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JamesCobalt
35
Mar 29, 2015
Has anyone done any tests for toxicity with Keycool keyboards, such as with a lead-testing swab? Since it's a Chinese brand and something I'd be putting my hands on all day, I'm a bit cautious.
Lead is sometimes used to stabilize and color plastics and paints, and its use is so common in China it's even in makeup.
Pramienjager
40
Mar 29, 2015
JamesCobaltOh man, I didn't even consider something like that. I really hope that is not the case seeing as I already bought it.
jay.liu
50
Mar 29, 2015
JamesCobaltGood question, but then most mech keyboards are made in China anyway.
Katushkin
25
Mar 29, 2015
JamesCobaltI've been using KCs for years on and off and I'm in good health. I've got an old 84 and 108, as well as a new 22 and 87 and I've had no health complaints.
JamesCobalt
35
Mar 30, 2015
KatushkinThat's not how lead exposure works for adults. It's something that manifests itself down the road (sometimes many years later) as an increased risk for cancer, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental disorders.
Sammojo
24
Mar 31, 2015
JamesCobaltHi James, would you mind linking some more info on this? I'm interested to know where you are getting your info from, it's definitely worth looking in to.
I have medical training and was not aware of lead increasing risk for cancer. Stroke risk and high blood pressure is well known, but the main concerns are neurological. Lead exposure is definitely not good, and you want to avoid it if you can, but we should also be sensible about it. MOST cases are due to ingestion, but I understand that getting it on your fingers while typing could easily lead to ingestion of small (but significant) amounts if you bite nails/eat with hands etc.
Probably the most important question is whether or not the lead that is used to stabilise plastics has the potential to come off on your fingers in a form that can actually be ingested (if it's 'embedded' in the plastic, it probably wouldn't get into the blood stream). Keycaps are generally made of very durable plastic and don't wear down much (I understand ABS do moreso than PBT), and even if they did, the question remains: would this actually cause lead to be on your fingers in any significant amount?
Lead ingestion is a valid concern, but it sounds to be a bit of a stretch to me in this case. I'm open to the idea that it may be an issue though, and if you can provide some more info on it for myself and others, then that would be awesome!
ON ANOTHER NOTE, KEYBOARD QUESTION: Does this keyboard have plain white back-lighting? And if so, is it one of the 7 colours you can use for individual keys?
Thanks for the links to the other colours with the 87 key versions. I'm keen to see what the top right logo section looks like on the black 104 though! If it's the same as on the black hero then that's cool, found some pics of that.
SammojoThose ones @intelli78 posted are from the KEYCOOL website so that's probably the correct look. Sorry I don't have more info on this one.
JamesCobalt
35
Apr 1, 2015
SammojoWhen this thing dies and goes to a landfill, the fewer toxic chemicals in it the better. But as far as direct personal risks, those are small no doubt. Absorption through skin is minimal but it occurs: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16597190 More often it's through breaks in the skin or getting it on your fingers and touching your mouth/nose/eyes/food, or in paints breaking down into dust and being inhaled. As far as cancer, IARC classified lead as a possible human carcinogen based on animal studies; its affect on humans has very limited data, but a meta study suggests it may increase the risk of kidney cancer. Again, minimal risks, but as someone who types all days and has a terrible habit of rubbing his eyes or picking food out of his teeth when nobody's looking I'm just being cautious.
Sammojo
24
Apr 1, 2015
JamesCobaltThanks for the info! My question remains regarding the lead in the plastic actually being able to leave the plastic through finger typing. It's not as if they are lead coated, correct?
JamesCobalt
35
Apr 1, 2015
SammojoNot sure, but I know it can be picked up from the plastic liner of lunch boxes and power cords, but these are softer plastics which have a lot more lead in them.
http://thesoftlanding.com/is-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene-abs-plastic-toxic/ says ABS is a stable plastic that shouldn't leach any toxic chemicals under normal everyday use, which is reassuring. That site doesn't look terribly scientific and doesn't go into details, but I found that summary repeated in many other places: http://www.quora.com/How-toxic-is-ABS-PLA
The only item of concern they bring up is: "It’s our understanding that flame retardants are often added to the ABS used in kitchen appliances and electronics because they’re plugged into outlets and present a fire hazard. We recommend contacting the manufacturer to find out which fire retardants are being used in your products. Hopefully it’s a non-halogenated/non-brominated retardant (they’re much less toxic), but if not, urge them to switch to a safer option."
Which then lead me to this article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/flame-retardants-in-consumer-products-are-linked-to-health-and-cognitive-problems/2013/04/15/f5c7b2aa-8b34-11e2-9838-d62f083ba93f_story.html
These chemicals have similar effects and vectors as lead, but aren't regulated much at all, so there's no reason to suspect a product intended for the Chinese market would have any more or fewer PBDEs compared to a product intended for the US market. Therefore, my conclusion is this keyboard probably poses no more a risk than any domestic brand, and I'll probably snatch one up, even though the logo is fugly.
Sammojo
24
Apr 2, 2015
JamesCobaltThanks for the info, and yeah that logo is totally fugly. I'm currently trying to figure out how easy it will be to plastidip it and keep the LED holes visible.
Does anyone know if it's easy to change the colour of the lock LEDs? I want them to be white rather than blue, and I doubt they are RBG. Most keyboards have them soldered to the PCB from what I can see...
Also: The review suggests that there is NO WHITE LED BACKLIGHT mode. Can anyone confirm this? If this is true, it's a dealbreaker for me. So pointless having ROYGBIV and leaving white out of the colour options.
SammojoIt does have white, sorry for any confusion.
BVRCH
15
Apr 4, 2015
SammojoYou could use the translucent 'smoked' plastidip to take the bite out of the gold logo while still allowing the LED's to shine through.
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