Soldering Kailh BOX Jade Switches On a CM Storm Quick Fire Pro (and more...)

[Sgt_4Leaf]

I would like to solder Kailh BOX Jade* switches onto a Quick Fire Pro (which currently utilizes Cherry MX Blue switches).
Since it appears to be quite different than classic MX style switches, I would like to make sure that there will be no issues in doing so.
So can I simply desolder the MX Blues and then solder on Box Jades in their place and plug&play?
Anything I should know beforehand?

*About the Box Jades:
I am actually looking for a switch of the Kailh Click Bar series, and I think the Box Jades are the perfect fit for my needs... But I'm not sure.
I like lighter switches, and I really like the sound of the thick click bar on the Jades (quite a step up from Whites for instance, sound wise).
But Iv'e also heard that some users have reported issues of keys not resetting quickly enough...
What are your thoughts of this particular switch?
Should I consider a different switch instead? (Bronze, BOX Variants... etc.).

Thank you.

[Techno Trousers]

I have a CM Storm QuickFire Rapid (QFR). It used to have MX Blues, and I desoldered them and directly replaced them with Box Jades, except under the space bar where I used a Box Pale Blue, just in case it needed a stronger spring for rebound.

I've been using it as my keyboard at work for a couple of months now. It works wonderfully. I have no problems at all with keys resetting, and I am a fast typist who gets up to 100 wpm when I'm at full speed.

The only thing I'm not completely satisfied about is the weight of the spring--i want it slightly heavier, somewhere between Jade and Navy weight. I think either some 50g or 55g SPRiT replacement springs will be perfect. To determine which of the two I like best, I'm going to experiment with both weights when my Massdrop CTRL keyboard arrives, since it has hot swap switches. Once I've found my perfect weighting, I have two other used QFRs in the wings, ready to receive new switches. That'll be Cherry switch end game for me.

So to make a long story short, yes you can directly replace cherry switches with Kailh box switches in your QuickFire Pro.

[killyou]

For me BOX White is the most thought through design. Hevy Pale Blue is OK too but BOX Navy and especially BOX Jade are too extreme. While thicker click bar gives it a little louder and deeper click sound they are slightly too stiff to overcome. It makes hard not to bottom out and makes the switch feel like it only has on and off positions. This is especially true for BOX Jade and I consider it a broken design. One could argue about BOX Navy but it would be much better off with slightly thinner click bar. If I would have to recommend clicky boxes then it would be white or heavy pale blue. For me I'd like something with a spring weight between heavy pale blue and white and clicker bar somewhere between current thin and thick click bars. Considering this current clicky BOXes are not enough for me to desolder my Pok3r with MX Blues. Once we get a corrected design which is actually tested and not taken to the extreme then I'll gladly order a set but it's not there yet.

[schoolbus]

Some people like bottoming out though... So I wouldn't say it's a "bad design" just not something you like.

[killyou]

Some people like bottoming out though... So I wouldn't say it's a "bad design" just not something you like.

I like bottoming out as well. It's just there is no resistance or any travel that you can feel after overcoming the bump. Have you actually tried it?

[schoolbus]

I have tried them and while clickies aren't my thing I think they're pretty nice to type on. I agree there is no travel after the bump but I wouldn't say that's a bad thing necessarily, for the most part topre is a very similar experience.

[Rumblehotep]

I don't have a CM Storm Quickfire but I recently swapped all the cherry switches in my filcos for various flavors of BOX switches.
The Jade do kinda "collapse" but on single 1u keys the feeling is pretty neat, with bigger keys like enter/shift/backspace is where you get return issues, although it's only ever really bugged me with the enter key.
I'd suggest a heavier spring for the big mods.

Box Pale Blue + DSA caps is a great feeling combo, not the massive kachunk of navies, it's like the keyboard is constantly clicking its teeth at you.

[proto]

Some people like bottoming out though... So I wouldn't say it's a "bad design" just not something you like.

I like bottoming out as well. It's just there is no resistance or any travel that you can feel after overcoming the bump. Have you actually tried it?

I notice a small amount of travel after the click on the box jades. However it isn't noticeable when typing quickly.