About us
I started collecting artisan keycaps in 2016.
Shortly after buying my first mechanical keyboard, a Pok3r with Cherry clear switches, I discovered artisan keycaps. I was quickly sucked into the hobby, something I attribute to the fantastic community behind the hobby first and foremost, the artistic value and enjoyment I garnered from the keycaps themselves a close second. I decided to try making my own keycaps with the help of guides and tools provided by the pioneers of the hobby, including but not limited to Nightcaps (a.k.a. Eat The Food, or ETF), Binge of Hunger Work Studio, as well as some newer members of the community like myself who also shared an interest in making their own artisans. I made a handful of caps from scratch, but quickly abandoned the endeavor, as well as the hobby itself.
Around a year and half later, my interest in the hobby was reignited, and soon after my desire to make my own caps also came back in full force. I was more serious this time around, and set out to sculpting and casting a keycap that I really liked. I made my first Daffy-inspired keycap along with another lesser-known sculpt called Toofpaste, and had my first real sale. Since then I’ve been learning more and more about sculpting, casting, and more importantly building stronger relationships with members of the community that has been so supportive and inspiring. I am fortunate that today I can cast these keycaps full-time, having left my previous career in the mental health field.
The Keycaps
I believe that this hobby and its community are still relatively young, and the potential for growth is very high, and as a result I tend to get a lot of questions from people who maybe have randomly stumbled upon my keycaps who have no prior knowledge about the hobby. A lot of times people are off-put by the retail pricing of most artisans, including my own. Admittedly, I had the same reaction when I first got into the hobby, but the reality is that these caps take quite a lot of skill and time to make. Most artisans I know are one or two-man operations that can only produce so many caps while still maintaining quality. Additionally, each artisan has their own distinct style that I believe shines through in their work. This is very much a collector’s hobby for many including myself, and a large aspect of the community is the hunt and procurement of dream or grail caps.
That said, each keycap I make is completely cast out of resin. There is no paint involved, only dyes and powders that I use to color the resin prior to mixing. Casting a single cap involves “shooting” resin into silicone molds that are cast from my own sculptures, where each separate color is typically a separate “shot”. It can be a meticulous process, but for me and for a lot of my friends and other artisans before me, it’s extremely fun and satisfying being able to create something like this. I’m just happy to be a part of the hobby and to have made as many friends as I have because of it.
