Cherry Brown Wear-In Period?

[Corsa1r]

Hey guys, I recently picked up a new Cherry Brown board (Ganss GS-87) while my Ducky (with blues) is in the shop.  I had never used a board with browns before and I, for one, am surprised how much more linear these feel than the blues.  I don't dislike it, however, but I did have a question:

Are brand new brown switches supposed to feel 'scratchy' until they're worn in?  They feel slightly dry and scratchy or 'fuzzy' going down, right around where the bump hits. Nothing severe, just very subtley.

I ask because I wanted to know if this is normal or maybe if the switches need greased or something.  Thanks.

[rowdy]

Many say that browns are just scratchy reds.

The tactile bump is certainly much less than that in blues.

[Connly33]

I still dont have long term experience with very many switches, but i recently built a Cherry MX Clear board, coming from an MX blue board that i had been using for a year the clears felt a bit scratchy at first, and after a week it does feel like they have gotten a good amount smoother, at least on the keys that are used the most frequently. I deffinitly feel a difference from the number keys i dont use very often, as compared to the Alpha keys and spacebar. I've done quite a bit of typing already, a few 3 - 5 page papers and daily use stuff.

Edit: My perceived scratchiness on the clears was after the actuation point of the switch.

[Bucake]

about 7000 hours of serious typing

[hwood34]

Time til they don't feel like ****? Eh, 10-15ish years of typing

[chyros]

Apart from the break-in period, MX Browns don't work quite the same as MX Blues. Cherry achieve the tactility in their tactile switches in a very rudimentary way which leads to a rather unclean and unsatisfying keyfeel, at least in my opinion. MX Brown is a rather polarising switch.

[Mattr567]

Time til they don't feel like ****? Eh, 10-15ish years of typing

Interestingly enough, when I swapped in MX Clear into my old G80-11800 from 1999, the old MX Browns felt much smoother than their modern Cherry counter parts. 15ish years sounds correct.

[hwood34]

Time til they don't feel like ****? Eh, 10-15ish years of typing

Interestingly enough, when I swapped in MX Clear into my old G80-11800 from 1999, the old MX Browns felt much smoother than their modern Cherry counter parts. 15ish years sounds correct.

Yep, that's why when I buy cherry I only go for older stuff. I really can't stand new cherry switches anymore

[Corsa1r]

Thanks for the replies. I notice that when I'm really typing ( I generally type around 75 wpm),  I don't notice the scratchiness almost at all, and it's actually a very pleasurable typing experience in that way.

I think between wearing these switches in (hopefully it doesn't take literal years), and getting used to the lighter actuation, I'll really begin liking them more and more.

[OfTheWild]

Thats an interesting point; whether you should type on them for a year or two (or more) before adding lube to actually wear in any surface imperfections on the plastic itself.

[keshley]

It'll be a while before they smoothen out. Also, depends on how sensitive you are about it.

I prefer Gateron Brown and Zealio switches, but when I'm focusing on what I'm typing, rather than the typing itself, it all dissolves into the background anyways.

[Macsmasher]

I can't stand scratchy switches either, which is why I don't have any Cherry boards anymore. If it bothers you, try Topre switches. Buttery smooth. Some say it's like typing on clay tablets, whatever that means. But I doubt you'll find anything smoother.

[Homenubbie]

Thanks for the replies. I notice that when I'm really typing ( I generally type around 75 wpm),  I don't notice the scratchiness almost at all, and it's actually a very pleasurable typing experience in that way.

I think between wearing these switches in (hopefully it doesn't take literal years), and getting used to the lighter actuation, I'll really begin liking them more and more.

Ignore the Cherry MX brown hate.  They are fine switches.

[Polymer]

Thanks for the replies. I notice that when I'm really typing ( I generally type around 75 wpm),  I don't notice the scratchiness almost at all, and it's actually a very pleasurable typing experience in that way.

I think between wearing these switches in (hopefully it doesn't take literal years), and getting used to the lighter actuation, I'll really begin liking them more and more.

Yeap...when you press them slowly they feel terrible..but when using them you don't notice it at all and they feel pretty good.

When they wear, they feel even better..even when you press them slowly...but it does take awhile...Either way, if you hen peck for sure browns will feel terrible..if you're typing at a reasonable speed they'll be fine..

[Corsa1r]

So, I got this board on the 14th of January, and in the last few days, I've been typing fairly constantly on this between work and home.  I'm already noticing a slightly smoother push through the actuation.  Less of that 'fine sand grit' feel through and past the bump.  This is leading to a much smoother return to form after each key press.  During the manufacturing of these switches, is there potentially plastic 'dust' that somehow sits down in the stem somewhere?  Regardless, the alphas  feel 2x as good as they did when I first got this.

[xondat]

Think mine got real smooth and light after like 2 months and I ****ing hate it, I always make mistakes. New Browns are so much better.

Replacing the springs when I can get my case apart with 62g.

[wockytocky]

I can't stand scratchy switches either, which is why I don't have any Cherry boards anymore. If it bothers you, try Topre switches. Buttery smooth. Some say it's like typing on clay tablets, whatever that means. But I doubt you'll find anything smoother.

Alternatively, Gateron switches are closer in feel to their Cherry counterparts and are much smoother. I'd say the difference is especially noticeable when comparing cherry reds to gateron reds; one feels amazing, the other can be almost unbearable

[Homenubbie]

Which one is unbearable?

[mrlooolz]

the posts here are discouraging. When I did research to know what switch to go for I went for brown, because my research indicated they are a good switch to game and type. I mostly game. Sometimes and rarely I dont feel like i pressed the button down enough and it doesnt register but so far I have had them for about 2 weeks and I am happy.

[slickmamba]

stock new mx browns are probably the worst MX switch for be, behind stock mx reds, like Hwood said, after a good amount of use, they become smooth.  Lubed vintage browns actually jump up to one of the best switches IMO. 

[cryptokey]

To all the hate on MX Browns here, remember that switches are purely a preference.  There might be some differences in quality between clones, but the feel of the switch is utterly subjective. Some like zealios and clears while I much prefer browns.  Neither is right nor wrong.  I have a board with MX Blues and I'm dying for my browns whenever I use it.  It all boils down to what you prefer, be it linear, clicky, a pronounced bump, "scratchiness", topre smoothness, etc.  No one feel is superior to the others so you really just need to try for yourself.  Ignore all the noise of people trying to jerk themselves for their switch choice and choose for yourself.  Best of luck with the journey of finding the switch for you.   )

[xondat]

the posts here are discouraging. When I did research to know what switch to go for I went for brown, because my research indicated they are a good switch to game and type. I mostly game. Sometimes and rarely I dont feel like i pressed the button down enough and it doesnt register but so far I have had them for about 2 weeks and I am happy.

Goes to show how different peoples preferences are, I always bottom out playing csgo, and it's starting to hurt.

[mobbo]

I don't mean to add to the discouragement but I typed on browns for four years and soon as I started trying other switch types, that board hasn't been touched.

Now this may just be because I'm addicted to new experiences, but I don't find myself wanting to type on that board any more.

But it's better than my rubber dome they gave me at work so I'm gonna bring it into the office.

[Corsa1r]

I think browns are a good starting point for anyone interested in mechanicals.  I installed some nice PBTs on this brown board and the sound and feel are really starting to come into their own (even though it doesn't feel all that tactile), it's still turning into an extremely pleasurable typing/gaming experience for me.

Different strokes, I really like it.

[mobbo]

I think browns are a good starting point for anyone interested in mechanicals.  I installed some nice PBTs on this brown board and the sound and feel are really starting to come into their own (even though it doesn't feel all that tactile), it's still turning into an extremely pleasurable typing/gaming experience for me.

Different strokes, I really like it.

If there's anything I've learned from this hobby it's that if it works for you, then it works.

Don't jump on the bandwagons. There is no objective best and to think otherwise is to start the never-ending quest for perfection.

I think the term different strokes for different folks was made for keyboard enthusiasts  )

[iLLucionist]

After 2 years, my browns are STILL scratchy. Since my Topre's I can indeed say that typing on Topre's is butter smooth and that Browns indeed are scratchy. Initially, I didn't mind. But now that I mostly use Clears at home, my Browns at the office start to annoy me. But if you're happy with 'em browns, good for you. I've used them for 2 years straight and do not regret.

[hwood34]

After 2 years, my browns are STILL scratchy. Since my Topre's I can indeed say that typing on Topre's is butter smooth and that Browns indeed are scratchy. Initially, I didn't mind. But now that I mostly use Clears at home, my Browns at the office start to annoy me. But if you're happy with 'em browns, good for you. I've used them for 2 years straight and do not regret.

Trust me, you'll have to wait much longer than 2 years for them to lose the scratchiness )

[SamirD]

Even my blues on a brand new Logitech g710 felt scratchy.  The ML switches on some new g84-based boards felt even worse.  But as I've used these boards, even just a handful of times, the scratchiness seems to go away or at least become much less noticeable.  I think you're going to find it better and better as you keep using it, just as I have.

[iLLucionist]

After 2 years, my browns are STILL scratchy. Since my Topre's I can indeed say that typing on Topre's is butter smooth and that Browns indeed are scratchy. Initially, I didn't mind. But now that I mostly use Clears at home, my Browns at the office start to annoy me. But if you're happy with 'em browns, good for you. I've used them for 2 years straight and do not regret.

Trust me, you'll have to wait much longer than 2 years for them to lose the scratchiness )

Yeah, I guess after I have found a better driver at the office, my Filco will go into my collectibles. I really don't like browns that much anymore... especially now that I'm used to the actuation force of the clears. I feel like ramming on my browns now.

[davkol]

To all the hate on MX Browns here, remember that switches are purely a preference.  There might be some differences in quality between clones, but the feel of the switch is utterly subjective.

Sure, tell us about all the love for Cherry MY or Fujitsu Peerless switches.

!@#$ subjectivists.

[saxophone]

In my opinion pretty much all *new* cherry switches feel scratchy when pressed. I don't remember any of this with the qpad mk-50 with reds that I bought many years ago. Something was wrong with the enter key and I had it replaced, but the new board feels scratchy to type on despite being of the same model + switch.

Also the tactile part feels broken on both cherry and kailh browns. Some can be felt more strongly than others. That disappears if you repeatedly push down the strong feedback ones on the top or the bottom corners of the keycap rather than centering on it. All in all it leaves things inconsistent feeling. Also tactility can be felt much more on the return stroke than when pressing down the key.

[chyros]

To all the hate on MX Browns here, remember that switches are purely a preference.  There might be some differences in quality between clones, but the feel of the switch is utterly subjective.

Sure, tell us about all the love for Cherry MY or Fujitsu Peerless switches.

!@#$ subjectivists.

Pfah, those are heavenly compared to Key Tronic foam and foil and Amstrad spring over membrane .

[henz]

Get a HHKB, Demik will tell you why!

[hwood34]

To all the hate on MX Browns here, remember that switches are purely a preference.  There might be some differences in quality between clones, but the feel of the switch is utterly subjective.

Sure, tell us about all the love for Cherry MY or Fujitsu Peerless switches.

!@#$ subjectivists.

Pfah, those are heavenly compared to Key Tronic foam and foil and Amstrad spring over membrane .

Oh god, don't remind me...

[tp4tissue]

takes at least 5000 keypresses to begin feeling smooth..  10,000 and it's about as smooth as it's gonna get.