[IC] GMK MTNU Skyriter

[cijanzen]

GMK MTNU Skyriter Interest Check

In partnership with NovelKeys, I am pleased to bring back the Skyriter keycap set in the MTNU profile. This vintage inspired, deep forest green, olive, and seafoam colourway is based on the early 50s typewriter “Skyriter” from Smith-Corona.

For this round 2, Skyriter is moving from SA to MTNU, and I’m really excited to bring this colourful set to this profile as it exhibits many retro-inspired characteristics that will make it an excellent match for this keycap set.

Not only is round 2 switching to MTNU, but the novelties have expanded with even more mid-century breezeblock patterns that can fill macro columns as well as entire function and number rows. Other favourites from round 1 will make a return as well.

Kits

Base Kit

Novelties

For the base kit, and the primary reason in creating this interest check, I want to guage the community’s reception to the idea of combining 40% support into the base kit. The kit I’ve created strives to find a balance of coverage that would support as many boards as possible with the least amount of compromises. I believe that 60% and up is well supported, and certainly Alice and other similar split layouts should be well covered too.

40% layouts should see good coverage here as well, but I want to get feedback on whether we should run a base kit with 40% support built in, or offer a smaller base kit with a separate 40% kit that may allow for more flexibility in support.

The benefits in bringing 40% support to the base kit are:

1. Fewer kits need to be purchased to cover a wider range of keyboards. If you find yourself, in time, purchasing a board with more obscure keycap requirements, you’ll likely be covered.
2. Pricing may work in our favor as we can price at a higher MOQ than a separate 40% kit might normally allow. This means by combining kits, you’d end up spending less than you’d otherwise have to pay to cover 40% with two kits.

With that said, I’d love to hear your feedback on these kitting options. If you are interested in this keycap set, does this base kit cover your board? If you’re a 40% user, would you purchase this kit and feel like it supports the 40% community?

Please fill out this interest check form and feel free to comment on this thread so we can discuss!

Further details regarding group buy date and vendors will follow at a later date but I can’t wait to get MTNU Skyriter in your hands!

Huge shoutout to Mike from NovelKeys for all his work in coordinating and supporting this comeback, FreshFromTheGrave for the beautiful renders, and Nephlock for all the sage advise on kitting.

Interest Check Form

Renders

Thanks for the renders go to FreshFromTheGrave

Details

Specifications

Designed by Christopher Janzen (cijanzen)
Manufactured by GMK
GMK MTNU Profile (112344)
Doubleshot PBT Keycaps
Compatible with Cherry MX switches and clones

Group Buy Date

TBD

Vendors

USA/Americas - NovelKeys
Other vendors/locations TBD

Pricing

Pricing TBD

Colours

Alphas: Pantone 627 C
Legends: Pantone 2260 C
Modifiers: Custom match to typewriter sample

Next Steps

• Collect feedback regarding kitting
• Determine group buy date and pricing
• Determine additional vendors

Interest Check Form

[pixelpusher]

You crazy bastard. I’m in.

[Deadeye]

I’m loving these classic colorways coming to MTNU, and I love those novelties!

[JonLyus]

My SA Skyriter is one of my favourites sets. Is it me, or is the forest green a little more muted on this set?

[Rob27shred]

Banger set, awesome work @cijanzen!

[cijanzen]

I think the renders are just showing the colour different as MTNU has a different finish than SA. They’ll be colour matched to the same Pantone swatches and custom modified colour as the SA set was made with, so aside from light diffusion differences due to the finish, they’ll be the same colour as SA.

[JonLyus]

Perfect. I thought as much- thanks for confirming. This will be my first set in the profile. Good luck with it!

[ListlessLlama]

Definite buy from me! I like the idea of combining 40s support in the base kit. I mostly use 60% to TKL, but it would be nice to have all the bases covered for any odd layouts I have.

I mentioned this in the IC survey, but I’d really like to see a 1.5u mod-colored pipe/backslash key included with the set, however the kits are decided. It’s possible I’m in the minority on this, but I strongly prefer when escape and the pipe/backslash are mod-colored. Feels more balanced to me.

[cijanzen]

No kits are finalized yet and all feedback is welcome!
Thanks for your support and I’ll consider your suggestions about mod coloured pipe key!

[ListlessLlama]

@cijanzen

I’ll consider your suggestions about mod coloured pipe key!

Please do! There are dozens of us!

[mf68]

IMHO, the set would look even nicer if the legends of the modifiers were also in the darker Pantone 627 C.

I like my legends to have contrast which also helps in low lighting conditions.

[Surefoot]

I have the SA set and it’s glorious indeed. It does support ISO UK though which this MTNU variant does not. I like the expanded macro novelties.

[cijanzen]

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far! I want to take this opportunity to respond to some feedback and give some newcomers to the design a few photos of Skyriter from its past group buy in Signature Plastic’s SA profile for an accurate representation of the colours.

Firstly, thanks for pointing out a few errors:

1. The 1.75u “Enter” key is labelled correctly but was not rendered correctly. It should be a 1.75u “Enter” key for 40% support.
2. Novelty ISO enter will of course appropriately span R2 and R3.

Every vote or comment is helpful, so even if you see that someone else has made a recommendation, feel free to second it. The more responses we get, the clearer the direction becomes in terms of kitting and coverage! I’ve received a number of suggestions related to 40% coverage that I’m considering in addition to international language support and general kitting preferences. Keep it coming!

Photos of original typewriter and SA Skyriter for colour reference