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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Charizard^ on Sun, 16 February 2014, 13:39:11

Title: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: Charizard^ on Sun, 16 February 2014, 13:39:11
Hello,
Does anyone know if Vintage Cherry MX Blacks (such as the ones in Wyse ASCII boards) are clicky?
Thanks!
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: damorgue on Sun, 16 February 2014, 13:39:38
Nope, they are linear, just like regular MX blacks
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: Charizard^ on Sun, 16 February 2014, 13:45:07
Nope, they are linear, just like regular MX blacks

Ok, whats the advantage of Vintage MX Blacks then? They seem to get a lot of praise.
Thanks!
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: Air tree on Sun, 16 February 2014, 13:45:51
Hello,
Does anyone know if Vintage Cherry MX Blacks (such as the ones in Wyse ASCII boards) are clicky?
Thanks!
The only difference between Cherry mx blacks and the vintage ones is that they are smoother. If there is more I don't know then.
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: Charizard^ on Sun, 16 February 2014, 13:48:28
Hello,
Does anyone know if Vintage Cherry MX Blacks (such as the ones in Wyse ASCII boards) are clicky?
Thanks!
The only difference between Cherry mx blacks and the vintage ones is that they are smoother. If there is more I don't know then.

Would lubing modern black switches feel the same as vintage blacks do you suppose?
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: Air tree on Sun, 16 February 2014, 13:55:59
Hello,
Does anyone know if Vintage Cherry MX Blacks (such as the ones in Wyse ASCII boards) are clicky?
Thanks!
The only difference between Cherry mx blacks and the vintage ones is that they are smoother. If there is more I don't know then.

Would lubing modern black switches feel the same as vintage blacks do you suppose?
It would help I would suppose. But lubing vintage blacks would be better I would guess.
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: niubio on Sun, 16 February 2014, 14:03:26
Would lubing modern black switches feel the same as vintage blacks do you suppose?

It does the trick, but I don't recommend lubing. I've repaired several vintage cherry blacks from '80 and some switches weren't registering - had to open them and use alcohol to clean contacts, because a lot of dirt had accumulated inside. Lubing attracts dirt as the inner surface gets "sticky". I've lubed a couple rubber-dome boards back in the day, now I have to clean them again.

EDIT: What I meant is that vintage blacks attract dirt even without lubing, so using grease will speed up the process :)
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: Air tree on Sun, 16 February 2014, 14:28:01
Would lubing modern black switches feel the same as vintage blacks do you suppose?

It does the trick, but I don't recommend lubing. I've repaired several vintage cherry blacks from '80 and some switches weren't registering - had to open them and use alcohol to clean contacts, because a lot of dirt had accumulated inside. Lubing attracts dirt as the inner surface gets "sticky". I've lubed a couple rubber-dome boards back in the day, now I have to clean them again.

EDIT: What I meant is that vintage blacks attract dirt even without lubing, so using grease will speed up the process :)
Wait why would vintage blacks attract dirt faster than regular blacks? Wouldn't it seem more likely that the blacks where just dirty since they probably haven't been cleaned since the 80's?
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: Lenny_Nero on Sun, 16 February 2014, 14:47:16
Vintage blacks are smoother and in the few that I have the spring rates are a bit lighter, others say the same.

..It was strange, a few years back it seem to become the 'in thing' to bash on blacks and say that you hated them and could not use them because they made your fingers hurt.

But I kept on posting (I expect the posts are still here somewhere) that I did not have this dislike for blacks and did not understand all the hate. After some time others also said that they had boards with blacks that were nice and others they did not like...

It boiled down to me getting a brand new, (at the time 2010/11 iirc) G80-1856HQMGB which to this day still sits in its box after using it for a few days, but I have two older black switched boards plugged in and being used just as they have for 10+ years.

I dont wet lube mx switches it only attracts dust and grit.
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: niubio on Sun, 16 February 2014, 14:57:11
Wait why would vintage blacks attract dirt faster than regular blacks? Wouldn't it seem more likely that the blacks where just dirty since they probably haven't been cleaned since the 80's?

Naahh, they don't - I just think ALL cherries attract dust, and lubing them would speed up this.
Title: Re: Vintage MX Blacks?
Post by: Lenny_Nero on Sat, 01 March 2014, 04:01:58
A thread with some more info...

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=36485.0