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MechKB Double-Shot Sale, Mechanical Keyboards for as Low as $59+P&H, Deck Hassium for $105+P&H

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Do you hate it when the markings on your keys fade? So do we, that’s why at MechKB, we carry a range of Double Shot keyboards and key caps and until the 24th of July, we’re putting them on sale. With keys that’ll never fade or smudge a Double shot keyboard or key cap set is a solid investment for any discerning mechanical keyboard user.

What is Double Shot?
Most contemporary mechanical keyboard keys are marked by burning the marking onto the key cap with a laser (laser-etching) then, in the case of non-backlit keyboards, filling the resulting groove with ink, a process known as laser-etched infill. This is a cheap and flexible way to create key caps which are relatively durable but after a period of repeated use (for the typical typist, around one year) the ink and the edges of the key start to wear eventually resulting in keys with ever-fading key markings.

Double-Shot Injection moulding is different. Double shot injection moulding uses two separate pieces of plastic, one for the key cap and one for the key markings (double-shot) and melds them together to form one key cap (injection moulding). Because no ‘ink’ is involved the keys never fade even after years of usage.

What’s on Offer?

Vortex Double-Shot PBT Key Cap set $39 $29

Vortex F-104 Double-Shot PBT Keyboard $105 $79, (Cherry MX Black at $59)

Deck Hassium (non-pro) Double-Shot PBT Backlit Keyboard $129 $105, (Cherry MX Black at $85)

Max Keyboard Blackbird TenKeyLess Double-Shot Backlit Keyboard $169 $139

Sale lasts until 11:59PM, 24 July 2014, while stocks last.

Related Stores

Mech KB
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closed Comments

  • Can't find the cherry MX black at $59?

  • +1

    Great price for the Vortex considering a friend got a no brand mechanical for slightly more.

  • Great prices! Any chance you can do that price for the blue switches (on either the Deck or Vortex keyboard)? Cheers

    • You mean $59 and $85? Heh, not at this stage in time, sorry :P

      • What about that price for browns? I just got blues for home and I love them (dat tactical feel) but they would be way to loud for work so I'm considering browns but my wallet says no atm

        • Heh, sorry Annoying Source. Cannot oblige atm. These are already pretty rock bottom prices for us. :|

        • Yes same boat here.
          I have the sampler and its pointing me in the direction of the browns, but I really won't know until I drop some cash on an actual mech keyboard.
          Be awesome to get the Deck Hassium brown for $85 (+ $12 for shipping)
          Wink wink nudge nudge

        • +3

          I have the Deck Hassium with mx blues for work. I put a set of dampeners on the keys and the keyboard is as quiet or even quieter than the standard keyboards everyone else uses in the office. Not one complaint as yet! Here is a link to the dampeners i got for $7.

          http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/150pcs-Keycap-Rubber-O-Ring-Switc…

          It does slightly change the feel of the keyboard but its not for better or worse… just different. Perhaps a little more resistance is the best way to describe it.

        • You could always dampen the noise of the blues with some o-rings. Ebay has some Australian sellers with o-rings for sale for like $11 inc/ shipping.

          edit: found local seller $12 w/ free shipping on ebay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/151351081370

  • Hi Rep, I've got a Cherry MX clear at home and am looking at a new KB for work in an office.

    IMHO blues are too loud, and as clears are fairly unusual I was thinking of moving to either browns or blacks. I like keyboards with "heavy" keys but am thinking that something a touch lighter than the clears might be called for. What is your view on the brown/black distinction here? I won't be playing games with it.

    Clear 65cN actuation, tactile
    Black 60cN actuation, linear
    Brown 45cN actuation, tactile

    • +1

      I think the thing you're going to miss moving to a Cherry MX Black is the tactile bump, and it does make a difference. The Cherry MX Brown will feel like quite a light coming from a Cherry Clear so if you don't like that, then that probably won't be to your liking. Although, Cherry Browns tend to be more popular than Blacks by a long stretch.

      I think Cherry MX Clears are quite unique and sought after and it would be difficult to really 'match' the feeling.

      You could always grab a sampler if you're not sure, the sale lasts for a week ;)

      • ^ This is exactly the predicament I find myself in. I've got a sampler from your first deal and pressing a key at a time I feel I like the blacks more than the browns, even though I really appreciate the tactile feel of the clears and didn't realise how much this was the case til I got the KB.

        All things considered, either would be a quantum leap from the terrible dome kb I've got at work at the moment. Just waiting for confirmation I'm allowed to substitute it for a BYO, and I'll check at home again with a view to probably going for Cherry blacks.

        • +1

          Sure, you've got a bit of time :)

          Don't hesitate to contact us if you need any more assistance!

        • +2

          Thanks. I really appreciate how much effort you go to on OzBargain. We need more reps like you.

        • @tplen1:

          You probably don't want blacks. They're ugly switches. For me personally, it aggravated the RSI in my wrists. Browns are probably your best bet, or even consider making the switch to Topre.

        • @ausmechkeyboards: I only suggested it because he liked stiffer keys and suspect he will find Cherry Brown too light. If you are in that position and you don't want to get a Cherry Blue because of the click then you basically have to compromise one way or the other…

        • +1

          @Roland Chen: I agree. From what I've seen, Blacks are really only appreciated by the seasoned Mech KB users who no longer bottom out their keys. At that point, Blacks feel like you're typing on a cloud of boobs :p however for those who do bottom out their keys, they end up getting frustrated with them after extended periods of typing. This is from my experience/observations anyway.

        • +2

          "typing on a cloud of boobs" totally sold me!

      • The $6 sampler is the way to go if you've never touched a mech kb before. The feeling is very hard to describe and a personal preference.

  • What would you recommend between the Deck and Vortex?
    (A noob at keyboards)

    Is there a significant difference? Will be getting MX black.

    • +2

      The Deck Keyboard is backlit and comes with a font which some people don't like. It also has full N-Key Roll over via USB and software-free macro programming features.

      The Vortex F-104 is a very basic keyboard in comparison and is not backlit but it does have a more palatable font if that is important to you. And it's also cheaper :P

      • +1

        Looks like I'll get the Deck! Thanks rep

        • You're very welcome :)

        • @Roland Chen:
          Thanks again.

          Also, I might get both, does the Vortex also have N-key rollover?

        • +1

          @BanSlavery: From what we understand, it does not have N-Key Rollover.

          I understand that function is linked to on of the four keys which did not make it into the production board (one of the keys on top of the number pad). In theory, if you were to solder a key on there, it could have that functionality again (assuming the controller hardware is still on the keyboard which I believe it is).

        • @Roland Chen:
          Thanks! You're amazing

  • Do you guys have any information on the Corsair K70 RGB keyboards due out this month?

    • +2

      AFAIK, not in Australia. First batch all went to Newegg, Newegg is sold out until 2015. Sucks, I know.

      EDIT: Let me add a bit more info. We have a tentative ETA from our supplier, however, given the numerous delays with the Corsair RGB, I don't want to put it out publically until it is at least on the way to our shores.

      • Didn't know any of that - thanks a heap for the info
        Would be awesome if there was a way to pre-order it (don't want to miss out)

        • +2

          Believe me Charcoal, if I could confirm the numbers coming, I'd open for pre-orders tomorrow :P

  • Will the Vortex Key caps work well with backlit switches? Would the light come through the coloured part but not the white?

    • Hello Poulsen8r,

      The Vortex Keycaps are not designed with backlighting in mind. In our experience, dependent on your keyboard and the strength of the LEDs, the backlighting will appear like a light 'dot' bebind the key but the legend itself will not light up to the exclusion of the rest of the key cap as you describe. Sorry about that :(

  • +2

    Good prices for these. I recently bought the Vortex from MechKB (just a week ago :-( should have waited) after considering between it and the Deck. Item arrived in two days.

    Something people may be interested in with the Vortex is that it actually has some key combos that are not advertised: Fn+(F1-F7) are multimedia keys, Fn+F12 switches capslock and lctrl, Fn+LWin disables both win keys. Fn+(1-8,0) are also reserved but I don't see any effect, I suspect they may be for controlling backlight if you want to DIY them in. Another strange thing is that the num/caps/scroll indicator LEDs are so bright that I have to tape them over with a black plastic sheet so they don't blare into my eyes.

    • Heh, sorry about that Orte :P

      Yes, there are a lot of unadvertised features on the Vortex F-104, I can confirm the DIY backlighting, for example, (and the Controller and pin-outs exist on the board).

    • One more thing I forgot to mention regarding the strangeness of the Vortex: the Fn key replaces the menu key (instead of replacing rwin, as seems to be more common).

    • +2

      Orte you may want to talk to Vortex on their facebook page as like you I have a F-104 and been blinded haha. They sent me an update firmware file which has made the LED less bright and is now working brilliantly.

      And as a side effect I think the firmware also enabled NKRO as well.

      • Will do, thanks for the heads up.

    • aside from the multimedia keys, all those key combos are included in a 1 page manual with the kb. however it is written in chinese…

  • I don't know much about mechanical keyboards . can u change the switches individually? Like in, only few keys cherry blue, and other brown. Something like that?

    • In theory yes, however, it requires you to desolder the old switches and resolder the new switches. You also have to source your replacement switches from somewhere, so in practice it's not generally done.

  • Has anyone seen a cut down mechanical keyboard/keypad for gaming? Looking for something small and portable. Only thing is I don't want the layout changed so it's easier to switch between regular and gamepad, which counts out most of the options I've seen.

    http://www.amazon.com/Razer-Orbweaver-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyp…

    http://www.amazon.com/WolfKing-DK2388UBK-Warrior-Gaming-Keyp…

    really looking at half a keyboard, everything left of the y key, Esc, F1-F5, and F9. That would cover most games I play.

    • Not sure if this is the answer you are looking for but I have the CM Storm Quickfire TK (in Blue)and it has the functionality of a full key board but it is quite a bit smaller. The way it works is you toggle between using the number pad and the arrow, delete, insert, ect keys.

    • Ergodox? Sure, it's a DIY thing, but it's essentially two keyboard halves. Maybe there's a Z-Board product that would suit you.

      • The Ergodox looks great. Pretty expensive though, especially since I only need half :)

  • It's a shame the shipping charge makes the sampler too expensive to bother with.

    • +1

      Believe me Jam0864, if we could fit the sampler into an envelope, we would. :|

    • +1

      $13 inc shipping is expensive? Its probably the cheapest switch sampler on the planet, and that's not an exaggeration. If you were to make your own it'd probably cost you ~$9 in parts, excluding the PCB.

  • It would be nice if you could source some black coloured PBT key caps, I hate the white ones.

    Looking for Filco Majestouch key cap replacements. I can barely see the Filco prints now.

  • +1

    So…tempting…must…resist!

    The Vortex F-104 Double-Shot PBT Keyboard would make a great replacement for this Blackwidow.

  • Will there be any other offers after this? Need a TKL in browns but don't want to shell out so much either

    • We try to offer something periodically but for commercial reasons we can't reveal when our next offer will be or what will be in it. Sorry.

      • All good, will have to wait then.

  • +1

    If only you offered free shipping with your sampler as I've never used mechanical KBs before. I'd get one and most likely end up buying a full KB from you.

    • +2

      Yeah, the sampler kit. Trouble with it is the bulk and it's not cheap to send… I think I'll have some discussions internally, see what we can do to ease the pain of posting it out…

      • +1

        +1 I'd be very keen on the sampler kit too!

        Edit: Just realised you're close enough for pickup and I'm on leave next week!

        • We'll see you next week then :)

    • +1. I was thinking about getting a sampler but then baulked at the price of shipping.

      • I think people get hung up about the price of shipping relative to the sampler but the price of shipping is typically due to inflexible policies meaning that anything up to half a kilo costs the same to ship unless it fits in an envelope.

        So, I can understand people's misgivings but there's really very little we can do about it unless we cross-subsidise the shipping on the sampler somehow.

  • Teardown of the Vortex board: http://imgur.com/a/KEA61

    Pretty ugly font for the keycaps tbh.

  • Rep, up to what time today does next day shipping to major centres apply?

    • Usually up until 3PM. Although we can rush up to 4PM on request depending on how busy we are.

      • +1

        my 3:33 order is shipped, so I'm happy :)

        • +1

          and it just arrived!

  • The PCB on my Filco Majestouch (black) has a crack in it around the arrow keys. I'm eager to trial this keyboard, many thanks.

  • Excuse my ignorance, what's this new ( to me ) keyboard ? Is it true it will last 20+ yrs ? If so i will get one when thisone is expired.
    Which is the good one to 'start' with ?

    • +2

      Let me give you a little overview.

      When the first keyboard were made, they had to be made from mechanical switches. Old IBMs, typewriters and so on.

      Then came the rubber dome switches which were a lot cheaper to manufacture and so they became the most popular switch for the manufacturers and now most keyboard are rubber domes or slightly different version of it (Apple's keyboard for example).

      Mechanical keyboards have mechanical switches. They only register the key press when the switch has been actuated (which means the key has been pressed down enough to complete the circuit for the key press to the sent to the computer).

      The reason the mechanical boards are said to be better is because of better build quality, greater feedback and different switches which offer different feeling switches for personal preference.

      Most popular switches are Red and Brown. Red is, for example) like the button on a pen which you press to get the writing point out at the bottom. Its exactly like that but a lot easier to press. Browns are almost the same but the switch has a bump on it which can be felt and heard very lightly. This is to let you know that the press has been registered. Both red and brown switches are great for gaming and typing.

      Blues are like browns but easier to press with a very high feedback (obvious big bump and loud).

      Blacks are like reds but harder to press.

      Those four are the most common switches. Other ones are available such as green, clear, white and even different switch types such as those manufactured by Topre.

      With regards to how long they last, they last longer than any rubber-dome board if we are talking everything optimal for both. You could ruin these in a day but its just about how you treat it. People out there still buy the old IBM Model M boards with their crippling springs or what have you.

      To jump into it, you could start at a low price model with no gimmicks and average quality of build or pay a higher price for gimmicks / features and better build quality. CM makes decent boards loved by many at a decent price. Das is more mature and has no lighting. Ducky is like Das but with lightning and a but less simplicity. Ducky and Das both have costly boards ($120+) but they are up at the top of the build quality chart with Filco.

      At the end of it, its down to what you want in a keyboard and what you're willing to pay.

      • Thank you for that comprehensive explanation, i'll give it a try as my next keyboard.

    • Mechanical Keyboards are nothing new, once upon a time all keyboards where mechanical but in the 90s they were mostly surpassed by their cheaper to make 'rubber dome' cousins. I won't go into it much, there's plenty of material online, I'll just link one random article I found.

      The short of it is as follows:
      -Although there are a few detractors, by in large, most users agree that Mechanical Keyboards feel better than a non-mechanical keyboard
      -They are built to last longer than other keyboards (each key rated to 50 million key presses vs the usual 1-10 million per key)
      -They are consistent even after use, the keys do not 'degrade' after prolonged use.
      -However they cost much more than a standard non-mechanical keyboard.

  • Are there any cheap ones with media controls (mostly just mute, volume and play/stop)?

    • Hello lolcoaster, Do you need dedicated keys or will shortcut keys do?

      • Ideally dedicated ones

        • As Huddo121 said before me, ones with dedicated ones tend to be harder to find and more expensive to boot. What sort of price range are you looking for? Feel free to PM me if you like?

    • +1

      Finding one with dedicated media buttons (not hidden under a function layer) is not a simple task, and even less so for "cheap". However it is quite common to find cheaper board with media keys in the function layer, including the above listed Vortex V-104. It's possible you might even be able to cheat a little (since keyboards don't often travel much) and set up autohotkey to access media controls using weird combos (such as rightAlt+F7 for play)

  • Hey Rep.

    Is there any likelihood of there being a deal on Duckys? I'm hoping to grab a nice white edition Shine 3 with Brown switches and white LEDs if you've got any around (I know PCCG does at $149 before shipping.)

    • Hey abbztract, Duckys have been hard to come by for us in the past few months. So sadly I don't believe we have any stock atm. We'll be sure to let everyone know if we can get a shipment in though :)

  • Hey Rep, I have a ducky shine 3 cherry mx blue. Is there any deals on coloured keycaps?

    • Hello Quotationz, do you mean the Ducky Key Cap set?

      • Yeah a cap set. I have standard black caps looking to get some different colours

        • Hey Quotationz, I've taken $5 off the Ducky Key Cap Set for the duration of the sale :)

        • @Roland Chen: There's no white Key Caps in stock :( Only purple and grey

        • @Roland Chen: I would also be interested in purchasing a white set (assuming it's the one which allows for backlit to shine through?)

        • @ScrubCorps: Yeah, we ran out of white key caps a while ago… let me make some inquiries…

  • Hi rep,

    Any chance of a deal on the MAX Translucent Key Cap set?

    Link: http://www.mechkb.com/max-translucent-key-cap-set

    Cheers!

    • I'll take $5 off it for the duration of the sale :)

  • Hey rep, when will the Ducky mini arrive in your store?

    • Hard to say. We've not been given an ETA.

  • Hello Rep (and thanks for being so active with all our questions here!).

    Can you tell me if the vortex cap sets would work on a Leopold FC500R? Or do they use different mounts etc.?

    Thanks for your time!

    • +1

      My gut feeling says that the bottom row may not quite fit. Let me check for you when I get back into the office tomorrow. PM me if I haven't gotten back to you by midday.

    • +1

      Hi encoderboy,

      I've just checked on an FC500R and sadly they appear to use a non-standard spacing on the spacebar between the spacebar switch and stablisers. All the other keys appear to be of regular size though.

      Hope that helps :)

  • Will you be getting any more Duckys in? I'm after a DK2108 Cherry MX Brown.

    • Not for the duration of the sale, sorry :(

      Ducky has been very hard to get hold of.

  • From the buying guide:

    The entire Deck range uses PBT caps.

    From the Deck Hassium Pro product page:

    Key Cap Type: Laser etched ABS, backlight compatible

    Hrmmmmm, am I missing something?

    • Yeah, the buying guide is outdated. It was written when the entire line used Double Shot PBT but Deck has since switched their Hassium Pro model to ABS laser etched to accommodate a more pleasing font. Good pickup, I'll change the buying guide now.

  • Will Quickfire TK restocked?

    • Let me confirm the ETA with my colleague at the office tomorrow and get back to you but yes, it should be.

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