Signature Plastics new molds for thicker PBT SA keycaps

[codemonkeymike]

News here:
https://pimpmykeyboard.com/whats-new

Pics here:
https://pimpmykeyboard.com/sa-p-sample-packs

[Myoth]

I don't think those are supposed to be thicker, but rather made for dye sublimation as they're made of PBT

[scottc]

Interesting! I wonder how this affects the feel.

Shame they want to charge $15.30 shipping to Europe for the $2 kit or I'd already have bought one.

[codemonkeymike]

Sample packs contain 7 random blank keys for those wanting to see and feel the new thick SA-P PBT blank keys before purchasing keysets. See "What's New" for more information on the SA-P program.

From the product page

I for one am psyched

[scottc]

I don't think those are supposed to be thicker, but rather made for dye sublimation as they're made of PBT

Also see the previous announcement about SA-P on that page:

This new SA-P tooling has thick, uniform walls i.e.no first shot void to fill, and is designed for PBT shrink.

It seems to imply that it's thicker than the doubleshot ABS SA, or at least more uniform. Can't say for sure though.

[zslane]

If you look at the inside of their first run of PBT SA keycaps, ala Ice Cap and Industrial, the thickness was the same as their ABS keycaps for the bottom half of the shell, but the inner-most half was twice as thick, as if there was another "shot" of plastic molded in there, just like you'd see in their double-shot ABS keycaps. The photograph of the samples looks to me like the new PBT tooling produces keycaps of single uniform thickness that is thicker than ABS keycap shells alone, but not as thick as the combined thickness of both shots (shell + legend).

[codemonkeymike]

If you look at the inside of their first run of PBT SA keycaps, ala Ice Cap and Industrial, the thickness was the same as their ABS keycaps for the bottom half of the shell, but the inner-most half was twice as thick, as if there was another "shot" of plastic molded in there, just like you'd see in their double-shot ABS keycaps. The photograph of the samples looks to me like the new PBT tooling produces keycaps of single uniform thickness that is thicker than ABS keycap shells alone, but not as thick as the combined thickness of both shots (shell + legend).

I don't think that is the case. Not only do the new SA look thicker, the old ABS ones are the same width both double shot and single shot.

[zslane]

I believe we are agreeing/saying the exact same thing.

[equalunique]

I don't think those are supposed to be thicker, but rather made for dye sublimation as they're made of PBT

Surprise! Actually they are what I would call thicker than the existing ABS keycaps. I took some measurements: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyb ... and_thicc/

[zslane]

The best part is that these will have fully sculptured row profiles!

[Elrick]

The best part is that these will have fully sculptured row profiles!

Interesting, suspect they are trying to play catch up to our insatiable lust for old style keyboards and that inevitably includes, Dye-sub - thick key-caps.

Hope they progress further because this may indeed be a Great Idea from SP instead of supplying the boring DSA atrocity and that other (no one wants) profile .

[Elrick]

Not only do the new SA look thicker, the old ABS ones are the same width both double shot and single shot.

Could anyone please specify, WHICH new SA profile is being shown here on DeskThority

[Sangdrax]

They call this new thing SA-P. I bought a sample pack just to get a row 1 key to replace a missing one on an old keyboard of mine. We'll see how it matches up with the real stuff from 1981.