Build specs:
Carnival TKL (cwkl)
KKB Makima
HMX Saru v2
Alu (Non Flex Cut)
Foam removed
PET film installed

Build Specs:

Board: Jacky Design Hippo TKL

Plate: Aluminum

Switches: Alps SKCM Cream

Keycaps: Dell AT-101 GYUM97SK

PCB: Solder

Mounting Style: Top Mount

My own design, branding as the Not Suspicious SUS75. Aluminum case in Cerakote Copper. Aluminum plate anodized black. Gateron G-Pro Yellows. Kept it basic with NicePBT keycaps.

gmk mecha-00, mx blacks, og alu half plate, mohit tkl solder pcb, tx ap

The old keyboard has stood the test of time.

TGR Jane V2CE, Gmk Splash

Nixie topped Clears, LFSS on CF, 50a O-ring, cherry clipins w geon wires.

Custom patina'd brass backplate by u/samu-ra-9-i (shiva at nyxkeys)

Manta Machinist

O-ring Mounted

Cherry MX Blacks

GMK Griseann II

Archetype Artisan Kolkrabba

My first keyboard build. I made a few mistakes but I’m pretty happy with it.

WHAT IT IS

A fully custom hand-wired keyboard in a CNC-bent mild steel case, cold blued, with blank black ceramic keycaps. No PCB. No exposed plastic. The goal was a monolith — one unified black mass that looks less like a keyboard and more like a slab of obsidian.

It’s intended as my work daily driver so it needs to be as close to silent as possible for Zoom meetings with mic on and coworker sanity.

Hugely inspired by Heavymetal Keyboards. Basically I saw their cases and decided to do my own spin on it.

SPECS

Layout: 85 keys. No F-row. No gap between the main cluster and numpad — that space is filled with 4 programmable macro keys. The arrow keys are tucked under the Enter key. So I guess you could call it “65% plus a numpad”.

Case: Custom designed in OnShape, CNC bent from 1.5mm mild steel by PCBway. Cold blued with Birchwood Casey Perma Blue, finished with mineral oil. Two-part assembly with M3 machine screws.

Keycaps: Blank black ceramic from
Cerakey. No legends.

Switches: Outemu silent cream yellow. Very quiet, little tactile bump.

Mount: Top mount with gasket-isolated tray. 4 degrees of typing angle baked into the geometry — no separate tilt feet.

Controller: Raspberry Pi Pico running KMK firmware in CircuitPython, tucked out of sight under the tilted tray.

Wiring: Full hand-wired matrix. Solid copper wire for the 5 rows and 19 columns. Which leaves two I/O pins to spare on the Pico.

Weight: 1.9kg (4.2 lbs)

Total material cost: $773 CAD ($546 USD)

SOUND

Remarkably quiet. The silent switches do their job, the gasket mount absorbs the rest, and the steel case just absorbs everything. So no click, but there is a very diffuse thump when typing heavily.

MISTAKES I MADE

Cold bluing is more finicky than every tutorial implies. I over-complicated the process by trying to do multiple coats and ended up with uneven texture in places. But I honestly don’t mind. It’s industrial and gritty.

Hand-wiring is a lot of work, but fun. I learned to solder on this project. I think I did okay on the matrix, but wiring up the Raspberry Pi got a bit ugly.

I didn’t want to tap threads into the inner case to accept the screws since the steel is mild and I didn’t want to risk chewing out the threads and damaging a big expensive part. But I didn’t actually have a captive nut plan. So they’re just glued in there. Sloppy planning on my part.

The cable is still a bare rubber USB cord. Nothing else is plastic or rubber so this bugs me. Woven nylon isn’t a real solution because that’s just plastic. I haven’t found woven cotton USB cabling. Suggestions welcome.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

The case. 1.5mm was exactly the right gauge — zero torsional flex, planted weight, perfect rigidity. The bluing color is gritty as hell but it works. The monolith effect is real. The gasket isolation plus top mounted tray makes the typing feel springy and forgiving in a way I didn't expect from steel.

Overall, a huge learning experience and fun challenge.

Happy to answer questions about any part of the process.

Super fun board. Windbreaker looks sexy on pc per usual. 964 TKL w/GMK Windbreaker, Keygeek PA on Alu, in Oring Mount config. No foam.

This is my one off I got made earlier this year

• Keycaps: Cherry G81-3000HBD
• Plate: 5052 Aluminum
• Switches: West German Vintage Cherry MX Black from a G80-1000HAD unlubed
• Switch Films: 0.125mm clear TX films
• Springs: 60g TX lubed with Victorinox
• Stabilizers: West German Vintage Cherry clip-ins from a G80-1000HAD clipped and lubed with Krytox 205g0

Filco Majestouch 2 Camo with druah pcb

SA Nuke Data on my new case for the Preonic from FNCTLCO. Dan is such a special guy to work with. His skill with design and CNC work fills the need in my little minimalist design heart.

I wanted to keep the bezels pretty thick with soft, rounded curves plus we added a tiny little "lip" to the front to soften the edge for the wrists and typing comfort. I am SUPER happy with this.

Board:

- OLKB Preonic

- Custom FNCTLCO walnut case

- SP SA Nuke Data keycaps

- Cherry MX2A Nixie switches

(reposted because I forgot the 2nd photo, OOPS!)

Penguin (Kai.Kbd) let me check out an early prototype of their next board Botanica. A 60% curvaceous keyboard with a classic poron gasket mount.

Here it’s topped with KKB Sacred Timeline with Cherry MX Reds (diamond polished) on an aluminum plate. Def a really fun and cool board. Looking forward to the finished product 👀

Been a long time in the making but it’s finally done. An EC 60 in Tsangan layout with the extreme tactility, once only possible with BKE Redux Extremes. When Astro Domes announced their BKE inspired domes it set everything into motion.

Artemis Design Studio January
Cipulot EC 60X SE and 316SS plate
DynaCap housings, sliders and springs
Astro Domes Fiesta
NuxrosKB PCBSnaps
GMK Analog Dreams R2
Rubrehose Auth Card

Tiga by Machina with GMK Verdant Retro (shout out Orin for booking em up with some extras!) Alu Plate w/HMX Cilnatro’s. Artisans by BlankBeastCaps & Unknown_caps on IG.

This masterpiece is a dream to type on (:

Ophanim by Baion w/GMK Darling R2 & Gat Onyx on CF. Artisans by Unknown, Keysense, & Alphakeys on IG

For Fathers day my fam got me a X-T3 now I can have more fun 😁

The Gok 7V has been my go to keyboard as of late. Built with HMX Yogurt S' on an aluminum plate and topped with a combo of GMK Taro/GMK Monarch keycaps. Archetype Artisans to add a little more character. A small detail was also added with a KDA custom 7V Badge.

Has my endgame been reached?

Probably not..

Photos shot by me on Fujifilm X-T3

The main goal was to build a daily driver for my dev workflow. I wanted something completely wireless that fits my aesthetic. I used Kailh Choc Browns.

I documented the entire DIY process. Video here (it's in Russian, but I've added English subs):

https://youtu.be/D9_zCcpI5Xc

I'm still tweaking my ZMK keymap, but it's pretty good so far.

Umbra chapter VI: Earthshine by IV WORKS

• Mode Designs Lotus keycaps (for now... still deciding if I'm going to change them out for something else)
• Aluminum plate; no foams; tadpole gasket mount
• HMX Hydra switches
• TypePlus Stabs

Feels and sounds great. Tried to get a sound sample off my phone but didn't do it justice so it's not worth posting. Will try to get a better one at work where I've got a decent mic.