Vintage MX Black Help

[EchosLimit]

Hey peeps! I just purchased a vintage wyse board that has cherry MX switches in it. Came in immaculate condition and I'm very excited to start modding them a bit to make them sound perfect (205g0 and TX switch films). I haven't dealt with vintage cherry switches before so I was wondering if I should replace the springs in them. I haven't replaced springs in switches before so I'm not sure if I should or not. Hopefully someone can give me some insight on whether this is necessary or not.

Happy typing everybody!

[EchosLimit]

I meant more so due to the springs being old since the keyboard was manufactured over 20 years ago. Not sure if they degrade after a while or not.

[EchosLimit]

Did some more research and it looks like leaving the springs is the move, kinda defeats the purpose of them being vintage if you go ahead and start swapping the old stuff out for new.

[T’Downit Strider]

I’m no expert, but going off of the state of springs in very old mechanisms, I’m pretty sure they don’t wear down unless overextended or rusted.

[Rob27shred]

Did some more research and it looks like leaving the springs is the move, kinda defeats the purpose of them being vintage if you go ahead and start swapping the old stuff out for new.

Not necessarily, I usually opt to spring swap my vint blacks for two main reasons. First is MX black stock springs are way to heavy for my liking. Second would be good aftermarket springs have much better tolerances than stock Cherry springs. Good aftermarket springs wil have a variance of only a few grams +/- the stated weighting at worst between springs. While stock Cherry springs can be wildly inconsistent like up to +/- 10g compared to the stated weighting. All in all it's up to you though, if you feel like you have a pretty consistent batch of vint blacks in that Wyse & want to keep them as close to stock as possible, there is nothing wrong with rolling with the stock springs.

[tp4tissue]

No, the whole point of vintage is that it's already smoothed out. don't mess with it. Use low heat desolder them as quickly as possible 1 leg at a time, across the board, let cool, desolder other leg.

DO NOT attempt without spring loaded desoldering pump.

[EchosLimit]

No, the whole point of vintage is that it's already smoothed out. don't mess with it. Use low heat desolder them as quickly as possible 1 leg at a time, across the board, let cool, desolder other leg.

DO NOT attempt without spring loaded desoldering pump.

That's the plan! Have been soldering and desoldering components for years so I think I got that part down to a science, just wondering about the springs.

[EchosLimit]

Did some more research and it looks like leaving the springs is the move, kinda defeats the purpose of them being vintage if you go ahead and start swapping the old stuff out for new.

Not necessarily, I usually opt to spring swap my vint blacks for two main reasons. First is MX black stock springs are way to heavy for my liking. Second would be good aftermarket springs have much better tolerances than stock Cherry springs. Good aftermarket springs wil have a variance of only a few grams +/- the stated weighting at worst between springs. While stock Cherry springs can be wildly inconsistent like up to +/- 10g compared to the stated weighting. All in all it's up to you though, if you feel like you have a pretty consistent batch of vint blacks in that Wyse & want to keep them as close to stock as possible, there is nothing wrong with rolling with the stock springs.

Sounds good, thanks for the reply! Think I'm gonna roll with stock springs just cuz they feel nice to me, maybe down the line I'll do another vint black build and try a spring swap and see how I like it.

[EchosLimit]

I’m no expert, but going off of the state of springs in very old mechanisms, I’m pretty sure they don’t wear down unless overextended or rusted.

Okay awesome, thanks for the reply!

[Maledicted]

Did some more research and it looks like leaving the springs is the move, kinda defeats the purpose of them being vintage if you go ahead and start swapping the old stuff out for new.

Not necessarily, I usually opt to spring swap my vint blacks for two main reasons. First is MX black stock springs are way to heavy for my liking. Second would be good aftermarket springs have much better tolerances than stock Cherry springs. Good aftermarket springs wil have a variance of only a few grams +/- the stated weighting at worst between springs. While stock Cherry springs can be wildly inconsistent like up to +/- 10g compared to the stated weighting. All in all it's up to you though, if you feel like you have a pretty consistent batch of vint blacks in that Wyse & want to keep them as close to stock as possible, there is nothing wrong with rolling with the stock springs.

Sounds good, thanks for the reply! Think I'm gonna roll with stock springs just cuz they feel nice to me, maybe down the line I'll do another vint black build and try a spring swap and see how I like it.

Another build? Are you stripping the poor old Wyse board, or leaving them in it? There are crazy people out there like me that would rather see those old husks with some switches of any kind in them than getting scrapped, especially boards as aesthetically pleasing as from Wyse.

[EchosLimit]

Another build? Are you stripping the poor old Wyse board, or leaving them in it? There are crazy people out there like me that would rather see those old husks with some switches of any kind in them than getting scrapped, especially boards as aesthetically pleasing as from Wyse.
[/quote]

Yeah just salvaging the switches. It's a terminal keyboard anyhow so can't be used with modern machines.

[Maledicted]

Another build? Are you stripping the poor old Wyse board, or leaving them in it? There are crazy people out there like me that would rather see those old husks with some switches of any kind in them than getting scrapped, especially boards as aesthetically pleasing as from Wyse.

Yeah just salvaging the switches. It's a terminal keyboard anyhow so can't be used with modern machines.

Which model? I don't own any Wyse boards, but I'm pretty sure most of them can be converted. Please don't scrap it, it looks like T'Downit Strider will give it a home if you're just harvesting the switches ... so I don't have to.

[EchosLimit]

Thanks for all the help and reply's everyone!

[EchosLimit]

Another build? Are you stripping the poor old Wyse board, or leaving them in it? There are crazy people out there like me that would rather see those old husks with some switches of any kind in them than getting scrapped, especially boards as aesthetically pleasing as from Wyse.

Yeah just salvaging the switches. It's a terminal keyboard anyhow so can't be used with modern machines.

Which model? I don't own any Wyse boards, but I'm pretty sure most of them can be converted. Please don't scrap it, it looks like T'Downit Strider will give it a home if you're just harvesting the switches ... so I don't have to.

Not going to be scrapping the board, I'll save it for a future project.

[T’Downit Strider]

Well, if anyone DOES have a Wyse board they plan to scrap(or heck, ANY old chassis), I'm always interested. Love those things. Good luck on your project!