My 87U Came Lubed?

[oTurtlez]

So after using my HHKB I fell in love with the Caps Lock - Control swap, so I did this on my 87u. However, when I went to swap the caps, I discovered something weird.

It appears that they used a normal slider, ie, not purple like the other silenced sliders, and it seems to be covered in lube. The stem design also seems to be a bit different as well as the upper housing. See for yourselves.




Here's an album of comparisons as well.

http://imgur.com/a/c4hfF

[AKIMbO]

I'll check my 87u.....to see if the slider is purple, but all rf boards come with that key pre-lubed.

[daerid]

The lower left slider on RealForce boards is different from the rest. This has been discussed before. Something to do with the LED.

[oTurtlez]

The lower left slider on RealForce boards is different from the rest. This has been discussed before. Something to do with the LED.

Well, you learn something new every day Thanks guys

[___q]

Yeah, the lower left control is weird due to the LED, and the size/shape of the hole in the plate is smaller than normal.  I don't think they can make a silenced version of it, since there's no place on the plunger to put the padding.

By desoldering the LED and using  some creative filing, you can replace it with a "normal" slider (when I silenced an 87U, I swapped the annoying slider with the one from the pause key, so that thee left control would be as quiet as the rest of the keys).

[Michael]

This is the absolute wrong way to lube topres. You need to lube it on the legs (bottom side of the slider) that sit in the grooves (track).

[spiceBar]

This is the absolute wrong way to lube topres. You need to lube it on the legs (bottom side of the slider) that sit in the grooves (track).

That's very interesting. Can you elaborate on this or point me to a thread that has already discussed how to lube Topres? I cannot find any.

I have a Realforce 88UB and I really like the Topre switches. Some time ago I have purchased lubricant from EliteKeyboards and used this one to lube my Cherry MX browns:

http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,misc&pid=mechlube_2


The result is incredible. The browns feel totally different, and better: they are smoother and much more silent.

I'm wondering if Topre keys could benefit from this as well. I find my Realforce is quite noisy, especially when the key travels back up, and I know this noise has almost been eliminated on the browns by the lubricant.

[Michael]

This is the absolute wrong way to lube topres. You need to lube it on the legs (bottom side of the slider) that sit in the grooves (track).

That's very interesting. Can you elaborate on this or point me to a thread that has already discussed how to lube Topres? I cannot find any.

I have a Realforce 88UB and I really like the Topre switches. Some time ago I have purchased lubricant from EliteKeyboards and used this one to lube my Cherry MX browns:

http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,misc&pid=mechlube_2


The result is incredible. The browns feel totally different, and better: they are smoother and much more silent.

I'm wondering if Topre keys could benefit from this as well. I find my Realforce is quite noisy, especially when the key travels back up, and I know this noise has almost been eliminated on the browns by the lubricant.

I lubed my HHKB, but like a fool I forgot to take photos of what I did. Basically when you take your topre board apart, each slide has a bottom side that will have 2 legs. Those legs run up and down 2 tracks. Adding lube inside of those tracks reduces noise, rattle and makes it overall smoother. If I take my HHKB apart again, I will take some photos. Unless any other adventurous person here would like to do that.

[spiceBar]

This is the absolute wrong way to lube topres. You need to lube it on the legs (bottom side of the slider) that sit in the grooves (track).

That's very interesting. Can you elaborate on this or point me to a thread that has already discussed how to lube Topres? I cannot find any.

I have a Realforce 88UB and I really like the Topre switches. Some time ago I have purchased lubricant from EliteKeyboards and used this one to lube my Cherry MX browns:

http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,misc&pid=mechlube_2


The result is incredible. The browns feel totally different, and better: they are smoother and much more silent.

I'm wondering if Topre keys could benefit from this as well. I find my Realforce is quite noisy, especially when the key travels back up, and I know this noise has almost been eliminated on the browns by the lubricant.

I lubed my HHKB, but like a fool I forgot to take photos of what I did. Basically when you take your topre board apart, each slide has a bottom side that will have 2 legs. Those legs run up and down 2 tracks. Adding lube inside of those tracks reduces noise, rattle and makes it overall smoother. If I take my HHKB apart again, I will take some photos. Unless any other adventurous person here would like to do that.

Thank you for the info!

Now the HHKB and the Realforce are built differently. When you open the HHKB you actually open the switches apart, because the mechanical part of the switch is in the top part of the case, and the domes are on the PCB, in the bottom part.

I have not opened my Realforce but I guess it does not have "case-mounted" switches.

So would it be possible to lube the Realforce's switches by just removing the keycaps?

[MJ45]

This is the absolute wrong way to lube topres. You need to lube it on the legs (bottom side of the slider) that sit in the grooves (track).

That's very interesting. Can you elaborate on this or point me to a thread that has already discussed how to lube Topres? I cannot find any.

I have a Realforce 88UB and I really like the Topre switches. Some time ago I have purchased lubricant from EliteKeyboards and used this one to lube my Cherry MX browns:

http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,misc&pid=mechlube_2


The result is incredible. The browns feel totally different, and better: they are smoother and much more silent.

I'm wondering if Topre keys could benefit from this as well. I find my Realforce is quite noisy, especially when the key travels back up, and I know this noise has almost been eliminated on the browns by the lubricant.

I lubed my HHKB, but like a fool I forgot to take photos of what I did. Basically when you take your topre board apart, each slide has a bottom side that will have 2 legs. Those legs run up and down 2 tracks. Adding lube inside of those tracks reduces noise, rattle and makes it overall smoother. If I take my HHKB apart again, I will take some photos. Unless any other adventurous person here would like to do that.

Thank you for the info!

Now the HHKB and the Realforce are built differently. When you open the HHKB you actually open the switches apart, because the mechanical part of the switch is in the top part of the case, and the domes are on the PCB, in the bottom part.

I have not opened my Realforce but I guess it does not have "case-mounted" switches.

So would it be possible to lube the Realforce's switches by just removing the keycaps?

The place to lube that he talked about is only accessible by removing the plate on a Realforce. It's not reachable from the top, it is inside the square housing.

[Michael]

This is the absolute wrong way to lube topres. You need to lube it on the legs (bottom side of the slider) that sit in the grooves (track).

That's very interesting. Can you elaborate on this or point me to a thread that has already discussed how to lube Topres? I cannot find any.

I have a Realforce 88UB and I really like the Topre switches. Some time ago I have purchased lubricant from EliteKeyboards and used this one to lube my Cherry MX browns:

http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,misc&pid=mechlube_2


The result is incredible. The browns feel totally different, and better: they are smoother and much more silent.

I'm wondering if Topre keys could benefit from this as well. I find my Realforce is quite noisy, especially when the key travels back up, and I know this noise has almost been eliminated on the browns by the lubricant.

I lubed my HHKB, but like a fool I forgot to take photos of what I did. Basically when you take your topre board apart, each slide has a bottom side that will have 2 legs. Those legs run up and down 2 tracks. Adding lube inside of those tracks reduces noise, rattle and makes it overall smoother. If I take my HHKB apart again, I will take some photos. Unless any other adventurous person here would like to do that.

Thank you for the info!

Now the HHKB and the Realforce are built differently. When you open the HHKB you actually open the switches apart, because the mechanical part of the switch is in the top part of the case, and the domes are on the PCB, in the bottom part.

I have not opened my Realforce but I guess it does not have "case-mounted" switches.

So would it be possible to lube the Realforce's switches by just removing the keycaps?

The place to lube that he talked about is only accessible by removing the plate on a Realforce. It's not reachable from the top, it is inside the square housing.

Correct. But it's pretty easy to open up a Realforce. Just know that there are A LOT of screws you need to remove. Take a photo of everything as you take it apart so you know exactly where everything goes when you put it back together.

[spiceBar]

OK guys. Thanks for the tip.

[fuzzybaffy]

My RF came lubed that way, on the exact same key, as well. I purchased mine from EK, but I doubt it was EK who did the lubing.