Author Topic: Cherry MX Stabilizer Mod - What a difference (Read 10164 times)

noons · « **on:** Fri, 24 November 2017, 15:22:34 »

So I know there are previous posts on this and that this mod is pretty well known, but I just wanted to post what a difference it has made on my KUL keyboard. I've had the keyboard for about a year now in my office and the MUSHYness has driven me nuts, especially after feeling my friends leopold 750R (which does not suffer from the same mushy feeling). For those who have never soldered before and may be hesitating doing this, this was my first time and had no issues. Soldering is incredibly easy, honestly easier then I had imagined.

daerid · « **Reply #1 on:** Fri, 24 November 2017, 20:40:24 »

Are you referring to clipping the bottom of the Cherry stabs to make them feel crisper?

noons · « **Reply #2 on:** Sat, 25 November 2017, 09:15:43 »

I am!

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34759.0

For those who may not know what the mod is..

yuppie · « **Reply #3 on:** Sat, 25 November 2017, 10:31:06 »

Only interested in silencing mods for stabs pls.

Hyde · « **Reply #4 on:** Sat, 25 November 2017, 21:16:09 »

Oh yeah I totally agree, I did the same thing on my Logitech K840.

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=91503.0

Generally I only buy keyboard with Costar stabilizers or pre-clipped cherry stabilizer (Vortex, Leopold....etc). This is the first time I bought a keyboard with regular Cherry stabilizer and it drove me nuts.

Pop the keyboard open and void the warranty on my 2nd day of purchase but it was totally worth it hahah.

But yes like you said contrary to popular believe, you only need to de-solder the switch the stabilizer is on, so it's actually not that bad.

tp4tissue · « **Reply #5 on:** Sat, 25 November 2017, 21:34:25 »

you can rice up a civic, but it's still a civic..

Meanwhile..

Cherry MX Stabilizer Mod - What a difference

Zylkan · « **Reply #6 on:** Sun, 26 November 2017, 14:43:47 »

Hmm... I think I might try this myself!

_haru · « **Reply #7 on:** Sun, 26 November 2017, 19:17:31 »

Quote from: tp4tissue on Sat, 25 November 2017, 21:34:25

you can rice up a civic, but it's still a civic..

Meanwhile..

(Attachment Link)

<3

Hyde · « **Reply #8 on:** Sun, 26 November 2017, 22:25:31 »

Quote from: _haru on Sun, 26 November 2017, 19:17:31

Quote from: tp4tissue on Sat, 25 November 2017, 21:34:25
you can rice up a civic, but it's still a civic..

Meanwhile..

(Attachment Link)

<3

Generally I'd advise not take TP4 seriously BUT, I agree with him this time.

tp4tissue · « **Reply #9 on:** Sun, 26 November 2017, 22:29:34 »

Quote from: Hyde on Sun, 26 November 2017, 22:25:31

Generally I'd advise not take TP4 seriously BUT, I agree with him this time.

People always say that , before finally capitulating, recognizing that Tp4 has a 99.97 Right percentage. !!

ghostjuggernaut · « **Reply #10 on:** Sun, 26 November 2017, 23:41:07 »

Quote from: tp4tissue on Sat, 25 November 2017, 21:34:25

you can rice up a civic, but it's still a civic..

Meanwhile..

(Attachment Link)

Completely agree, especially when properly lubed.

noons · « **Reply #11 on:** Mon, 27 November 2017, 18:23:51 »

To be honest, I like the feeling of these modified cherry stabs better then the costar's that I had on my filco and the costars on a friends wasd. They also feel better then my leopold 200r, but equal to the 750r.

In summary (from what I have tried) Modified cherry stabs >= leopold 750r > Costar on filco and wasd > leopold 200r > > > > Kul / Stock cherry stabilizers. Curious to see the modifications leopold has done to their stabilizers especially over time. The ones that come with the 750r have definitely have a crisper feeling compared to those on my 200r. Stock cherry stabs are just awful, I don't know how people can say they prefer the mush over any of the other options.

Hyde · « **Reply #12 on:** Mon, 27 November 2017, 21:07:42 »

^ Did you try lubing Costar stabilizers?

I tried the Leopold/Vortex (stock mod Cherry stab) and even the ones I mod myself (Logitech K840) but I find I can always feel the friction on the sliders on the left and right side.

To me Costar just feels "invisible". Just make sure you lube it with something semi thick.

Something like this: https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,misc&pid=mechlube

OfTheWild · « **Reply #13 on:** Mon, 27 November 2017, 21:54:48 »

I like modded PCB mount cherry... or 'beveled' Costars as i'm dubbing the mod... basically opening up the tops of the frames so you dont have any bump when the cap passes over the lip.

Hyde · « **Reply #14 on:** Mon, 27 November 2017, 21:58:53 »

Ehhhh can you take a picture? That sounds interesting.

OfTheWild · « **Reply #15 on:** Mon, 27 November 2017, 23:50:19 »

I actually just had a customer that I did the switches on but not the stabs - she had some issues with the costars when it all went back together so I sent her these two pics to help describe what some of my Costar mods include:
https://i.imgur.com/4GNSuKm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QfVwSgL.jpg

You would have to compare the inside shape to a stock one but basically you're looking for the inner lip of the frame to clear the key cap post with out binding.

Hyde · « **Reply #16 on:** Wed, 29 November 2017, 11:23:56 »

Ohhhhh I see, I think I've never run into this issue yet because the official Costar stabilizer inserts are actually wider than the switch stem.

Since your plastic mounts are white (Costar are black) so I'm assuming it's a different manufacturer (very similar though).

But I'll keep that in mind for next time I run into this.

OfTheWild · « **Reply #17 on:** Wed, 29 November 2017, 23:57:26 »

Quote from: Hyde on Wed, 29 November 2017, 11:23:56

Ohhhhh I see, I think I've never run into this issue yet because the official Costar stabilizer inserts are actually wider than the switch stem.

Since your plastic mounts are white (Costar are black) so I'm assuming it's a different manufacturer (very similar though).

But I'll keep that in mind for next time I run into this.

I was under the impression Costar stabs came in either white or black. I will say that the Whitefox has been the primary subject of needing this mod and the issue with the cap getting caught on the costar frame and binding seems to be amplified with non-cherry switches. Perhaps there is a slight variation in stem positioning that causes the clearance problem? I'm not sure. It very well could be that the whitefox has the plate cut-outs 1mm off too? I havent measured my other costar based boards.

tp4tissue · « **Reply #18 on:** Thu, 30 November 2017, 11:59:49 »

Quote from: OfTheWild on Mon, 27 November 2017, 23:50:19

I actually just had a customer that I did the switches on but not the stabs - she had some issues with the costars when it all went back together so I sent her these two pics to help describe what some of my Costar mods include:
https://i.imgur.com/4GNSuKm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QfVwSgL.jpg

You would have to compare the inside shape to a stock one but basically you're looking for the inner lip of the frame to clear the key cap post with out binding.

Can you flip the plate inserts and and try them the other way around

OfTheWild · « **Reply #19 on:** Sat, 02 December 2017, 10:53:36 »

Quote from: tp4tissue on Thu, 30 November 2017, 11:59:49

Quote from: OfTheWild on Mon, 27 November 2017, 23:50:19
I actually just had a customer that I did the switches on but not the stabs - she had some issues with the costars when it all went back together so I sent her these two pics to help describe what some of my Costar mods include:
https://i.imgur.com/4GNSuKm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QfVwSgL.jpg

You would have to compare the inside shape to a stock one but basically you're looking for the inner lip of the frame to clear the key cap post with out binding.

Can you flip the plate inserts and and try them the other way around

It looks like the plate cut out is centered to the switch so I bet you could flip them and try.

capitanhero · « **Reply #20 on:** Thu, 11 January 2018, 08:20:29 »

Hey guys, I'm working at GMK in Germany. We have the QMX Silencing Clips in our webshop at Uniqey.net
If you need stabilizers we have a MOQ of 150pcs. These ones are currently available.

Use this form to get a quote.
https://uniqey.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=114093978873

Giorgio · « **Reply #21 on:** Sat, 13 January 2018, 05:23:33 »

Quote from: capitanhero on Thu, 11 January 2018, 08:20:29

Hey guys, I'm working at GMK in Germany. We have the QMX Silencing Clips in our webshop at Uniqey.net
If you need stabilizers we have a MOQ of 150pcs. These ones are currently available.

(Attachment Link)

Use this form to get a quote.
https://uniqey.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=114093978873

Great to know! Finally a gmk-uniqey guy :-)

Giorgio · « **Reply #22 on:** Sat, 13 January 2018, 05:24:38 »

If you have o-rings or silent switches, does it make sense to clip the stabilizers? Does the clipping make them more noisy?

ghostjuggernaut · « **Reply #23 on:** Sat, 13 January 2018, 05:27:50 »

Quote from: capitanhero on Thu, 11 January 2018, 08:20:29

Hey guys, I'm working at GMK in Germany. We have the QMX Silencing Clips in our webshop at Uniqey.net
If you need stabilizers we have a MOQ of 150pcs. These ones are currently available.

(Attachment Link)

Use this form to get a quote.
https://uniqey.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=114093978873

Welcome to geekhack! Hope to see you around the site more in the future.

capitanhero · « **Reply #24 on:** Mon, 15 January 2018, 04:35:17 »

Quote from: Giorgio on Sat, 13 January 2018, 05:24:38

If you have o-rings or silent switches, does it make sense to clip the stabilizers? Does the clipping make them more noisy?

Well with the silent switches you'd have to try. The QMX-Clips are more of a solution for the regular switches to reduce noice.
I don't think that applying the Clips to a Silent MX from Cherry would make them more noisy. I have to get R&D on that though, because I'm curious now too..

I wouldn't recommend the application of the QMX-Clip and the o-ring together, bc imo it reduces the travel of the cap to much.. (did this make any sense?

)

Best
Michael

capitanhero · « **Reply #25 on:** Mon, 15 January 2018, 04:39:08 »

Thanks

I'll give my best to keep up

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Author Topic: Cherry MX Stabilizer Mod - What a difference (Read 10164 times)