A couple of months again, Serene Industries made waves within the mechanical keyboard world with the Icebreaker – a putting, brutalist-inspired keyboard milled from a stable block of aluminum. Now, the corporate is again with a refined tackle the idea: the Cleaver, a extra minimalist but equally daring keyboard designed to convey industrial design sensibilities into the trendy workspace and your private home.
Created by Denis Agarkov, the Cleaver continues Serene Industries’ custom of monolithic design whereas pushing each kind and performance additional. Whereas the Icebreaker showcased an assertive and angular silhouette, the Cleaver dials again a few of that uncooked visible weight. It sheds the outstanding aluminum overhangs and edges, leading to a cleaner, extra office-friendly profile – but it stays unmistakably brutalist, with sharp geometry and a cohesive colour palette that evokes architectural concrete types.
Regardless of its sleeker look, the Cleaver is a feat of precision engineering. The chassis is CNC-milled from a single block of aluminum, and the inner parts are encased in a customized overmolded silicone core. This silicone isn’t simply there for aesthetics – it performs a number of practical roles: it acts as a sound dampener, gives grip through built-in non-slip ft, and protects the inner electronics by fully enclosing them.
The silicone itself contributes to the keyboard’s distinctive acoustics and tactility. Hidden cavities beneath the non-slip ft assist form the typing sound whereas additionally making a delicate suction impact that improves stability in your desk. These rigorously thought-about particulars communicate to Serene’s philosophy of obsessive design refinement.
Some of the defining options of the Cleaver is its use of Corridor Impact sensors together with magnetic switches. Initially developed within the mid-Twentieth century and as soon as utilized in early IBM terminals, Corridor Impact keyboards have seen a resurgence in premium mechanical designs for his or her sturdiness and responsiveness.
In contrast to conventional mechanical switches that depend on bodily contact between metallic components, Corridor Impact switches detect key presses magnetically. Every key has a small magnet, and when it’s pressed, the magnet’s motion alters the magnetic subject, which is then detected by the Corridor Impact sensor on the PCB. This contactless mechanism permits for smoother, extra constant actuation and drastically reduces put on over time.
Due to this non-contact design, Serene was in a position to take an unconventional step: submerging the electronics completely in silicone. Not solely does this enhance sound and tactile suggestions, it additionally gives mud and splash resistance whereas sustaining structural integrity.
The Cleaver additionally introduces a reimagined set of keycaps – every milled from aluminum and laser-perforated with pinpoint precision. Each character on the keyboard is rendered via a grid of tiny holes – 1,204 in complete throughout your entire keyset – permitting RGB backlighting to shine via in a novel, subtle glow.
As anticipated from a contemporary fanatic board, the Cleaver helps hot-swappable switches and interchangeable keycaps, giving customers room to experiment with the typing expertise and visible customization.
Two colorways can be found at launch: a silver “clear” end harking back to the unique Icebreaker, and a matte black model that lends itself to extra understated or minimal desk setups.
Connectivity is dealt with through a sturdy USB-C port situated discreetly on the again – chosen for its ruggedness and its function within the total sealed design. There’s no wi-fi performance right here, and that’s by design. Serene Industries has chosen to focus purely on reliability and uncompromising construct high quality.
At $850, Cleaver isn’t only a informal buy. However in a world of high-end mechanical keyboards, it represents a press release piece the place design, engineering, and efficiency meet.
Cleaver is on the market at serene.industries.
Pictures courtesy of Serene Industries.
