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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: jonathanyu on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:08:55

Title: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: jonathanyu on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:08:55: :( Just try to put on the cherry dyesub on my board, and found that there is a clear stem stuck under the "5" keycaps, and the clear stem is not from my board.... :-\
(http://i.imgur.com/JWPasz3.jpg)
anyone have idea how to remove it without breaking the caps? :'(
got a really bad feeling right now....
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: HPE1000 on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:09:47: If you have a thumb tack, that is what I would do. Just poke into it and then pull it out. Or if you have a really beefy needle you don't care if you bend up that would work as well.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: FrostyToast on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:10:35: Quote from: jonathanyu on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:08:55
:( Just try to put on the cherry dyesub on my board, and found that there is a clear stem stuck under the "5" keycaps, and the clear stem is not from my board.... :-\
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/JWPasz3.jpg)

anyone have idea how to remove it without breaking the caps? :'(
got a really bad feeling right now....

Could you not use a toothpick to nudge it out and tweezers to pull it out?
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:28:33: Whatever you do, PLEASE wear eye protection before you start. We don't want little pieces of plastic or, worse, metal getting into your eye!
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: pichu23 on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:30:17: Use a slanted tweezer. That might help. Just slowly poke/pull the piece.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: ConscienceDrop on Thu, 06 November 2014, 19:09:18: Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:28:33
Whatever you do, PLEASE wear eye protection before you start. We don't want little pieces of plastic or, worse, metal getting into your eye!

listen to this guy, i lost an eye working with something small and things going really bad fast!
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: jonathanyu on Thu, 06 November 2014, 19:20:02: Quote from: HPE1000 on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:09:47
If you have a thumb tack, that is what I would do. Just poke into it and then pull it out. Or if you have a really beefy needle you don't care if you bend up that would work as well.

Just tried using thumb tack, the stem doesn't come out at all and seems getting deeper in the hole...
Quote from: FrostyToast on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:10:35
Quote from: jonathanyu on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:08:55
:( Just try to put on the cherry dyesub on my board, and found that there is a clear stem stuck under the "5" keycaps, and the clear stem is not from my board.... :-\
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/JWPasz3.jpg)

anyone have idea how to remove it without breaking the caps? :'(
got a really bad feeling right now....

Could you not use a toothpick to nudge it out and tweezers to pull it out?

tried used toothpick and tweezers, the stem doesn't move at all
Quote from: pichu23 on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:30:17
Use a slanted tweezer. That might help. Just slowly poke/pull the piece.

seems a tweezers can't grip the stem :-\
Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 06 November 2014, 18:28:33
Whatever you do, PLEASE wear eye protection before you start. We don't want little pieces of plastic or, worse, metal getting into your eye!

Thanks for the reminder!
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: jacobolus on Thu, 06 November 2014, 19:21:28: I highly recommend buying some cheap dental picks. You can get a set for $4–5, and they come in handy all the time when doing electronics work or any kind of hobby work on small projects.

Not just you, OP, but everyone who plays with keyboards. Especially anyone who is soldering/desoldering stuff.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 06 November 2014, 19:37:38: Get a small drill bit and drill the center out. Then use a cheap small screw tap or manually screw in a small screw and slowly start pulling it out. If it strips, you may have to try and drill parts of it out, then go at it with an Xacto knife or something.

If you're too scared to try, you can send it my way and I'll send it back, just pay for shipping.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: ideus on Thu, 06 November 2014, 20:00:31: I'd go for a round dental scratcher to pull the plastic bits out, after keep the key cap in the freezer overnight. If possible adjust your freezer thermostat under 0 F.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: kaotikb on Thu, 06 November 2014, 23:37:05: I managed to get a broken stem out using the tip of a knife, but that was on a brown stem which came out easily.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: Mr.Tumor on Sat, 08 November 2014, 21:07:12: I'd use c4 if you can get some.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: Rainbow_ on Sat, 08 November 2014, 21:09:07: Quote from: Mr.Tumor on Sat, 08 November 2014, 21:07:12
I'd use c4 if you can get some.

I prefer just using acid. It sure gets rid of the stem!
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: ComradeSniper on Sat, 08 November 2014, 21:35:43: Quote from: ideus on Thu, 06 November 2014, 20:00:31
I'd go for a round dental scratcher to pull the plastic bits out, after keep the key cap in the freezer overnight. If possible adjust your freezer thermostat under 0 F.

That's a really good idea, I bet a dental pick would get it out easily.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: jonathanyu on Sat, 08 November 2014, 21:37:14: Quote from: nubbinator on Thu, 06 November 2014, 19:37:38
Get a small drill bit and drill the center out. Then use a cheap small screw tap or manually screw in a small screw and slowly start pulling it out. If it strips, you may have to try and drill parts of it out, then go at it with an Xacto knife or something.

If you're too scared to try, you can send it my way and I'll send it back, just pay for shipping.
I think I will try this method because the clear stem broke very smooth in the keycaps, so I cant use a tweezers to pull it out.... Let me dig out my drill from the basement
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: Oobly on Mon, 10 November 2014, 01:27:45: I agree that a dental pick (the kind used by a dental hygienist to scrape off placque) is the best way to get it out.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: mz/x on Wed, 12 November 2014, 05:35:25: Drop a little oil in the hole such as WD40 and then use a needle. (Use circular motions so the oil will go all over. Sometimes you need to wait 5 minutes to allow the oil to do the trick.) Bend the very tip of the needle so you can get a good grip when you will pull it vertically using carving motions.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: RavenII on Thu, 13 November 2014, 13:55:43: Thin...TIHN assed pin/needle warm it up slightly, insert as far in without poking through, wait until it cools off...pull out :-)
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 13 November 2014, 14:50:11: Well jonathanyu, what happened? Were you able to extract it without negatively affecting your occular ability?
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: Lpwl on Thu, 13 November 2014, 14:57:59: (http://www.tabletpcphones.com/image/cache/data/Products/D0057/Rubber%20toilet%20sucker%20stand-500x500.jpg)

Try this.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: Puddsy on Thu, 13 November 2014, 15:59:22: Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 13 November 2014, 14:50:11
Well jonathanyu, what happened? Were you able to extract it without negatively affecting your occular ability?

Or, more importantly, your keycaps?
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: 0100010 on Thu, 13 November 2014, 18:02:49: If the cap is PBT, you could put a couple drops of acetone in to soften the broken off stem - then use a needle / dental pick / etc.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: dashing_girlboy on Sun, 16 November 2014, 01:27:42: not sure if you got the stem out already. maybe a combination of WD40 and vacuum can do the trick. You can use a needle to try wriggle it a bit while trying to vacuum the stem out.
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: mrs1986 on Sun, 16 November 2014, 18:15:10: I don't know the size of that part of a key, im still waiting for my first mechanical keyboard... But, you can try a dab of superglue with a toothpick, hold it steady and try, don't know, i would have done that to see if i can get it out...
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: HPE1000 on Sun, 16 November 2014, 18:23:29: Quote from: mrs1986 on Sun, 16 November 2014, 18:15:10
I don't know the size of that part of a key, im still waiting for my first mechanical keyboard... But, you can try a dab of superglue with a toothpick, hold it steady and try, don't know, i would have done that to see if i can get it out...
I wouldn't, superglue usually spreads when I use it. So I don't see how it wouldn't just ooze into the cracks between the stem and keycap and then be stuck there forever :P
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: SpikeBolt on Wed, 19 November 2014, 09:38:52: Quote from: Lpwl on Thu, 13 November 2014, 14:57:59
Show Image
(http://www.tabletpcphones.com/image/cache/data/Products/D0057/Rubber%20toilet%20sucker%20stand-500x500.jpg)

Try this.

Gold XD
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: ideus on Wed, 19 November 2014, 10:02:37: Oh sh...?

Quote from: SpikeBolt on Wed, 19 November 2014, 09:38:52
Quote from: Lpwl on Thu, 13 November 2014, 14:57:59
Show Image
(http://www.tabletpcphones.com/image/cache/data/Products/D0057/Rubber%20toilet%20sucker%20stand-500x500.jpg)

Try this.

Gold XD
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: Geroximo on Mon, 01 December 2014, 13:15:10: exactly the same problem here, cannot get it out :( help

EDIT: I don't have a drill
Title: Re: how to remove a broken MX clear stem from a pbt keycaps?
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 01 December 2014, 15:18:42: Quote from: Geroximo on Mon, 01 December 2014, 13:15:10
exactly the same problem here, cannot get it out :( help

EDIT: I don't have a drill

Eye protection is critical - please wear some!

Can you poke a toothpick into it? Or wiggle it just enough to be able to grip it with pliers?