This is Kawamura of Greenkeys management.
The replacement keycap set for HHKB Studio has been in development with Keyreative since June 2024.
In this issue, we would like to compare the differences and completeness of the special shape of “G/H/B” and the interchangeable space bar, which you are most interested in, with the genuine keycaps.
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Comparison of G/H/B [HHKB_Studio_Keycaps
HHKB Studio has a pointing stick between the GHBs, which is a revolutionary mechanism that allows the user to operate the mouse while maintaining the home position.
The trade-off that arises is that there are no compatible keycaps.
Therefore, we asked Keyreative to create this “GHB” from a mold using actual HHKB Studio measurement data.
Thus, it was successfully created to match the KAT profile licensed by Keyreative in its entirety, without interference.
The genuine keycaps are made using the “single shot” method, in which sublimation printing is applied to PBT material, but the keycaps created this time are made using the “double shot (two-color molding)” method, in which the printing part and the exterior part are made by combining separate parts.
Because the printing area is made of different resin parts, not only is the printing clear in this way, but the letters do not disappear through abrasion.
This enables comfortable pointing stick operation.
The KAT profile is taller than the HHKB Studio stock keytops, so you will notice a slightly larger indentation in the pointing stick area.
The precision of the cut edge is excellent, and there are no burrs at all, resulting in a beautiful finish.
We asked them to focus on “B” in particular.
Unlike the factory keytops, the legend is large and centered, and the area on the top of the keycap must be reduced to allow for the pointing stick.
To solve this problem, the double shot was adopted to “reproduce letters in three dimensions.
From the top, the letter “B” is seen, but from the other side, the letter is expressed in three dimensions.
This is a trick only Keyreative can pull off…!
Space bar comparison [HHKB_Studio_Keycaps
The next issue was the space bar.
Traditionally, the length of the HHKB space bar is “6u”.
Speaking of space bars on mechanical keyboards in general, 6.25u is the most major type, followed by 7u in many cases.
KawamuraThe size of 6m2 is very rare in the world.
In the case of long horizontal keycaps, such as the space bar, the movement becomes unstable as the keycaps move away from the center of the keyswitch, so it is customary to add a stabilizer to stabilize the keyswitch.
Naturally, the 6.25u is also the most readily available for this stabilizer.
A good example of this is the HHKB Studio space bar, which was 6u in length and the stabilizer standard was 6.25u.
KawamuraMy guess is that the 6u size and stabilizers are now 6.25u size to ensure procurability while maintaining the traditional 6u.
However, if this is the case, the keycaps generally available on the market will not fit because they are “special standards”.
For this as well, we had a dedicated space bar developed with the help of Keyreative.
Thus, it is exactly the same size as the stock space bar.
summary
These are the “GHB” and “space bar” that have been described with great care.
KawamuraSeriously, I was amazed at the “B” modeling.
It was Zhao of Keyreative’s idea, but I remember being skeptical, “Can you do that…?” I remember I was skeptical.
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