Cherry MX Switch Lubrication Guide

[bmilcs]

I can finally join the club.

KUL ES-87, GPL 205/Victorinox, springs, stems and sliders. I clipped and lubed stabs, and swapped out stock clear springs with 78g SPRiTs.

My perspective is going to be skewed. I have been using a Pok3r w/ stock clears and I definitely like those springs more than these 78gs. Also, my Pok3r has Vortex PBT and my KUL has stock, lousy ABS.

As far as how the switch feels... it's very nice for typing. I enjoy how smooth the keys feel but as others have pointed out, I think there has been a reduction in tactility. Also, keys feel less snappy. I notice that keys back a bit slower than stock springs but that may be mostly due to the spring used so it's hard to say. I may have used too much lube, but I really didn't use an excessive amount.

I am considering modding my Pok3r but if I do, I need to use less and lower the viscosity. The Krytox 205 is thick and may be adding to the less snappy feeling.

I think I understand why people use lighter springs for these ergo clears. I bet 62/65 is really nice. I usually come close to bottoming out on stock clears but on these lubed switches, I feel more like floating on each press.

Edit: Just going from one keyboard to the other, I definitely think it's the spring. I am afraid of putting my KUL through anymore abuse but I definitely would prefer stock clear springs.

Indeed the spring determines most of the response

The 78g sprit spring should be lighter than stock clear springs, I personally hate light springs, they don't feel good to me, they are also risky lube-wise

Try these springs, they are by far the best springs I've tested and I've tested 10's: https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1184

Don't let the 62g rating fool you, it's an activation rating, in reality they are 100+ when lubed - the same mix you used should produce a better result with these springs, but don't take my word for it, definitely try and find your optimal spring

I'm currently using the 80g of MK springs, same spring dynamic, it's a high coiled and long spring, much longer than MX springs, feels better to me (both 60g, 62g, and 80g, whereas their 67g were similar to stock clear springs in terms of behaviour)

Khaann, where have you been all my life? I have been specifically asking for a response EXACTLY like this. I've tried reddit several times and even posted on here in several subforums. Thank you so much for this info!

I am typing on my KUL ES-87 with 78g 24k removed and stock mx clear springs. I used Victorinox on springs and stem... and GPL205 on the sliders. I did not mix it and I think it's actually making the switches feel heavier than they once were.

My GPL 105 is arriving today and I'm going to mix them. Is 50/50 a good ratio would you say?

[bmilcs]

I can finally join the club.

KUL ES-87, GPL 205/Victorinox, springs, stems and sliders. I clipped and lubed stabs, and swapped out stock clear springs with 78g SPRiTs.

My perspective is going to be skewed. I have been using a Pok3r w/ stock clears and I definitely like those springs more than these 78gs. Also, my Pok3r has Vortex PBT and my KUL has stock, lousy ABS.

As far as how the switch feels... it's very nice for typing. I enjoy how smooth the keys feel but as others have pointed out, I think there has been a reduction in tactility. Also, keys feel less snappy. I notice that keys back a bit slower than stock springs but that may be mostly due to the spring used so it's hard to say. I may have used too much lube, but I really didn't use an excessive amount.

I am considering modding my Pok3r but if I do, I need to use less and lower the viscosity. The Krytox 205 is thick and may be adding to the less snappy feeling.

I think I understand why people use lighter springs for these ergo clears. I bet 62/65 is really nice. I usually come close to bottoming out on stock clears but on these lubed switches, I feel more like floating on each press.

Edit: Just going from one keyboard to the other, I definitely think it's the spring. I am afraid of putting my KUL through anymore abuse but I definitely would prefer stock clear springs.

Indeed the spring determines most of the response

The 78g sprit spring should be lighter than stock clear springs, I personally hate light springs, they don't feel good to me, they are also risky lube-wise

Try these springs, they are by far the best springs I've tested and I've tested 10's: https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1184

Don't let the 62g rating fool you, it's an activation rating, in reality they are 100+ when lubed - the same mix you used should produce a better result with these springs, but don't take my word for it, definitely try and find your optimal spring

I'm currently using the 80g of MK springs, same spring dynamic, it's a high coiled and long spring, much longer than MX springs, feels better to me (both 60g, 62g, and 80g, whereas their 67g were similar to stock clear springs in terms of behaviour)

I also think I went a little heavy on the lube, trying to drastically change the perception of each keypress... which doesn't make sense because I really like stock clears. I simply want to make them more fluid. 62g actuation sounds great. I wonder what the actuation force is for these 68g and 78g springs that I bought from MK. They are both 24k SPRiTs.

How do you lube your switches? I need to do some testing I think in order to figure out what I like but I can't accurately assess them without getting a full row of keys. Yanno? I have difficulty judging based on 1-3 keys.

[bmilcs]

I can finally join the club.

KUL ES-87, GPL 205/Victorinox, springs, stems and sliders. I clipped and lubed stabs, and swapped out stock clear springs with 78g SPRiTs.

My perspective is going to be skewed. I have been using a Pok3r w/ stock clears and I definitely like those springs more than these 78gs. Also, my Pok3r has Vortex PBT and my KUL has stock, lousy ABS.

As far as how the switch feels... it's very nice for typing. I enjoy how smooth the keys feel but as others have pointed out, I think there has been a reduction in tactility. Also, keys feel less snappy. I notice that keys back a bit slower than stock springs but that may be mostly due to the spring used so it's hard to say. I may have used too much lube, but I really didn't use an excessive amount.

I am considering modding my Pok3r but if I do, I need to use less and lower the viscosity. The Krytox 205 is thick and may be adding to the less snappy feeling.

I think I understand why people use lighter springs for these ergo clears. I bet 62/65 is really nice. I usually come close to bottoming out on stock clears but on these lubed switches, I feel more like floating on each press.

Edit: Just going from one keyboard to the other, I definitely think it's the spring. I am afraid of putting my KUL through anymore abuse but I definitely would prefer stock clear springs.

Indeed the spring determines most of the response

The 78g sprit spring should be lighter than stock clear springs, I personally hate light springs, they don't feel good to me, they are also risky lube-wise

Try these springs, they are by far the best springs I've tested and I've tested 10's: https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1184

Don't let the 62g rating fool you, it's an activation rating, in reality they are 100+ when lubed - the same mix you used should produce a better result with these springs, but don't take my word for it, definitely try and find your optimal spring

I'm currently using the 80g of MK springs, same spring dynamic, it's a high coiled and long spring, much longer than MX springs, feels better to me (both 60g, 62g, and 80g, whereas their 67g were similar to stock clear springs in terms of behaviour)

WAIT. Are those the springs that are supposed to be used for Ergo Clear? It's confusing because 62g is listed as the 'best' for ergo-clear mod... on both the 24k and regular springs you just linked.

[KHAANNN]

Just saw this discussion, notifications arrive 3-5 days late to me, since we had pm's skipping the spring discussion

I lube:
- the spring, especially bottom, but every part
- the switch bottom's slider part
- stem's slider+front+back+pole_bottom+leaf_arms - don't put too much lube on leaf_arms tho
- the switch top's front+bottom + the top parts where the stem touches the top

At all these parts, I use very little lube, but enough to be visible

I did so many experiments, none of them had any critical issues, yet many of them had very different characteristics, so testing is necessary

[bmilcs]

KHANN, I'd love to see a pictorial where you point to where you're referencing. The Switch top's front bottom? I don't know what this is. Also, you lube the slider's 4 sides? This makes sense.

[KHAANNN]

KHANN, I'd love to see a pictorial where you point to where you're referencing. The Switch top's front bottom? I don't know what this is. Also, you lube the slider's 4 sides? This makes sense.

(i) the parts where the keycap might touch the switch top, in fact, I haven't inspected things too deeply, but I probably lube where the outer pole of the keycap touches the switch, the oval part, I'm guessing it makes the keypress more smooth, now that I think about it

(ii) the second part is where the stem touches the switch top on up-movement, so let's say there is a 1kg spring, when you release that switch, there would be a very noticeable release noise, I lube the section to prevent that noise
With <100g springs tho, I'm unsure whether it makes any difference, tho there was one user who applied a special latex formula there, to completely eliminate the up-sound, it still exists in my switches, I enjoy the sound

sorry, no photos at this time tho

my lubing is also repetitive, I lube the same touch-points on both the stem and the switch enclosure, so (ii) is repetitive, while (i) is not

[jcoffin1981]

ripster was the self-proclaimed #1 Keyboard Expert on the Planet. He had written or contributed to most of the articles in the previous wiki. He had a couple of epic feuds with keyboardlover and harrison. Just before he got himself permabanned, he became the resident epic troll for a short time. He now hangs out at reddit and complains about Geekhack.

The loss of that wiki (due to the R00TW0RM attack), was probably the biggest loss this forum has ever suffered.

I don't understand.  He was the number one contributor to the forum and he was banned because of a squabble with other members.  Maybe this decision was a bit Draconian?

1) I have two greases "Dielectric" and "Traxxas" and I was wondering if anyone had any experience as to which was better for stabilizers?

2) After disassembling the board and reassembling the plate and stablizers, I can see that the manufacturer only lubed the space bar stabilizers.  Is this because the other keys are too light and lube may actually impede movement? Or will the Enter, Backspace etc. keys benefit from some lube also?

[Sifo]

i miss meatball

[jcoffin1981]

I used the dielectric grease since I did see it referenced once.  The Traxxas grease did not list the ingredients, so I decided not to use it (it was ordered accidentally anyway).

I'm curious about which stabilizers people lubricate.  I put a dab on the space bar with a sharpened piece of pegwood and it certainly made a difference.  I also tried the Enter key and I have to say that I do not see a difference with or without the lube.  This may be why the manufacturer does not lube it anyway. 

Any thoughts?

[bmilcs]

I used the dielectric grease since I did see it referenced once.  The Traxxas grease did not list the ingredients, so I decided not to use it (it was ordered accidentally anyway).

I'm curious about which stabilizers people lubricate.  I put a dab on the space bar with a sharpened piece of pegwood and it certainly made a difference.  I also tried the Enter key and I have to say that I do not see a difference with or without the lube.  This may be why the manufacturer does not lube it anyway. 

Any thoughts?

How did you lubricate them? Did you clip them as well? If you haven't already, I recommend desoldering your enter, shift buttons, and backspace. Remove your stabilizers altogether and take them apart. Clip them and then lube all contact points... where any friction can occur.

Clipping them and thoroughly lubing any contact between the metal beam &  any plastic will make a big difference.

I lubed every stabilizer on my 2 boards.

[jcoffin1981]

I sharpened a piece of pegwood to a long, fine tip and very thinly coated the friction points of the stabilizers; less is more.  I have seen videos on snipping the excess length on the friction points of plastic of the stabilizers, but I was worried that this may encourage more side to side wobble.  The keycaps seem to move freely enough as it is.

I have also noticed that with the keycap removed, you can take any stabilizer (cherry) and slide it up, down, left, or right across the surface of the backplate.  I wonder if there would be any advantage so securing the stab. to the plate.  It's only held in place by the little tab which you press in.  This may also be a source of wobble and movement.  You could use rubber cement or some other adhesive which will break down with a solvent in case  you ever have to open it up for some reason.

I think for now I will stick to lubing only the space bars.  If you take a tweezer and lift the stem of the stabilizer up there is no resistance at all and it falls back down.

[Suruga Devil]

I have also noticed that with the keycap removed, you can take any stabilizer (cherry) and slide it up, down, left, or right across the surface of the backplate.  I wonder if there would be any advantage so securing the stab. to the plate.  It's only held in place by the little tab which you press in.  This may also be a source of wobble and movement.  You could use rubber cement or some other adhesive which will break down with a solvent in case  you ever have to open it up for some reason.

I have a feeling that this is an intentional design. If the stabilizers were exceedingly precise, the key could get stuck if it was not pressed down fully/evenly. Hence, I would be cautious with all stabilizer mods, since precision may not be conducive to performance. This is all conjecture on my part, so I may be wrong, but it's worth thinking about.

[cyd3r]

Can I just lube the housing,stem,spring sliding points with only "Krytox 100 thin-oil" and stabilisers with a thicker grease like "Krytox 205" ?
I also see people mix their lubrication what's the benefit of mixing lubes ?

[Metr0]

Would this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finish-Line-Mountain-Chain-120ml/dp/B00365YSTK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1466377749&sr=8-2&keywords=DuPont+Lubricant be a suitable alternative to the Teflon Silicone lubricant? It seems to be the same product just re-branded. Planning on using it on Gateron blues.

[phoenix1234]

Would this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finish-Line-Mountain-Chain-120ml/dp/B00365YSTK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1466377749&sr=8-2&keywords=DuPont+Lubricant be a suitable alternative to the Teflon Silicone lubricant? It seems to be the same product just re-branded. Planning on using it on Gateron blues.

Yes, it is very likely but you should use krytox instead.

Can I just lube the housing,stem,spring sliding points with only "Krytox 100 thin-oil" and stabilisers with a thicker grease like "Krytox 205" ?
I also see people mix their lubrication what's the benefit of mixing lubes ?

1) Yes, it is just great, krytox 100 is very good for "housing,stem,spring sliding points"

2) Mixing lubes to create a different viscosity point => different feeling

[KHAANNN]

Off topic, after using an 205-lubed keyboard for 7-8 months, I can no longer differentiate the slide from a non-lubed switch, not that it matters when you get used to the keyboard

I guess there is a honeymoon phase of lubing, for a month or so, the lube hangs around, then it probably shifts to the bottom and only a micro-layer stays behind, so the feeling is not much different than a regular switch

However, the main reason for lubing for me is ping-prevention, I'm pretty sure it's forever, unless the keyboard is soaked upside down for a 100 years or sth.
From my experiments, only a small amount of lube at the spring bottom was enough to prevent ping, in the long run, probably 90% of the lube moves to the bottom

If I wasn't lazy I would probably desolder a solo modifier for science to see what the actual situation is

[cyd3r]

1) Yes, it is just great, krytox 100 is very good for "housing,stem,spring sliding points"

2) Mixing lubes to create a different viscosity point => different feeling

Does mixing different types of lubricants dampen sound more than just a single lube type? Different feel = dampens differently ?
Also, if i was to eliminate pinging and some of the bottoming-out or upstroke while compromising the feel (maybe heavier?) do I need to mix lubes ? Or does the GPL100 do that just fine?

[phoenix1234]

1) Yes, it is just great, krytox 100 is very good for "housing,stem,spring sliding points"

2) Mixing lubes to create a different viscosity point => different feeling

Does mixing different types of lubricants dampen sound more than just a single lube type? Different feel = dampens differently ?
Also, if i was to eliminate pinging and some of the bottoming-out or upstroke while compromising the feel (maybe heavier?) do I need to mix lubes ? Or does the GPL100 do that just fine?

mixing different types of lubes => create a new lube with a different viscosity (which is good and bad) but it may vary the friction and users may feel differently about it.

In order to eliminate pinging, we may need a high viscosity oil which is even 107 is not high enough so I don't think GPL100 is good for lubing the spring. GPL100 has extremely low viscosity and it may evaporate in matter of weeks so perhaps you may only use it for lubing the stem and the housing.

[japanitrat]

As for the pre-mixed version at techkeys: what does the 1506 after the slash actually mean? So far I am playing with the idea to buy 100 or 103 for some Gateron Blacks (although I really don't want to spend +25 dollars on a 1oz bottle), and maybe 105 or the techkeys thick mix for my Zealios (since GH Lube V3 is sold out on Zeal's site).

[kawasaki161]

EliteKeyboards MechLube 2 works really great and stays where it is supposed to be (just don't use too much). Generally I'd rather use a thick mixture for all switches then a thin one because they are more stable and don't tend to end up in the lower half like the oils do. I used a few different lube variants (Krytox 105, Geekhackers V3 thin and thick, Mechlube 2) on linear switches and both Geekhackers Thin and Krytox 105 do not stay on the slider at all, if i pop open the switch on those the slider always comes out dry. The Geekhackers thick lube and MechLube 2 are both said to be best for tactile switches since they are thicker lubes, but as long as you don't drown the switch in it they also work great for linears (even with 55g springs).

[KHAANNN]

EliteKeyboards MechLube 2 works really great and stays where it is supposed to be (just don't use too much). Generally I'd rather use a thick mixture for all switches then a thin one because they are more stable and don't tend to end up in the lower half like the oils do. I used a few different lube variants (Krytox 105, Geekhackers V3 thin and thick, Mechlube 2) on linear switches and both Geekhackers Thin and Krytox 105 do not stay on the slider at all, if i pop open the switch on those the slider always comes out dry. The Geekhackers thick lube and MechLube 2 are both said to be best for tactile switches since they are thicker lubes, but as long as you don't drown the switch in it they also work great for linears (even with 55g springs).

Great advice, thanks, I wonder what "EliteKeyboards MechLube 2" roughly consists of? (I also remember a drama surrounding it)

I roughly agree with Krytox assessments, I have a custom 207/205/105 mix, 205 was the most used one, after a ~year, I'm back to the non-lubed feeling - without any backing, I kind of feel like even silicone RC lubes would stay around longer

[kawasaki161]

I kind of feel like even silicone RC lubes would stay around longer

Please remember that the most silicone RC "lubes" actually offer close to no lubrication. I know that because I've done a LOT of RC until a few years ago (I've still got rare stuff around that most RC nerds never even heard of), silicone oil is mainly used because of it's stable viscosity. It is used in diffs and shock absorbers. Especially when used in diffs you can really see the bad lubrication it offers since the ones that are being run as open diffs with real lubrication (even if it is pretty standard grease) last so much longer than the ones that use silicone oil to create a semi-locked diff. It's actually not uncommon to add some grease to the silicone oil when it is used in diffs, in order to make them last longer. Though, there are some that offer lubrication, but those are a mixture of silicone oil and actual components that offer lubrication (for example Team Associated's LRAE6591 or Team Losi's TLR2952). A general rule of thumb is that if it states a viscosity/weight (e.g. 1000cSt) it's very likely to not offer lubrication (again, exceptions probably exist).

[romevi]

I wonder where MMB has gone? 

[Sifo]

I heard he quit

Keepo

[alienman82]

removed.

[Gajible]

I heard he quit

Keepo

I heard his ego is shoved far up his ass.

You could almost say he... self absorbed

[tobsn]

anyone an idea what one would buy in europe? krytox seems extremely expensive here, if you can find it.

[infiniti]

anyone an idea what one would buy in europe? krytox seems extremely expensive here, if you can find it.

Try Pexon PCs; they're UK based and recently stocked some thin and thick mixes: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=84724.0

[tobsn]

Try Pexon PCs; they're UK based and recently stocked some thin and thick mixes: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=84724.0

you can buy 20ml of krytox 105/205 for ~25 euro... he's selling 2ml for 11.65 euro.

[KHAANNN]

a man's gotta profit

[Moistgun]

Try Pexon PCs; they're UK based and recently stocked some thin and thick mixes: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=84724.0

you can buy 20ml of krytox 105/205 for ~25 euro... he's selling 2ml for 11.65 euro.

Imagine how cheap a barrel of lube would be!

[MudoLabudovo]

Excuse me gents, but I may have few questions to ask here:

1) Is it worth lubing vintage blacks, concidering they were used quite a bit and have dirt in them. Did dirt already damage stems and sliders. If I clean them will they be as good as new?

2) I live in Serbia, so shipping is hella lota expensive + the cost of krytox = no roof. The only teflon based lube I was able to find was bicycle chain lube, should I buy it?

3) This is third question?

4) Who's Rem???

[Jesse36m3]

Not going to lie, I took a leap of faith and tried out this lube I have from my fpv quadcopters.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HT4DLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lubed up a few Zealios on the two opposite sides where the stem slides against the housing .. They feel heavier, smoother, and more fluid. Completely got rid of the pinging and scratchiness. Quieter too.

Will update at a later time. No idea how it will fare in the long run.

[Fictiouz]

Not going to lie, I took a leap of faith and tried out this lube I have from my fpv quadcopters.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HT4DLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lubed up a few Zealios on the two opposite sides where the stem slides against the housing .. They feel heavier, smoother, and more fluid. Completely got rid of the pinging and scratchiness. Quieter too.

Will update at a later time. No idea how it will fare in the long run.

Won't this end up pooling in the bottom of the switch? It doesn't look like something thick enough. I may be wrong, but how viscous is the oil?

[Jesse36m3]

Not going to lie, I took a leap of faith and tried out this lube I have from my fpv quadcopters.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HT4DLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lubed up a few Zealios on the two opposite sides where the stem slides against the housing .. They feel heavier, smoother, and more fluid. Completely got rid of the pinging and scratchiness. Quieter too.

Will update at a later time. No idea how it will fare in the long run.

Won't this end up pooling in the bottom of the switch? It doesn't look like something thick enough. I may be wrong, but how viscous is the oil?

Maybe, however I only used a small dab. It's very thick and seems to have left a nice coating on the walls of the housing nicely. Very pleased so far. It feels like the viscosity of a medium maple syrup or a 75W gear oil.

[MudoLabudovo]

Not going to lie, I took a leap of faith and tried out this lube I have from my fpv quadcopters.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HT4DLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lubed up a few Zealios on the two opposite sides where the stem slides against the housing .. They feel heavier, smoother, and more fluid. Completely got rid of the pinging and scratchiness. Quieter too.

Will update at a later time. No idea how it will fare in the long run.

Hmm that seems affordable, might as well try it out lul.
But since it's oil, maybe I should try mixing it with some silicone grease, or am I wrong?

[fatpolomanjr]

I swapped a Cherry MX Clear onto a Red switch to get the springy-ness of the red with the tactility of the clear (stock clear/green/black are too heavy for me). There is no sticking despite the wimpier spring from the red. Should I still lube the switch? I think they call this ergo clear switches? I keep reading that you may need to lube the spring, but I am afraid of chattering which was an issue with my brand new Matias Clicky V80 TKL from KBP.

I really like the tactile feel and springy-ness of Cherry MX Blues, but my wife hates the noise. So I'm looking into Ergo Clears or lightweight Zealios.

[KHAANNN]

I swapped a Cherry MX Clear onto a Red switch to get the springy-ness of the red with the tactility of the clear (stock clear/green/black are too heavy for me). There is no sticking despite the wimpier spring from the red. Should I still lube the switch? I think they call this ergo clear switches? I keep reading that you may need to lube the spring, but I am afraid of chattering which was an issue with my brand new Matias Clicky V80 TKL from KBP.

I really like the tactile feel and springy-ness of Cherry MX Blues, but my wife hates the noise. So I'm looking into Ergo Clears or lightweight Zealios.

If you like it, just use it, lube might make the switch stick, depending on the lube

Generally, if something works, it's better to leave it as it is, unless you have issues with it

[MudoLabudovo]

I swapped a Cherry MX Clear onto a Red switch to get the springy-ness of the red with the tactility of the clear (stock clear/green/black are too heavy for me). There is no sticking despite the wimpier spring from the red. Should I still lube the switch? I think they call this ergo clear switches? I keep reading that you may need to lube the spring, but I am afraid of chattering which was an issue with my brand new Matias Clicky V80 TKL from KBP.

I really like the tactile feel and springy-ness of Cherry MX Blues, but my wife hates the noise. So I'm looking into Ergo Clears or lightweight Zealios.

If you like it, just use it, lube might make the switch stick, depending on the lube

Generally, if something works, it's better to leave it as it is, unless you have issues with it

I want to hear your oppinion about this stuff

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Weldtite-TF2-Teflon-Lubricant-Cycle-Bike-Grease-125ml-Headsets-Cranks-BBs-/271574661077?hash=item3f3b1c77d5:g:QlQAAOSweW5U6aLi

Yeah, it's inprovisation, but I don't have dollaz for krytox.

Or ultimatively should I try what Jeasse36something said he gave a shot:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HT4DLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wanna lube vintage blacks, but wanting alone is not enough

[KHAANNN]

I swapped a Cherry MX Clear onto a Red switch to get the springy-ness of the red with the tactility of the clear (stock clear/green/black are too heavy for me). There is no sticking despite the wimpier spring from the red. Should I still lube the switch? I think they call this ergo clear switches? I keep reading that you may need to lube the spring, but I am afraid of chattering which was an issue with my brand new Matias Clicky V80 TKL from KBP.

I really like the tactile feel and springy-ness of Cherry MX Blues, but my wife hates the noise. So I'm looking into Ergo Clears or lightweight Zealios.

If you like it, just use it, lube might make the switch stick, depending on the lube

Generally, if something works, it's better to leave it as it is, unless you have issues with it

I want to hear your oppinion about this stuff

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Weldtite-TF2-Teflon-Lubricant-Cycle-Bike-Grease-125ml-Headsets-Cranks-BBs-/271574661077?hash=item3f3b1c77d5:g:QlQAAOSweW5U6aLi

Yeah, it's inprovisation, but I don't have dollaz for krytox.

Or ultimatively should I try what Jeasse36something said he gave a shot:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HT4DLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wanna lube vintage blacks, but wanting alone is not enough

I would personally not do it, you never know whether it's going to gather gunk and halt an already weak switch

Up to you tho, everyone gathers their own experience with trials and errors

[MudoLabudovo]

I swapped a Cherry MX Clear onto a Red switch to get the springy-ness of the red with the tactility of the clear (stock clear/green/black are too heavy for me). There is no sticking despite the wimpier spring from the red. Should I still lube the switch? I think they call this ergo clear switches? I keep reading that you may need to lube the spring, but I am afraid of chattering which was an issue with my brand new Matias Clicky V80 TKL from KBP.

I really like the tactile feel and springy-ness of Cherry MX Blues, but my wife hates the noise. So I'm looking into Ergo Clears or lightweight Zealios.

If you like it, just use it, lube might make the switch stick, depending on the lube

Generally, if something works, it's better to leave it as it is, unless you have issues with it

I want to hear your oppinion about this stuff

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Weldtite-TF2-Teflon-Lubricant-Cycle-Bike-Grease-125ml-Headsets-Cranks-BBs-/271574661077?hash=item3f3b1c77d5:g:QlQAAOSweW5U6aLi

Yeah, it's inprovisation, but I don't have dollaz for krytox.

Or ultimatively should I try what Jeasse36something said he gave a shot:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HT4DLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wanna lube vintage blacks, but wanting alone is not enough

I would personally not do it, you never know whether it's going to gather gunk and halt an already weak switch

Up to you tho, everyone gathers their own experience with trials and errors

Well, what would you recommend me as your cheapy non-krytox lube?

Or maybe krytox is the only "secure" way to go since it has been tested by meny members?

[MudoLabudovo]

You guys don't quite make sense.
I've read almost entire tread and oh boy, I don't know where my head is.
I just wanted to lube some vintage blacks and I tought it should be simple and not too expensive, I even prepared 20e.
But now all these unicorn expensive krytox mixtures start popping up. I cant even pay international shipping for them.

1.Can I use bicycle lube?

2.Where can I buy DuPont teflon silicone lubricant in europe?

3.Can I escape krytox and enjoy my (non-krytox) lubed vintage mx blacks, or do I absolutely NEED to buy it for PROPPER results and live in cave for the rest of my life?

And one more thing, I have noticed how no one here actually points out if the struggle and price was worth it...

[Moistgun]

You guys don't quite make sense.
I've read almost entire tread and oh boy, I don't know where my head is.
I just wanted to lube some vintage blacks and I tought it should be simple and not too expensive, I even prepared 20e.
But now all these unicorn expensive krytox mixtures start popping up. I cant even pay international shipping for them.

1.Can I use bicycle lube?

2.Where can I buy DuPont teflon silicone lubricant in europe?

3.Can I escape krytox and enjoy my (non-krytox) lubed vintage mx blacks, or do I absolutely NEED to buy it for PROPPER results and live in cave for the rest of my life?

And one more thing, I have noticed how no one here actually points out if the struggle and price was worth it...

If you read through the thread and noone has used bicycle lube, you should get bicycle lube and try it.

[romevi]

Anyone here use the syringe that comes from TechKeys?

[MrBreakfst]

I am in the process of lubricating using this guide at this very moment!
Will the silicone teflon lube take any time to "set" or anything? I noticed that the ones that I lubed were a bit stiffer than the others.
Great guide!

[Flyersfan1]

Anyone here use the syringe that comes from TechKeys?

I've used it for topre switches which are far less tedious to lube than MX switches.

[pr0ximity]

And one more thing, I have noticed how no one here actually points out if the struggle and price was worth it...

Literally *all* of the commentary in this community about anything that changes the "feeling" of a mechanical keyboard is completely personal preference. I've rarely, if ever, seen anyone objectively measure anything around "keyfeel" and there are so many variables in play that it wouldn't matter much anyway. It's not a problem, these things are all just subjective.

The only way you can tell 100% for sure if it will be worth it is to do it and find out. Short of that, modding a subset of switches on the actual board in question is as close as you can get to not committing all the way.

[KHAANNN]

The ping reduction is probably the only objective benefit, I've been using my Krytox lubed keyboard for 1+ years, keypress-wise, It feels normal now, rather than "incredible" - however, the springs are still silent, I suspect they will be ping-free for years to come

I don't think the price is high, but, since the struggle is ~1 full day, or maybe 2 days, and the enjoyment is 100's of days, definitely worth it

[asgeirtj]

And one more thing, I have noticed how no one here actually points out if the struggle and price was worth it...

Totally worth it, it makes it a whole different keyboard.   

The ping reduction is probably the only objective benefit, I've been using my Krytox lubed keyboard for 1+ years, keypress-wise, It feels normal now, rather than "incredible" - however, the springs are still silent, I suspect they will be ping-free for years to come

I don't think the price is high, but, since the struggle is ~1 full day, or maybe 2 days, and the enjoyment is 100's of days, definitely worth it

Don't know what you're talking about here, all my boards still feel the same after 1-2 years.  Maybe I use more lube than you.

[KHAANNN]

There are ~60 keys on my keyboard and all of them are bashed heavily and regularly

My spare switches are still slidey, which are prepared the same as switches on my keyboard, but unused

Now, when I compare my keyboard's switches to unlubed tactile's, and these spare switches, they are much closer to the unlubed tactile's

So, obviously, like everything in life, all the good things come to an end

I don't think the amount of lube used would have any effect in the long run, since after a ~month of usage, all the extra lube is worn down, and the stems doesn't dip to the bottom of the sliders to pick up extra lubes.