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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: RetroHollywood on Mon, 31 October 2011, 13:37:05

Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: RetroHollywood on Mon, 31 October 2011, 13:37:05
I purchased a Rosewill Rk-9000 (with blues) and have been having some "issues" with it, and am trying to decide if they are serious enough to return it.  I thought the experts here would know if they were common, serious, my imagination, etc.

Problems:
-Right shift key feels different from all other keys, more specifically a bit spongier.  Removed and lubricated stabilizer and tested switch pressure (normal).  No change.
-Spacebar squeaks like crazy.  Heavily lubricated stabilizers.  No change.
-Arrow keys all have different pressures, including on the switches themselves.

Anything I can do to remedy these?  Is the keyboard flawed?  Are my expectations just too high?
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 31 October 2011, 13:41:19
How long have you had it?  Sometimes you need a week or two to break the switches in, especially blues from what I understand.  I have had the spacebar squeak on a few Costar 'boards; I'm surprised lubing it didn't help.  Did you lube up by the cap?
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: Lanx on Mon, 31 October 2011, 13:45:54
i've fixed some used keyboard keys by banging them in with the butt end of the screwdriver, of course the barbarian approach doesn't work well all the time (now i just desolder and put in fresh switches).
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: RetroHollywood on Mon, 31 October 2011, 13:46:15
I have had it for about a week, with pretty heavy use.  I've probably put about 20-30 pages through it, plus normal internet forum use.  

I really went after the spacebar.  Anywhere the stabilizer bar went, I put lube there.
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 31 October 2011, 13:48:55
I wonder if it was damaged in shipping and has a bent plate or something.  I would see about sending it back.
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: noodles256 on Mon, 31 October 2011, 13:56:25
looks like you used all 10 milllion actuations

sorry
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: c0rbin on Mon, 31 October 2011, 15:26:08
Speaking of actuations... what exactly wears out to warrant most Cherry MX switches being rated for only 50 million presses?
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 31 October 2011, 15:28:45
I think it's just a SWAG.  Probably corrosion or reduced springiness on the contacts or something.  Chattering has been observed by some.
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: alaricljs on Mon, 31 October 2011, 15:29:47
carbon forming on the contact points from arcing might impede the switch from actuating after that many.  Otherwise it's really just the tactile switches wearing.  I know I've had microswitches fail from carbonization.
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 31 October 2011, 15:32:56
I wonder if anyone has ever hit 50 million + on a Cherry switch (other than a machine).  I would imagine most people would replace a keyboard for other reasons before the switches actually start to malfunction.
Title: What's up with my RK-9000
Post by: LaneWeaver on Mon, 31 October 2011, 15:44:02
Regarding the spongy right shift key, I too had this problem. I ended up swapping the stabilizer out from another key (the '+' key on the numpad) and the issue went away. It had something to do with the stabilizer not collapsing all the way - it was collapsing into the base of the switch.