Keyboard Builders' Digest / Editorial

Behind the scenes #196

July switch toplist, exploding keyboards, Syntech Chronos 68 and MX tilting kit reviews, DIY projects, tips, art, Cornix and Evo75 in the mailbox, meetups, vendors, discounts.

dovenyi
Published August 20, 2025

Hey, what's up everyone!

Welcome back for another recap and behind-the-scenes write-up – with some cool projects from the DIY keyboard scene, but also promising closed-source projects or even prototypes.

If you are new to kbd.news, you can read how this started out and what this is all about nowadays. If you like what you see, subscribe to the newsletter (free) and donate some bucks to keep this otherwise free and ad-free project alive.

It’s been almost a month since my last BTC write-up. Posts, new issues, and newsletters have been a bit sporadic lately, but I should be back on track now. I’m still behind schedule, though — the cutoff date for this issue was about two weeks ago.

The reason is that I picked up a new sport last year, and this summer I ended up competing quite a lot. After several multi-day events, a week in training camp, and finally another week in Slovakia for my first international competition, the more intense part of my season is now behind me. Keyboard news and reviews should start coming more regularly again, and to say the truth, I can't wait to write about the Cornix (still no website?), the funny-looking froggy KiiBOOM one or the top-notch Evo75 sitting on my desk, and also some cool Redragon models like the Eclipse K720 Pro and Behemoth K724 Pro – still on their way.

Some posts worth sharing

• Here are your current community-favorite mechanical switches, with July's top picks. Based on real sales data provided by our awesome contributing vendors and manufacturers. Yushakobo (Japan) just contacted me, so we'll have another exotic list from next month on. ;)

• Review: My thoughts about the MX tilting kits by 3dkeycap – a Kickstarter campaign running at the moment. Turn your flat keyboard into a more ergo keywell one. This one is the best of the tilter iterations yet, constantly evolving.

• Keyboard review: The Syntech Chronos 68 is a cute little 65% HE board in an aluminum case. Packed with Hall-effect features mainly for gamers.

• Hot topic: A friendly reminder from Snimtas about the risks of using wireless keyboards with built-in lithium batteries plugged in constantly. Readers loved this piece, check it out if you haven't already.

• An ultra low-profile monoblock split keyboard using PG1316S switches: Wingman by vuoz.

• The Chonkofly19 is a unibody split keyboard by Orange Dog, inspired by the Chocofly.

• A low-profile split keyboard by TheEternalComrade: Prince54 with phone cable.

• An open-source split by HephaestusHex: the wireless HexBoard.

• The unibody version of Matt Petiteau's original design: Smallcat Uni.

• MrBacon released a nice low-pro wireless ortho keyboard: the Fingerguns.

• The Dactyl Orca, designed by MexPayne, is a Dactyl derivative featuring a levered thumb button.

Tip

• These design guides by Keyreative are interesting reads: Dye-Sublimation Primer (Part 1) and Part 2.

• A pretty elaborate piece on rapid trigger by Julien Groulx.

• A tutorial series on how to make a keyboard. By Eymeric Chauchat aka chauquest.

• Bongo Cat Mini Monitor by Vostok Labs. A tiny animated display pulling data from the OS. No soldering, open source, under $15. Github repo.

• Lily58 tented case by justinlime/horriblesmell420.

• TestDrive files published. These are 3D-printed cases for handwiring popular split keyboards – experiment with different keyboard layouts before committing to a final purchase. By jrussellsmyth aka LockPickingCoder.

• Dual foot controller by MexPayneDive20 (on github).

• An experimental layout by Rain2 to fix the Ctrl placement issue.

• Peter Lyons (Focusaurus), known from his Squeezebox, made a split keyboard recessed into a desktop. Blog post.

I knew I've seen something like this before.

Closed-source, commercial, WIP, etc.

• Kai Cosmos – a trackball keyboard by kaihchang/K-H-C created with the Cosmos Generator.

• Keyboard V2 by Daamin Ashai, a 14 year old enthusiast from India. There's a github repo, but the top case has to be reworked as it doesn't fit the rest.

• Hm. I find the number of keys here intimidating. A Cyboard posted by MixtureElectrical762.

• Belated (or early) Christmas mood: Yolochka by aroum – a handwired project based on the VOID40. Yep, those ornaments in the middle are indicator LEDs.

• A Corne in a wooden case. Routed by Nedzny.

• Ergohaven jumped the Prospector/YADS bandwagon with Qube, another ZMK dongle screen.

• Yet another PG1316S split, this time by Real-Database.

• A lovely low-pro macropad by creavi, with a huge display.

• Peripherals is a cute 40%-ish board by No-Series.

• ScottoKatana PCB edition by Joe Scotto. More photos.

• A small split by godRosko with 23mm Cirque trackpad.

• Zenith – A Totemist with an extra outer column by ergomech.store.

• Frogarang is a WIP monoblock split by tinytinypenguin.

• I love the curves and bumps of Baseform, a split in three familiar key counts (36, 42, 54 keys) by posture.works (formerly Next Keyboard Club).

• Unnamed case for RGBKB boards.

History/Discovery

• Split keyboard patent from 1963. Shared by jarek_rozanski. Also listed by SharktasticA.

• Ortho final boss. Nice find by epearl_tv.

Keyboard art

• Cerakey came out with some new keycaps sets: The Year of the Snake one, but most importantly these gorgeous handmade lacquered ceramic keycaps:

• A gallery of anonyzero2's resin printed and polished keyboard cases.

• Slightly related: a synthdeck made by zig-ziggler.

• Biblically accurate keyboard by WelderMammoth.

In the mailbox

Cornix

A mind-blowingly awesome Cornix from Frank of Jezail Funder Studio. (Sorry, no links as there's no shop set up yet iir.) Wow, I'm honestly blown away by the quality and attention to detail. A high-quality prebuilt wireless aluminum split with integrated tenting. This sample is from the first mass production batch, and it looks even better in real life than in the initial WIP photos. Full review later, but you have my full approval to flock to the store (once it's been set up).

Evo75

A beautiful Evo75 arrived, sent to me by QwertyKeys. Another keyboard of jaw-dropping quality. This is the Nebula variant, the one with the spray-coated finishing containing subtle micro-glitter. Yummy!

Donations

• New donors: Delek T. and Antal Jani, host of the KeebRight Youtube channel (Hungarian speaking). Thanks!
• As always, many thanks to my awesome regular supporters and everyone who helped this project thus far.

For all the donation options check out the donation page!

Meetup database

As always, this meetup database serves as both a calendar and an archive, so feel free to send me upcoming events or even ones from the recent past to make this collection as comprehensive as possible.

Upcoming meetups

• Minnesota Meetup 2025, August 23, Saint Paul, MN, US

Recently added

• Madison Mech Mania Summer Meetup 2025, August 30, Madison, WI, US
• Keeb Life 2025, September 6, Los Angeles, CA, US
• The Keyboard Meetup '25, October 18, Morgantown, WV, US

It's already over, but I love this poster by sandragm for the 4th Puerto Rico MK Meetup, August 1, Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

• And a post about MechMerlin's first meetup – 10 years ago.

Vendors & Discounts

Feel free to use the KBDNEWS discount code at 180 keyboard shops! And do not hesitate to report any issues! :)

New shops and updates to the database of keyboard vendors this past two weeks:

• Redragon offered you a 10% discount (code: KBDNEWS) – and their products for review. Thanks for reaching out.
• AmPi Studio (US) added, and Amethyst offered you a 5% discount (KBDNEWS coupon code).
• RGBKB's David, creator of the Banana Keyboard, offered you a 5% discount (KBDNEWS) for your first order.
• Saberkeebs (US) added.

Developments

I decided to lauch most of the half-baked switch comparison features. (Look at the bottom of each switch page.) Haven't had time for more developments.

I also added some force curve images to the switch database, more to come.

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That's all for today. Thanks for checking by. As always: Keep learning and building!

Until next time,
Tamás

Published on Wed 20th Aug 2025. Featured in KBD #196.

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