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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: captain on Sun, 04 March 2012, 12:23:05

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: captain on Sun, 04 March 2012, 12:23:05

I do like how the plastic keypullers work, just push down and pull up, easy peasy... but they have the potential to put too much stress on the sides of keys as they are inserted.  This is worse when there isn't much space between the key and the case, and worst when keys are old.  I guess ABS gets more brittle over the years.  

[ATTACH=CONFIG]42687[/ATTACH]

I'll be using the Filco wire puller from now on!

Anyone got an extra WYSE F4 key I can have?  :-/

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: dorkvader on Sun, 04 March 2012, 12:44:10

I have 3 sets: 1 thick, and two thin. You can have one of my thin ones, as I don't think I'll be using it. It's slightly yellowed, though. PM me your address (And where I can buy a decent wire keypuller: I have an ALPS disaster that needs fixing)

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: reaper on Sun, 04 March 2012, 12:55:54

The Leopold one from EK (http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,keytools&pid=leokp) is pretty good for only 5 bucks.

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/eddie84/OCN/Mech%20keyboard%20club/DSC05987.jpg)

I'm starting to collect these since I got one from Filco, one from Leopold and one from KBC.  Realforce is next on my list. =P

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: mkawa on Sun, 04 March 2012, 19:56:23

is there an advantage to the filco/leopold/etc designs vs a couple of bent paper clips?

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: naranja on Sun, 04 March 2012, 20:00:52

Quote from: reaper;535012

The Leopold one from EK (http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,keytools&pid=leokp) is pretty good for only 5 bucks.



I'm starting to collect these since I got one from Filco, one from Leopold and one from KBC.  Realforce is next on my list. =P

The WASD one is pretty nice too

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/w/i/wirekeypuller1.jpg

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: Awful on Sun, 04 March 2012, 20:18:13

Quote from: ripster;535014

Filco is the best.  Holds more keys and is Richard Gere Gerbil approved.

Actually, I think the wasd puller is best. It's exactly like the Filco but the angles on the wire are a little less sharp and are just a hair wider making it easier to get all the way around the cap. The softer bend to the metal obviously makes it less prone to scratch surrounding keys. :D

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: Bertross on Sun, 04 March 2012, 21:51:04

Quote from: reaper;535012

The Leopold one from EK (http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,keytools&pid=leokp) is pretty good for only 5 bucks.

Show Image

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/eddie84/OCN/Mech%20keyboard%20club/DSC05987.jpg)

I'm starting to collect these since I got one from Filco, one from Leopold and one from KBC.  Realforce is next on my list. =P

i have this to.

One thing that pissed me off though if they seems to damage the Space bar on the ends on PBT caps. Like they put a grove underneath.

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: pitashen on Mon, 05 March 2012, 01:24:57

I tried the plastic ones once. Realizing how hard i need to press down to clip onto the keys, I figured this little puller is up to no good...

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: CeeSA on Mon, 05 March 2012, 09:01:01

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=25400&d=1314817791)

i would like to have the best from both worlds. Wire and one hand pulling.
it is easy to get under the cap press the wire together a little and pull. With the other hand i could controll the keyboard.
With the leopold, filco and wasd you mostly have to use both hands to apart the wires and attach the puller under the cap.

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 05 March 2012, 14:14:34

Quote from: pitashen;535476

I tried the plastic ones once. Realizing how hard i need to press down to clip onto the keys, I figured this little puller is up to no good...

It's really bad on some keys (SP, for example) but for others with wider tops and narrower skirts, it doesn't have to bend that much. That said, I've broken my ABS keypuller that come with the CMstorm, and I only have my WASD PBT keypuller now, and it's much stiffer.

Title: key pullers: plastic = bad. wire = good
Post by: BiNiaRiS on Tue, 06 March 2012, 15:39:52

Quote from: dorkvader;535951

It's really bad on some keys (SP, for example) but for others with wider tops and narrower skirts, it doesn't have to bend that much. That said, I've broken my ABS keypuller that come with the CMstorm, and I only have my WASD PBT keypuller now, and it's much stiffer.

The wasd ones which are made by SP I think are too thick though. They barely fit on between keys so I rarely use mine. I love the one that comes with the cmstorm. I can use it to pull off every key minus the spacebar.

I do like the filco puller, mainly for costar stabilized caps though.