Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
ErgoSentry
ErgoSentry is the ultimate resurrection of the retired SteelSeries Merc Stealth keyboard – a group buy by CustomMK.
Published February 18, 2025
We previously reported on the ErgoStrafer, designed by David at customMK, which reproduced the gamepad of the Merc Stealth, a membrane keyboard SteelSeries retired in 2013 yet was revered by MMO gamers. With hundreds of ErgoStrafers built and sold since then, David noticed a recurring request from his customers: "Can you make a version with the rest of the keyboard".
Launched this month as a group buy, ErgoSentry builds upon the previous design work of ErgoStrafer by adding two ANSI layouts and one ISO layout, a rarely-seen second function row, and integrated USB hub and USB audio.
A clever arrangement of the switches and keycaps even allows for the PCB to be hotswap – something previously not thought possible due to how close the keys are to each other. The realization that made this possible: keycap stems don't have to be located at the center of the keycaps, they can be offset a few millimeters (a perk of 3D printing a custom keycap design!).
As for why David keeps working hard to "bring back the Merc":
"Customers who have used this layout for a decade or more absolutely love it. Practically every day I get an email from someone who just discovered the ErgoStrafer for the first time and they are thrilled that we created it. That constant source of genuine appreciation and feedback is incredible and highly motivating."
The market for this particular layout may have been too small for SteelSeries, but as it turns out, it's a perfect fit for customMK.
Specs
- lots of keys… :)
- hotswap MX switches
- STM32F411 microcontroller
- USB hub which provides two USB-A ports
- USB audio which provides high-fidelity 192kHz/32bit headphone and microphone ports using Cmedia CM6646
- NKRO
- Three rotary encoders
- QMK firmware with VIA compatibility
- USB-C
- buzzer
Resources
- ErgoSentry product page
- ErgoStrafer
Published on Tue 18th Feb 2025. Featured in KBD #186 (source).