The CannonKeys Bakeneko60

We’re pleased to announce that we’ll soon be offering the Bakeneko60 on CannonKeys!

The Bakeneko60 is an open-source keyboard that was originally designed by kkatano. It features an o-ring gasket mount similar to the TGR x SINGA Unikorn. Basically, an o-ring between the plate and PCB provides friction to hold the plate/PCB assembly in the one-piece case. Cutouts on the PCB allow the o-ring to rest on mounting points built into the case. This provides a nice, flexible typing feel and a satisfying typing sound.

We built our take on the Bakeneko60 based on kkatano’s original design. We made a few changes we thought were solid improvements - mainly, closing up the bottom holes, adding cutouts to the plate to allow for assembly removal, and modifying the case so that it could be made using a casting process. We also designed our own PCBs - one hotswap PCB and one solderable PCB with multiple layout support. Finally, we reached out to SingaKBD and we are pleased to say they signed off on our project!

Our Bakenkeo60 is made from an aluminum alloy using a casting process. This is different from most aluminum keyboards which are made from a CNC process. The casting process is better suited to making a large number of keyboards quickly, which is why we chose to pursue this option. A mold was created for the Bakeneko60 keyboard case, and molten metal was pushed into the mold to produce each case. One of the benefits of this process is that we’ll be able to make many more of these at a pace that CNC just can’t match. Our intent is to try to keep these in stock, and if not, at least have a quick cadence of restocks.

There are also some drawbacks to the casting process, though. Based on case geometries, you will see some marks that are based on how the mold had to be made - primarily around the USB port cutout. We don’t think it looks bad, but it’s also not completely smooth. Another drawback is that the alloy of aluminum used for die casting does not take well to anodization. While it can be done, it won’t end up with the same nice even finish that CNCed keyboards using a different aluminum alloy have.

For that reason, we decided to have these cases painted. We’ll be offering black, white, dark blue, and aqua painted cases for this round. In future rounds of the Bakeneko, we may experiment with other finishes, such as E-coating, powder coating, ceramic coating, or similar.

We believe we’re providing fantastic value at this price point, and worked hard to make this as cheap as possible. For years, the go-to starter build for most newcomers has been the Tofu - but once you add up the PCB, stabs, and plate that you have to purchase to go along with your Tofu case, you’ve easily spent as much as (or more than) our Bakeneko60 kit costs. We want to provide a higher-end feel to newcomers compared to the traditional Tofu tray style of mounting, and believe this kit accomplishes this goal.

With this low price come some concessions on finish quality. A painted finish is not necessarily going to be the most consistent finish, especially at the price point that we achieved, and there will be some minor spots and blemishes. We prioritized avoiding “orange peeling” in the finish, but even visible faces may have some minor defects. For an example of what we accept and reject, please check out our Bakeneko Quality Guide.

If a super high-end finish is your goal, these cases can be stripped and refinished fairly easily, as it’s just a single piece. Even considering the cost it would take to have a 3rd party strip and custom cerakote this board, we still believe this board provides an incredible value.