Do old alps feel 'mushy' compared to newer alps?

[snarfarlarkus]

Just bought an old alps from ebay and wondering if that applies

[CPTBadAss]

They won't feel mushy. You will have to be careful about the condition though. Alps are more suspectible to feeling different when dust and other dirty-ness gets into the switch.

[chyros]

No. All should feel clean and crisp. Damped ones might, of course.

[snarfarlarkus]

Thank you so much guys. Is there a way to clean the inside of the alps switch?

[fohat.digs]

XMIT developed a technique for flushing them out with 90% isopropyl alcohol that he swears by.

I don't remember where he posted it, however.

[CPTBadAss]

Disassemble the switch as shown in the video. Then dunk all the components in isopropyl alcohol. Maybe an ultrasonic cleaner if you have one. If you want to be thorough, desolder the bottom half of the case too and throw those in to clean. Shoutouts to Chyros for the great video.

[platypus]

q-tips doused in iso work pretty well too! I like to take a matias click/tactile leaf and swap it into a complicated ALPS switch, pinks/oranges are my favourites :]

[snarfarlarkus]

Thank you so much for the help everyone! That video is very useful!

[njbair]

I never realized you can open Alps switches in the plate. I've been meaning to clean the orange Alps in my hasu 60% but I thought I was going to have to desolder them first. I'm glad I stumbled on this!

[chyros]

Glad the video is proving useful . Note: some older Alps switches like blues came with lubricant on them; using iPrOH will dissolve this, and that might affect the keyfeel.

[snarfarlarkus]

Glad the video is proving useful . Note: some older Alps switches like blues came with lubricant on them; using iPrOH will dissolve this, and that might affect the keyfeel.

Thanks for the heads-up, should I lube them again? Will WD-40 work? Or should I just not wash the components in iPrOH? Cheers

[chyros]

Glad the video is proving useful . Note: some older Alps switches like blues came with lubricant on them; using iPrOH will dissolve this, and that might affect the keyfeel.

Thanks for the heads-up, should I lube them again? Will WD-40 work? Or should I just not wash the components in iPrOH? Cheers

If XMIT swears by it I'm sure it has merit, I'm just throwing this out because cleaning the sliders off a board that later turned out to be lubed ruined the keyfeel for me once, so I'm not doing it anymore myself. Maybe re-lube them afterwards? Not sure what would make for the best lube though.

[fohat.digs]

Will WD-40 work?

Never use WD40! It is a solvent and bad news for plastic.

Make sure to use Krytox or something formulated to be absolutely plastic-safe in the long-term.

[njbair]

I'd have to think Krytox would work similarly for Alps as it does for MX.

[snarfarlarkus]

Oh thank you. The only lube I have is WD-40 so I guess I will have to pick up from Krytox. How do I relube alps anyway? Just spray the lube over all the components?

[njbair]

Oh thank you. The only lube I have is WD-40 so I guess I will have to pick up from Krytox. How do I relube alps anyway? Just spray the lube over all the components?

Krytox is not a spray, but a grease which you apply sparingly at the contact points.

You can buy it from a lot of small enthusiast-run sites, I've gotten mine from TechKeys.us

[snarfarlarkus]

Oh thank you. The only lube I have is WD-40 so I guess I will have to pick up from Krytox. How do I relube alps anyway? Just spray the lube over all the components?

Krytox is not a spray, but a grease which you apply sparingly at the contact points.

You can buy it from a lot of small enthusiast-run sites, I've gotten mine from TechKeys.us

Thanks for the link! I am guessing I use the thick lube for alps switches as it it tactile and the spring lube for the alps springs? Where are the contact points in an alps switch?

[Snowdog993]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

[njbair]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

Nah, he just bought a board but hasn't gotten it yet. Just being paranoid.

Thanks for the link! I am guessing I use the thick lube for alps switches as it it tactile and the spring lube for the alps springs? Where are the contact points in an alps switch?

I would get the thick lube & spring lube. Then I would actually apply the lube to the metal leaf inside the switch housing, rather than on the slider itself. That's where most of the contact is happening. I'm not an Alps lube expert, though.

[Snowdog993]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

Nah, he just bought a board but hasn't gotten it yet. Just being paranoid.

That makes sense.  Nevermind.

[snarfarlarkus]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

What is sliders over domes? I bought a Northgate Omnikey 102 with blue alps.

[sean]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

What is sliders over domes? I bought a Northgate Omnikey 102 with blue alps.

Me too! I just won the auction today :>

I think I'm going to have to do a full iso bath for all the switches since there are a few sticky keys, so I'll need to know exactly how to reapply the lube. If anyone has some actual information on that I'd appreciate it. Then they're going right on Hasu's Alps64 like they belong!

[snarfarlarkus]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

What is sliders over domes? I bought a Northgate Omnikey 102 with blue alps.

Me too! I just won the auction today :>

I think I'm going to have to do a full iso bath for all the switches since there are a few sticky keys, so I'll need to know exactly how to reapply the lube. If anyone has some actual information on that I'd appreciate it. Then they're going right on Hasu's Alps64 like they belong!

Nice!!! How much did yours go for if I may ask? Mine seemed to be in above average overall condition but just with a lot of dust and debris under the keycaps. How do you put them onto Hasu's 60% PCB?

[Magna224]

The majority of bad alps I have felt was due to grittyness or sticking. Never felt 'mushy' ALPS.

[snarfarlarkus]

The majority of bad alps I have felt was due to grittyness or sticking. Never felt 'mushy' ALPS.

How did you fix the sticking or grittyness?

[sean]

Grittyness and sticking would definitely be from crap getting into the switch. An isopropyl alcohol wash should fix that like the guys were talking about before.

[chyros]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

Nah, he just bought a board but hasn't gotten it yet. Just being paranoid.

Thanks for the link! I am guessing I use the thick lube for alps switches as it it tactile and the spring lube for the alps springs? Where are the contact points in an alps switch?

I would get the thick lube & spring lube. Then I would actually apply the lube to the metal leaf inside the switch housing, rather than on the slider itself. That's where most of the contact is happening. I'm not an Alps lube expert, though.

Neither am I, but I can definitely say with certainty it's not just the teeth on the leaf springs that are the biggest contact points, but the sides of the slider (where it is retained by the housing). Lubing that would be a first, I'd say, after that, the teeth on the tactile/clicky leaf, and finally the teeth on the contact leaf.

[njbair]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

Nah, he just bought a board but hasn't gotten it yet. Just being paranoid.

Thanks for the link! I am guessing I use the thick lube for alps switches as it it tactile and the spring lube for the alps springs? Where are the contact points in an alps switch?

I would get the thick lube & spring lube. Then I would actually apply the lube to the metal leaf inside the switch housing, rather than on the slider itself. That's where most of the contact is happening. I'm not an Alps lube expert, though.

Neither am I, but I can definitely say with certainty it's not just the teeth on the leaf springs that are the biggest contact points, but the sides of the slider (where it is retained by the housing). Lubing that would be a first, I'd say, after that, the teeth on the tactile/clicky leaf, and finally the teeth on the contact leaf.

Seems like that could get messy real fast, and attract dust since that part of the slider is exposed above the switch housing.

Maybe some kind of dry live would be better here?

[chyros]

I have the strange feeling this person has sliders over domes. Just a feeling.

I wonder what is the make and model number of the keyboard?  I am sure that can help too.

Nah, he just bought a board but hasn't gotten it yet. Just being paranoid.

Thanks for the link! I am guessing I use the thick lube for alps switches as it it tactile and the spring lube for the alps springs? Where are the contact points in an alps switch?

I would get the thick lube & spring lube. Then I would actually apply the lube to the metal leaf inside the switch housing, rather than on the slider itself. That's where most of the contact is happening. I'm not an Alps lube expert, though.

Neither am I, but I can definitely say with certainty it's not just the teeth on the leaf springs that are the biggest contact points, but the sides of the slider (where it is retained by the housing). Lubing that would be a first, I'd say, after that, the teeth on the tactile/clicky leaf, and finally the teeth on the contact leaf.

Seems like that could get messy real fast, and attract dust since that part of the slider is exposed above the switch housing.

Maybe some kind of dry live would be better here?

No not that bit, the sides of the slider where it's at its broadest. There is a track in the inside of the housing that guides the slider along it.

Alps factory lube appears to be smeared all over the slider though, including the bit you are talking about.