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Showing 1 of 168 conversations about:
etatauri
329
Jul 7, 2018
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I have a K-Type at work and am considering this one for home use. Although I would have preferred the dark version the original was, I do think this one looks good. I do wonder about the powder coat though. Is it durable? I would hate to see scratches on the surface. As I switch switches and keycaps regularly I would probably shy away from this if the coating is susceptible to damage.
MiTo
13955
MiTo
Jul 8, 2018
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etatauriLiterraly all sorts of coating are prone to damage, it depends on how gentle you are with the keyboard and how careful you maintain it. If you dent the case with a flat head for example, anodized or not, powder coated or not, it’s gonna damage the case.
Unless you add, from what I read about car coating, eight coats of Ceramic Pro. I’ve never seen anyone doing that to keyboards though but even with cars if you scratch it with a nail it will chip the paint.
Unless you add, from what I read about car coating, eight coats of Ceramic Pro. I’ve never seen anyone doing that to keyboards though but even with cars if you scratch it with a nail it will chip the paint.
etatauri
329
Jul 8, 2018
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MiToOf course everything is prone to damage, but others are more prone than others. For example the jet black iPhones would pretty much just rub off. I was wondering what normal use like pulling keycaps and switches would do to the coating. I'm not a materials guy so I don't know much about powder coats so you'll have to enlighten me. My main concerns are a. stains from finger oil, b. chipping from switch install/uninstall, and c. scratch visibility from, for example, finger nails, usb port insertions.
I already joined the drop because it looks great so now I'm just looking for care advice, if it needs it. At any rate, thank you for the fast reply!
I already joined the drop because it looks great so now I'm just looking for care advice, if it needs it. At any rate, thank you for the fast reply!
MiTo
13955
MiTo
Jul 8, 2018
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etatauriThe keyboard isn't scratchable with finger nails, but if you hit the surface with metal parts with enough strenght it's obviously going to chip, like I previously said just use common sense and treat it like any other coated object, you should be fine.
john.yu
632
Jul 9, 2018
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etatauriI can add a few more insights about powder coating... to put it simply, it's one of the most robust ways to finish metal parts. It's commonly used in more demanding applications like the automotive industry (wheels, brake calipers, engine parts, etc) where parts are subjected to much harsher environments like heat, dust/abrasion, stress/vibration, moisture, oil/grease, cleaning chemicals, etc etc. We might not be using the same grade of powder coat, but rest assured that the keyboard will look great even after several years of use :)
Also, just FYI Jet Black iPhone is anodized (not powder coated), and the reason it's so susceptible to micro scratches is because it's highly polished. The fact that Apple can ship millions of units with such a high-polished finish, something that was previously only achievable by skilled manual labor, is a feat of manufacturing/operations prowess, but in this case highlights some of the weaknesses of anodized finishes. An apt analogy would be creme brulee: a thin+hard coating on top of a (relatively) softer material will still get damaged.
Also, just FYI Jet Black iPhone is anodized (not powder coated), and the reason it's so susceptible to micro scratches is because it's highly polished. The fact that Apple can ship millions of units with such a high-polished finish, something that was previously only achievable by skilled manual labor, is a feat of manufacturing/operations prowess, but in this case highlights some of the weaknesses of anodized finishes. An apt analogy would be creme brulee: a thin+hard coating on top of a (relatively) softer material will still get damaged.
etatauri
329
Jul 9, 2018
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john.yuThank you so much John for being specific. I understand it is probably not automotive grade coating but you have definitely put my mind at ease about it. I am a little OCD so micro-scratches really get to me - especially ones that are near usb ports and such.
Really looking forward to this keyboard!
Really looking forward to this keyboard!
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