KTOD - How do you like to lube your switches?

[CPTBadAss]

Defect and I were talking about lubing MX switches and I thought this might be fun to make into a KTOD.

How do you like to lube your switches?

I've only lubed one keyboard and I just lubed the slider and the friction points in the top case. Defect said he likes to lube the legs as well as the springs. How do you lube your switches? Has anyone tried a lubed BS or Alps switch? I didn't like the grease mod on BS switches but I'd like to test out lubing an Alps switch.

[SpAmRaY]

On topre I put a thin coat of mkawa's thick lube in the slider channels using qtips and I haven't lubed any other switches yet.

[Photekq]

On vintage blues a tiny bit of GPL103 on the legs.

On clears/ergo clears GPL103/205 50/50 mix on the legs and sliders.

On modern/90s blacks GPL103/205 50/50 mix on the legs and sliders.

On really old blacks or Nixdorf blacks.. none.

[Defect]

MX Only:

Linear: Side Sliders, Back, legs.  Thick or thin lube.
Clears: Side, Back with thick.  Thin (small amount) on legs
Click: Thin on underside where the two parts slap if I want quiet click (hard to do without losing the click).  Otherwise none at all (prefered)

All: Where spring touches stem,  where spring touches lower housing,  and the spring itself

Edit:

On topre I put a thin coat of mkawa's thick lube in the slider channels using qtips and I haven't lubed any other switches yet.

Any other Topre users willing to share their first hand experience with lubed Topre?  Noticible difference?  have been thinking about it but haven't done it because it seems like more work than lubing MX.  Especially if I have to re-align the domes again...suck at that.

[SpAmRaY]

MX Only:

Linear: Side Sliders, Back, legs.  Thick or thin lube.
Clears: Side, Back with thick.  Thin (small amount) on legs
Click: Thin on underside where the two parts slap if I want quiet click (hard to do without losing the click).  Otherwise none at all (prefered)

All: Where spring touches stem,  where spring touches lower housing,  and the spring itself

Edit:

On topre I put a thin coat of mkawa's thick lube in the slider channels using qtips and I haven't lubed any other switches yet.

Any other Topre users willing to share their first hand experience with lubed Topre?  Noticible difference?  have been thinking about it but haven't done it because it seems like more work than lubing MX.  Especially if I have to re-align the domes again...suck at that.

What I do for reassembling topre is prop it up with the case/plate upside down put the domes in then the springs then screw the PCB back on.

[pexon]

Do you notice much difference between lubed and non lubed Topre Ray?

[SpAmRaY]

Do you notice much difference between lubed and non lubed Topre Ray?

Well I only lubed my former HHKB and I dental band modded it as well and add 55g domes so I didn't really have anything to compare it to.

But the person that bought it has a lot of HHKB's and he seemed to like it ok.

[CPTBadAss]

I'd also be interested in hearing more about lubed Toppers. And has anyone tried using Krytox on Model Ms and compared it to grease?

[Oobly]

I only like to lube worn in Browns and Clears. Don't really use other switch types, so... I use them until they lose that "scratchiness", then lube 'em.

I lube the springs and slider sides with medium to thin lube since it's what I have. I don't lube the legs, although my Browns seem to have some lube there already.

[Defect]

I only like to lube worn in Browns and Clears. Don't really use other switch types, so... I use them until they lose that "scratchiness", then lube 'em.

I lube the springs and slider sides with medium to thin lube since it's what I have. I don't lube the legs, although my Browns seem to have some lube there already.

Supposedly all MX come with lube on the legs.  But it's a very small amount and I'm not certain what type of lube it is.

I agree with not lubing tactile legs, and also agree (and forgot to mention) that breaking in switches is recommended.

Lubing new switches is fine, just feels slightly more grainy than used/worn ones.  You can still break them in after lubing.  Sort of.

Broken in and lubed > new lubed > broken in > new.  IMO.

[jdcarpe]

I've only ever lubed MX switches. But what I do is this:

Linear or Tactile Switches
Sliders: Coat lightly with a mix of Krytox 103 (or 1506) oil and 205 grease. I just mix it until I like the consistensy, and it comes out of the syringe needle nicely.
Legs: Put a TINY bit from the tip of the needle, and spread along the legs using the side of the needle.
Springs: Victorinox multi-tool oil, 1 drop on the bottom where it meets the housing, 1 drop on top where it meets the stem.

Clicky Switches
NO LUBE AT ALL

And that's it. Clip the Cherry stabilizers, and apply 205 grease (or the oil/grease mixture).

[Jixr]

Push stem down with tiny screwdriver, drop in a drop of slicon oil. done.

[jdcarpe]

Push stem down with tiny screwdriver, drop in a drop of slicon oil. done.

* jdcarpe cries.

[Jixr]

Too lazy to take the entire switch apart.

[Sifo]

1. pour lube into bowl
2. put springs and stems into bown
3.
4. profit

(don't do this lol)

[jdcarpe]

1. pour lube into bowl
2. put springs and stems into bown
3.
4. profit

(don't do this lol)

Lube for this technique?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MR3IVO/

[Sifo]

1. pour lube into bowl
2. put springs and stems into bown
3.
4. profit

(don't do this lol)

Lube for this technique?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MR3IVO/

Correct I have sponsorship

[SpAmRaY]

1. pour lube into bowl
2. put springs and stems into bown
3.
4. profit

(don't do this lol)

Lube for this technique?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MR3IVO/

where's that one guy....his username was topre...he'd go for that

[kohi]

I only like to lube worn in Browns and Clears. Don't really use other switch types, so... I use them until they lose that "scratchiness", then lube 'em.

I lube the springs and slider sides with medium to thin lube since it's what I have. I don't lube the legs, although my Browns seem to have some lube there already.

how do the lubed worn in browns feel? my unlubed browns are slowly starting to lose their 'scratchiness' so that's good. is the small tactile bump still noticeable - or does it just feel like a lubed red/linear switch?

[Melvang]

I lubed the ghost blacks with Krytox from mkawa.  Mixed in just enough of the thick to change the color.  Using the supplied syringe I put a nice coat on the sides of the stem, and call it good.  Those some smooth switches.

[Oobly]

I only like to lube worn in Browns and Clears. Don't really use other switch types, so... I use them until they lose that "scratchiness", then lube 'em.

I lube the springs and slider sides with medium to thin lube since it's what I have. I don't lube the legs, although my Browns seem to have some lube there already.

how do the lubed worn in browns feel? my unlubed browns are slowly starting to lose their 'scratchiness' so that's good. is the small tactile bump still noticeable - or does it just feel like a lubed red/linear switch?

Been pressing a few to compare... I'd have to say that the lubing actually helps the bump feel a bit more distinct. Without the "scratchiness" to mask it, the smoother movement allows the bump to be felt more, especially on the upstroke. Overall they feel a little lighter than new Browns, with a slightly more prominent bump. At least that's my "feeling" of them, pressing quite slowly. YMMV, etc.. Again, this is without lubing the legs that press the contacts, just the springs and sides of the slider.

Lubed Browns are my second favourite switch, with lubed 62g Clears being tops. I like the thickest, heaviest caps I can find on both, although they lessen the feel of the bump a bit on lubed Browns. At the moment, I am wearing in the Browns on my KBT Pure and have a set of SP caps on them (Nostalgia set). Once they're worn in and lubed, with a plate installed.... GMK Dolch is going on there.