Stabs Expensive?

[kisstheringz]

Why are stabs so expensive?  I use Durock V2s in most of my boards and have paid anywhere between $19-$25 USD for them.  They are just a few plastic housings and some wires, I don't get why they are so expensive.  Mind you I am pretty new to this hobby, so maybe I am missing something.

[MIGHTY CHICKEN]

The hobby is still pretty niche and moqs are low, they cost around like 5 7 bucks a set to make, but vendors gotta make money somehow.

Alternatively, you can use cherry clip ins which work just as well as any stab with the exception of maybe TX and Staebies for much cheaper. They cost under a dollar a piece and can go down to as low as 15cents per stab if you get straight from mouser, assuming vendors don't buy out all the stock to resell.

[Riverman]

I was pretty surprised when I saw how cheap genuine Cherry stabilizers are from electronics suppliers.  The trick is knowing what part number corresponds to what wire length, and so far I haven't been able to figure that out.  Even still, if you just want the stabilizers themselves, it doesn't matter what you buy.

[MIGHTY CHICKEN]

G99-0742 for clip in 2Us, there's also other models for 3u and platemount, but ehh
for the clip ins you want to preorder them before hand as vendors buy them up quick
I usually then get long wires either from 3dkeebs or from Doyu studios
now I have enough stabs to go through like 40 boards

[HungerMechanic]

I wish I had stocked up on genuine Cherry stabilizers before the retool...I was new to modding, so didn't have much use for them at the time. And their price/performance ratio was known.

[Now, there hardly is an agreed-upon price/quality goto standard for stabilizers except Durock V2].

Anyway, to answer the OPs question, the parts and design of stabilizers are not particularly expensive. But they are a key, key part to boards that you don't want to mess up. You absolutely want your stabilizers to perform to specification. So anyone that can guarantee a certain basic spec can charge a little premium. There are is a definite QC floor for this part being used in a good board, you can't just put any crap in there.

If a name-brand can secure a certain reputation, they can charge for it. It's not just about the materials. New entrants are always trying to bring their own good-enough stabilizers at a lower-price. The most recent is probably TX, which is challenging Durock and Zeal for a lower price. I hope they succeed - as you say, it should not be this expensive to get good stabilizers. [Cherry and GMK helped this inflation along by screwing up their own stabilizers.]

[lakeboredom]

v3 C3 Equalz stabs look pretty promising for the price.

[HungerMechanic]

The V2 were alright. I'm typing on them on my NCR-80 right now.

They were affordable, so I bought multiple pairs.

Some issues - the larger stabilized keys wobble slightly when touched, the smaller ones minutely-so. They are straight when idle. They don't rattle. Overall, I'm happy with their performance, they don't seem to be much of a factor, positive or negative, in typing.

My spacebar uses those pre-tooled Cherry stabilizers that used to be affordable. It is completely straight. No wobble, no noise when not depressed. It's using a CRP 7U spacebar, and is basically a demonstration of straight spacebar.

Had an issue with the C3 V2 stabilizers on my KBD67 Lite. I was pulling out a keycap on an MX Clear that was a stabilized key, and the stabilizer insert broke off. Might have happened with a second stabilizer as well. Now, PBT keycaps can become very affixed to new MX Clear stems, so it wasn't a typical situation. KBD67L is hotswap, so it was an easy fix. But I am very careful with C3 stabilizers around MX Clears now. [I think they're fine for the average board that isn't hotswap and doesn't use tight stems.]

[Leopard223]

I also don't understand why people are willing to pay premium for a problem they can easily prevent.
They wire pops because the housing bends due to the pads put underneath, you can just cut the pad to fit just right under the opening and the wire wouldn't pop.

From my understanding c3 stabs are the best, but I've just seen a video featuring a double shot stabs, that apparently much better and even can be used without lube, I look forward to try them.

[kisstheringz]

Yeah, I have built a few boards this year.  I am new to the hobby as of seven months ago and my first board was built with cheap stabs that came with the kit, and they sounded terrible.  Granted it was my first build, so I was most likely not going to give them the proper treatment.  I have a lot of time to myself this holiday and plan to build several boards, but I am reeling at the fact that I may pay quite a bit for four to five sets of stabs.

[HungerMechanic]

Yeah. The manufacturers that produce stabilizers to a certain quality level can simply charge more for them. There are many crappy stabs out there, and it's not worth the risk.

It was so great when Cherry and GMK were tooled up to mass-produce decent stabilizers. They cost what they should have, and performed as they should have. That's what we need again.

I'm surprised to read that C3 are the best stabilizers, but maybe the new V3 really is that good. I would rate C3 V2 below Zealio, which might make it below Durock, as well. But the C3 V2 are quiet and soft, and reliable in a soldered-build, so who knows?

[Riverman]

Did Cherry screw up the molds when they retooled them?  I just ordered a pile of 2U Cherry stabilizers from Mouser.  They're about $.20 each from them in any kind of quantity.  I'm curious to see if they're any different than the Durock ones I bought from Amazon a while ago for many times that price. 

[HungerMechanic]

Did Cherry screw up the molds when they retooled them?

That's what I've read. People have had to turn to Durock etc... because Cherry and GMK stabs aren't what they used to be.