Cherry MX Switch Lubrication Guide

[jeroplane]

Ah cool. I've picked up some Clears anyway so perhaps I'll just test a few Browns vs. Clears after lubing and stickering. My daily driver is Blues but I also like using Reds, so it's a tough choice for me.

[fl0w3n]

Damn, $20-30 is a lot for enough lube for likely every board here on GH...

They sell any smaller bottles? 

[The_Beast]

Damn, $20-30 is a lot for enough lube for likely every board here on GH...

They sell any smaller bottles? 

You might want to try super lube, I quite like it. It's thicker so it dampens/muffles the key stroke but also keeps it butter smooth.
http://www.amazon.com/Synthetic-Grease-Syncolon-Purpose-Lubricant/dp/B000XBH9HI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353911055&sr=8-1&keywords=super+lube


I'd send you some, but I don't know how I'd ship it

[fl0w3n]

It's good for applying to both the sliders and spring? 

I'm looking at just using it on Clears/Browns/Blacks.

Hmm, if you can think of a super small container you could squeeze some into, or maybe even just a plastic bag, I could give you a few $$ for stamps?

[nevin]

i have not read through the whole thread... but, i do have some suggestions... years ago i used to race R/C cars and there are lots of dry-type spray lubes that you spray on/in, it evaporates very quickly & leaves a slick surface, not wet, but slick. almost all of these are safe on electronics. before the "big boom" in gas R/C cars, everything was electric motors & NiCad batteries.... Yes, NiCad. electric motor spray may also be good to clean out old/lube-coagulated switches. we used motor spray regularly to clean out the electric motors after races or while breaking in a new motor to clean the comm while the brushes were wearing in. if you have a local hobby shop, pop-in & see what they have, you might be surprised.

Hell, you may even be able to depress the stem, and spray some in. (while keyboard is unplugged of course! the aerosol propellant is probably flammable, just to be safe) without having to open switch or desolder.

[jeroplane]

i have not read through the whole thread... but, i do have some suggestions... years ago i used to race R/C cars and there are lots of dry-type spray lubes that you spray on/in, it evaporates very quickly & leaves a slick surface, not wet, but slick. almost all of these are safe on electronics. before the "big boom" in gas R/C cars, everything was electric motors & NiCad batteries.... Yes, NiCad. electric motor spray may also be good to clean out old/lube-coagulated switches. we used motor spray regularly to clean out the electric motors after races or while breaking in a new motor to clean the comm while the brushes were wearing in. if you have a local hobby shop, pop-in & see what they have, you might be surprised.

Hell, you may even be able to depress the stem, and spray some in. (while keyboard is unplugged of course! the aerosol propellant is probably flammable, just to be safe) without having to open switch or desolder.

That is some good advice. The lubricants mentioned in this thread are indeed primarily used for RC/pinewood car racing, so many lubricants found in hobby shops that cater to those things will be suitable for MX switches.

However, I believe people have reported very poor results when applying lube without removing the switch top, ruining the feel of the switch.

[TotalChaos]

i have not read through the whole thread... but, i do have some suggestions... years ago i used to race R/C cars and there are lots of dry-type spray lubes that you spray on/in, it evaporates very quickly & leaves a slick surface, not wet, but slick. almost all of these are safe on electronics.

What sort of technology do these lubricants you speak of use?

Does it count as "grease"?

I was told grease will travel around and leak out, for example if you ship your keyboard, it gets flipped upside down or sideways and then shaken violently for hours on end and all the grease will leak out everywhere.

Or does it count as some sort of "binding teflon"?

Which supposedly bonds to metal and plastic and won't ever leak.


The reason I ask is because I am horribly disabled by pain and no way I can learn to solder/desolder like this.  I can't even leave my apartment.  So I am thinking of hiring a geekhacker to lube my springs for me and I could pay $200.00 for the service or whatever they say is fair.  But this means my keyboard(s) get shipped and shaken violently while sideways or upside down.

[nevin]

However, I believe people have reported very poor results when applying lube without removing the switch top, ruining the feel of the switch.

yeah, now that i think about it... being an aerosol, the stuff comes out very fast and even a quick blast, may be too much.

--

motor spray
- Duratrax Power Shot Motor Spray
- T.A. Emerald Performance Plus 3 Motor Spray

if you search tower hobbies site (one of the big online/catalog stores in US), you should find them as well as links to the manufacturer's sites. neither of these mention any kind of lube/friction resistance, but these are two examples of what i was talking about.

the one i used to use (bought at local hobby shop) was a huge econo-sized aerosol can with a generic looking hot pink label that wrapped the can. like a b/w photo-copy on that fluorescent pink looking paper. i'll have to dig & see if it's still in my pit box.

as far as lubes, silicon was the hot item at the time, the teflon stuff wasn't around/readily available (or public) yet.

[tinlong117]

Hi everyone,
A question, is it possible to lube switch with ky? I have a friend who are a distributor of ky. I can get them for free and as much as I want

[MMB]

Hi everyone,
A question, is it possible to lube switch with ky? I have a friend who are a distributor of ky. I can get them for free and as much as I want

Sure dude. You can lube your switches and yourself at the same time

[DanGWanG]

Make sure you get the tingly one.  I heard the MX switches like that...

[The_Ed]

Wasn't there a thread about how someone used sex lube and it was disastrous? It dried out to a sticky consistency and ruined the switches if I remember correctly.

[SmallFry]

That would have to be water based, hence why it ruined the switch...

V-TEC KICKED IN YO!

[kbfreak]

Very good concept and great tutorial. Seems quite time consuming though. How long did it take to finish lubing all keys on a standard keyboard?

[Beherith]

I have a kinesis advantage with brown stems, and Im not too happy with the raspyness of the tactile bump. I just ordered some GPL 205 off ebay, as it is available for $9 for 1/4oz. Hopefully I can achieve the cloud of boobs, with this or by switching to red stems.

[The_Ed]

[Group buy] Krytox GPL 200 [Order cutoff - January 7]

http://deskthority.net/marketplace-f11/krytox-gpl-200-t4737.html

[rek55]

I've only lubed up the stabilizer's on my Das (they were squeaky). I had read something which suggested I use white lithium grease. Is that suitable for the stems as well, or would that not work very well?

[Dgsbllx]

I read some random stuff about ergo-clears supposedly 'sticking'. Would lubricating help this?

[TheProfosist]

I read some random stuff about ergo-clears supposedly 'sticking'. Would lubricating help this?

probably but the 100% new ones ive always put together have never stuck

[jdcarpe]

Anyone have a source for Krytox GPL 103? Seems like 205 is good for sliders, but I want some 103 for the springs.

[TheProfosist]

Anyone have a source for Krytox GPL 103? Seems like 205 is good for sliders, but I want some 103 for the springs.

205 good for springs too though needs a little bit of work in

[The_Ed]

Just join my krytox 200 groupbuy as it is less viscous than 205, but wont run everywhere like 103.

[jeroplane]

I read some random stuff about ergo-clears supposedly 'sticking'. Would lubricating help this?

I had a key sticking after I modded my Poker to Ergo Clears with stickers and lube. Tried to lube it a little more but that didn't help it. I think sticking just happens when you get an unlucky combination of spring + stem + housing. Mainly the spring - if it is slightly lighter then it won't push the stem back up properly.

[TheProfosist]

I read some random stuff about ergo-clears supposedly 'sticking'. Would lubricating help this?

I had a key sticking after I modded my Poker to Ergo Clears with stickers and lube. Tried to lube it a little more but that didn't help it. I think sticking just happens when you get an unlucky combination of spring + stem + housing. Mainly the spring - if it is slightly lighter then it won't push the stem back up properly.

sounds like you need an upgrade to 62g gold korean springs

[Glod]

will this stuff work?




i experimented with it on some loose wasd sampler switches i had and after a day it actually turns into more of a lubricating film/coating than staying in a liquid form; i can feel the difference but i wasn't sure if its worth doing this to dozens of switches. wasn't sure if it will disappear over time.

edit: fyi i applied by spraying it into a paper bowl and then using a small brush to apply it to the points listed in the OP

[Glod]

will this stuff work?

Show Image

Show Image

i experimented with it on some loose wasd sampler switches i had and after a day it actually turns into more of a lubricating film/coating than staying in a liquid form; i can feel the difference but i wasn't sure if its worth doing this to dozens of switches. wasn't sure if it will disappear over time.

edit: fyi i applied by spraying it into a paper bowl and then using a small brush to apply it to the points listed in the OP

lol did some more experimentation with this stuff, it's definitely not something to use for this stuff.

[Leslieann]

Guys, seriously, just go to a hobby shop.
Use something rather thick on the spring and as thin as possible on the sliders. I used rc car diff(?) lube/grease for my springs, and silicone shock oil for my sliders. I think I spent all of $7, if they have any half empty stuff and pay even less.

It's cheaper, it's safe (everything there is plastic based) and you get a big selection of viscosities.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Anyone have a source for Krytox GPL 103? Seems like 205 is good for sliders, but I want some 103 for the springs.

I bought some GPL-103 from miller-stephenson a few months ago. It was expensive as hell... $45 shipped for a 1oz bottle. They don't sell to individuals though, so you'll need to have a business name and address.

A mixture of 205 and 103 does feel nice though. It's more sleek than just 205. Whether it's "worth" the extra $45 is for you to decide. When I run out, I'll try some cheaper alternatives like Leslieann mentioned to see if cheaper stuff feels the same.

[cytoSiN]

Sorry, I know this is the "switch lube" thread, but since it seems many of you have used the 205, do you recommend that lube for cherry space bar stabilizers, or should I just stick with MechLube?

If the 205 is better, is this the right stuff?

Thanks.

[TheProfosist]

Sorry, I know this is the "switch lube" thread, but since it seems many of you have used the 205, do you recommend that lube for cherry space bar stabilizers, or should I just stick with MechLube?

If the 205 is better, is this the right stuff?

Thanks.

go with the 205 if youve got the scratch

[jeroplane]

Sorry, I know this is the "switch lube" thread, but since it seems many of you have used the 205, do you recommend that lube for cherry space bar stabilizers, or should I just stick with MechLube?

If the 205 is better, is this the right stuff?

Thanks.

That is the right stuff. I bought from that exact tube from that seller.

Speaking of which, I just came back from a 3-day trip and my lubed Ergo Clears somehow feel a lot smoother than when I first lubed them 2 days prior to the trip. Very happy with it

[cytoSiN]

Sorry, I know this is the "switch lube" thread, but since it seems many of you have used the 205, do you recommend that lube for cherry space bar stabilizers, or should I just stick with MechLube?

If the 205 is better, is this the right stuff?

Thanks.

That is the right stuff. I bought from that exact tube from that seller.

Speaking of which, I just came back from a 3-day trip and my lubed Ergo Clears somehow feel a lot smoother than when I first lubed them 2 days prior to the trip. Very happy with it

Thanks guys.  I ordered that tube, it's in the mail, will report back

[cgbuen]

I read some random stuff about ergo-clears supposedly 'sticking'. Would lubricating help this?

I had a key sticking after I modded my Poker to Ergo Clears with stickers and lube. Tried to lube it a little more but that didn't help it. I think sticking just happens when you get an unlucky combination of spring + stem + housing. Mainly the spring - if it is slightly lighter then it won't push the stem back up properly.

sounds like you need an upgrade to 62g gold korean springs

I've been stickering and lubing and have come across this problem as well. I've been using Superlube on both the spring and sliders, imsto thick caps, and blue springs I harvested from a QFR. Is a slightly heavier spring really the only option? And is 62g really enough?

(I've got enough 65g springs for a different project, but I happened to try one anyway, and it didn't stick.. it makes me wonder where 62g stands.)

[jeroplane]

How many switches were sticking? For me it was just a matter of swapping around some springs and stems between the switches to find combinations that didn't stick for some reason. Personally don't have experience with Korean springs, so I can't weigh in on that.

[cgbuen]

I've only done 11 total so far with blue springs (I'm slow, and as soon as I noticed I stopped myself short from continuing), I can definitely get one to hangup completely, three to get stuck for a split second, and the rest to have at least a slight feeling of stickiness. I'm guessing it's a matter of spring tolerance :\

[rek55]

I don't think I'd be able to do this to my Das unless I desolder every switch.

[sordna]

cgbuen / jeroplane ,  what are the stickers you are referring to ?

[cgbuen]

Switch stickers like the ones in this old GB: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34446.0, but when I talk about keys "sticking" I literally mean upon depressing the springs have some trouble pushing the stems back up, and I'm not sure if lubricant might be a culprit in this.

[TotalChaos]

Switch stickers like the ones in this old GB: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34446.0, but when I talk about keys "sticking" I literally mean upon depressing the springs have some trouble pushing the stems back up, and I'm not sure if lubricant might be a culprit in this.

Did u put too much lube on?

Leslieann the Lubimatrix says you must only use a tiny microscopic amount.  I can't remember exactly but I think a few drops for the whole entire keyboard was the right amount.  So I guess 1/30th drop per switch.  I donno.  I never did it myself.  I'm a LubeNewb 

[jeroplane]

Switch stickers like the ones in this old GB: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34446.0, but when I talk about keys "sticking" I literally mean upon depressing the springs have some trouble pushing the stems back up, and I'm not sure if lubricant might be a culprit in this.

Did u put too much lube on?

Leslieann the Lubimatrix says you must only use a tiny microscopic amount.  I can't remember exactly but I think a few drops for the whole entire keyboard was the right amount.  So I guess 1/30th drop per switch.  I donno.  I never did it myself.  I'm a LubeNewb 

Yeah a tiny amount is right. I squeezed a really small blob onto a piece of plastic and was surprised that it lasted me the whole board. I used a very small paintbrush and brushed over the sliders 2-3 times for a very thin film of lube, much like how Dan did it in his video in the OP.

[Beherith]

I don't think I'd be able to do this to my Das unless I desolder every switch.

Dont give up so easily!
I desoldered every single switch (was replacing browns with reds and shortened the springs by 1 turn) and lubed them up with 205 once they were open anyway, and the lube makes an insane amount of difference.
Do get ready to spend a lot of time though, it took me 8 hours from start to finish and i wasnt slacking off!

Also, a very little amount of the GPL 205 is an understatement, I used less then 0.5ml for the whole board.

[sordna]

Ouch, this is way too much time. Has anyone tried Deoxit/FaderLube spray or dropper, and just pushing down the stem and flooding the switch without opening it? It's not an expensive lube, and you can clean up what leaks on the PCB afterwards. Anyone tried this brute force method ? 

[TheProfosist]

Ouch, this is way too much time. Has anyone tried Deoxit/FaderLube spray or dropper, and just pushing down the stem and flooding the switch without opening it? It's not an expensive lube, and you can clean up what leaks on the PCB afterwards. Anyone tried this brute force method ? 

yep it works just not as well

[sordna]

Yeah, I've flooded a couple of scratchy red switches on my Poker with general purpose oil, and had to clean the PCB afterwards because the oil leaked, but I'm debating if I want to do that to an entire keyboard, or go the tedious route of opening switches and using high tech grease. Some folks have mentioned that flooding switches with oil would eventually attract dirt and jam the switches but it's mostly speculation, not sure if anyone has actual experienced this.

[Leslieann]

Yeah, I've flooded a couple of scratchy red switches on my Poker with general purpose oil, and had to clean the PCB afterwards because the oil leaked, but I'm debating if I want to do that to an entire keyboard, or go the tedious route of opening switches and using high tech grease. Some folks have mentioned that flooding switches with oil would eventually attract dirt and jam the switches but it's mostly speculation, not sure if anyone has actual experienced this.

Not direct experience, but I did open some year old, unlubed switches, they were pristine.
There's really very little room for dust to get in and out, plus you have a plate blocking the lower half, and the keycap covering the top half.

Unless you have fans blowing air though the keyboard while being used, dust will have a hard time getting in.

[dn]

Yeah, I've flooded a couple of scratchy red switches on my Poker with general purpose oil, and had to clean the PCB afterwards because the oil leaked, but I'm debating if I want to do that to an entire keyboard, or go the tedious route of opening switches and using high tech grease. Some folks have mentioned that flooding switches with oil would eventually attract dirt and jam the switches but it's mostly speculation, not sure if anyone has actual experienced this.

This is NOT a good idea, different lubricants have different conductivity properties, I once rebuilt an high performance and expensive electric motor completely cleaning and re-lubing the internals (which were running with a lot of friction), the motor now will not even turn unless you force it by hand as the lubricant is non conductive and has ruined the contact points.

Don't make the same mistake as I did!!!!! DON'T lube the contacts I say!

[Leslieann]

Yeah, I've flooded a couple of scratchy red switches on my Poker with general purpose oil, and had to clean the PCB afterwards because the oil leaked, but I'm debating if I want to do that to an entire keyboard, or go the tedious route of opening switches and using high tech grease. Some folks have mentioned that flooding switches with oil would eventually attract dirt and jam the switches but it's mostly speculation, not sure if anyone has actual experienced this.

This is NOT a good idea, different lubricants have different conductivity properties, I once rebuilt an high performance and expensive electric motor completely cleaning and re-lubing the internals (which were running with a lot of friction), the motor now will not even turn unless you force it by hand as the lubricant is non conductive and has ruined the contact points.

Don't make the same mistake as I did!!!!! DON'T lube the contacts I say!

The lube is often wrongly blamed in this sort of instance.
The lube may be neutral, however it attracts impurities from dust, and bits that may come off the contact itself. The impurities can make your previously non-conductive fluid quite conductive.

In the case of a motor, the commutator and brushes throw off a lot of contaminants, the oil will trap it and short everything.


Bottom line though, don't lube your contacts.

[sordna]

I read somewhere that Finish Line Extreme Fluoro 100% DuPont Teflon Grease is same as Krytox 203 or 204. Anyone care to compare it to Krytox 205, if they've tried both ?

[TotalChaos]

According to everything I have read, Cherry lubes the contact points of Cherry MX switches and that is the only part that they lube.

Since it is already allegedly lubed there is no need to relube the contacts.

[jeroplane]

According to everything I have read, Cherry lubes the contact points of Cherry MX switches and that is the only part that they lube.

Since it is already allegedly lubed there is no need to relube the contacts.

Correct, but it seems that Cherry hasn't always done this. I have some brand new switches that were lubed on the contacts and some that weren't.

Bottom line, don't lube the contacts.