An interesting discovery with pinging Cherry MX switches

[goobus]

So I recently desoldered (for the first time!) all the switches on my broken Filco MJ with Cherry MX browns which is about 3 years old, and when testing some of the switches I noticed some of them had a really bad ping when I depressed the switch then let it snap back, and the sound was more or less very similar to the Filco ping thing I've experienced and gotten used to.

So, to sate my curiosity, I did a couple of experiments. I took apart a pinging switch, and switched its spring with a switch that didn't ping the same way. What I noticed was that this fixed the ping on the pinging switch but did not introduce a ping on the new switch.

Next, I reseated the spring inside a pinging switch, to test the premise that it wasn't the spring or the switch, but something to do with either the placement of the spring or switch housing itself that was responsible. This also fixed the ping!  I repeated this with a few other pinging switches and it worked with all.  This seems to suggest whatever I did reduced the resonance within the switch housing enough to eliminate the ping.

I'm not sure why I got the results I did, but maybe you guys will be able to try this for yourselves - after all, you are keyboard scientists and I am merely a clueless nub

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Might have to try this on the "Enter" key of my Ducky... it has a horrible ping if I hit it just right.

Time to break out the soldering tools...

[phx]

never experienced a pinging switch, no idea what it even feels/sounds like.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

It sounds just like it's spelled. Upon reset the switch makes a "PING" sound. I never knew what it was like either till one of my keys started doing it.

[phx]

It sounds just like it's spelled. Upon reset the switch makes a "PING" sound. I never knew what it was like either till one of my keys started doing it.

it's probably something to do with the spring I would assume. I never came across a pinging switch in the many years I've used a mech, or maybe I just never noticed.

[Moosecraft]

I had a similar solution, but I didn't switch springs between seperate switches. I just readjusted them inside the switch.

[goobus]

I had a similar solution, but I didn't switch springs between seperate switches. I just readjusted them inside the switch.

Yeah, that's ultimately what I found out works too.  Which leads me to think there's nothing inherently wrong with any of the parts..it's just something about how the parts are seated that causes a vibrating spring and/or resonance within the switch housing.

It sounds just like it's spelled. Upon reset the switch makes a "PING" sound. I never knew what it was like either till one of my keys started doing it.

it's probably something to do with the spring I would assume. I never came across a pinging switch in the many years I've used a mech, or maybe I just never noticed.

Attached recordings (done with my iphone, sorry).  The sound is most noticeable when you hold the switch down and then let it go abruptly.  Note: these are browns.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

It's unfortunate that the same can't be done for Model Ms... they have the worst ping.

[Moosecraft]

It's unfortunate that the same can't be done for Model Ms... they have the worst ping.

lol

[ch_123]

It's unfortunate that the same can't be done for Model Ms... they have the worst ping.

Tried bolt modding? It makes all the difference.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

It's unfortunate that the same can't be done for Model Ms... they have the worst ping.

Tried bolt modding? It makes all the difference.

I'm talking about a Model M that has no broken rivets. But still, would bolt modding help? If so then I'll have to do that one of these days, I have all the bolts lying around somewhere...

[ch_123]

Even if the bolts aren't broken, bolt modding means that the backplate and the front plate are held together much tighter than with the rivets. While I have not bolt modded a M myself, I have an SSK that was bolt modded by its previous owner, and there's almost no ping, just a clean click.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Good to know.  Thanks ch_123.

[esoomenona]

I've heard floss modding a M helps with the sound, if you don't like it, which I do. I still want to try it one day to see the difference.

[ch_123]

The problem with floss or grease modding is that it interferes with the feeling of the buckling springs (the grease mod in particular basically turns them into stiff Cherry Browns). Bolt modding on the other hand makes them nicer to type on.

[dorkvader]

Even if the bolts aren't broken, bolt modding means that the backplate and the front plate are held together much tighter than with the rivets. While I have not bolt modded a M myself, I have an SSK that was bolt modded by its previous owner, and there's almost no ping, just a clean click.

I've done several bolt mods on M's, a SSK and a wheelwriter. Yesterday, I had moth My M's at home, I tried them side by side. They are a 1390120 from march of 1986 that I bolt modded and a "stock" lexmark beige label 1391401 from June 1992.

Keep in mind I don't hear a "ping" on either of them. The 1390120 is maybe a little quieter and has a cleaner click indeed, I suspect this is due to the bolt mod as well as the mat "blanket" replacement. Replacing the mat (unicomp calls it a "blanket") also makes a huge difference.

[CPTBadAss]

I've heard floss modding a M helps with the sound, if you don't like it, which I do. I still want to try it one day to see the difference.

It definitely helps. I tried a floss modded M at Keycon and it was definitely less pingy. I love the ping though so it wasn't for me .

[Findecanor]

I'm talking about a Model M that has no broken rivets. But still, would bolt modding help?

He must have been thinking of the "floss mod". Edit: or maybe not. Anyway ...

You put just the right length of dental floss inside the spring. If the floss is too short, it does not work, if it is too long it will dampen the click/tactility also, which you don't want. The right length is so that the end of the floss is at the end of the spring and not compressed inside the spring.
I haven't yet modified my Model M, but I have done it on my Model M2 - where the barrel plate and backplane are very tight anyway. The M2 rang before, does not ring now.