Help with Chicony 5161A

[Al3xG]

Hi to all! I'm new to this forum.In the search for a mechanical keyboard, I've found in my garage an old Chicony KB-5161A with Omron B3G-S. It's plate mounted.
After I've cleaned it and putted on my desk, I've found that some switch don't actuate, or actuate more than one times for keypress.
Since I believe that it's a good keyboard (and I do not want to spend 100$+ in a Filco  ) I need some help to fix it.
Thanks to all 

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

From this post: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/chicony-kb-5161a-blue-alps-t5272.html

I would surmise that AKIMbO, who also has an account here on GH, might have a little insight (although he just swapped switches into another board).

[CPTBadAss]

Some possible fixes:

1) Open the switches up and check to see if they're clean
2) Make sure the switches are soldered correctly
3) If you still get double keypresses, replace the diodes in the PCB
4) Clean everything again

[Al3xG]

Thanks for the tips.
But almost all keys have problems, some more, some less, and it's really tiresome to desolder all the switch 

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Interesting. My research so far indicates that the KB-5161A is an Alps version with NKRO. It has its own FCC ID ending in "5161A".

I'd like to see, from yours:

The writing on the plate (it's partially in shadow in photo)
The writing on the PCB (which in the KB-5161A I've seen, states "N KEY")
The rear label

i.e. are all KB-5161A keyboards N-key, or is that just something they did with the Alps version. (If not, why is the 'A' different from the non-'A'?)

[Al3xG]

More pics added in the first post.
How this Omron switch compare with Alps or Cherry Blue in term of tactility? It's worth to desolder all the switch for cleaning? Otherwise I will buy a Cherry Blue keyboard...

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Excellent! Thank you. Does it have a rear label with FCC ID? I presume it does, as that will be where you got "KB-5161A" from.

Chicony mechanical keyboards are internally marked KB-nnnnX, where 'X' appears to be a variant indicator letter assigned to the retooling for a new switch. In this case, it seems that the A suffix is used for all the N-key rollover versions regardless of switch

I can't accurately describe Omron B3G-S amber, as I only have one switch and I broke  it. To me it felt too stiff, too tactile, like it would be impossible to type on. With the actuator leaf mangled and no longer part of the equation—leaving only the click leaf for tactility—the switch feels wonderful. It now has a beautifully fluid tactile curve, like buckling spring. The result is a switch with around the same weight as Cherry MX blue, but without MX blue's "halt and go" force curve, where the slider stops moving briefly until it finally gives. My "revised" Omron has a long, smooth build up to a natural "give" point where the slider drops without any sharp sticking point. I would love a keyboard made out of these.

I also notice that it has high hysteresis. And a very loud click.

This only furthers my belief that the actuator leaf design is what messes up a lot of Alps-style switches.

[AKIMbO]

When I had my orange omron wang a few keys had the same problem. I thought they were broken, but it turns out I wasn't letting the switch reset.  You have to let the orange omron return to a fully unactuated position before you can get it to actuate again.  Think of it as stabbing at the switch and then completely lifting your finger off of the switch.  Try the stabbing motion and report back.

[Al3xG]

Thanks to all for the replies.
However, the tactility of the switch is not bad at all, but what makes me puzzled is that the actuation point (when the letter compare on the screen) is right BEFORE the tactility bump. So just tapping lightly on the keys actuate the switch.
I never had a mechanical keyboard, but this don't feel good to me.
To me, the actuation should be right AFTER the tactility bump.

[AKIMbO]

Thanks to all for the replies.
However, the tactility of the switch is not bad at all, but what makes me puzzled is that the actuation point (when the letter compare on the screen) is right BEFORE the tactility bump. So just tapping lightly on the keys actuate the switch.
I never had a mechanical keyboard, but this don't feel good to me.
To me, the actuation should be right AFTER the tactility bump.

That's what my orange omron Wang was like too.  It suffered from premature actuation. XD

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I think the Omron switch was the one that felt far too stiff to use, but generally Omrons seem to be fairly well respected.

The idea that it actuates too early is not something I've read before, though; I can't test it with my switch as I've destroyed it