Chalky keycaps. (Chicony 9600 japanese)

[spongebob1981]

I just got a nice old Chicony 9600 with thin japanese keycaps. White ALPS. And they are in a good clean state so it's as nice as it can be
But I'm afraid the keycaps feel kinda chalky, as in touching chalk in texture. The case has yellowed a little bit but not the keycaps.

I'm starting to think maybe the plastic has denaturalized somewhat. Or maybe the previous owner did some retr0brite on them and caused this? Or they are just like that when extremely clean? (Corega tabs dip for a couple of hours)

Opinions?

[Muirium]

PBT feels porous and chalky, a little like pumice compared to slick, shiny and even slimy ABS. They could be in particularly clean shape, and feel different to all the plastic you're used to. Many of us really do prefer that PBT feel.

I don't know much at all about Chicony keyboards however. Do they look rough or damaged in any way?

[spongebob1981]

No damage at all.

I understand your point, you might be right. I hesitate because I have had PBT caps before and have not felt like this. Maybe these are just too clean? XD

See ya

[Muirium]

Texture makes a difference, too. IBM buckling spring caps are PBT, but pretty smooth, especially on the sides. Vintage Apple caps are downright curvy, without a hint of PBT pumice. Signature Plastics’ DSA, meanwhile, really brings out PBT nature: there’s no place on the key, inside or out, that doesn’t feel dry and chalky. Another fine rough feeling set of PBT keys are on my old Acer board, with Alps mount Acer switches.

Yet ABS just doesn’t vary that much.

[spongebob1981]

Great to know, thanks!

In maybe 10 vintage kbs I managed to gather this far this is the first time I encounter this phenomena of different textures in the plastics. There's always some learning after this learning!