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Author Topic: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.  (Read 3476 times)

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Offline skuko

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Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 03:29:01 »
received my new filco from keyboardco yesterday, blue switches are awesome :)

i didn't immediately test all buttons and today i found out that the N key doesn't click. i'm typing on it now and it actuates without any issues, it just feels like a brown and doesn't click.

i immediately panicked and thought filco perhaps forgot to add the white part into the switch. wanted to do an RMA, but i called keyboardco first and the nice guy there told me that it sometimes happens with blues that the internal part gets stuck with the blue stem part and it takes a lot of keypresses in order to "unstick" it and told me to give it a good week of usage before i go through with the RMA.

i wonder whether this is common with blues and if any of you had success with unsticking the keys. desoldering from a filco i received yesterday is out of the question, since it's completely new and i don't have the means to do it anyway.

thanks :)
« Last Edit: Fri, 20 September 2013, 03:40:45 by skuko »
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Offline meiosis

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 03:41:44 »
might just be cheaper for you to go in there using 4 toothpicks to lift up the switch and just separate the two parts. dont you need to pay return shipping
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Filco Majestouch 2 - Sakura Edition [MX Blue]
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Realforce 23ub - Modded with 55g Domes.
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Offline skuko

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 03:46:16 »
i thought it was not possible on plate mounted boards? :O
« Last Edit: Fri, 20 September 2013, 05:13:21 by skuko »
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 06:04:02 »
If it is a plate that allows switch top removal, then yes you can remove the switch top without desoldering the switch, but there are very few keyboards that do.

I have two Ducky Shine with MX blues, and one has two switches that did not click.  With lots of mashing (hundreds, probably thousands of times) the up arrow now clicks most of the time.  The X still only sometimes clicks.

It is not exactly common, but not unheard of either.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline ch_123

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 06:23:51 »
I had one fail to actuate because a small hair got lodged into a switch. The mechanism inside the blues is rather finnicky, so it's not a surprise that people have problematic switches.
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Offline skuko

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 06:27:21 »
i have an air compressor at home, wonder if it would help to try and blow compressed air through the switch :X
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Offline ch_123

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 06:48:10 »
That could be idea, as long as the compressor isn't blowing too hard.
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Offline skuko

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 06:55:32 »
Quote from: rowdy on Fri, 20 September 2013, 06:04:02
If it is a plate that allows switch top removal, then yes you can remove the switch top without desoldering the switch, but there are very few keyboards that do.

I have two Ducky Shine with MX blues, and one has two switches that did not click.  With lots of mashing (hundreds, probably thousands of times) the up arrow now clicks most of the time.  The X still only sometimes clicks.

It is not exactly common, but not unheard of either.

yeah rowdy, in fact the first result that turns out in google hen searching for a stuck blue switch is your thread here on GH lolz
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Offline Masterchief79

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 20 September 2013, 08:22:30 »
I have a whole board of blues that doesn't click (an old Cherry G80-1000HFD), but that's because of the heavy usage. Never heard of a factory-new blue that doesn't click :x sounds pretty devastating.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 21 September 2013, 00:30:49 »
Quote from: skuko on Fri, 20 September 2013, 06:55:32
Quote from: rowdy on Fri, 20 September 2013, 06:04:02
If it is a plate that allows switch top removal, then yes you can remove the switch top without desoldering the switch, but there are very few keyboards that do.

I have two Ducky Shine with MX blues, and one has two switches that did not click.  With lots of mashing (hundreds, probably thousands of times) the up arrow now clicks most of the time.  The X still only sometimes clicks.

It is not exactly common, but not unheard of either.

yeah rowdy, in fact the first result that turns out in google hen searching for a stuck blue switch is your thread here on GH lolz

:))

I used to have a blog, and this one time I searched for something I had done as I could not remember exactly what I did.  The first Google result was my blog.

A funny old internet.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline skuko

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 03:32:04 »
after giving the switch a good exercise over the weekend and it not budging, i'm now standing in front of a dilemma - since it is a base key, i'm not willing to put up with it....if it was a F-key, or something in the right cluster, i wouldn't bother....

1. option - send it back to keyboardco under DSR and get my money back and reorder
2. option - buy a soldering station, void the warranty, desolder the switch as shown here (big thanks WhiteFireDragon) and take it apart to check and separate the white part from the blue stem (in case they're stuck together) or switch the switch (lol pun) with i.e. scroll lock, where i dgaf about it not clicking....

any suggestions? :D
« Last Edit: Mon, 23 September 2013, 03:41:49 by skuko »
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Offline terran5992

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 03:51:27 »
Go with 2 

It will be useful if you are planning to make your own keyboard in the future
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Offline BliTzKiN

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 06:00:24 »
I've had the same problem with my previous ducky, I just went back for an exchange. However, if you're looking to do this as a hobby, I would also vote for getting a soldering iron.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #13 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 06:09:13 »
You could also acquire a replacement switch - either ask in Classifieds, see if someone is selling a bunch (maybe they might give you one), or as a last resort get the one of the Sampler Kits where you get one of each switch.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline skuko

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #14 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 06:56:33 »
i didn't even think about getting switches yet, the question is whether i should use this situation as an opportunity to learn to solder, or be a lazy ass customer and return the product, as it is not working as advertised.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 23 September 2013, 17:06:13 »
To learn to solder on an expensive keyboard might be a recipe for disaster.

Can you get hold of a learning to solder kit?  Most electronics stores probably sell something like that.  Or an old circuit board to practice desoldering and soldering first might be a better idea than using a $150+ keyboard!
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline skuko

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #16 on: Tue, 24 September 2013, 01:13:00 »
Quote from: rowdy on Mon, 23 September 2013, 17:06:13
To learn to solder on an expensive keyboard might be a recipe for disaster.

Can you get hold of a learning to solder kit?  Most electronics stores probably sell something like that.  Or an old circuit board to practice desoldering and soldering first might be a better idea than using a $150+ keyboard!

that's a good point rowdy
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Offline Dreamre

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #17 on: Tue, 24 September 2013, 11:13:14 »
Might end up costing you a bit more considering you'll need to purchase a soldering iron, solder and a solder sucker. If you're going to use this once, I'd just RMA this cause opening the keyboard also voids your warranty.
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Offline skuko

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #18 on: Tue, 24 September 2013, 15:38:43 »
well, a friend of mine has a preofessional soldering station at work, including a desolder, but i'm going for an RMA after consulting with keyboardco....they can replace the switch themselves.
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Offline davkol

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #19 on: Tue, 08 October 2013, 11:44:06 »
That's the reason why they didn't make majestouch with clicky switches in the first place...
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Offline MKULTRA

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #20 on: Tue, 08 October 2013, 11:46:40 »
Take it apart and pull out the little white tab click thingy.
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Offline Hazel

  • Posts: 53
Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #21 on: Tue, 08 October 2013, 12:51:11 »
One of my QFRs had a switch that intermittently lost its click.  Sometimes pressing the switch and blowing on it helped, but it quickly lost its click again.  I eventually desoldered and disassembled the switch, but didn't see any obvious problem.  So I just swapped it with a key I don't use (insert) and went on with my life.
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Offline pcandkbguy

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #22 on: Tue, 08 October 2013, 23:11:15 »
Mine never needed that.
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Offline davkol

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #23 on: Wed, 09 October 2013, 00:59:36 »
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Offline amasokin

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Re: Brand new Filco TKL Blue switch - N key not clicking - feels like brown.
« Reply #24 on: Wed, 09 October 2013, 08:15:10 »
I just bought a QF TK in MX Blue, and THREE switches aren't clicking. It's extremely annoying, considering I bought it on Amazon.com (so I could have an ANSI QWERTY layout) while living in France. So I can't just return it.

I have 2 other boards in MX Blue and never had this problem.

On the QF TK, can the switches be opened without desoldering them? Or am I going to be forced to use my soldering iron? If so, any good tutorial out there? (I know how to use a soldering iron, just never opened a mech keyboard). Thanks.
« Last Edit: Wed, 09 October 2013, 08:25:17 by amasokin »
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