I’ll be damned. The first set to be sorted by robots and shown off on Instagram… is GMK Fuji.
You know what? I’ve been so lucky. I own over 400 sets of keycaps. Well over 100 of those are GMK. I’ve never had a missing or duplicate key. I once had a key in the wrong profile in MT3 and once had a wrong profile pipe key in DCS polycarb clear cap from SP. But that’s all.
If not sure if this was the original/main intention (Model Ms inherited curved assemblies from Model Fs), but it allows for all buckling spring keycaps to be uniprofile. True from the first IBM Model F in 1981 to the latest Unicomp Model M produced last week, the keycaps are fully interchangeable between them and to any row (given matching unit size and correct stabiliser design). [The only exception are low-profile versions of Model Ms such as the Models M1 and M2.]
It’s possible IBM had consideration for anyone wanting to change their keyboard’s layout at will - it allows any user to change from QWERTY to AZERTY, QWERTZ, Dvorak, etc. and vice versa themselves without worrying about sculpt mismatch - but I have no confirmed source for that. It could just be a happy accident. Whatever the reason, I’m just thankful that my Model Fs and Model Ms can enjoy a 42-year backlog of replacement keycaps no matter when they were made!
Thanks @pixelpusher & @hellla for pointing that out. This is a very worrying trend. On a SA profile, chances of receiving a faulty numerals set are roughly 50%!
It reminds me a bought an XDA Matcha set from Aliexpress, the mass produced one.
I had it sitting aside for months and when I first mounted it on a board I realized I got two ‘F9’, with no ‘9’ keycap, I sent a message to the vendor thinking why not try? this was months after receiving it.
To my surprise they didn’t even ask a question and sent me a replacement right away.
My NovelKeys “random switch” dice roll resulted in a rather disheartening yet hilarious 90 Gateron Blues Well, I knew it was possible. They’re different! Anyone think these are worth taking time to lube, or just see if a wonderful person here needs them for Frankenswitching? So much ping…so much… outside of the click itself, which I’m open to.
Tested my luck with the novelkeys mystery switches and got these TTC’s with a brown stem. Not sure which model they are since I haven’t been looking into switches in a while.
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Well, I knew it was possible. They’re different! Anyone think these are worth taking time to lube, or just see if a wonderful person here needs them for Frankenswitching? So much ping…so much… outside of the click itself, which I’m open to.