Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Key-Ripper
Brian Schwind released his key-ripper keyboard, with custom Rust firmware.
Published July 18, 2025
The key-ripper, shared by Brian Schwind aka bschwind, is a keyboard with a standardish layout, mostly designed to be as familiar as possible to macbook users, with a fully custom PCB featuring an integrated RP2040 controller and custom Rust firmware.
It's funny that I put in all this effort to make essentially a standard keyboard, but it was a HUGE learning experience in terms of PCB design, firmware, and CAD. In the future I'd like to take those skills I've learned and make something more exotic – some sort of split, fully wireless, sculpted keyboard with flex PCBs and other fancy stuff. We'll see! – bschwind.
Although it's focused on mirroring the layout of a macbook keyboard, it can of course be used with any machine. One major caveat to keep in mind is that there is no right shift key.
Features
- 75 keys, MX, soldered
- on-board RP2040 MCU
- screw-in stabilizer support
- ESD protection
- 3D-printed case
- firmware in Rust
The 3D-printable case, also defined in Rust code, has feet which let it sit on top of a macbook keyboard without pressing any keys.
Video
The author gave a talk on making this keyboard:
Resources
Published on Fri 18th Jul 2025. Featured in KBD #195 (source).
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