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Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 16 Feb 2022, 21:00
by LambdaCore
I found a Mercari listing for a Model M with black keycaps,
the seller states they did NOT harvest them from an M13. I'm guessing these are different tops from other two piece keycaps, any ideas where this seller got them?
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 16 Feb 2022, 21:01
by zrrion
page doesn't exist unfortunately
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 16 Feb 2022, 21:04
by LambdaCore
Odd, I adjusted the link, I'm on mobile ATM and I suck at typing on there. Try it now!
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 16 Feb 2022, 21:10
by jsheradin
They seem to be missing the clips that attach them to the IBM stems.
I'd bet they're rubber dome or similar caps that the seller gutted out and glued onto IBM stems.
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 16 Feb 2022, 21:10
by zrrion
>keys off another keyboard that matches the IBM key profile
I'm not aware of any black boards that have a compat cap so I really want to know where those caps comes from
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 16 Feb 2022, 21:14
by LambdaCore
zrrion wrote: 16 Feb 2022, 21:10
I'm not aware of any black boards that have a compat cap so I really want to know where those caps comes from
That's the thing! I searched high and low, nothing I've found matched the M profile as well as these seem to, and looking through every single crappy IBM rubberdome keyboard sounds like an exhaustive task, but if we
could narrow it down this could be huge!
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 17 Feb 2022, 13:55
by depletedvespene
Getting a 404 here as well.
That font looks nothing like IBM used to do. Based on the one picture available, I'd wager those are keycaps from any other keyboard, forced onto an IBM stem. Due to this, I wouldn't count on them being of the proper profile either (again, based on the one picture available).
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 17 Feb 2022, 16:33
by SK-8K
I'm guessing they are from a KeyTronic with a bent barrelplate.
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 17 Feb 2022, 18:04
by LambdaCore
SK-8K wrote: 17 Feb 2022, 16:33
I'm guessing they are from a KeyTronic with a bent barrelplate.
I think you're right! I believe I found a match for that font in the Keytronic SCARD-U2, they're a little difficult to find but seem to cost about as much as genuine IBM keycaps. I'm very tempted to pick one up this coming Friday and see if this works, I have another M coming in and I'm not sure if it's using two piece caps, if not I might not be able to force them on the cap.
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 18 Feb 2022, 07:27
by dcopellino

- Screenshot_20220218-072156_eBay.jpg (645.25 KiB) Viewed 1894 times
Keytronic Scard-U2 Keyboards seem to have such keycap shapes. The pic comes from this eBay seller auction who has a black and this white variant.
Here the black one
https://www.ebay.it/itm/KEY-Tronic-MINA ... 632-2357-0
Re: Potential new source of black Model M keycaps?
Posted: 19 Feb 2022, 18:14
by LambdaCore
Ah, a real shame but good to have confirmed! The search continues then, I suppose.