2002

[Bitsquid]

Ah, that's pretty much the same board besides the branding. Great, now I know the Model number. But mine hasn't gotten Doubleshots as the Wikipage claims all boards have. Does yours have Doubleshot and Blue Alps combined, Seebart?