is graphite lube a bad idea on a sticky MX Blue keyswitch?

[Voixdelion]

I have a sluggish little bugger on my MX Blue board and I am tempted to dust it a teeny bit with some very fine graphite to see if that will encourage it a bit, but I am not sure if that will cause issues with shorting or something.  I figured it was safer than something that might eat the plastic, but then realized someone here would probably know if that were a really bad idea more than I would, so I thought I'd ask first.

( It isn't a key I use often, but sometimes I think it triggers the start of some keyboard shortcut that I am unaware of and a host of other problems come if I keep typing after it gets depressed a bit by accident, so i would prefer it not be lazy on the rebound at all) )

[Puddsy]

Is it sticky?

Does it have particles in it?

If the answer to either of these is yes, don't do it to MX switches at all.

[dorkvader]

Is it sticky?

Does it have particles in it?

If the answer to either of these is yes, don't do it to MX switches at all.

krytox has particles in it. Graphite particles are really really small.

I wouldn't recommend it but it might work fine. Be prepared to desolder.

[FrostyToast]

Well since no one knows exactly what makes blue switches click and all we do know is that lube can make blues silent... prepare to desoler like dorkvader said.

[Puddsy]

Is it sticky?

Does it have particles in it?

If the answer to either of these is yes, don't do it to MX switches at all.

krytox has particles in it. Graphite particles are really really small.

I wouldn't recommend it but it might work fine. Be prepared to desolder.

TIL

[Melvang]

DO NOT USE GRAPHITE BASED LUBE.  Graphite is a conductor and may cause switches to not function properly.  Cherry switches are essentially normally open momentary switches.  If enough graphite gets to the contacts it may now be constantly closed and always complete the circuit, essentially acting as if it is always pressed down.

Well since no one knows exactly what makes blue switches click and all we do know is that lube can make blues silent... prepare to desoler like dorkvader said.

It is the floating white portion of the slider that causes the click.  The reason lube quiets the click is because it prevents the plastic on plastic impact which causes the click.

[hwood34]

Lube of any kind can has less than optimal effects on clicky switches

[Puddsy]

snip

I WILL NOT USE GRAPHITE BASED LUBE

I WILL NOT USE GRAPHITE BASED LUBE

I WILL NOT USE GRAPHITE BASED LUBE

I WILL NOT USE GRAPHITE BASED LUBE

I WILL NOT USE GRAPHITE BASED LUBE

[FrostyToast]

Well since no one knows exactly what makes blue switches click and all we do know is that lube can make blues silent... prepare to desoler like dorkvader said.

It is the floating white portion of the slider that causes the click.  The reason lube quiets the click is because it prevents the plastic on plastic impact which causes the click.

TIL

DO NOT USE GRAPHITE BASED LUBE.

Wut if I wana?
GraFite me irl.

JK that sounded like a terrible idea as soon as I read it.

[heedpantsnow]

Keep graphite, carbon, etc away from electrical stuff in general.

First use of carbon fiber?  Thomas Edison, as filaments for light bulbs. Nuff said.

[Voixdelion]

 

Wut if I wana?
GraFite me irl.

JK that sounded like a terrible idea as soon as I read it.

LOL ... remarks like that are exactly why I love GH -

Thanks for the heads up y'all - much 'preciated

Too bad about the graphite though... means I will have to test my other options to make certain they won't liquefy the plastic then.  But I don't guess it would have been a whole disaster if I had gotten it into a NC state, since the problem is already the fact that it sticks that way, it wouldn't really have worsened the situation.   

I do believe the culprit is the fact that KITTY has been napping on my laptop and keyboard when I am not present to scold him for it.  Note to whom it may concern, MX blues appear to be allergic to cats.  Or perhaps, now that I think of it, the recent kidnapping of my mother's chinchillas is a likely dust storm manufacturer and the MX blues are allergic to THAT...  But gods it is EVERYWHERE since they came to stay... Bloody adorable but MESSY little critter beasts they are.... 

I wonder will a vacuum improve my boards disposition any or make it grumpier?   Today its like nearly half the keys are reluctant to rebound with any real enthusiasm...  I think as much as I love typing on them, the mx blues might be too fragile for the abuse to which I am likely to subject my boards to endure for more than few months of punishment before they start rebellion.  Perhaps I should seriously consider that model F mod and abuse that instead.  I'm delighted to know it is possible to get that sucker into rotation and if I succeed I might be ready to part with one of my AT's and pare down the collection to the really important ones instead of trying to deal with storing all these keyboards.   I just looked around the ones that are littering my shelves and realized  I think I may have an addiction problem here.

[heedpantsnow]

...reluctant to rebound with any real enthusiasm...

Have you tried Viagra?

[mkawa]

graphite will be like sandpaper on the plastic of the switch slider. don't do that.

[faceyourfaces]

Lube of any kind can has less than optimal effects on clicky switches

What if I want to make it feel like I'm typing underwater?

[Photekq]

Lube of any kind can has less than optimal effects on clicky switches

I beg to differ. Krytox 103 on vintage blues is best.

[Puddsy]

Lube of any kind can has less than optimal effects on clicky switches

What if I want to make it feel like I'm typing underwater?

Use monterey blues