diff --git a/doc/help/commands.asciidoc b/doc/help/commands.asciidoc
index 2174e69ac..2fc8cd093 100644
--- a/doc/help/commands.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/help/commands.asciidoc
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ Bind a key to a command.
 If no command is given, show the current binding for the given key. Using :bind without any arguments opens a page showing all keybindings.
 
 ==== positional arguments
-* +'key'+: The keychain or special key (inside `<...>`) to bind.
+* +'key'+: The keychain to bind. Examples of valid keychains are `gC`, `<Ctrl-X>` or `<Ctrl-C>a`.
+
 * +'command'+: The command to execute, with optional args.
 
 ==== optional arguments
@@ -1316,7 +1317,8 @@ Syntax: +:unbind [*--mode* 'mode'] 'key'+
 Unbind a keychain.
 
 ==== positional arguments
-* +'key'+: The keychain or special key (inside <...>) to unbind.
+* +'key'+: The keychain to unbind. See the help for `:bind` for the correct syntax for keychains.
+
 
 ==== optional arguments
 * +*-m*+, +*--mode*+: A mode to unbind the key in (default: `normal`). See `:help bindings.commands` for the available modes.
diff --git a/doc/help/settings.asciidoc b/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
index fc809b98e..216718de1 100644
--- a/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ While it's possible to add bindings with this setting, it's recommended to use `
 This setting is a dictionary containing mode names and dictionaries mapping keys to commands:
 `{mode: {key: command}}`
 If you want to map a key to another key, check the `bindings.key_mappings` setting instead.
-For special keys (can't be part of a keychain), enclose them in `<`...`>`. For modifiers, you can use either `-` or `+` as delimiters, and these names:
+For modifiers, you can use either `-` or `+` as delimiters, and these names:
 
   * Control: `Control`, `Ctrl`
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configcommands.py b/qutebrowser/config/configcommands.py
index f81c21aac..792eacaf0 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configcommands.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configcommands.py
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ class ConfigCommands:
         Using :bind without any arguments opens a page showing all keybindings.
 
         Args:
-            key: The keychain or special key (inside `<...>`) to bind.
+            key: The keychain to bind. Examples of valid keychains are `gC`,
+                 `<Ctrl-X>` or `<Ctrl-C>a`.
             command: The command to execute, with optional args.
             mode: A comma-separated list of modes to bind the key in
                   (default: `normal`). See `:help bindings.commands` for the
@@ -178,7 +179,8 @@ class ConfigCommands:
         """Unbind a keychain.
 
         Args:
-            key: The keychain or special key (inside <...>) to unbind.
+            key: The keychain to unbind. See the help for `:bind` for the
+                  correct syntax for keychains.
             mode: A mode to unbind the key in (default: `normal`).
                   See `:help bindings.commands` for the available modes.
         """
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
index 306d744fe..dc730bcb3 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
@@ -2490,7 +2490,6 @@ bindings.commands:
     If you want to map a key to another key, check the `bindings.key_mappings`
     setting instead.
 
-    For special keys (can't be part of a keychain), enclose them in `<`...`>`.
     For modifiers, you can use either `-` or `+` as delimiters, and these
     names:
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py b/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
index d56d7dcd1..169232e01 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class HintKeyParser(keyparser.CommandKeyParser):
         Return:
             A QKeySequence match.
         """
-        log.keyboard.debug("Got special key 0x{:x} text {}".format(
+        log.keyboard.debug("Got filter key 0x{:x} text {}".format(
             e.key(), e.text()))
         hintmanager = objreg.get('hintmanager', scope='tab',
                                  window=self._win_id, tab='current')