Lube drying up

[ctm]

I got Finish Line Extreme Fluoro from Amazon to lube my stabilizers. I applied the lube around one month ago. Today I pulled up the keycaps for cleaning and found the lube has dried up and mostly shattered into white powder. Is this normal?

[SpAmRaY]

Where did you see that lube recommended?

I've always used krytox mixes and never had any issues.

I think most people use grease based lubes for stabilizers.

[ctm]

Where did you see that lube recommended?

I've always used krytox mixes and never had any issues.

I think most people use grease based lubes for stabilizers.

I saw it from here http://imgur.com/a/lhLqo

[SpAmRaY]

Where did you see that lube recommended?

I've always used krytox mixes and never had any issues.

I think most people use grease based lubes for stabilizers.

I saw it from here http://imgur.com/a/lhLqo

Good ole rip and his keyboard science.

Maybe go ask on r/mechanicalkeyboards I'm sure he'll explain the issue better than anyone here can.

[KHAANNN]

I got Finish Line Extreme Fluoro from Amazon to lube my stabilizers. I applied the lube around one month ago. Today I pulled up the keycaps for cleaning and found the lube has dried up and mostly shattered into white powder. Is this normal?

Since you have access to Amazon, that lube seems like an extreme waste of available resources, a GPL205 is a nice all around lube, I have my keyboards lubed with roughly 205 all around, switches, springs, stabs, it's a happily ever after lube

Pure Silicone lubes are also nice IMO, even better initially, have only used them for a month tho

Better not confront ripster with this tho, his heart seems to be in the right place, yet his reality seemed a bit warped to me on occasions

Here is a nice guide: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34332.0
TL;DR: Lube everything except the metals with Krytox

[ctm]

I got Finish Line Extreme Fluoro from Amazon to lube my stabilizers. I applied the lube around one month ago. Today I pulled up the keycaps for cleaning and found the lube has dried up and mostly shattered into white powder. Is this normal?

Since you have access to Amazon, that lube seems like an extreme waste of available resources, a GPL205 is a nice all around lube, I have my keyboards lubed with roughly 205 all around, switches, springs, stabs, it's a happily ever after lube

Pure Silicone lubes are also nice IMO, even better initially, have only used them for a month tho

Better not confront ripster with this tho, his heart seems to be in the right place, yet his reality seemed a bit warped to me on occasions

Here is a nice guide: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34332.0
TL;DR: Lube everything except the metals with Krytox

Thanks for the advice. You said Krytox is not for metals,  but stabilizer wires are metal, right?

[TopreFan333]

[Hypersphere]

I've noticed that when I open keyboards that have had factory lubrication of stabilizers, the white grease has dried up and started to crumble. I've been removing the old grease and using SuperLube oil instead. However, I don't know if this will stay in place very well over time. I think I will follow KHAANNN's advice and try the Dupont Krytox GPL205 lube.

[KHAANNN]

I've noticed that when I open keyboards that have had factory lubrication of stabilizers, the white grease has dried up and started to crumble. I've been removing the old grease and using SuperLube oil instead. However, I don't know if this will stay in place very well over time. I think I will follow KHAANNN's advice and try the Dupont Krytox GPL205 lube.

Both wear off equally from my observation, but they claim the effects of Krytox stay forever* - I use GPL207 for the stabs by the way, but sometimes if the costar insert is rubbing the slider slightly, 207 makes things worse and I use the 105 oil, but the wire/insert part definitely gets the 207 - as an over simplification 205 for everything works

ctm, I was referencing to the switch lubrication, since the metal leafs have to touch each other, lube might isolate them electrically

[strict]

I initially tried the Finish Line Extreme Flouro when I got my first mech but had the exact same results as you. It dried out and created a total mess. I've since switched to using either the Krytox Thick or Extra Thick blends for lubing my stab wires and haven't had any issues. Every board I currently own has Krytox on the stabs and not one of them has stabilizers that rattle. It's a little pricey for stab lube but it's easily one of the best choices out there.

[KHAANNN]

I initially tried the Finish Line Extreme Flouro when I got my first mech but had the exact same results as you. It dried out and created a total mess. I've since switched to using either the Krytox Thick or Extra Thick blends for lubing my stab wires and haven't had any issues. Every board I currently own has Krytox on the stabs and not one of them has stabilizers that rattle. It's a little pricey for stab lube but it's easily one of the best choices out there.

Interesting, is it a cherry or costar stab?

Also, do you know the rough composition of the extra thick one?

From my experience, lube definitely improves the performance of the stabiliser, yet the rattle eventually returns

[strict]

I initially tried the Finish Line Extreme Flouro when I got my first mech but had the exact same results as you. It dried out and created a total mess. I've since switched to using either the Krytox Thick or Extra Thick blends for lubing my stab wires and haven't had any issues. Every board I currently own has Krytox on the stabs and not one of them has stabilizers that rattle. It's a little pricey for stab lube but it's easily one of the best choices out there.

Interesting, is it a cherry or costar stab?

Also, do you know the rough composition of the extra thick one?

From my experience, lube definitely improves the performance of the stabiliser, yet the rattle eventually returns

Costar die-hard here

Not sure about the composition of the extra thick, it's noticeably thicker than either the thin or thick blends so I would assume it's got more 206 in it. I've had it on my 87UB for 6+ months and it still is as silent as the day I applied it.

[ctm]

I initially tried the Finish Line Extreme Flouro when I got my first mech but had the exact same results as you. It dried out and created a total mess. I've since switched to using either the Krytox Thick or Extra Thick blends for lubing my stab wires and haven't had any issues. Every board I currently own has Krytox on the stabs and not one of them has stabilizers that rattle. It's a little pricey for stab lube but it's easily one of the best choices out there.

Thanks for the info. Where do you get your Krytox blends? How different is the blend compared to just using 205/206/207?

[strict]

I initially tried the Finish Line Extreme Flouro when I got my first mech but had the exact same results as you. It dried out and created a total mess. I've since switched to using either the Krytox Thick or Extra Thick blends for lubing my stab wires and haven't had any issues. Every board I currently own has Krytox on the stabs and not one of them has stabilizers that rattle. It's a little pricey for stab lube but it's easily one of the best choices out there.

Thanks for the info. Where do you get your Krytox blends? How different is the blend compared to just using 205/206/207?

All over the place actually, thin from zeal, thick from originative, and extra thick from mk. The blends I feel are the way to go, it's slicker and the consistencies are perfect for different switch types. The only one I'm not big on is thin, even though it's supposed to be for linear I feel like thick works better. Thick is probably the most versatile and extra thick is sublime on Topre.

[ctm]

I initially tried the Finish Line Extreme Flouro when I got my first mech but had the exact same results as you. It dried out and created a total mess. I've since switched to using either the Krytox Thick or Extra Thick blends for lubing my stab wires and haven't had any issues. Every board I currently own has Krytox on the stabs and not one of them has stabilizers that rattle. It's a little pricey for stab lube but it's easily one of the best choices out there.

Thanks for the info. Where do you get your Krytox blends? How different is the blend compared to just using 205/206/207?

All over the place actually, thin from zeal, thick from originative, and extra thick from mk. The blends I feel are the way to go, it's slicker and the consistencies are perfect for different switch types. The only one I'm not big on is thin, even though it's supposed to be for linear I feel like thick works better. Thick is probably the most versatile and extra thick is sublime on Topre.

I just want to lube the stabs at this moment, so I should probably go for thick? I also see it on sale on techkeys. Is it the same formula?

[strict]

I initially tried the Finish Line Extreme Flouro when I got my first mech but had the exact same results as you. It dried out and created a total mess. I've since switched to using either the Krytox Thick or Extra Thick blends for lubing my stab wires and haven't had any issues. Every board I currently own has Krytox on the stabs and not one of them has stabilizers that rattle. It's a little pricey for stab lube but it's easily one of the best choices out there.

Thanks for the info. Where do you get your Krytox blends? How different is the blend compared to just using 205/206/207?

All over the place actually, thin from zeal, thick from originative, and extra thick from mk. The blends I feel are the way to go, it's slicker and the consistencies are perfect for different switch types. The only one I'm not big on is thin, even though it's supposed to be for linear I feel like thick works better. Thick is probably the most versatile and extra thick is sublime on Topre.

I just want to lube the stabs at this moment, so I should probably go for thick? I also see it on sale on techkeys. Is it the same formula?

Yep, the tech keys stuff is sourced from mkawa and will be the same as the others. If you're only planning on doing stabs with it I would actually lean slightly toward extra thick because it doesn't take as much product to achieve the same level of silencing. You can't go wrong with either one though.

[ika]

What is the consistency of the Finish Line stuff you got? I use "dry lube" for my bike chain and it's basically teflon carried in some volatile solvent. Drip the liquid onto the chain, spin it for a while, and the liquid evaporates, leaving a film of dry teflon on the chain, with no liquid in the bearings to attract dirt. That should not be happening with grease, though.

[ctm]

I initially tried the Finish Line Extreme Flouro when I got my first mech but had the exact same results as you. It dried out and created a total mess. I've since switched to using either the Krytox Thick or Extra Thick blends for lubing my stab wires and haven't had any issues. Every board I currently own has Krytox on the stabs and not one of them has stabilizers that rattle. It's a little pricey for stab lube but it's easily one of the best choices out there.

Thanks for the info. Where do you get your Krytox blends? How different is the blend compared to just using 205/206/207?

All over the place actually, thin from zeal, thick from originative, and extra thick from mk. The blends I feel are the way to go, it's slicker and the consistencies are perfect for different switch types. The only one I'm not big on is thin, even though it's supposed to be for linear I feel like thick works better. Thick is probably the most versatile and extra thick is sublime on Topre.

I just want to lube the stabs at this moment, so I should probably go for thick? I also see it on sale on techkeys. Is it the same formula?

Yep, the tech keys stuff is sourced from mkawa and will be the same as the others. If you're only planning on doing stabs with it I would actually lean slightly toward extra thick because it doesn't take as much product to achieve the same level of silencing. You can't go wrong with either one though.

Thank you. I don't see the option of extra thick on Techkeys. There are only thin, thick and spring.

[Bucake]

glad to read 205 is versatile, i just received my 2oz tube.
must lube everything!

(couldn't even find 206 or 207 when i last checked)