[IC] New Blue Alps SKCM Re-Creations

[abrahamstechnology]

NO MX STEMS STOP ASKING
I will do an Orange recreation down the road if the blues work out!
I am running this interest check to see how much demand there would be for new Alps SKCM Blue re-creation switches. These switches would be copied as accurately as possible from original Blue Alps parts including the switchplate and special click leaf. I have talked with several switch manufacturers that would be willing to undertake the project, however, it will be an expensive project, so I need to see how much demand there would be before I can continue.

https://forms.gle/yTruRbAyMXFCQywB9

[Kevadu]

If you can pull it off then that sounds amazing.  But that's going to be a pretty challenging project...

[senter]

I'm interested.

[Gert Fischer]

I think a lot of people would be interested, biggest problem is you don't know yet how these switches will turn out. Might be perfect or might be like Mathias.

[BlindAssassin111]

Would you be remaking the slider or just doing the other parts of the switch (bottom and top housings, click leaf and switch plate)?

[Nigolski]

nice

[Mcnos]

Are you limited to only Blue Alps?

Also yes, interested.

[catamscott]

if the switches can be copied well enough then i think the amount of interest in them will be incredible. i personally am all for this idea

[Rayndalf]

Great idea. A version with MX style stems would be really neat too. 2020 will be the year of the Alps

[ab042896]

I have never bothered with Alps due to the headache of sourcing, this looks interesting to those who have never hopped on the Alps train! Good luck 

[BlindAssassin111]

Great idea. A version with MX style stems would be really neat too. 2020 will be the year of the Alps

Having developed just that myself last year I don't see it being an option here given mx caps crush click leafs. Especially if the goal is to exactly replicate the sound and feel.

Edit: Just to correct how people read this, click leafs get crushed if you don't have a protector on the slider like I had on the nexus sliders, they do not crush over time. The downside to the protectors is they reduce the travel of the click leaves so the sound isn't exactly the same. So for perfect sound, you would need to remove the protector which would then cause them to crush the leaves, that was what I was meaning, not that they crush over time like some interpreted.

[fabryrock]

is the project trying to make the switches compatible with mx style keycaps?

[abrahamstechnology]

To all those asking, they won't have Cherry stems, they don't work. with the geometries of the Alps style switches.

I want to do a near-perfect drop-in replica of SKCMAG. Also it is legal since the patent expired.

[icecake]

let's make this happen hope to get alps switches!!!

[Fnzzy]

Not interested in clicky switches but if Blue makes a comeback others could, too. I'll try to support this.

[Loligagger]

If an exact replica can really be done then I'm interested.

[J3ff_Leopard]

This is a monumental undertaking. Filled out the form. Very interested in other switch options as well, specifically tactiles.

[poodude]

I've thought about doing this to. Wouldn't it be much cheaper to just replicate the internals? There are tons of cheap white alps boards etc to pull housings from.

[adxlk]

Wouldn't it be better to ask for feedback on what Alps switch rather than just blue. I think it will probably help you get more interests since I don't think everyone is going to use it
I don't know if that makes sense but basically, it would be nice to find a fan favorite then start off that

[0Name]

SKCM Blue Alps with MX stem -> Instant endgame.

[moh18one]

Why not a copy of the SMK Cherry mount but with different caracteristics?

https://deskthority.net/wiki/SMK_Cherry_MX_mount

I don't see any reason to use alps stem when most keysets are made for cherry mx switches..

[gbchk]

Super interested, especially if this can be expanded to other Alps variants.

[badboy731]

Been diving more into alps and this looks very promising. Best of luck

[TheAutoManCan]

Why not a copy of the SMK Cherry mount but with different caracteristics?

https://deskthority.net/wiki/SMK_Cherry_MX_mount

I don't see any reason to use alps stem when most keysets are made for cherry mx switches..

Some people value typing feel over keycap aesthetics. Changing the stem design to MX may very well affect the overall feel of the switch and would ruin the entire point of recreating SKCM Blues.

[moh18one]

Why not a copy of the SMK Cherry mount but with different caracteristics?

https://deskthority.net/wiki/SMK_Cherry_MX_mount

I don't see any reason to use alps stem when most keysets are made for cherry mx switches..

Some people value typing feel over keycap aesthetics. Changing the stem design to MX may very well affect the overall feel of the switch and would ruin the entire point of recreating SKCM Blues.

That's why SMK cherry mount exists,right? plus those switches are loved by people who tried them. Patents have expired for them too so OP could recreate a switches based on their design. A switch shouldn't be created just for those who love ALPS but newbies in this hobby should be considered here as well.

[gbchk]

Why not a copy of the SMK Cherry mount but with different caracteristics?

https://deskthority.net/wiki/SMK_Cherry_MX_mount

I don't see any reason to use alps stem when most keysets are made for cherry mx switches..

Some people value typing feel over keycap aesthetics. Changing the stem design to MX may very well affect the overall feel of the switch and would ruin the entire point of recreating SKCM Blues.

That's why SMK cherry mount exists,right? plus those switches are loved by people who tried them. Patents have expired for them too so OP could recreate a switches based on their design. A switch shouldn't be created just for those who love ALPS but newbies in this hobby should be considered here as well.

Lol what? SMK 2nd gen are a very far cry from blue Alps in terms of sound, feel, and construction. You can also readily buy them NOS, so I don't understand why you would expect OP to recreate them for some reason. You clearly value keycap options over switch feel, which is cool, but this isn't about that.

[Mcnos]

Why not a copy of the SMK Cherry mount but with different caracteristics?

https://deskthority.net/wiki/SMK_Cherry_MX_mount

I don't see any reason to use alps stem when most keysets are made for cherry mx switches..

Some people value typing feel over keycap aesthetics. Changing the stem design to MX may very well affect the overall feel of the switch and would ruin the entire point of recreating SKCM Blues.

That's why SMK cherry mount exists,right? plus those switches are loved by people who tried them. Patents have expired for them too so OP could recreate a switches based on their design. A switch shouldn't be created just for those who love ALPS but newbies in this hobby should be considered here as well.

Lol what? SMK 2nd gen are a very far cry from blue Alps in terms of sound, feel, and construction. You can also readily buy them NOS, so I don't understand why you would expect OP to recreate them for some reason. You clearly value keycap options over switch feel, which is cool, but this isn't about that.

Are you referring to buying SMK switches NOS or Blue Alps NOS?

Hopefully not the latter, you're looking at 200+ for a set of them.

[gbchk]

SMK of course. You can get them on Taobao or Aliexpress for less than 50 cents a piece.

[mode]

Yup, I'd buy a few hundred switches.

I'd also be even more interested in an SKCM orange repro.

I'd be fine with ALPS mount, it'd encourage more keycap group buys to happen. If there's enough interest maybe work with the nexus slider guy as an optional configuration. The sliders in modified alps top housings worked well, just it's a one-way mod.

Just be utterly uncompromising on recreating the switches as faithfully as possible.

[Vigrith]

Good luck. But yes.

[loud_asian]

I filled out the form, but like others have said I'd love to see reproductions of tactile switches.

[DJ Shoko]

I would definitely would love to see an Amber repro and a Brown repro as well since those ARE my favorite Alps switches. But I'd be stoked for blues as well!

[jrs]

I'd be the most interested in a reproduction of brown alps.

[ilikerustoo]

I'm in

[BlindAssassin111]

I'd be the most interested in a reproduction of brown alps.

The issue with this is you actually have to do a separate top housing for brown alps as they are different from every other pine alps switch top housing...supporting both on the same top housing leads to clicky switch issues (what lead to the double click for the nexus v1 housings).

[jagger27]

Submitted. Makes me want to make a QMK AEK replacement PCB.

[ThereminGoat]

See, my biggest question and concern with this is who is doing the manufacturing? While, as a collector, I can always appreciate new switches and clones of stuff, it isn't much of an argument to point out the Hua-Jie AKCN2 and AKDN2's that were run in a GB by you quite awhile were you were of horrendous quality.

I'd love to step up and be impressed, and if these go live I'll certainly pick up a few to pique my interest, but I'd have serious misgivings if Hua-Jie is the manufacturer of these.

[abrahamstechnology]

See, my biggest question and concern with this is who is doing the manufacturing? While, as a collector, I can always appreciate new switches and clones of stuff, it isn't much of an argument to point out the Hua-Jie AKCN2 and AKDN2's that were run in a GB by you quite awhile were you were of horrendous quality.

I'd love to step up and be impressed, and if these go live I'll certainly pick up a few to pique my interest, but I'd have serious misgivings if Hua-Jie is the manufacturer of these.

Don't know why people hated those so much but I'm using a different manufacturer along with completely new tooling built from the ground up.

[ThereminGoat]

See, my biggest question and concern with this is who is doing the manufacturing? While, as a collector, I can always appreciate new switches and clones of stuff, it isn't much of an argument to point out the Hua-Jie AKCN2 and AKDN2's that were run in a GB by you quite awhile were you were of horrendous quality.

I'd love to step up and be impressed, and if these go live I'll certainly pick up a few to pique my interest, but I'd have serious misgivings if Hua-Jie is the manufacturer of these.

Don't know why people hated those so much but I'm using a different manufacturer along with completely new tooling built from the ground up.

The long and short of it is that they wobble. And I don't mean like standard MX wobble, I mean Earthquake proofed building swaying on a 6 on the Richter scale.

All hyperbolics aside, I urge you to look at the photo on telcontar.net, where Daniel Beardsmore keeps his collection - https://telcontar.net/KBK/SwitchCollection/switch.php?id=43.

You can physically see the massive gap between the top housing and the stem. It's one thing if tolerances may be slightly off, but I can see the horrid tolerances between the top housing and the stem from a picture online. While many people didn't pick these up, and the only people I am aware who have ones are switch collectors, it is pretty hard to like when you can see from a photograph the poor quality of the build.

[gbchk]

Any updates on the project?

[macclack]

I’ll be following this closely

[nickaster1]

How about the lube situation? Apart from the OG housing, I don't think no one ever figured out the OG lube

[mode]

Submitted. Makes me want to make a QMK AEK replacement PCB.

I'd be in for this especially if it had ISO support and fit the AEKI, I prefer that chassis to AEKII. I'd be happy to do the CAD for the plate too.

[Today I am Deft]

OMG I NEED THIS SOOOO BADLYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!

[SpringWind]

I hope this project will success.
I'm interested in Alps switches but don't want restoring or scrapping vintage keyboards.
If we can buy stable Blue Alps at a down-to-earth price without such process, it's so great!

[mode]

As much as I want the full expression of this project, have you considered doing part of it for an initial test run?

Recreated switch top housings and sliders would rejuvenate worn switches, alps switches tend to wear out and feel **** before the switch plate dies and I certainly have a lot of worn blues and oranges which would benefit a lot from new top housings and sliders.

This is an ambitious project and I'd hate for the first attempt at doing the whole switch to be not quite right, and then there never be an improved round 2.

[macclack]

I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile to reach out the factory that produces Matias' switches and see if they'd be willing to take something like this on.

[Praetoricus]

It's been apparently discussed that Matias is not willing to do OG Alps switches, they were given many chances. So regarding the OP here, did he disappear already? Did we hear back any updates regarding ALPS Recreation since November? I hope this project didnt end this soon.

[3ambutter]

Interested

[5alt5haker]

Very interested. Would be my first alps switch