Great Sword 80%/TKL Designed by Zero-G Studio Index
- Intro - Inspiration - Design - Construction - Features - Kitting - Sale Details - Gallery - Socials
Intro
Hi everyone, and welcome to another ClickClack-collaboration that we’re delighted to present to you! This time we’ve worked with Zero-G Studio in China to bring to you their first kit, the Z80 – titled “Great Sword”! With a lot of arguing and hard thinking within the studio, over 8 months of experimenting with the design, adding and taking details to see what would be just right, living up to their slogan of “All or Nothing!” we’re delighted to bring to you the “Great Sword”, an amazing board with a complex design and amazing profiles from any angle!
Inspiration
▲ We tried to incorporate thematic elements of the forging process into the design of the whole kit. Whether it is the blade-bezel inspired side-profile, the highlighting of the blade on the back, or the handling of every sharp line and angle, the theme of the kit has been truly embraced in looks, feel and weight. We wanted this to be more than just a tool, but to add character to your desktop – in the same way, this kit is loaded with our passion and attitude.
▲ We wanted to convey a spirit through the theme of great swords. In life there are always pressures and difficulties, we must remain determined and brave and always believe that no difficulty is insurmountable. For when you are not afraid of hardship and danger, the sword in your heart can make you invincible!
Design
▲ It’s intended to look like a great sword without the lethality. The overall design is based on simple lines to create a three-dimensional geometric aesthetic. We have preserved the sharpness of a great sword as much as possible while keeping in mind safety to the user as well. The 3mm wide high gloss open edge on the rear side of the keyboard adds the touch of shine that we wanted, to the Great Sword.
Structure
▲ For this kit, we have utilised the current mainstream leaf-spring gasket mounting structure to mount the internal build to the case. The inline screws and internal weight design give the kit a neat and tidy appearance.
▲ Exploded view
PCB and Layouts
▼ PCB has two options, both using QMK and VIA-compatible firmware written by Zero-G Studio:
└ Hotswap: ANSI layout, stepped caps support, 7u WK and WKL support └ Soldered: ANSI and ISO layouts, stepped caps support, split left shift support, 7u WK and WKL support
Colourways
There will be two coating types offered: └ Anodisation: with matching high gloss highlights └ Electrophoresis: without matching highlights
▼ Ash (black anodised)
▼ Midnight (dark grey anodised)
▼ Excalibur (silver anodised)
▼ Scarlet (red anodised)
▼ Hubris (purple anodised)
▼ Frost (e-white)
Specification
► Materials: Aluminum Case and Brass Weight ► Layout: TKL (HS: ANSI, Soldered: ANSI + ISO) ► Plate materials: PC, FR4, Aluminium (aluminium plates are black anodised) ► Mount: Leaf-spring Gasket Mount ► PCB: firmware written by Zero-G Studio, supports QMK and VIA - Hotswap with ANSI layout, stepped caps support, 7u WK and WKL support - Soldered with ANSI and ISO layouts, stepped caps support, split left shift support, 7u WK and WKL support ► Typing angle: 8° ► Front Height: approx. 20mm without feet, highest point at rear end of kit is 39mm without feet
Kitting
► Keyboard case x1 ► Plate x1 (material of your choice) ► PCB x1 ► USB-C daughterboard x2 ► JST x2 ► Set of gaskets x1 ► Additional screws
Q&A
What will be the estimated pricing?
Price is estimated to be around $450, but this is possibly subject to change. Accurate pricing will be available before GB.
When will the groupbuy start? We are looking to start GB by 16th Feb, at around 12pm EST, and it will last about a week.
Will this be unlimited groupbuy? Yes, it'll be unlimited!
What extras will be available to buy? Additional accessories on offer to purchase are as follows: - Additional foam kit: 3.5mm PORON plate foam, 0.5mm IXPE PCB layer, 2.5mm PORON case foam, 0.5mm PORON laminated anti-static layer - Additional plate: Aluminium, FR4, PC - Additional hotswap PCB NB: In order to better support different sized keycaps, the inner sink of the keyboard is now 0.5mm, and the thickness of the case foam has also been changed from 3mm to 2.5mm. This group buy will be handled by ClickClack.io. Please contact the platform for more information.
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