Behind the scenes #180

Keyboard projects, MK Advent Calendar call for submissions, quick news, in the mailbox, meetups, vendors, discounts, deals stuff.

Hey, what's up everyone!

Welcome back for another weekly recap and behind-the-scenes write-up.

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.

Some posts worth sharing

• I reviewed the amazing Fox65 by Chosfox x Masro – a versatile keyboard packed with features like a modular slider, hidden screws, VIA, and layout options including ISO and split spacebar support for those who prefer these. E.g. me. ;)

By the way, I published the Fox65 review completely unaware that it also comes in a prebuilt version. :) I was only familiar with the barebone kit while writing the article, so I had to quickly update the post once I realized my mistake. A few dozen early bird readers might have thought I'm a complete idiot, and they'd be right. :)

MK Advent Calendar postponed?

So yeah, I started to organize this year's MK Advent Calendar way too late. I have about 5-6 contributors, so it makes no sense to launch anything starting on Dec 1.

Instead, I guess I'm going to postpone this event to mid-December, or even to January. Sure, it will be a pretty unconventional Advent Calendar, but in fact, starting in January makes a lot of sense.

That said, if you'd like to write an article, here are the guidelines for authors, along with last year's edition for reference. Feel free to contact me so I can reserve a slot for you.

"Never give your money to Loobed Switches"

• I'm so sorry for having promoted them and hope that most of you who used the coupon code have received your orders. However, Reddit is full of complains about Loobed Switches (e.g. here and here), and I had a really bad experience with them too. The guy communicates like a real con artist – if he gets back to you at all, after some days or weeks –, stalling, making excuses. And then you realize that a few months have passed without any progress. Trusting him cost me about 300 bucks, don't make the same mistake, simply avoid Loobed Switches in the future.

Giveaway

• Will of Signature Plastics announced a giveaway of the SA Blackest Black – deadline: next Monday. This mysterious product won't be sold, 10 + 10 sets given away, and the double-shot, UV-activated unobtanium is gone. When joining the giveaway, you can nominate a content creator to receive one of the sets, just sayin'. ;)

Please do note that the deadline is next Monday! Shameful self-promotion by creators is highly encouraged – Will.

In the spirit of this idea, if you can't come up with anyone better, you might as well put kbd.news and dovenyi in the input box. ;)

More projects

• A low-profile macropad by Aiden Olsen: k11e1 with Chocs and RGB.

• Adrian Lym's Sheriff is an ergo split with horizontal encoders.

• This 42-key wireless split keyboard by Chad Transtrum is called Lintilla.

• A 36-key low-profile split: ynot by Egradman with roller encoders, trackpoint, and some splay.

• Pierre Broberg's ACS71 is an asymmetric monoblock split – low profile, 71 keys.

TIPS

• In contrast to classic wire keycap pullers, the Kemove P11 is a novel way to remove caps, four at the same time. I put way too many hours of testing in a $5 item. :)

• A modern geometric keycap profile compatible with both Choc and MX switches: GammaCaps by Grigory Pavlichenko.

Closed-source, WIP, etc.

• Tackyclack Blastpad – a gamepad by Lucosis.

• A handwired ortho by SfBattleBeagle.

• Hmm. A Helvellyn build with a layer of cork.

• Minke.io? A monoblock with horizontal staggering, in a tented case.

• Another Totem derivative, this time by JoaoSilvaSenpai.

• Feker Alice60 Rosewood. A bit pricy but probably understandable.

• Zodipact by Split Logic Keyboards.

• A 3D-printed keyboard case by PigModding.

• Qazleship – an epic M122-inspired handwired 40% by Equivalent_Pipe.

Keyboard art

• A tasty Ximi V2 build. Shared by CaptLynx. case design by Chewiedies, original keyboard design by Sadek Baroudi.

• I just loved these photos of a Rouge Bauer Lite with MW Shark Tail.

• It seems mechboards picked up Gleb's Skull (source).

• Weight of the Heracles 80. Posted by phero.

Weekly Diderot effect

• Keeblade bag by Qlavier.

In the mailbox

Hey, no keyboard this week, but a cool mouse!

Dareu was kind enough to send me a white A980 Pro Max. It will replace a dirty 20 yo IBM mouse at my office. :D

Lots of discounts in Dareu's Black Friday Sales, check them out.

The first mouse review on kbd.news, anyone?

Donations

• A new donation by Asa. Thank you!
• 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

Upcoming meetups (1):

• Keyboards Hawaii - Winter 2024 Meetup, November 30, Honolulu, HI, US

Recently added (3):

• Vienna Mechanical Keyboards Meetup, November 16, Vienna, AT
• NOVA/District Keyboards Meetup, December 7, Arlington, VA, US
• 9th Swiss MK Meetup, December 8, Zürich, Switzerland

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.

Vendors & Discounts

Feel free to use the KBDNEWS discount code at 164 keyboard shops! And do not hesitate to report any issues.

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

• Chosfox – while checking the coupon for the Fox65 write-up, I realized that the discount is 5% and not $5 as the vendor database entry claimed. Updated.
• The Lume Keebs coupon (5% off) is temporarily: "kbdnew" (not kbdnewS). Hopefully this issue will be resolved soon.

Deals

I was asked to share some deals with you:

• Lume Keebs: "We are currently doing Black Friday sales, our biggest sale of the year" – Emily.

Developments

Switch database:

• Published: filter by tags, search, order by A-Z or popularity. Every filtered list has a permalink so you can link to it, e.g. if somebody asks for lubed light silent linears with light diffuser, dustproof medium tactiles or 5-pin light Choc tactiles, you can easily link to a filtered list.

Formatting of reported shops. I had to do this to make you aware of reported scammers or problematic shops.

While some shops may offer you discounts and even affiliate commissions for me, if they are unresponsive or reported by readers, I have to sanctionate them somehow. I've really no idea what's going on at Loobed Switches for example, so I marked it as "reported", and also dimmed these suspicious shops in the vendor and discount lists to indicate that's something's not right here.

---

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

Until next time,
Tamás

Chosfox Fox65

I reviewed the amazing Fox65 by Chosfox x Masro – a versatile keyboard packed with features, and layout options including ISO and split spacebar support for those who prefer these. E.g. me. ;)

Woo-hoo! What's going on here?! Another week, another gorgeous board tempting me as my new daily driver: the Fox65 kit or prebuilt Fox65 by Chosfox x Masro. Wireless PCB housed in a sexy aluminum case, QMK/VIA, ANSI/ISO and split spacebar support! Oh, and did I mention the modular slider? Nice touch!

If I ever switch back from splits to a more classic keyboard layout, the Fox65 would be my top contender.

TLDR; The Fox65 is a CNC aluminum keyboard with lots of color, weight, and plate options, designed in collaboration by Chosfox and Masro of Basekeys. Wireless, hotswap, VIA-support – with clever details like hidden screws, magnetic connector extension for the battery, a cool slider (or 3 extra keys), etc. The layout options, especially the ISO and split spacebar support, make the Fox65 probably the very first quality keyboard in my 120-strong collection that will win my wife's approval, which says a lot! :)

Disclaimer

Chosfox sent me this stunning Fox65 in white (thanks so much!). As always, I'm not being paid to write these reviews, but receiving a free sample may introduce its own biases – both positive and negative, based on my experience. Take everything I write with a grain of salt.

Variants

My 3-mode wireless Fox65 with the perl white (electrophoresis) aluminum case, brass weight and slider is one of the most expensive combos, but there are much more affordable variations, e.g. a barebone wired-only kit.

• barebone kit or prebuilt
• wired or 3-mode wireless
• 5 color options: pearl white (electrophoresis), polar blue, dark night black, snow green purple, and starlight silver (anodized)
• weights: stainless steel, brass, red brass
• plates: the bundle came with an FR4 plate, but you can order PC or POM extras
• slider/button: the default slider can be swapped for an extra 3-key button module

Specs

• 60/65% keyboard kit (63-69 keys), 65% form factor
• three-mode wireless (switch beneath the CapsLock key)
• case: aluminum, hidden screws, 7° typing angle
• hotswap
• PCB: 1.2mm, no flex cuts
• plate: FR4 with flex cuts (PC+POM options)
• gasket mount
• South-facing RGB
• dimensions (case): 322x114x31mm
• weight: 1.431kg

Unboxing & Contents

Inside the sleek black hard-shell case, you'll find the seemingly assembled Fox65. That said, to mount the stabilizers, you'll need to disassemble the case first. :) My keyboard came with a bag of Chosfox White Fox V2 switches (which are very nice linears by HMX) and a dye-sub keycap set. While these two aren't part of the barebone kit, the creamy coiled cable with aviator connector, tools, wireless dongle, quickstart guide are! Just a small thing, but I especially like the tiny screwdriver. Very handy!

The coiled cable looks top-notch. In addition to the aviator connector, the end connectors are protected with a transparent film, adding an extra layer of care.

Design language

Smooth, curved design with soft edges, said to be "corner-free" design.

The Fox65 is a keyboard that combines sophisticated beauty and functionality with its streamlined, rounded design. This design fits naturally in the user's hand and provides comfort even when used for long periods of time – Chosfox.

Layout

The form factor is 65%, while the layout is 60/65%. Tricky, isn't it? Basically, the case takes up the place of a 65% because of the right slider. In this default case, there's no extra switch column, so the layout is closer to a 60%. However, the slider can be swapped for an optional 3-key module (not part of the default bundle), resulting in a 65% layout.

Meaning, you either have a pretty classic 60% board, or can snap an extra column to its right side.

Number row but no dedicated function keys. The arrow cluster is offset a bit, I like this a lot. That small gap makes so much difference! However, the best thing about the Fox65 is the flexibility of the layout: stepped Caps Lock, ANSI/ISO, and 3-part split spacebar option.

ANSI/ISO: Everybody builds the ANSI one, so I had to try the ISO variant you can see in the photos. It works perfectly.

Split spacebar option: Sure, you can use a regular spacebar, but why the heck would you? As someone who uses split keyboards all the time, the split option was the most exciting feature for me, so I went with the split ISO build right away.

FYI, you’ll need caps in the following sizes and order: 2.25U, 1.25U, and 2.75U – contrary to what’s shown in one of the illustrations on the product page. ;)

Keycaps

Keycaps are not included with the kit, only with the prebuilt Fox65. The set I received, which you can see in the photos, arrived in a plain cardboard box with no additional details. According to the product page, it's the BOW Snowfrost White keycap set: a large dye-sub set fully compatible with my ISO layout.

Perhaps the overall quality of the Fox65 deserved something more premium, at least a double-shot keycap set. However, given the price difference between the kit and the prebuilt version, the current option makes the offer relatively affordable.

Switches

Again, switches are not part of the barbone kit, but if you want something cool, than the V2 Chosfox White Foxes I received are definitely something to consider. (Other options are the linear Yichu, tactile Poison Gas V2, and clicky Arctic Fox – some of these are Chosfox's best-seller switches.)

Manufactured by HMX, the White Fox V2s are not simply nice light (45g) linears, but also very affordable, and their light diffuser perfectly matches the Fox65's RGB capabilities.

Assembly/Disassembly

The board is very easy and straightforward to disassemble, which is not often the case.

You can replace your keycaps and switches without touching any screw, but the stabilizers coming separately, you have to start with opening up the case and getting to the core anyway.

Case

Milled aluminum, typing angle: fixed 7 degrees (no adjustable feet).

The screws are hidden, similar to the Synth Labs x Keebwerk Synth 060 I reviewed earlier. Btw, the clean and simple metal artisans (Esc) in some of the photos are from keebwerk too.

PCB

The PCB is MX compatible, hotswap, and of course supports wireless modes. It's perfectly ANSI/ISO compatible, and as already told, supports slit spacebars as well.

What I like a lot is the magnetic pogo pin connection of the battery extension cable. In theory, you could open up the case and remove the PCB without unplugging the battery cable, since it has this nice magnetic connection. Too bad that the slider module is attached by a cable, so you have to juggle with these tiny connectors anyway.

Plate

The default plate is FR4 with plenty of shorter flex cuts. There are optional PC and POM plates available too.

Mounting

Gasket mounting, but there's not much room in the bottom case, so I had the feeling that instead of the silicone gaskets, the plate/PCB sandwich core was sitting on the bottom foams. I may be wrong though.

Stabilizers

The bundle came with 3x 2U stabilizers, and a long one for the one-piece spacebar, said to be Chosfox JWK screw-in stabs. Which is enough for a normal ANSI/ISO with a single spacebar, but definitely not for the split spacebar layout options. I had to grab an extra 2U stab from another set.

By the way, the PCB is 1.2mm thick, I'm not sure if that's why the inner edges of my split spacebars feel a bit rocky.

Sound & Sound dampening

Plenty of foam: 3mm poron plate foam, thin IXPE(+PET?) switch foam layer(s), another thick poron beneath the PCBfoam, and there's a last thin layer in the bottom case.

Despite the gaskets and flex cuts, the typing feel is very direct and snappy.

Slider/Pusher/Putter :)

This thing is called by various names on the product page, but basically it's a nice slider.

It moves very smoothly, and the cap can be reversed too (two directions).

The ridged piece beneath the slider feels aluminum too, and the whole thing is modular.

RGB

The RGB lighting is great, or maybe it's the effect of the White Fox V2 switches with their fancy light diffusers. The board comes with per-key RGB backlighting, and lots of preset animation modes. So many that I had a hard time to get back to the one I liked the most. :)

Software

The Fox65 is VIA compatible. Yay!

Reproducing my custom layout should have been easy, and it's completely my fault that I spent so much time on it.

I had to use the Fox65 JSON file provided by Chosfox, and then select the options reflecting my build from VIA > Layouts. These are: ISO Enter, Split Left Shift, and 7U bottom row.

Swapping some keys and functions is easy, and setting up SpaceFN should have been straightforward too. (Don't forget to set your split space keys to transparent on your non-base layers if you'd like to use them as modifiers…)

Wireless

The Fox65 is a three-mode wireless board (2.4G Wireless/Wired/Bluetooth 5.1) with 3,000mAh battery.

The switch to turn the battery on/off, is hidden beneath the CapsLock key.

Portability

Based on the wireless features and the relatively compact 65% form factor, the Fox65 could even be portable, however, the hefty aluminum case makes me think twice before dropping it into my backpack. (OK, there is the nice hard-shell case, but anyway.) Lighter than the beefy alu boards reviewed earlier (MoeeTech Glitter, Akko YoD, Whitefox Eclipse – about 2kg each – but still relatively heavy with its weight of 1.4kg.

In my opinion, it excels as a stationary device on your desk.

Conclusion

The Fox65 is my first keyboard from Chosfox, and it has set the bar very high. It's beautiful, it's flexible, I love it – especially the split spacebar and the ANSI/ISO compatibility. The Chosfox White Fox V2 switches feel nice and ensure top-notch RGB effects. Quality and performance even for the most serious typer and keymap wizard – thanks to the VIA support.

Pros

• Solid aluminum case with hidden screws, magnetic connector, etc.
• Layout variants: ANSI/ISO/split spacebar options
• VIA

Cons

• Maybe the height and weight vs. portability aspect – if I had to nitpick.
• One more 2U stab would be nice

Availability

There's a 5% discount in effect with the KBDNEWS coupon code, so the Fox65 kit or prebuilt Fox65 can be yours for $161 and $190, respectively. The most affordable option is the wired version, however, you could flirt with a $200-230 total if you choose the most expensive color and weight, plus add some extra plates and the 3-key module.

Also keep in mind that for the barebone kit you'll have to add switches and keycaps.

• Fox65 keyboard kit from $169-195 $161-$185 with the KBDNEWS coupon code.
• Fox65 prebuilt keyboard from $200 $190 with the KBDNEWS coupon code.
• Extra weights
• Extra 3-key module

k11e1

A low-profile macropad by Aiden Olsen: k11e1 with Chocs and RGB.

Aiden Olsen aka AineeJames shared k11e1, a 11-key macropad with encoder and per-key RGB.

Hey everyone! Here’s my custom-built 4x3 ortho-linear macropad with full RGB lighting, layer indication, and a tactile knob, all powered by QMK and VIA support for easy customization. I went with Kailh Choc Red switches paired with Choc Fox frosted black transparent keycaps to let the RGB lighting shine through beautifully – Aiden.

This macropad runs on a Waveshare RP2040-Zero, making it compact yet fully programmable.

Specs

• 11 keys
• Choc, soldered
• Waveshare RP2040-Zero
• encoder
• per-key RGB

Resources

• https://github.com/AineeJames/k11e1

Sheriff

Adrian Lym's Sheriff is an ergo split with horizontal encoders.

Adrian Lym posted his Sheriff, a split keyboard with plenty of keys and one thumb scroll wheel per half.

A blazingly fast, feature-rich ergonomic split keyboard with thumb scroll wheels. […] The scroll wheels are mapped to arrow keys by default, and mouse emulation, faster deletion, vim motions, etc. are also implemented via layers – Adrian.

The Sheriff features higher keys on the number row for easier reach.

Specs

• 68 keys
• MX, hotswap
• Pro Micro footprint
• reversible PCB
• EVQWGD001 roller encoders
• wireless support
• QMK/ZMK

Resources

• https://github.com/AJGamma/sheriff-keyboard

Lintilla

This 42-key wireless split keyboard by Chad Transtrum is called Lintilla.

Chad Transtrum shared his Lintilla, a 42-key wireless split with splay, reversible PCB, featuring Choc v1 switches and XIAO BLEs.

Hi, my name is Chad Transtrum, and I created a new ergonomic split keyboard design with some innovative features I don't think I've seen on other keyboards before – Chad.

The Lintilla comes with a low-profile 3D printed "closed sandwich" case that is only 7 mm tall, yet has space for a larger than normal 502030 250mAh battery.

Specs

• 42 keys
• low-pro Choc V1, hotswap
• "relaxed" Choc spacing (halfway between Choc and MX)
• reversible PCB
• wireless-first design, 502030 250mAh batter, ZMK

The key layout is very similar to the Klor, though with a few minor tweaks. It has an aggressive pinky stagger and splayed columns.

Unlike most other 40% keyboards, it includes a quick-access function key on each half that is surprisingly easy to reach, even though it violates the "1DFU" rule. I use those keys for mute and mission control – Chad.

In addition, it doesn't require tucking the thumb to hit any of the thumb keys.

The author wasn't comfortable with the Choc spacing on for example the Totem, but also felt the keys on the MX-spaced Klor were too far apart. The result is the "relaxed" Choc spacing: Chad split the difference, and made the spacing halfway between Choc and MX.

Resources

The hardware is designed with ergogen and kicad and open-sourced with the CERN OHL-2 license, with all source files available for editing if desired.

• https://github.com/ctranstrum/lintilla

Ynot keyboard

A 36-key low-profile split: ynot by Egradman with roller encoders, trackpoint, and some splay.

Egradman shared his ynot, allegedly based on the Corne. :)

I'm happy to have just finished my first completely custom build! This is a 38 key board based on a Corne. I've added a horizontal scroll wheel to each side, as well as a trackpoint. It runs ZMK, so it's wireless. I love wireless – egradman.

Specs

• 36 keys (5x3+3)
• Choc
• Panasonic EVQWGD001 roller encoder
• wireless via nice!nano
• R61 trackpoint harvested from a Lenovo Thinkpad T410

Resources

Github repo with some useful links:

• https://github.com/egradman/ynot-keyboard

ACS71

Pierre Broberg's ACS71 is an asymmetric monoblock split – low profile, 71 keys.

The ACS71, created by Pierre Broberg, is an asymmetric unibody split: 6x5 on the left, 7x5 on the right.

Well, not really finished but it's together and I can learn to actually type on it 😎 – Pierre.

Driven by a Pi Pico, the board features keycaps that went through the author's laser for the legends.

Specs

• 71 keys
• low-pro Choc, hotswap
• Pi Pico
• per-key RGB (SK6812mini-E leds)
• 1N4148SOD-123 diodes

Resources

The repo is WIP, but it already contains the KiCad files and Ergogen YAML:

• https://github.com/brobergp/ACS71/

GammaCaps

A modern geometric keycap profile compatible with both Choc and MX switches: GammaCaps by Grigory Pavlichenko.

Grigory Pavlichenko aka SQDRCK/sqdbruh published his versatile GammaCaps keycap profile, with Choc and MX stems, tilted caps, etc.

"This was not designed with FDM printing in mind. For resin printing, I place it at a 45° angle and use Conjure Water Washable resin […] i used uniformation gktwo 3d printer – Grigory.

Types

• Normal – Flat profile. Includes 1u, 1.25u, 1.5u, and 2u versions.
• Tilted – Same as Normal, but the top profile is tilted at 15°.
• Thumb – Lower than Normal, with a cut on the downward side. Also includes 90° versions for keyboards with a rotated last thumb key.
• Arc Thumb – Designed for keyboards with thumb keys rotated by 15° each (e.g., Corne, DAO).
• Saddle – Similar to Normal, but the top profile features two symmetrical cuts.
• Saddle Tilted – A tilted version of the Saddle keycap with one cut.
• Normal/Saddle Homing – Features two small bumps to help determine the home position.

Resources

• https://github.com/sqdbruh/gammacaps

Kemove P11 keycap puller

In contrast to classic wire keycap pullers, the Kemove P11 is a novel way to remove caps, four at the same time.

I've already teased the Kemove P11, this new keycap puller with an innovative design allowing four keycaps to be pulled out at once.

While the P10 is probably my favorite switch puller with the best value for money at the time I reviewed it, its keycap puller function is only for emergency situations. That's why I was excited to get my hands on the P11. If you're considering it for efficient cleaning or keycap and switch replacement, here's my verdict after testing it extensively for a few weeks with various keyboards and keycap profiles.

TLDR; The P11 4-key puller works fine with some keycap/switch combos, is very affordable, and Kemove offers a 30-day return, so feel free to try it. However, let's be realistic: being a 4-key puller doesn't result in a 4x speed, I'd say it's about 2x. To pull out four switches, you logically need to exert four times as much force. In addition, it may pull out switches from hotswap boards, which may compromise its efficiency. All in all, it works great with more loosely fit switch/keycap combos, and less well with tightly fit ones. The best part, however, isn't the pulling itself but ensuring a tidy arrangement of the removed keycaps. This is immensely helpful when putting your caps back, especially for those who frequently swap their keycaps or switches.

Disclaimer

I received this P11 keycap puller from Kemove. As always, I'm not being paid to write these reviews, but receiving a free sample may introduce its own biases – both positive and negative, based on my experience. Take everything I write with a grain of salt.

Build quality

While the P11 is very light and doesn't feel that strong at first, I had no problem with it. It's still in one piece after a few weeks of usage. :)

The grip's material is ABS, and the jaws are made of high carbon grade 420 stainless steel for wear and corrosion resistance. The edges of the metal parts are grinded for "non-destructive extraction."

Heat-treated electrolytic passivation on the surface of metal clips creates a protective layer that enhances the durability of the metal – Kemove.

The grip is relatively comfortable. The design, which lets you hook your fingers, is a great help when keycaps are snug and extra force is needed. It could be thicker, but then it would be heavier and less portable. Maybe for a more heavy duty deluxe version.

Specs

• Material: ABS + stainless steel
• Size: 90x70x15mm (3.54x2.76x0.59 inch)
• Weight: 25g

Performance

The idea is great, but in practice, it not always works as expected.

Is pulling keycaps with the P11 quicker? Yes! Is the process as smooth as I expected? Not always. :)

Especially on hotswap boards with tightly fitting caps, it tends to pull out the switches as well, which can be frustrating. While a simple wire puller would cause the same issue, this undermines the P11's effectiveness, making it not exactly 4x quicker than a standard wire keycap puller.

All in all, it works very nicely on some configs, but not on some others.

However, the biggest pro isn't the pulling part in my opinion, but the tidy arrangement of the pulled keycaps (which is a total mess with normal keycap pullers).

Speed

It's hard to do a proper speed test when also paying attention to the nice arrangement of keys.

The more acceptable mess on the left took me about 12s with the P11, while the absolute mess on the right took almost 30s with one of the better wire keycap pullers from my drawer.

This means that I could go much slower with the P11 to aim for a perfect grab and release, while still beating the classic puller.

Yep, whether if it's about cleaning your keyboard, swapping your keycaps, or replacing your switches, it's better to consider the whole cycle of removing the keycaps and putting them back. And the P11 helps a lot in the second, assembly phase. Perhaps I don't need to emphasize how much easier it is to work with a neatly arranged keycap set, everything facing upwards, than with a jumbled pile of caps.

Compatibility

I tested the P11 on various keyboards and keycaps, and the design ensures there's no huge difference when it comes to various profiles. The only incompatible cases are keyboards with a keywell, and also curved thumb clusters of ergo splits.

Obviously, the jaws of the P11 being straight, it's impossible to position them on splits with curved columns, or a hex one like my Mantis. :D But these are the outliers, and it works well with flat columnar staggering.

In addition, LEGO cases may come apart under the applied force, before releasing a keycap. :)

Keycap profiles

I haven't found any incompatible keycap profile among the widely available ones, however, haven't had higher profiles at hand, e.g. SA and MT3. That said, the P11 works with low-pro caps just like with various MX-compatible keycaps I had laying around.

In the photos below you can see how the P11 performed with various setups. I didn't modify any of the layouts afterward.

Cherry

I started with a Kemove board, the soldered Kemove87SE. As expected, the P11 does the job perfectly.

Cherry profile on the hotswap Chosfox Fox65. White Fox V2s switches with standard MX stem. One switch pulled out, one cap flew off.

I'd say it doesn't work well with the Gravastar Mercury K1 Pro (Cherry, hotswap PCB, Gravastar's switches with standard MX stem).

The Akko Year of the Dragon (magnetic(!) Akko Cream Yellow) with hybrid but Cherry(ish) sets (Aihey Studio's Harry Potter themed one and the original Akko set.) It works like a breeze with 1U caps, even on switches with dust-proof stem. A minor mishap during one of the releases.

All in all, it's not about the keycap profile alone.

XDA

The P11 worked beautifully with the Ergohaven Planeta V2 (XDA, Tecsee Ruby). However, the tool's greatest advantage does not come into play with blank keycaps, obviously.

MDA

I had Akko MDAs combined with Akko switches on the Moeetech Glitter 65 R2 and ScottoWing. I'd say the P11 worked the best with these combos. The easiest removal by far.

ASA

The ASA caps on the resin Akko YU01 behaved strangely. Maybe these transparent PC caps are lighter, but they scattered everywhere.

MOA

The wooden Akko MU01's PBT MOA caps behaved much better.

Dot

It works well with these trendy uniform caps too, here on the Lilith + Lilin chimera, however, pulling them was definitely harder than other keycaps. This may be due to the dust-proof stem of the switches. By the time I got to this board, I had learned that I need to be careful with LEGO cases.

Low profile

The KBDcraft Israfel's low-pro but MX caps on the all-POM low-pro Kailh switches were on the more annoying end of the spectrum. This may be due to the circular stem, but also simply because the LEGO case was not designed to withstand this type of force. I completely tore apart the case on my first try, and you can see some loosened bricks here too. :)

I may get back to more low-pro caps, but I can't see any reason why the P11 shouldn't work with MBK, MCC, CFX, etc.

Hotswap

Yep, hotswap sockets caused me the most trouble. The speed and efficiency of the P11 are compromised on hotswap keyboards with snugly fitting keycaps but loosely fitting switches in the hotswaps sockets.

Pulling the caps together with the switches undermines the promise of speed and smooth usage.

Sure, it's likely that a classic wire puller would do the same in this situation. However, with a wire puller you stop, resolve the problem, and drop the cap on your chaotic pile of keycaps. The same stopping, however, may mess up your otherwise neatly arranged pile with the P11 – which is the best thing about this tool.

Usage

Positioning is a bit different, it takes some time to master, but is a very quick process once you get the feel of it. The pulling motion needs to be firm but gentle to keep the caps between the jaws.

After some practice, it works well for 1U keycaps. Also for larger caps, but you better handle those separately. And you better grab a standard puller for ISO Enters. :)

One more thing: Wire pullers may damage the keycap because of the very small contact surface. The P11, however, distributes pressure evenly along the length of two sides of the keycap, reducing the risk of damaging your expensive keycap set.

Portability

While definitely lightweight and can fit your pocket in theory, it still takes up a much larger space than a classic wire puller – as a result of the spring keeping the jaws in an open position.

I always keep a basic wire puller in my pocket (for real, so I don't miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when encountering e.g. a rare vintage keyboard on the street for whatever reason :)), but replacing them with a P11? Somehow, that didn't occur to me. I'd say the P11 is for desk usage.

Conclusion

The Kemove P11 4-key puller is an innovative idea, very affordable, and since Kemove offers a 30-day return, feel free to give it a try. Whether if you'd like to clean your keyboard or replace your caps and switches often, the P11 works fine with some keycap/switch combos, regardless of the keycap profile. However, using it is definitely not 4x quicker than a wire puller: To pull out four switches, you logically need to exert four times as much force, that requires quite some strength, especially in some extreme situations. In addition, this tool may pull out switches from hotswap boards, which may compromise its efficiency – however, this is a common annoyance with standard wire pullers too. All in all, it works great with some more loosely fitting switch/keycap combos, but with some very tightly fit ones you may have to revert back to a wire puller. The best thing, however, is not the pulling part but the P11 ensuring a tidy arrangement of the pulled keycaps. This is an immense help when putting your caps back, especially for those who often replace their keycaps or switches. While you can pull multiple caps with a wire puller consecutively, releasing them results in a real mess, at least for me. With the P11, I don't have to look for individual keycaps in a chaotic heap of caps, but can put them back together very effectively.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• tidy arrangement of pulled keycaps
• spreads the pressure, no damage to the caps
• affordable

Cons

• hard to use with tightly fit keycaps (4x force)
• may pull out hotswap switches (just like wire pullers)
• less portable

Availability

If you pull lots of switches and consider buying a P11, it's available at Kemove for $4.75 with the KBDNEWS coupon code:

• KEMOVE P11 Keycaps Puller for $4.99 $4.75.