[SOLVED] Black marks on keycaps

[Rapidstormz]

Just bought a brand new keyboard that had black marks or mold (as my friend calls it). How do I properly clean it? Tried removing the keycaps using the tool given and managed to scratch the sides of the keycaps (silly me) but still couldn't earbud it as there was a very tight plastic slit into it's inner. Are there any other options?

 

[Ralston18]

Make and model keyboard? Seller/source?

I would just return the keyboard for a refund. Or hopefully a working replacement....

You run the risk of voiding any warranty if you try a "repair" of some sort.

 

[Rapidstormz]

Make and model keyboard? Seller/source?

I would just return the keyboard for a refund. Or hopefully a working replacement....

You run the risk of voiding any warranty if you try a "repair" of some sort.

It's just a $40 budget mechanical. Tried requesting for a refund but seller says that stuff like this kinda happens and denied it. He says it's part of the "risk" of buying budget.

 

[Rapidstormz]

Make and model keyboard? Seller/source?

I would just return the keyboard for a refund. Or hopefully a working replacement....

You run the risk of voiding any warranty if you try a "repair" of some sort.

Also, one more thing. Could the black mark/ mold caused by heat conditions? I mean, keyboard was in his steamy car trunk before it got handed over to me. Could it be that the colour of the keycaps melted a bit?

 

[Ralston18]

Stuff like that does happen but likely due to poor manufacturing QA or shoddy "refurbishment" if you purchased a refurb keyboard.

Basically the seller is saying that low cost/budget items are not warranted??

Who is the seller? Make and model keyboard?

 

[Ralston18]

Car trunk, heat = Yes.

If the keyboard, for example, is counterfeit then the materials are likely substandard and not anywhere near the necessary specs for shipping and storage requirements.

Doubt that mold would grow on the keys but if the keys were grimy from someone else's hands due to eating and general lack of hygiene - who knows what could evolve....

 

[Rapidstormz]

Stuff like that does happen but likely due to poor manufacturing QA or shoddy "refurbishment" if you purchased a refurb keyboard.

Basically the seller is saying that low cost/budget items are not warranted??

Who is the seller? Make and model keyboard?

Model: Tecware Phantom
Switches: Outermu

Just a local e-commerce site seller. Yeah, now that you mentioned.. It did came with a lifetime warranty on purchase. Not sure if he will consider replacing the entire keyboard due to a few keys that works perfectly fine but has the black marks. I admit that the black marks makes the few keys look horrid but at the same time I won't be staring at my keyboard 24/7 imo

 

[Rapidstormz]

Car trunk, heat = Yes.

If the keyboard, for example, is counterfeit then the materials are likely substandard and not anywhere near the necessary specs for shipping and storage requirements.

Doubt that mold would grow on the keys but if the keys were grimy from someone else's hands due to eating and general lack of hygiene - who knows what could evolve....

Well, he did say it was brand new. And it did feel brand new when I opened it. I don't know who would be stupid enough to counterfeit a third-party. So, you're saying that the materials used for a budget keyboard made it much more vulnerable to temps?

 

[Deleted member 14196]

use the warranty to get a new one if your seller won't replace it, and call Better Business Bureau on that seller. selling defective goods is not legal as far as I know.

 

[Ralston18]

Yes - budget means that it is low priced but profitable somewhere along the way because the costs were less than some selling price.

People get greedy and will do all sorts of things. Counterfeiting is rampant.

Seller may or may not be directly involved. Perhaps he was a victim and is trying to recoup losses anyway.

Just google "counterfeit products" limit the search to the last year.

 

[Rapidstormz]

use the warranty to get a new one if your seller won't replace it, and call Better Business Bureau on that seller. selling defective goods is not legal as far as I know.

I mean it's just that a few switches don't look nice upclose. But they work perfectly fine as their intended too. The only error purely being the looks which then again takes a lot from the aesthetics of a RGB mechanical keyboard. So generally it's a pretty small issue, but for a RGB product it's pretty mediocre idk..

 

[hang-the-9]

Just bought a brand new keyboard that had black marks or mold (as my friend calls it). How do I properly clean it? Tried removing the keycaps using the tool given and managed to scratch the sides of the keycaps (silly me) but still couldn't earbud it as there was a very tight plastic slit into it's inner. Are there any other options?

Need a picture of this to know what you are looking at if you are not sure. You can't just clean it off with a paper towel? Try magic eraser.

 

[Rapidstormz]

Need a picture of this to know what you are looking at if you are not sure. You can't just clean it off with a paper towel? Try magic eraser.

The stain is in the keycaps itself, locked behind a plastic frame. I tried removing it to get to the stain, but it's tightly stuck. I'm assuming it's not meant to be removed.

https://imgur.com/a/VN0MTql

View: http://imgur.com/gallery/VN0MTql
(Shitty camera so can't capture how bad it really is)