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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Micky Love on Tue, 06 January 2015, 11:14:42
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Hi !
I just got my new keyboard (first mechanical: CM XT). It's a beauty, still waiting for the white caps to come...
Problem is, inconsistent Blue switches ! Probably 95% of the keys clicks with a very nice loud click but some
just feels dead. I could call NewEgg for a RMA but the new keyboard will still probably be somewhat defective.
So I have decide to order some Blue switch from Digi-key and replace the defective ones myself. It could not
be that difficult to do for someone who build guitar amps ? (it's only 2 solders by switch ??)
Anyway, is that you experience with Cherry MX Blue ? Red Switches are probably way more consistent since
there is no mechanical parts moving inside... But it's so satisfying to feel and hear...
Mike
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You might've gotten unlucky here. I've owned 4 MX boards and none have had faulty switches or defects. More commonly, you'll get funky stabilizers (costar) which you can easily lube.
I recently received a Poker II with blues and all the switches checked out.
Someone mentioned that sometimes the companies receive bad batches from Cherry though.
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Personally I would have RMAed but considering that you have already ordered new blues than good luck with the new batch
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This is a fairly well known problem, however, you would again have to be unfortunate to have this happen at all. It isn't something that I have ever experienced myself. Swapping the switches will definitely work.
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After using both ALPS and Buckling Springs I can't use MX blues anymore. And blues were my first switch.
(http://i.imgur.com/25UZQ0hh.jpg)
Making a board with Vintage blues but only because they look pretty.
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Just a small update:
No need to replace the silent switches, only have to pry open the contact spring inside the switch...
Now, if you decide to try that, be very careful because it's pretty fragile...
- first, you need to remove the switch, unsolder it...
- next, you need to open the switch, pretty easy, lots of video on YouTube.
- now the tricky things: you need to lift the contact spring but just a little, no
more than 2mm actually, only for the pads to separates... then open or spread
the contact spring a little.
- Ok, done, now replace everything the way it was before and enjoy a new clicky blue switch !
don't forget to press on the pads a bit before pushing the contact spring down.
It's not my photo but I did the orange marking: