One practical tip on top of the corrosion answers: pull the caps off before cleaning, if you can. A damp cotton swab gets into that rim seam much better than wiping the board in place, and it keeps liquid away from the switches. Dry them fully before putting them back, or the buildup just comes back faster in that seam.
That is a fair worry with sculpted artisan caps, but most people do not replace the whole board with them. I would treat a cap like this as an accent on Escape or another key you do not hit while typing fast, and keep the rest of the board in a normal profile. That way you get the cat-at-night look without your fingers having to relearn the keys you actually type on.
This rings so true. With cats it is almost always the tiny change that gives it away, like eating a little less or sleeping in a different spot, while a dog will usually make it pretty obvious something is wrong. I think that is why cat owners end up watching every little habit so closely.
Late to the thread but this is a great discussion. I went through the same thing with a fairly tall board. I bought one of those squishy gel wrist rests first, and honestly it made things worse because I was just mashing my wrists down into it while typing. Switching to a firmer, lower rest that my palms only touched during pauses helped a lot, which lines up with what brisk said about it being a palm rest rather than a wrist rest. Also seconding the height point: dropping to a lower profile board did more for my comfort than any rest ever did.
With the ISO Swedish requirement, the layout filter is going to matter more than anything else. Most barebones kits are ANSI by default, so look specifically for ISO add-on kits or vendors that actually stock them, because finding the perfect kit and then discovering the ISO bits don’t exist is miserable. For the sub-43g clacky linear feel, Gateron Clears would be worth trying, though honestly I’d order a small switch sampler first since light plus clacky is a very specific combination. Since you want to build from parts, budget for the plate separately too. Polycarbonate plates give a deeper sound than aluminum, which pairs well with the clacky profile you’re after.
This is genuinely impressive work. I love that the halves stay tethered, nothing loose to forget in a laptop bag, and the fold-out layout still reads like a normal keyboard when it’s open. Also a smart pick on the KS-33 low profile silents; a clacky build in an open office is a fast way to make enemies.
How are the hinges holding up after some days of commuting? That would be the part I’d be most nervous about wearing out over time.
The springtime colors really suit that layout — the soft greens and blues keep it calm instead of busy, which I like on a bigger board. I am curious how much difference the foam and force-break changes made in person, since that is a lot of layering at once. Did you try it without the kit first, or go straight to the full setup? And do not worry about the focus, the overall look still comes through clearly.