Krog any thoughts on flocking fibers getting into switches?
I've had no issues at all, and I've probably had more flocked keycaps/spacebars than anyone else. The flocking itself resembles (and behaves) like a very fine dust. Which means it cleans up just as dust would -- a vacuum.
I pass each key over a shop vac after a few days to suck off any excess fibers. This is after I gently tap off the excess that will fall off. The suction is so strong that I've actually had a few keys get sucked in -- they survive their adventure unharmed. The fibers don't really seem to come off. The hurdle I had to overcome was getting the undercoating to resist fingernail removal. That's been solved with roughening/cleaning the surface. I thought it was a priming issue -- it was not. Even then, removing the undercoating with a fingernail or a tool takes the flocking with it .
As for flocking coming off the keycaps during usage, I don't think it's a problem. Flocking fibers are used on automobiles, and are highly resistant to wear. Here'a video from a UK company that flocks automobiles.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=323931367737101&set=vb.121796507950589&type=3&theaterIt's a video of a flocked car hood being washed.
Also, these fibers are very, very small -- your own body cruft, dandruff, is probably larger. So even if you did have an issue, a quick vacuum (probably what keyboard hobbyists already do normally) would remove any stray fibers. I haven't had an issue with fibers coming loose from keycaps. I even soaked one of my orange keycaps in undiluted turpentine and nothing came off. I removed flocking once from a metal keycap using turpentine, but it required a soak and brush, and another soaking.
