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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Cobolak15 on Fri, 01 September 2017, 02:51:54

Title: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: Cobolak15 on Fri, 01 September 2017, 02:51:54: Hello People!

So I would like to build a keyboard and i decided on what switch I would like, but Cherry Mx are quite expensive, my budget is limited, so i was wondering if there are alternatives.

I decided on Cherry Mx Whites, since i like the tactile bump and also the soft click. Do You know if there are alternatives to this switch? I could not find one.

Please Help :(
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: klennkellon on Fri, 01 September 2017, 03:57:51: Not really. You could get MX Blues and try lubing them just right so you get the same softer click. Be sure to get the re-tooled blues from Switchtop if you can.

Clicky Space Invaders also have a nice, quiet, pleasant click. Although these aren't even MX switches.
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: svetlio_vd on Fri, 01 September 2017, 04:45:34: Maybe buying the swappable switch Chinese boards with Blue switches, because you can easily remove and open the switches. Then lube them as klennkellon said. I think they can quiet a bit, but the said thing is, you won't get the stiffer spring from a Cherry MX White and the click mechanism is not the same. So, I do not think there is a cheaper alternative to the Whites. Matias Quiet Click is an option, but they are also not cheaper boards.
Aristotles are sold from ZealPC for $0.65, so if you buy them to swap an already bought keyboard, will be even more expensive then getting a keyboard with Cherry White.
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: Cobolak15 on Fri, 01 September 2017, 06:00:10: Well, i already have the board, i got lucky, there was a chinese one for sale for 23 dollars with outemu brown switches.

I am considering Outemu Cyan switches (Mx Green alternative) but they are a bit too loud for my taste. So You think lubing them will help a bit?
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: svetlio_vd on Fri, 01 September 2017, 08:33:35: I've heard that lubing clicky switches, besides making them less scratchy, also kills some of the click effect. The other option is to scout for appropriate switch in online stores, till some discount comes (like Massdrop), but I'm not sure that you will find soon enough switches, that are under $0.60-$1.00 a piece.
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: RominRonin on Sun, 03 September 2017, 03:16:06: They're quite reasonably priced from here: http://www.ebay.at/itm/61-87-104-108-120-PCs-Gateron-RGB-White-Clear-3Pin-Mechanical-Switch-Keyboard/272160070007?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=570973144172&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

edit: Oops! Wrong link. Here's the right one:
http://www.ebay.at/itm/61-87-104-108-PCs-Cherry-White-Milky-3-Pin-MX-Series-Mechanical-Switch-DIY/282437365356?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: ygor on Sun, 03 September 2017, 03:21:24: Quote from: RominRonin on Sun, 03 September 2017, 03:16:06
They're quite reasonably priced from here: http://www.ebay.at/itm/61-87-104-108-120-PCs-Gateron-RGB-White-Clear-3Pin-Mechanical-Switch-Keyboard/272160070007?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=570973144172&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Those are linear Gaterons, homie. Not the same thing.
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: HotRoderX on Sun, 03 September 2017, 03:22:06: I might try looking on ebay for a busted board that has the switches I wanted. Its kinda obvious you know your way around a soldering iron and I hear of people scavenging switches a good bit! Perhaps that be a good way to get them on the cheaper end?
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: RominRonin on Sun, 03 September 2017, 04:38:57: Quote from: ygor on Sun, 03 September 2017, 03:21:24
Those are linear Gaterons, homie. Not the same thing.

Oops! Wrong link, here's the right one (I edited my last reply too):
http://www.ebay.at/itm/61-87-104-108-PCs-Cherry-White-Milky-3-Pin-MX-Series-Mechanical-Switch-DIY/282437365356?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: _haru on Sun, 03 September 2017, 04:42:53: Quote from: RominRonin on Sun, 03 September 2017, 04:38:57
Quote from: ygor on Sun, 03 September 2017, 03:21:24
Those are linear Gaterons, homie. Not the same thing.

Oops! Wrong link, here's the right one (I edited my last reply too):
http://www.ebay.at/itm/61-87-104-108-PCs-Cherry-White-Milky-3-Pin-MX-Series-Mechanical-Switch-DIY/282437365356?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I can recommend Sennin32. Great seller, good communication. Bought my MX Whites from him.
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: RominRonin on Sun, 03 September 2017, 06:02:28: I should add that I have as well, both times MX Whites ;)
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: ander on Tue, 05 September 2017, 20:09:31: I just spotted this Chinony KB-5981 on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chicony-KB-5981-Vintage-Mechanical-Keyboard-/292241872707) with a BIN price of $10.00 + $18.85 U.S. shipping. The seller says it has Aristotle MX White clones (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Aristotle_Cherry_MX_clone), which may be close enough to what you're looking for...?

(http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tyQAAOSwarNZr0Go/s-l1600.jpg)
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: _haru on Tue, 05 September 2017, 21:49:32: Quote from: ander on Tue, 05 September 2017, 20:09:31
I just spotted this Chinony KB-5981 on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chicony-KB-5981-Vintage-Mechanical-Keyboard-/292241872707) with a BIN price of $10.00 + $18.85 U.S. shipping. The seller says it has Aristotle MX White clones (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Aristotle_Cherry_MX_clone), which may be close enough to what you're looking for...?

Show Image
(http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tyQAAOSwarNZr0Go/s-l1600.jpg)

Those switches are NOT clones of MX Whites. They are actually a highly clicky and very loud MX clone. Basically the opposite of an MX White ;)
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: PollandAkuma on Tue, 05 September 2017, 23:03:41: Where are you located? I bought some, but I didn't like them, so perhaps I can sell it to you? I have about 50 of them if I'm not wrong.
Title: Re: Cherry mx White (Milk) alternative?
Post by: ander on Wed, 06 September 2017, 01:25:09: Quote from: linuxfanatic on Tue, 05 September 2017, 21:49:32
Those switches are NOT clones of MX Whites. They are actually a highly clicky and very loud MX clone. Basically the opposite of an MX White ;)

OK then!