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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: BiNiaRiS on Sat, 16 July 2011, 20:15:40

Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: BiNiaRiS on Sat, 16 July 2011, 20:15:40: Picked up this keyboard from a guy locally a few days ago. When i first looked at it I thought they were regular clear switches. After a closer inspection, I thought they were fakes.'

The switch housings are missing the Cherry logo and these switches clicked.

I took the keyboard apart and these look nothing like any of the fakes I have seen pictures of. The housing looks almost exactly like a Cherry. Also, on the back of the PCB it says Cherry SW.

The keyboard exterior has no brand on the front and on the back it says Identity Systems and has a Chicony style part number of 5181. On the inside of the case it also says 5181 yet on the PCB is clearly says 5161. Seems like a total mishmash of crap.

Any ideas on these switches though? I've attached some crappy photos. I can get better more in focus ones if someone really needs them.

And here is a link to some info on the Cherry MX Clears that click:
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsandy55.fc2web.com%2Fkeyboard%2Fchicony_kb5191.html&sl=ja&tl=en

[ATTACH=CONFIG]21118[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]21119[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]21120[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]21121[/ATTACH]
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: keyboardlover on Sun, 17 July 2011, 00:09:08: Weird...must be some kind of clone (or maybe a weird type of alps since it's a chicony??)

I'd ask you to dissect one of the switches but maybe that's a tall order :D
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: BiNiaRiS on Sun, 17 July 2011, 00:39:12: Desoldered one. Pretty sure these are fake as they match up with these minus the spring:
http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/temp/temp.html#Fake%20Cherry

But at the same time I am not sure. There are enough differences from that fake one...the stem itself looks exactly the same.

I put a real cherry clear stem into the fake bottom portion and it fits perfectly. The springs are also much nicer than what that link shows. I might try them out vs blue/brown springs as they seem to be almost as light.

Edit: I selected a pic of my cat on accident, haha.
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: DaemonRaccoon on Sun, 17 July 2011, 00:47:45: I think those are the 'Taiwan's White Axis' A.K.A. clones. Still a nice find (and a nice cat).
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: theferenc on Sun, 17 July 2011, 02:10:27: Excellent cat. I approve.

<---So does he.
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: The Solutor on Sun, 17 July 2011, 05:31:31: Quote from: BiNiaRiS;381826

Edit: I selected a pic of my cat on accident, haha.

Haha, it's funny to see how often keyboards lovers are also cats lovers, who in turns are the most loyal keyboard lover too...

BTW, nice finding
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: keyboardlover on Sun, 17 July 2011, 09:14:23: Maybe a cherry blue clone? Looks like they tried to mimic the crosspoint thing.
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: keyboardlover on Sun, 17 July 2011, 10:16:50: No, but it looks like they tried to do something similar.

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21131&d=1310880819)
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: keyboardlover on Sun, 17 July 2011, 10:18:23: If I could find it, I just might.

You need a website. I'd do it for you, in exchange for a clear ClickClack Topre key.

(And if you lose the sig pic).
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: BiNiaRiS on Mon, 18 July 2011, 15:10:35: Quote from: ripster;381978
Yep, the same as in the Wiki.

You really should read the Wiki. My best work is there.

I posted here because it was NOT exactly the same so I wasn't sure. The casing and the spring are different from what is shown in the wiki links.
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: The Solutor on Mon, 18 July 2011, 15:16:36: Quote from: BiNiaRiS;382761
I posted here because it was NOT exactly the same so I wasn't sure. The casing and the spring are different from what is shown in the wiki links.

Definitely a different clone, has happened with yellow linears from Rapoo V7, completely different from the one previously seen.
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: BiNiaRiS on Mon, 18 July 2011, 15:23:56: Quote from: The Solutor;382768
Definitely a different clone, has happened with yellow linears from Rapoo V7, completely different from the one previously seen.

Which is why i wanted to confirm what it was. The springs are actually very light. I tried them with real Cherry brown stems and couldn't tell the difference so i'll probably end up using them for an ergoclear mod.
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: The Solutor on Mon, 18 July 2011, 15:31:27: Quote from: BiNiaRiS;382772
I tried them with real Cherry brown stems and couldn't tell the difference so i'll probably end up using them for an ergoclear mod.

For those comparatives tests the best way is to use what I call switch-o-meter. Push together two switches and you will have the idea of their differnces.

The same works with the springs (here a clear spring v.s. a black one)

(http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/4448/blackvsclear.png)
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: The Solutor on Mon, 18 July 2011, 16:16:48: Quote from: ripster;382805

I still prefer nickels. Have a pretty big database to compare to as well. (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Keyboard+Peak+and+Activation+Forces)

They are not competing nor mutually exclusive methods
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: BiNiaRiS on Mon, 18 July 2011, 16:24:48: Quote from: ripster;382805
Hmm...does look different.
(Attachment) 21306[/ATTACH]

I still prefer nickels. Have a pretty big database to compare to as well. (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Keyboard+Peak+and+Activation+Forces)

Yeah, the springs I pulled out look to be in between the real and fake one.
Title: I think I found some of the rare MX Clear clicky switches but...
Post by: elbowglue on Tue, 19 July 2011, 15:25:24: Here was my opinion / findings about this switch:

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?9256-Fake-Cherries