Keyboard problems and questions

[Bencze]

I have a few keyboards that I use:
1. qfr blues
2. qfr reds
3. poker 2 (iso) blues
4. hpe-87 browns

They are all breaking down on me.
1. This is the oldest, perhaps 3 years old. The left windows key is sticking. I tried to clean the keyboard up - removing and cleaning caps, removing and blowing off dust and stuff from pcb. I even tried pouring a tiny bit of oil into the switch. It is still a bit sticky. Is this a common problem, does it mean I should replace the switch?
2. There's some recurrance here, the left windows key is not working. It moves fine just doesn't do anything. I use this key quite a lot eg. windows key and start writing something to launch a program, or windows-R to bring up the run box. I bought this keyboard faulty and I resoldered the not working left Alt as described by some topic here on the forums (seems to be standard problem). Not sure if it has anything to do with the now not working left Windows key - I used thiskeyboard on and off for a couple of years.
3. The poker - the A key doesn't work properly, I noticed it first that I can't log onto Windows at work - when I type slow sometimes it doesn't actuate sometimes it will type 2 As. What is annoying, if I "warm it up" it works, I tried to test it and now that I used it a lot it hardly fails so it's not so easy to reproduce I simply can't use it

The 4th works but I'm down to 1 keyboard from 4, sheesh, that's disturbing.

I know I am a bit of a heavy hitter, my colleagues sort of got used to it but it's always a never ending joke that it's noisy around me. I don't actually hit the keys that hard to break them really, but I know I type a bit noisy. Not sure if I'm supposed to break keyboards that are marketed to work for 50 million actuations though are such failures common in every day use (I use computer at work all day long, then go home and play games or browse the net so I'm a heavy keyboard user in this sense as well).

a. Do you think these are switch / contact problems and I should try replacing the switches?
b. Is it possible to buy only a handful of switches somewhere (basically I'd need 2 blue and 1 red, I assume most people don't sell such low numbers)?
c. Next year my employer is moving everyone to a brand new open office kind of environment (bleah). What would be the quietest options for a keyboard? I'm looking for a 60% I can carry in my backpack, in the spirit of modern working environment (read: cost saving) we will probably not get fixed seating or even a closet so it'd have to be a 60%, one that isn't too noisy. I know red or brown cherry are an option with o rings, any other type of switch that should be good, not very expensive, and similar or better? I'm looking for budget options as much as possible,, but open to suggestions.

Thanks!

[SpAmRaY]

With that many issues my guess is the environment combined with typing style is possibly leading to a higher than normal amount of problems.

Do you eat and drink around your keyboards?

Also I would not pour anything in a switch, that isn't a proper solution. And yes replacing faulty switches by desoldering and resoldering typically will fix the issue.

As far as getting single switches that is doable, I could probably send you a few for the cost of shipping.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Bencze]

With that many issues my guess is the environment combined with typing style is possibly leading to a higher than normal amount of problems.

Do you eat and drink around your keyboards?

Also I would not pour anything in a switch, that isn't a proper solution. And yes replacing faulty switches by desoldering and resoldering typically will fix the issue.

As far as getting single switches that is doable, I could probably send you a few for the cost of shipping.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Thanks for the insight. I do eat and drink near my home pc, not at my work pc. I usually move the keyboard away while doing it though and never spilled anything in it. I clear my keyboard once a year or so, usually there's some random unidentifiable crap in it, with surprising amount of hair (I didn't go bald or anything) but I've yet to clean it from food, breadcrumbs, drinks or the like. (at least I basically only drink tap water and black coffee so it wouldn't get sticky).
It's really nice of you to offer, but I will ask around I'll probably find some switches close by, there's 1 guy I heard of that's a keyboard fan in this city. if that fails I'll check ebay, and if solo switches are so hard to come by I'll contact you about it. (I also suspect you likely live on a different continent than Europe)

I'll also get a friend that is experienced in soldering to help, or alternatively I'll watch a youtube video and do it myself, with a little risk of ruining a keyboard or 3, but the benefit of possibly learning how to replace switches which would be good...

thanks again for the insight it was helpful...

[rowdy]

Coming in a bit late, but I'd second what SpAmRaY said.

Most of my keyboards are 3 to 5 years old.  The second oldest new one (I have a few second hand ones that are older) has had heavy daily use for several years.  Some of my Model M keyboards are around 20 years old, and still work perfectly.

None of them has ever missed beat.  All switches work.  All LEDs (where applicable) work.

It is unusual, but not unheard of, for a mechanical keyboard to fail in some way, but usually only if mistreated or used in an unfriendly environment.