Keycaps for chocolate switches

I’m very much into low-profile switches, and so I like the Kailh 1350 choc switches a lot. However, there doesn’t seem to be much choice of keycaps for them available? Kailh itself offers one set of double-shot caps in black and white, a number of cream and black blank caps in different sizes, and transparent blank caps, but that’s pretty much it?

I also found some second-hand g913/g915/g813/g815 caps that look on the photos like they would fit, but I’m not sure.

So my question is, what are the usual sources for such keycaps? Is anybody making custom ones?

Unfortunately at the moment no one is making custom keycaps for Kailh choc switches as far as I know. I think what they offer is kinda all there is. Most all choc switch purchases and uses are by OEMs who will have custom orders of keycaps fulfilled per their requirements. I think that’s about it for the most part.

For Kailh Choc builds, keycap options are not something available at the moment really. :frowning:

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Looks like the V2 switches are going MX compatible.


Source

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Hmm, I wonder with which profiles though? I think some stems/keycaps might hit the plate from being too tall and not having enough travel space downwards :thinking:

But if they all work, that would also be hunky dory.

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Yes, and I’m not very happy about it, because that makes the whole much higher, which kinda defeats the whole purpose of a low-profile switch.

On the other hand, Gateron is supposed to release choc switches (compatible with the Kailh caps) this year, so maybe there will be something more for that.

I’d hope that they function just like the low profile cherry switches. That way I can replace the red linears in my keebs.

True, but I have a hard time seeing true aftermarket support for the Kailh mount, unless some one comes out with a must have keeb, that requires them.

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I mean the one thing on my radar in that regard is the Bamboo which is gonna come with the fancy TEA profile caps that are only going to be choc-compatible.

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Interesting, looks like the scoop more aggressive then ADA… Not sure I could type on that for an extended period of time.

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But it doesn’t look like the caps will be available separately, does it?

I think Adron may be planning on making some separately but I think when he IC’d them they got basically no love because there weren’t many solid boards that supported choc. It’s a major catch-22 for a new switch design; the switches need to hit a critical mass for keycaps to be able to hit MOQ, and there need to be good keycaps available for folks to give the switches the benefit of the doubt.

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While the mainstream keyboard media may not be aware of it, this lack of choc keycaps is simply fake news. For quite some time now, MBK profile has been available at my website as well as others. It is very comfortable spherical/flat PBT in black or white, and soon to be, colors. I also stock dyed color options for the flat Kailh caps and clear scooped caps, with more colors coming soon.

I currently have 6 switch options listed and another 2 shipping to me, as well as another 2 in development. This is not counting the heavy options that NK_ created with exclusive rights, or I’d be carrying those as well.

Choc is growing up quickly and besides TEA, there are at least 2 other profiles in the works that I am aware of that we should see soon. That critical mass/catch-22 issue is a bump in the road, now in the rear view mirror.

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Just found that Keychron also sells their keycaps separately: Keychron | Wireless Mechanical Keyboards for Mac, Windows and Phones

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I wonder what the size is of those, and whether they’d fit on a board with choc spacing (17x18 mm).

EDIT: maybe they’re actually incompatible with Kailh choc switches. Keychron uses Gateron low profile switches, have a look


Gateron Low Profile stems take T-shaped keycap legs.


Kailh Choc stems take I-shaped keycap legs.

I will see soon enough for myself…

I’m happy to report that the keychron K1 keycaps do fit the Kailh switches:

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Phew. Show us a Flatreus with those keycaps!

So there is an interesting thing. I tried to put those keycaps in my HV-KB390L with blue switches, and they don’t fit there - the holes in the switches are too close together. But they do fit perfectly well with the white switches I have in my flatreus. So it seems even the Kailh is not compatible with itself?

Here’s the Flatreus:

Compared to Kailh’s own keycaps, and the TEA ones, those caps are about 1.5mm higher, because the stem doesn’t go all the way up inside the cap, and they are considerably smaller, at 16×16mm, compared to 17.8×17.4mm of the Kailh transparent key caps.

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Unfortunately the Havit boards have their own proprietary system going on with stem mounting which is a bit annoying.

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@deshipu, I think you should buy these keycaps as well, and report back with your findings.