Hi, I was cleaning an old Compaq keyboard thinking it has NMB dome with sliders and I found a bad surprise and after an interesting surprise.
The first surprise was that there are NMB domes but no slider, just a normal key with integrated slider, a bummer.
But after cleaning and looking the keycaps, they look to be dye subbed. This doesn't makes much sense, why add expensive keycaps in a cost saving keyboard mechanism.
Here's a couple of pictures
Are these dye subbed keycaps?
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- Location: Chile
- Main keyboard: Compaq MX-11800
- Main mouse: Logitech G305
- Favorite switch: Alps Black
- Attachments
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- IMG_20201111_214040.jpg (2.37 MiB) Viewed 1813 times
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- IMG_20201111_214229.jpg (2.18 MiB) Viewed 1813 times
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Look lasered to me
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- Location: Chile
- Main keyboard: Compaq MX-11800
- Main mouse: Logitech G305
- Favorite switch: Alps Black
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- Location: Chile
- Main keyboard: Compaq MX-11800
- Main mouse: Logitech G305
- Favorite switch: Alps Black
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- Location: United States, Texas
- Favorite switch: Hall Effect
My opinion is they are lasered. It would be impressive if they were dye-subbed because of the sharpness and fineness of the legends.
- fohat
- Elder Messenger
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Main keyboard: Model F 122-key terminal
- Main mouse: Microsoft Optical Mouse
- Favorite switch: Model F Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: 0158
An easy test is to put a tiny drop of acetone on the back side and swirl it around. A cap that is PBT will ignore the acetone but a cap that is ABS will soften and be etched by the acetone.
- lhutton
- Location: NC, US
- Main keyboard: Model M
- Main mouse: Whatever's handy
- Favorite switch: Anything not butterfly switch
- DT Pro Member: 0243
Yup, laser ablations leave a through, but they could be lasered and filled in with paint or dye.
That would be some mighty sharp and thin dye sub work especially for a keyboard chucked in a box with a vintage Compaq. Usually dye subs have thicker legends. Could just be some other printing method like screening. Doesn't look like pads or decals IMO. Could also very well be laser etched with in-filled legends so they're level with the top of the keycap.