Having some problems with clicky SKCM switch

[GlennL42]

So I recently acquired some clicky SKCM switches and they are exhibiting some rather annoying issue after I disassembled them for cleaning; I didn't test them before cleaning them, so I can't say for sure if disassembling them has anything to do with the problem.

About of four fifths of the switches exhibits doubling clicking, where instead of only clicking once on down stroke, they produces a really noticeable clicking on the return as well, much like clickbar switches. The other issue I'm having is that a good amount of the switches also have a really strange feel where during pre-travel, the switch will felt like encountering a tiny bump just before reaching the tactile point; same problem with the return travel just after the click leaf 'reset', this causes the switches to feel very unrefined and 'itchy' feeling, if that makes any sense. Some of the switches exhibit both symptoms.

So far I've tried pin point or fix the issue myself, largely to no avail though. I've swapped some Matias click leaf into the Alps housing and vice versa, but both combination exhibit some degree of this issue as well, so it appears to that this is not the issue with click leaf. I've also linear modded the switch to gauge the condition of the housing, but the switches are smooth so worn out housing is out of the equation (unless smoothness if not the only indicator of housing condition), now I'm at a lost for the cause to the issue. I also tried to fix the issue lightly greasing the click leaf leg and using paper mod to hold the leaf in place, but none of these works in anyway. So far the only method that yield any result is rotating the part around to match the right combination (learned this method here, but forgot which page), and I got some switches fixed but it is still a long way to go, and to be completely honest I can't tell for sure if this method is truly working or if it's just experiencing placebo.

So, anyone here ever encounter similar problem with clickly SKCM switches before? If so, any suggestion on remedy or is there any other way to pin point the issue?

Thx in advance

TL;DR -- doubling clicking and double bump on up-stroke and down-stroke; housing and click leaf unlikely to be the issue, please send help

[gbchk]

I've experienced the same thing with SKCM switches, specifically white Alps. As far as I know, and based on what others have told me about the issue, the cause of the double click is not known. The best explanation is that it happens on some switches after enough time/use. The only solution I've found is to get more switches and replace the bad ones. However, usually replacing just the leaf would solve the problem for me (so I could fix switches without desoldering). I'm not sure about your "secondary bump" issue but it sounds like maybe lube would help?

My overall feeling is that getting a perfect batch of Alps switches is just difficult and hard to come by no matter what. I read recently that even NOS orange Alps have issues with the leaf clicking, which is a bummer. But, like I said, in most cases it's easy enough to just buy more and replace the bad ones. My blue Alps board, for instance, is nearly perfect, but that's only because the previous owner harvested the switches from three different boards and picked out all the best ones...which means that 2/3s of the switches likely had some problems with double clicks or scratchiness or whatever. It doesn't help that switches wear out at different rates based on the nature of typing.

Hope this helps in some way.

[Sup]

I didn't have any problems with my blue alps and they weren't the best either but i haven't seen a Alps switch double click before mine just didn't activate and needed a bottom housing replacement. Seems like you hit a bad batch of switches.

[BlindAssassin111]

It is a very odd issue that alps switches can have, and it can even happen on tactile alps which is odd. Not 100% sure what causes the issue, like others have said, as I have some terrible condition alps that don't and better condition ones do double click.

[abrahamstechnology]

Kinked/bent springs usually cause this issue.