What is SpaceFN and why you should give it a try
The SpaceFN concept - setting up your space key as a layer switch when held - is probably one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby. Let me explain how it works. My SpaceFN article on kbd.news made some rounds recently - quite surprisingly given the age of this concept. This piece you're reading is a condensed version of the full post. If you're left with unanswered questions, you'll most likely find the info you're looking for in the original write-up. On my imaginary top list of the most useful keyboard features, tweaks and hacks, SpaceFN would deserve a podium finish for sure. But what makes it so special? In short: SpaceFN is easy to implement, easy to learn, costs nothing, can be used with any keyboard, and can improve your productivity instantly. I will list its benefits below, but can state right at this point that the SpaceFN concept, setting up your space key as a layer switch when held, is clearly one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby....
Apr 30, 2024
Just doesn't seem to be worthwhile now.
But of course people are willing to throw $XXX on artisan caps and $1XXX on industrial SSKs so I'm sure there are some who don't mind all the extra cost and hassle just to say they have BSP.
But if you are mindful of your budget there are better deals out there nowadays.
You will always get the el-cheapo ABS caps from China and numerous PBT sets as well but they are really cheap in quality and not really worth using or installing into any keyboard of worth.
That is why GMK and BSP are doing a roaring trade despite SP and hundreds of other Chinese manufacturers out there offering their key-sets.
The famous comparison here is that today, certain people will purchase and own Ferrari F12berlinetta, Rolls Royce Ghost, Bentley Mulsanne, Lamborghini Aventador and the Porsche 918 Spyder all because these vehicles are nothing like the rudimentary cars available to everyone else on this planet.
Certain people want something that is made to exacting standards and only a select number of these individuals can truly appreciate this type of quality and exclusivity.
Many people consider them on-par or even preferable (due to different textures), better do your research first.
Oh, and there's also JT Keycaps (JTK) who is working with ctrl.alt on thick ABS double-shots to compete with GMK, and who incidentally also hails from China.
Btw., a set of thick PBT IMSTOs was priced at $79 on Massdrop, compared to the Triumph Adler GMK set which was at $99, "made in China" was hardly chump change.
Still want to call them cheap?
It's funny how in my comment I spoke to those who are mindful of their budget and then you bring up super cars as some kind of rebuttal, that's relevant how?
Ducky is selling only engraved PBT's haven't seen any dye-sub versions as of yet.
BSP is brilliant quality, down side they don't make spacer bars so it might not be a good deal here relying on a complete key-set to furnish your keyboards.
Was hoping the GB organizer would have that covered here but alas........
There are many new keycap sets and brands offering quality PBT at low prices now that the 'norm' price is now what was concidered 'cheep' a while back. The same's happening with keyboards. But some people and communities still like the top notch parts for their top notch boards, so if you do own a $400 custom then you'll probably want $120 top of the range keycaps, hence this drop and the non-standard bottom row.
Unfortunately for this drop the Massdrop audience most likely wont have $400 keyboards and just want quality parts for their quality boards, not custom parts for their custom board. This is the kind of drop that may fair better on a Korean forum, or even GH when the recent GMK gb's have started shipping.
On a side note: Ducky's Dye-sub PBT is coming to America some time soon https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/incoming.php?sort=pdate (scroll down a tad), there's not much publicity about it though. :s
Cherry used ABS spacebars with these keyboards so BSP doesn't have a PBT mold. Cherry's vintage keyboards are win-keyless layout aswell so BSP doesn't have any 1.25u molds (hence 1.5u control and Alt keys, and the 1u winkey)
As @SpaceCadet2000 mentioned they have a strange right shift... and so did the Cherry desko set, see: http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o580/eth0sz/DeskoKeyboard.jpg~original and
(Modifiers and RGB keys are the PBT molds)
EDIT: Aparantly this is a reply to SpaceCadet2000 now, didn't mean to do that!
IMSTO does BSP keys as higher priced special runs, while their regular thick PBTs are sourced from Vortex, same as Ivan's group buys on GeekHack.
Ducky does *not* only sell engraved PBTs, just Google "Ducky pbt dye sub".
http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=CMnSgbGeuVc3jLKXtywPnwKXACOm7upYDscn1olz4tbCtSggAEAIoAmDx5YiG0B-QAQKgAe-CuNoDyAEBqQI9dmYvjEJ_PqoEIk_QWeTYS_n39Fu85R0DU83tWNrhHJHdovF2E9dujqspqxCIBgGgBiyAB_n8xyWQBwOoB6LCG6gHpr4b2AcB&ohost=www.google.se&cid=5GiZeIjMBYOcj5akxZH-GGsfb34sF4hVfA7DkzHigqLmB2k&sig=AOD64_36y5Fq5F0h3JDVtqM8JshImZDJhQ&clui=1&rct=j&q=&ved=0CCIQ0Qw4CmoVChMIwJGJjcfsxgIVpO9yCh3OXQ7M&adurl=http://www.inet.se/produkt/6607098/ducky-keycap-set-thick-pbt-109-yellow-nordic-dyesub
On: http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1091 or do you mean somewhere else?
I'm waitin for 2 HKP caps from that site.
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1319
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1317
I also bought my 2 ANSI Ducky Shine 3 and my 1 ANSI Shine 4 69 Edition k-boards there.
Mechanicalkeyboards is a great site tho, the UK equivalent (TheKeyboardCo) specialises in Filco and doesn't focus on Ducky. Unfortunatly I love everything Filco so they still get my money. ;)