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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 03:39:13

Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 03:39:13
hey guys,

I was wondering if it was possible to switch to brown cherry if possible? If so, Where could i buy browns?

Thanks in advance guys.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: slueth on Wed, 31 August 2011, 03:45:25
there is a new version
of the razer that comes with browns..
marketing term stealth.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 13:14:28
problem is that I have the original. I dont plan on spending another 140 bucks =p. Anyone?
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: noodles256 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 13:16:49
ninja
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: Lanx on Wed, 31 August 2011, 13:31:43
find a cheap brown switch donor board on ebay, imo, is the black widow plate mounted? (i'm pretty sure it is) you're gonna have to desolder.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: Arcanius on Wed, 31 August 2011, 13:35:26
Yeah, it's plate mounted, you can get brown switches from some Cherry G80-8xxx series boards, rawko may still have some on ebay. You'll have to desolder the switches from the BW, pop the top part of the switch off, pop the switches from the Cherry board (no desoldering on that one) replace stems, resolder switches on the blackwidow.
That's the cheapest way to do it, as buying browns would cost about a dollar a switch, and the BW has 109 switches, if I remember correctly.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:09:01
So I can't just pry them off? Desolder the plastic part? I saw some vids on youtube and they would just use a screwdriver. Thanks for all the tips guys
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:10:15
Quote from: Lanx;408183
find a cheap brown switch donor board on ebay, imo, is the black widow plate mounted? (i'm pretty sure it is) you're gonna have to desolder.

Can you link me to it? I cant seem to find them. all I see are ones that cost 150
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: Arcanius on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:16:03
This seller had them, but the link is only for a board with clears, he used to have boards with browns, seems he's run out. Sorry!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cherry-MX-8000-POS-card-swipe-keyboard-PS2-WHITE-SWITCH-/330590827681?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4cf8bfb4a1

This one may have browns, there's no way to know unless you ask the seller!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cherry-POS-PS2-Keyboard-w-Credit-Card-Swiper-mx8000-BLK-/370532038896?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56456e38f0

Also, a Compaq 11800 will work, but you won't have enough browns for the entire BW, you'll be about 8 short. (2 Win keys, FN key, 5 macro keys)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Compaq-11800-Keyboard-w-Cherry-MX-brown-switches-PS2-/260830840798?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item3cbabac7de

No, you can't pry them off with a screwdriver on a plate-mounted board, only on a PCB-mounted one. The cherries above are all PCB-mounted, but Filco, PLU, Ducky, Leopold, Razer, Noppoo, Das, Rosewill, and some others plate-mount.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:26:59
Wow Thanks! Now i just need to know how i can do this. Soldering seems a big job. Is it because of the LED? All i wanted changed are acutually the buttons on the main side. Letters , numbers , enter, space, etc. Dont really mind the Fn or numpad.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: noodles256 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:29:45
soldering is easy. just put your keyboard in the dishwasher
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: Lanx on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:31:52
no it's cuz of the plate mounting.
while plate mounting seems to give more heft and stability to switches, it also covers up the switches as well. think of plate mounting as a sweater, you really can't take off a t-shirt unless you first remove the sweater. or in this case by desoldering you can "squeeze" the switches out of the sweater through the neck.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:40:20
I am looking at it the switches, but i do not see where i am supposed to solder anything?
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: noodles256 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:41:11
dishwasher first
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: The Solutor on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:51:30
Quote from: elo820;407928
hey guys,

I was wondering if it was possible to switch to brown cherry if possible? If so, Where could i buy browns?

Thanks in advance guys.


Simple but not quick, due to the leds.

Take in account at least 5/6h of work, especially if you don't have a decent desolder and/or  little/no skill with soldering

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?17357-U9BL-Beige-edition-(clear-switches-brown-springs)&highlight=beige+edition
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: Lanx on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:55:56
you have to open up the whole board and de-solder from the back/bottom, then the switches will pop right out.

and of course you'll have to resolder, when i just resoldered an entire board took me 2hrs? or basically 2 episodes of reality tv.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 14:57:15
Does this work on the BW? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBXxzmuA_Q
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 15:05:11
Does this work on the BW? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBXxzmuA_Q
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: noodles256 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 15:10:24
dishwasher wow
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: The Solutor on Wed, 31 August 2011, 15:25:06
Quote from: elo820;408250
Does this work on the BW? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBXxzmuA_Q


BWs are plate mounted, but even if they were pcb mounted like the cherry boards, you had still to desolder the LEDs, which is the hard part of the process due to the tiny holes.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: noodles256 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 15:30:52
tiny holes

hehe
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: nolliepoper on Wed, 31 August 2011, 15:35:52
I won't be buying the new BW but I think it's good for Razer to expose different mechanical switches to the public, especially gamers.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: noodles256 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 15:39:53
Quote from: nolliepoper;408271
I won't be buying the new BW but I think it's good for Razer to expose different mechanical switches to the public, especially gamers.

ok, i won't be buying it either cuz you are not
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: keyboardlover on Wed, 31 August 2011, 15:47:22
Carl Matsu was right tho.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: dreamingftw on Wed, 31 August 2011, 15:54:53
I tried to remove the switches from the BW myself but with all the soldering work you will need to do removing the switches and the leds, it's not worth it. I would save $60 and buy the regular black widow ninja when it goes on sale like the cherry blue version IMO.
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: elo820 on Wed, 31 August 2011, 17:07:22
Quote from: dreamingftw;408285
I tried to remove the switches from the BW myself but with all the soldering work you will need to do removing the switches and the leds, it's not worth it. I would save $60 and buy the regular black widow ninja when it goes on sale like the cherry blue version IMO.

 
Thanks for that. Thanks everyone for helping me out
Title: Changing switches of Razer BlackWidow Ultimate original
Post by: nolliepoper on Wed, 31 August 2011, 18:22:43
Quote from: noodles256;408278
ok, i won't be buying it either cuz you are not

Are you angry at me? I was just trying to provide some insight in my post.