Detail A · Section, 2:1
Gasket mount
The plate sits between poron gaskets instead of being screwed to the case. Keystrokes land softer and sound rounder, and the flex cuts let the plate give a little under your fingers.
Kestrel Instruments · Porto · No. 1
Kestrel One
Every keystroke, considered.
A 75% gasket-mount keyboard, machined from a single block of aluminium and tuned by hand. The first keyboard we have made.
Finish
Fig. 1 · Exploded view
Five layers.
Nothing arbitrary.
Each layer is there for a reason we can explain. Most of them have to do with sound.
Fig. 2 · Assembled
Back together.
1.9 kg of it.
325 × 135 × 32 mm at a 6.5° typing angle. It stays where you put it.
Sheet 01 · Note
Kestrel One is the first keyboard we have made. Six of us, one workshop in Porto, and a long list of small decisions. This page is that list.
- Keys
- 84+ knob
- Actuation
- 45g
- Weight
- 1.9kg
- Battery
- 200h
Sheet 02 / 07
Details, drawn to scale.
Six places where the Kestrel One is different from the keyboard you have now. Each one is a choice we would make again.
Detail B · Force curve
Kestrel Linear switches
45 g actuation, 3.8 mm of travel, factory-lubed, with a long-pole stem for a short, clean bottom-out. The PCB is hot-swap, so any 3- or 5-pin switch fits.
Detail C · Profile, side view
KT sculpted keycaps
Each row is shaped and angled for where your fingers land. Double-shot PBT, so the legends are moulded in, not printed. Mac and Windows keycaps both come in the box.
Detail D · Connections
Three ways to connect
USB-C, a 2.4 GHz dongle, or Bluetooth 5.3 paired to three devices. Wired and 2.4 GHz poll at 1000 Hz. Switch between them from the function row.
Detail E · Battery, 4000 mAh
A long way between charges
A 4000 mAh cell sits under the PCB. With the lights off, that is about 200 hours of typing. You can also use it wired and never think about the battery.
Detail F · Firmware
// keymap.c · layer 0 [_BASE] = LAYOUT_75( KC_ESC, KC_F1, … KC_MUTE, KC_GRV, KC_1, … KC_HOME, … ), // knob: volume, or anything ENCODER_CCW_CW(KC_VOLD, KC_VOLU)
Open firmware
The firmware is open-source and QMK/VIA compatible. Remap any key or the knob in a configurator that runs in your browser. Nothing to install, no account.
Sheet 03 / 07 · Acoustic test
Hear it before it ships.
A sound model of the Kestrel One, synthesised live in your browser. Type on your own keyboard, or tap the keys below. Keys on the left sound on the left.
Oscilloscope · 50 ms window
- Keystrokes
- 000
- Speed
- — wpm
- Last key
- —
- Character
- Deep, round
Click here and start typing · or tap the keys
Synthesised, not recorded. Close to the real thing on good headphones; your speakers will colour it.
Sheet 04 / 07 · Data sheet
Specifications, in full.
| Layout | 75%, 84 keys, rotary knob top-right |
|---|---|
| Mount | Gasket mount, poron gaskets, flex-cut plate |
| Case | CNC-machined 6063 aluminium, bead-blasted and anodized. Brass weight on the Founders Edition |
| Plate | FR4 (standard) or brass (Founders Edition) |
| PCB | Hot-swap (3- and 5-pin), south-facing per-key RGB |
| Stabilizers | Screw-in, hand-tuned and clipped |
| Switches | Kestrel Linear: 45 g actuation, 3.8 mm total travel, factory-lubed, long-pole stem |
|---|---|
| Keycaps | Double-shot PBT, KT sculpted profile, Bone legends on Slate. Mac and Windows sets included |
| Connectivity | USB-C wired, 2.4 GHz dongle, Bluetooth 5.3 (three devices) |
|---|---|
| Polling rate | 1000 Hz wired and 2.4 GHz |
| Battery | 4000 mAh. About 200 h with lighting off, about 40 h with lighting on |
| Software | Open-source firmware (QMK/VIA compatible) and a browser configurator |
| Works with | macOS, Windows, Linux, iPadOS, Android |
| Dimensions | 325 × 135 × 32 mm, 6.5° typing angle |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1.9 kg (standard), 2.4 kg (Founders Edition) |
| Finishes | Dusk (slate), Bone (warm white), Signal (rust) |
Sheet 05 / 07 · Order form
Reserve yours.
Pre-orders ship in 6–8 weeks, worldwide. Shipping is free over $200, which is every keyboard.
Sheet 06 / 07 · Questions
Asked and answered.
If yours is not here, write to us. One of the six will answer.
When will my keyboard ship?
Pre-orders ship in 6–8 weeks from the day you order. We will email you when yours leaves the workshop, with tracking.
Where do you ship, and what does it cost?
Worldwide. Shipping is free on orders over $200, so every keyboard ships free. A switch pack on its own ships at cost.
Does it work with my Mac, PC or tablet?
Yes. macOS, Windows, Linux, iPadOS and Android. Keycaps for both Mac and Windows layouts are in the box.
Can I use other switches?
Yes. The PCB is hot-swap and accepts both 3- and 5-pin switches, so you can pull a Kestrel Linear and push in something else. No soldering.
How long does the battery last?
The 4000 mAh cell gives about 200 hours with lighting off and about 40 hours with lighting on. It charges over USB-C, and you can keep typing while it does.
What makes the Founders Edition different?
A brass plate, a brass weight in the case, and a number engraved on the underside. It weighs 2.4 kg and sounds a little brighter. There will only be 500.
Can I remap keys and the knob?
Yes. The firmware is open-source and QMK/VIA compatible, and our configurator runs in the browser. Nothing to install, no account.
What if I don't like it?
Send it back within 30 days for a full refund. No questions. Everything we make also has a 2-year warranty.
Who are you?
Kestrel Instruments: six people in a workshop in Porto. The Kestrel One is the first keyboard we have made.