KKB Neowell
formerly known as KKB Neo Honeywell
LINKS
GB Thread Link: Pending
• INTRODUCTION •
On a random weeknight, Toro PMed me, complaining about aftermarket prices (as usual). Instead of being bent over by scalpers, he wanted to take things into his own hands, and with his circle(jerk) of friends, brought my helping hand into the fold. The rest is history...
Well no seriously,
The Honeywell colourway, born from vintage terminals, is a classic that felt long overdue for a return.
For the purists, Latin-only alphas and opaque red accents remain available to keep the look true to its roots (no judgement if you’re keeping it vanilla). For the non-traditionalists, translucent red accents bring a modern edge, while additional alpha kits with red sublegends add striking visual flair. For those who like things extra large (and extra based), we’ve included niche favourites like the 10u spacebar, Big Ass Enter, and bottom-row stepped modifiers—because sometimes size does matter.
This is not the greatest keycap set in the world, no. This is just a tribute.
• KITS •
Base Kit[Covers 60%, 65%, 75%, TKL, with terminal ISO, F13, 7u Tsangan support, with some Alice bars, and split spacebar layouts.]
Based on feedback, the base kit will have opaque red Esc and Enter accent keys instead of grey Esc/Enter keys. Cadet sublegends in base have been switched to Latin only alphas due to significant preference for the OG look.
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Alternative Base Kit (Cadet sublegends):
^It remains uncertain if triple-shot Cadet sublegends in secondary base kit or child kit can be offered due to MOQ requirements by the manufacturer.
[10u spacebar, big ass enter, and center stepped bottom row modifiers]
SpacebarsConvex spacebars in both small and large sizes for additional coverage.
Numpad Kit[Offers extended compatibility for full size and 1800 keyboards, including the “=” and “00” keys for extra coverage. Num Lock key is force windowed.]
Cyrillic Alpha Kit[Red sublegends are UV-printed]
[For those unfamiliar why alpha kits have an extra Tab key: it allows for potential coverage of a second keyboard with an alternate bottom row when using left-over modifiers from the base kit]
Hangul Alpha Kit[Red sublegends are UV-printed]
Accent Considerations:
Accent TealAccent PinkAlphas with sublegends, accents and novelty kits listed above are highly tentative depending on interest expressed. All colours will be matched to SP color chipsPrior Kits that are now omitted based on IC Form feedback:
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Latin Alphas[Culled as now redundant, since base kit now is Latin only alpha, whilst before it was Cadet sublegends]
Hiragana Alpha Kit[Red sublegends are UV-printed]
Classic Red AccentCulled as redundant; opaque red accents are significantly more popular than the modifier gray enter/esc keys so they've been incorporated into the base kit
Classic Gray AccentNot enough interest to justify a child kit
Accent GreenAccent OrangeNovelty Kit[Render pending. The text terminology is a reference to the OG Honeywell keycaps. Note that legends are likely to be UV-printed to keep this kit affordable] • DESKMAT •
TBD[Currently there is none planned. If you have a good idea, please let us know!]
• RENDERS •
+84 TKL by nuxros
Sneakbox Giga40 by mujimanic
MK65-XT by boba.types
Toro60 by toro_keyboard
Aperture Board, model by Elmo
Healthkit H89 inspired
Disclaimer: Renders shown may not perfectly display the actual colors of the keycaps. These are best attempts at emulating the semi-translucent nature of the keycaps, whilst noting that lighting conditions and screen calibrations are also variables that affect colour representation/perception. The visible injection holes are also not possible to avoid in double-shot legend production
• SPECIFICATIONS •
Profile: Cylindrical Cherry Profile
Material: ABS
Manufacturing Method: Double-shot injection for primary legends. Triple-shot for red Space Cadet sublegends. UV-print for novelties and other sub-legends.
Manufacturer: Keykobo
Compatibility: Mx switches
Colors: Colour-matched to Signature Plastics’ chips: WFK (alphas), GPA (mods), and RAS (accents) which were used in prior GMK and DCS Honeywell runs.
• COLLABS •
Nil collaborations currently planned. Artisan makers reach out to Toro if interested!
• LOGISTICS •
Group-buy date to be determined. We will post pricing as soon as it’s been determined.
• VENDORS •
• MISC •
• FAQ •
Why ‘Space Cadet’ sub-legends?
Because it looks cool. It adds a bit more pop to an admittedly simple color scheme.
Why no base kit with just latin only alphas?
We really wanted to offer this as well, but unfortunately due to the MOQ requirements from the manufacturer, it was not deemed feasible to run 2 base kits simultaneously. Since this colourway already has had several reruns, we felt that it was better to take the opportunity to do something new, so we prioritised triple-shot cadet sublegends in the base kit. We will aim to price the latin alphas as low as we can to account for this.
Why does the base kit have forced windowed caps lock and scroll lock keys?
We are forcing windowed “Caps Lock” and “Scroll” due to my strong personal preferences; they’re not just more functional, but also more aesthetic. Note the legends for KKB windowed caps are double-shot too, so no concerns about legends wearing off.
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Extended rant: My logic is that it just isn't a big deal for a keyboard with no LED indicators to have windowed keycaps, whilst for keyboards that do have LEDs, these keycaps not being windowed are a bigger deal. So in a base kit, windowed keycaps should actually be the priority/default. Often buyers are forced into an additional kit for them. As we’re trying to keep the base kit price low, it doesn’t also make sense to include all 4 types of Caps Lock in the base kit. Vintage theme colourways also look more ‘authentic’ with windowed lock keys..
Why is the F-row all modifier-coloured grey?
The F-row keys are only grey (i.e. no white F1-4, F9-F12) as a reference to the original keycaps scheme on the Honeywell terminals (
photo example here). We note that most enthusiast-led runs had an alternate f-row color scheme, however I think for this colourway, all grey looks better. Furthermore, if people are using the F-row keys in keyboards with a XT macro column, the single colour means no strange alpha colour blocking in the middle.
Why are the Numpad keys white, and not black like the
original?
“Omg Karen, you can't just ask people why they're white”The mismatch between black numpad and white alphas looks odd. Like other Honeywell sets, we prefer a more cohesive look. Please remember this set is a remix/reinterpretation of Honeywell, not a faithful remake
• IC Form •
Please provide input here: Interest Check Link• SOCIALS •
Instagram: @toro_keyboard | @boba.types
Discord channel: TORO Studio
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS •
Thank you to those who provided help, support or design assistance for this project in some form or another. Shoutouts in particular to:
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> Muirium and 7bit for bringing this classic colourway to us in the first place via Deskthority, and all the other folks bringing it back in various iterations
> Adam le cat for renders
> masje - the cool cat whose 'neo' variants of classics like skidata and dolch, undoubtedly inspired us (check out his current project: GMK TA Neo)
> Family and friends both inside and outside the enthusiast community for their support
> Nopunin10did and Konstantin for being the original kitting wizards whose advice on previous projects of mine (and others) have improved my understanding (any mistakes or peculiarities are mine though)
