Topre Japanese replacement key caps for Realforce 108KT1 white SA0100-KT1 arrives!

So just today I got the Realforce replacement key caps for my HHKB Pro JP Type-S.

For those that didn't know Realforce is the main company behind Topre key switch and PFU's (which makes HHKB keyboards along with various other things) HHKB Pro (not the Lite2 or other earlier designs) share the same Topre switch. Of course HHKB Pro does not entirely share the same key caps as Realforce keyboards, notably the modifiers such as Tab, Control, Shift, Alt, etc. Though with the rest of the other keys both Realforce and HHKB are alike.

Some background info, I got my HHKB Pro JP Type-S and it seems to me the only variant available for the white version are the printed key legends. There are no white version without the printed key legends for the JIS layout unfortunately. So I thought to myself if they have the spare key caps available for HHKB Pro JP and if they were all printed key legends. Why won't they offer them with proper Japanese characters on the same set of the key caps? Something does seem to be amiss here.

Of course I must once again thank two people in particular for helping me out. Namely jdcarpe for showing that one can Realforce SA0100 key caps on HHKB (although the thread in which he posted was a for sale thread and not actually the discussion of such possibility). His original thread can be found here: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=37487.msg715325#msg715325 (have a look at the second photo which clearly indicates the possibility.). Also to OO2 for extra confirmations (I am a real skeptic.. honestly. I also thought if there was a possibility to replace some more key modifiers whilst at it but unfortunately there are only very little one can actually swap between Realforce and HHKB).

I sourced my spare Japanese key caps from Amazon with the seller: cocorico38. To be frank it was my first time buying something from amazon. I am much more formidable when navigating around ebay but not amazon. Spare Realforce key caps aren't cheap but I guess one pays for the materials they used for plastic (PBT) and the printing method of key legends (sublimated). The same that is found on HHKB Pro series, so I can be certain that if I were to buy these spare Realforce key caps I can be certain that the same materials and all are used without having to worry further down the track.

After a few days of wait I got my replacement key caps and as usual I took many photos of it:

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Alright! here is the package. As usual Realforce is a Japanese brand so it wouldn't be a surprise that it came from Japan.

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The obverse side of the package. Interesting, this time FedEx is the carrier.

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The contents of the bag, a nicely bubble wrapped item. Note that both ends were originally sticky taped. I was a little too eager as I decided to cut through both the outer (FedEx) bag as well as one side of the bubble wrap packaging before I decided that I really needed to take photos first. Oh well.

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Here is basically the star of the said item.

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Opening the box reveals a cardboard that I guess gives even more protection to the key caps.

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Taking that first layer of cardboard off (which was thin, just like HHKB Pro JP's set of spare key caps). Key caps emerge with the exact legends that I wanted.

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Taking the first layer of cardboard off seems to allow one to get closer to the actual keys. Though something is a bit of amiss. It seems like there is yet another layer of cardboard.

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Looks like I wasn't wrong about that, very unusual. I don't think the spare set of key caps for my HHKB Pro JP had two layers of cardboard before one reaches to the bottom layer.

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So after taking that first layer of cardboard with all the keys out reveals the other set. Unfortunately there isn't much other key caps that I want to use from this layer as they are mostly incompatible with my HHKB Pro JP...

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So.. I have prepared my HHKB Pro JP Type-S along with the key cap puller that I got with my spare set of key caps for my HHKB. As you can see the key cap puller tool was never used since I bought it until today! (that is of course).

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Another photo but this time the key cap puller tool is out of its plastic wrapping.The sticky tape was so old on the plastic wrapper for the key cap puller tool that I could easily rip the wrap apart. =_=;

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I decided to start pulling the keys off, starting with the top row. It was not so easy with the top row compared to the rest considering how close the key cap sat compared to the edge of the HHKB. Undeniably after a few weeks of HHKB usage my HHKB showed that it trapped hairs amongs many other particles. It was not as easy as I thought that I could wipe it clean but I gave it a quick run down. Note to self: keyboard is probably due for proper cleaning soonish.

I have also decided that whenever I pull the key caps off I would make sure that I place them relative to where they were on the keyboard as it is on the desk. This is so that I won't get confused in any shape or form down the track. Yes I could have also just opened my other set of spare keys which were meant to be for the HHKB JP so then I can reference it but I decided this idea was much better.

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As I began taking one key cap out of the Realforce set and placed them onto my HHKB JP (I had to push a few keys down a couple of times because when they were placed on the slider they seem to be going off on an angle. I also noticed that some of the keys as I began to test them, they decided to fall out of their places, etc). I also decided to put the original HHKB JP key caps into the Realforce box as that would seem to be the only logical option. (^ρ^)

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After finally done the key cap replacements I recalled that the design of the box between the Realforce and HHKB were remarkably similar. Could it be that both of these boxes are actually of the same size? So I took the photos. It appears they are completely of different size but of course bared the same sort of design. Evidently the box label locations are different on both.

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Here is a photo of both boxes, the one on the bottom is no surprise, HHKB JP. You can see that it is clearly longer compared to the Realforce box.

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Here is a photo to show how much it would roughly overhang for the HHKB JP.

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Another photo of it on the side. You can clearly see the designs of both of these boxes are identical yet the HHKB JP is taller and longer than the Realforce. The contents in both boxes are quite different apart from the obvious fact that both have are made for different set of keyboards in mind. The clues I will leave that for the readers to figure out...

After thoughts: It really is quite bizarre how with HHKB JP white bearing key legends as well as the usual JIS sort of layout but no Japanese key legends printed on the keys. Whilst on the other hand Realforce has these key legends printed on their keyboards but of course are only suited to Realforce keyboards. HHKB Pro makes use of Fn keys and the alternative functions of a fair few of those keys are labelled on the front (not the top) of the key caps. Swapping HHKB key caps with Realforce replacement Japanese key caps for instance forgoes all that. It basically comes as a sacrifice one has to make.

On the other hand, whilst PFU likes to restrict the customisations one can do to their HHKB in terms of key legends and key cap colours. It seems as though for the modifiers with it being offered (although rare and in limited production forms) for blue Esc key as well as red Control key. Again something really is amiss. If PFU likes to hold rights for the dimensions of the key dimensions and all couldn't have they also release HHKB JP with proper Japanese key legends alongside the usual QWERTY keys? I seriously do not consider this as some sort of insanely hard option to implement. uTron has Japanese key legends alongside Realforce for JIS keyboards yet PFU has none when it comes to HHKB (especially Pro). 

If PFU are omitting this by design, it is seriously bad to see how one needs to go into extra lengths when they could have offered it as an option. As a result the extra key cap profit in this case would go into Realforce's pockets and not to PFU because of their choice in not offering such flexibilities _especially_ when one has HHKB Pro JP _and_ because the white JP layout does not come with blanks but with printed key legends they are _only_ offered without Japanese key legends which is quite amiss.

Bonus reading: There are a few extra key caps one can replace from Realforce to HHKB Pro JP apart from alphanumeric keys. jdcarpe has noted that with a replaced space bar. The Enter and backspace keys can be replaced. Arrow keys can be replaced as well (by why would want to? (・_・;)), so can one replace Esc and potentially the Tab key. I placed the Realforce's Tab key over my HHKB JP keyboard and the dimensions looks the same.