Do you use o-rings?

[Fragil1ty]

Just curious really, as I've got some o-rings and I'm trying them out on my new Keycool 84 /w Browns and not 100% sure if I like them or not.

Do you use o-rings and if so, on which switch?

[bazemk1979]

Just curious really, as I've got some o-rings and I'm trying them out on my new Keycool 84 /w Browns and not 100% sure if I like them or not.

Do you use o-rings and if so, on which switch?

I bought something a year a go from a GH'er and he was nice enough to include 2-3 O-rings with my purchase. I have never tried different type of o-ring thickness but seemed that these were the thicker kind. Placed 1 on the blue switch and just felt totally unnatural  having to press the key half way trough vs as it was before just plain normal blue switch. I honestly hated it, maeby would of liked it if the o-ring was thinner, but anyways I like the feel of the cherry travel and never wanted o-rings in first place.

[fohat.digs]

I have used them on black and blue. I prefer landing pads for blue, but I don't really use them anyway.

I think that O-rings are great and I would love to have them for other switch types. The softest and thinnest ones available.

[tp4tissue]

Well if the new "topre patent" guide thing is to be believed.. orings would help with reducing damage to "tendon sheath" during "heavier" keypresses.. when you're "MAD".

[spiceBar]

I use O-rings or landing pads on ALL my Cherry MX keyboards.

I cannot really use a Cherry MX keyboard before it is somehow silenced/softened with O-rings or landing pads. I don't want the hard bottoming out and the noise that comes with it. And it also by courtesy for the people around me.

I even use them on Cherry MX blues.

I also use landing pads to mute the sound of the upstroke (not the bottoming out) on Topre switches. I tried O-rings for this, but they did not work for me.

It is a personal choice. I'm not saying that everybody should use O-rings. I totally understand that the sound of a purely unmodified mechanical keyboard can by enjoyable, but for several reasons I always use O-rings or a similar sound/touch dampening device.

[unicomp_uc]

I use them on my Filco Minila with browns and I personally like the slightly deadened and less brittle sensation (We're talking minor changes so I'm not inferring that my board was originally overly pingy and brittle). I personally feel it makes the board feel more refined. I am a Topre fan though, so I may just like them because it makes the board seem a little more similar to my HHKB than without the O-rings.

It's all personal preference though.

[PointyFox]

I liked how the thicker ones made mx blue switches bottom out right after they actuate, making them easier to use.  What I don't like about them is that they make bottoming out feel squishy and sound lame (with mx black).  I like to bottom out hard with a clack sound.

[Findecanor]

I use them on a keyboard with MX Clears right now, but only to try them out and see if it would make the keyboard more silent.
I conclude that Clears is the switch that don't really need them, because there is not that much energy left in the stroke when you bottom out, if you bottom out. There is a difference in feel, but very little difference in sound.

[Fragil1ty]

I'm just trying them out on the actual letter keys at the moment and not on the other keys, as I don't want to put o-rings on the entire keyboard for me not to like them.

They don't feel half bad on browns to be honest, I like that they feel like the bump on browns is a bit reduced and also like that the sound is reduced, but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep them or not though, time will tell I suppose!                           

Will use them for the next 24 - 48 hours and see how I feel after that!

[spiceBar]

I'm just trying them out on the actual letter keys at the moment and not on the other keys, as I don't want to put o-rings on the entire keyboard for me not to like them.

They don't feel half bad on browns to be honest, I like that they feel like the bump on browns is a bit reduced and also like that the sound is reduced, but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep them or not though, time will tell I suppose!                           

Will use them for the next 24 - 48 hours and see how I feel after that!

I guess the moment of truth will come after you remove them. Then you will know if you liked them or not.

But use them for long enough before removing them. I would say at least two days, so the feeling becomes natural. That way, the first minute you use the keyboard without them you will know if you miss them or not. You will not even have to think about it.

[noisyturtle]

Only on MX red switches.

[Grendel]

I have rings in all of my boards (MX clear, brown, blue, & black), mainly to prevent the bottoming out shock and to reduce noise. Works for me and the people using my boards

[nubbinator]

I tried o-rings once and absolutely hated them.

[esoomenona]

I liked how the thicker ones made mx blue switches bottom out right after they actuate, making them easier to use.  What I don't like about them is that they make bottoming out feel squishy and sound lame (with mx black).  I like to bottom out hard with a clack sound.

Hmm... maybe we can find something along the lines of a 2mm in thickness plastic ring/washer, that would stop you from going down further than actuation, but would still allow a nice bottom out sound.

[KaLam1ty]

I use o-rings but I bought ones actually sold for plumbing on Amazon. I mean..
I guess you could use the o-rings from WASD or whatever MK retailer for plumbing,
as they're just rubber loops  ).

I personally like the sharper clack sound, but unfortunately you will only get that feedback from hard plastic on hard plastic.
What I mainly use o-rings for though are to reduce the bottom-out distance.
While ALL rubber o-rings will muffle the clack in a thud or chunk sound, there are harder
o-rings out there aside from the ones you normally see people recommend on GH.

For both my MX Reds and Blacks, I have have: 106 EPDM O-Ring
These are probably one of the largest ones you can use for reducing bottom-out distance, while still
giving the hardest feedback. The keys will still be less clacky, but at least they won't feel NEARLY
as squishy as the WASD o-rings (which I found to be quite muddy to type on).

• 70A Durometer
• Black
• 3/16" ID
• 3/8" OD
• 3/32" Width

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001D8BYJ4/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, if you do happen to buy custom o-rings, make sure you get EPDM. Most people say there is no
difference between Buna-N vs. EPDM for keyboard usage. But I found that Buna-N were VERY squeaky
when rubbing against the switches.

[Polymer]

I use them....but you have to remember there are a lot of different thicknesses out there.  Depending on the profile of your keycaps and the rings themselves, you may find it reduces the travel too much....or you may even find it isn't making any sort of difference at all.

My personal preference is when the travel is not reduced significantly....

[histevenhere]

I enjoy them on Reds and Browns . I really like the distance deduction from the o-rings, really gives off the floating feeling on my fingers when I type up school works .

[Emospence]

For me, the whole point of using a Cherry board is the clacking - so, no.

[Fragil1ty]

For me, the whole point of using a Cherry board is the clacking - so, no.

It doesn't feel too bad on browns to be perfectly honest, but I'm not sure if I'm liking how they feel and what not. They just feel a bit more cushiony (if that makes sense) and they are bottoming out less and making less noise, that's about it really.

The o-rings that I'm using are relatively thin though, they are by no means the thick ones that I'm seeing other users use, I'm going to carry on using them for a while and see how I feel, but i'm thinking about going with the traditional feel (getting rid of them) and just using them on my modifiers (space bar, shift, etc) and that's about it XD.

[unicomp_uc]

"...They just feel a bit more cushiony (if that makes sense) and they are bottoming out less and making less noise, that's about it really."




Well you've described the entire point of the O-ring. They are functioning as designed. Now it's up to you to decide if you like that or not.

[Polymer]

The o-rings that I'm using are relatively thin though, they are by no means the thick ones that I'm seeing other users use, I'm going to carry on using them for a while and see how I feel, but i'm thinking about going with the traditional feel (getting rid of them) and just using them on my modifiers (space bar, shift, etc) and that's about it XD.

Get a board with Cherry Stabilizers..they're pretty much like having o-rings on them..

[Dreamre]

I use them with Cherry Blues and Reds.

[PointyFox]

I liked how the thicker ones made mx blue switches bottom out right after they actuate, making them easier to use.  What I don't like about them is that they make bottoming out feel squishy and sound lame (with mx black).  I like to bottom out hard with a clack sound.

Hmm... maybe we can find something along the lines of a 2mm in thickness plastic ring/washer, that would stop you from going down further than actuation, but would still allow a nice bottom out sound.

Yeah, that would be nice for blues. 

The o-rings that I'm using are relatively thin though, they are by no means the thick ones that I'm seeing other users use, I'm going to carry on using them for a while and see how I feel, but i'm thinking about going with the traditional feel (getting rid of them) and just using them on my modifiers (space bar, shift, etc) and that's about it XD.

Get a board with Cherry Stabilizers..they're pretty much like having o-rings on them..

Not mine.

[Oobly]

Yup, I use orings on browns and ergoclears with thin ABS keycaps. Reduces the shock and noise when bottoming out. I will try both with and without them when my PBT and POM caps arrive to see how they feel.

[ragnog81]

I'm using 40A-L Orings on a cherry mx red keyboard (Corsair K70), and 40A-R on a cherry mx black keyboard (CM Storm QFR).
I bought both orings from wasd (blue and red ones):
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keyboard-accessories-2/cherry-mx-rubber-switch-dampeners.html

Blue (40A-R) orings really improved gaming experience on my cherry mx black QFR.
Black switches have higher actuation force, so are slower than red switches, but a bit more precise (less typos).
Blue orings reduced black switches travel distances, making them "faster" (less travel distance to bottom out, faster moving to a new key).
I still consider reds superior for gaming, but I must say that blacks with blue orings are great.

Red (40A-L) switches didn't change too much the experience on my mx red keyboard instead.
Reaction hasn't improved that much, travel distance is more or less the same, I just gained a bit of silence which anyway isn't bad.
I left red orings on my Corsair K70, but I could live without them.


More time pass, and more I feel that one of the biggest advantages of Mechanical keyboards, in addiction to their inner mechanical quality, is customization.
So there is not a "better" or "worse" solution, most alternatives are subjective.
Experimenting leads to the best keyboard experience.


OFFTOPIC: I bought Corsair K70 after QFR, because I wanted to try cherry mx red. Now I understand when people claims that QFR (and probably Filcos, Ducky etc.) have better quality. Still, for a gamer, cherry mx red are generally so superior that personally I can move on worst stabilizers and not so good keycaps.
Add to this a wrist rest with great ergonomics (at least for me) and very nice touch feeling, and actually Corsair K70 is driving really great gaming performance for my needs.

[C5Allroad]

I'm just trying them out on the actual letter keys at the moment and not on the other keys, as I don't want to put o-rings on the entire keyboard for me not to like them.

They don't feel half bad on browns to be honest, I like that they feel like the bump on browns is a bit reduced and also like that the sound is reduced, but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep them or not though, time will tell I suppose!                           

Will use them for the next 24 - 48 hours and see how I feel after that!

What kind of o-rings are you using right now?

[terran5992]

Nah i dont like the way the keycaps feel with o rings on them . Makes them kinda squishy

[Tony]

I have tried it and I don't like the feel of o-rings. I prefer the sharp sound of my Filco brown.

[terran5992]

I have tried it and I don't like the feel of o-rings. I prefer the sharp sound of my Filco brown.

Someone agrees with me

[Flamingchook]

I have tried it and I don't like the feel of o-rings. I prefer the sharp sound of my Filco brown.

Someone agrees with me

I also like the sound of my Filco with MX Browns without o-rings. This reminds me that I should probably take them off ) I have the 15 o-rings from the WASD tester on it at the moment but I never took them off since I've been using other keyboards... I guess I can just leave them on the stock filco caps with the Tai Hao keycaps coming soon.

[davkol]

First, I bought black EK's soft-landing pads. I didn't like them on linear switches (blacks at the time) at all. Landing felt mushy and key travel of Cherry keycaps was already rather short even without them. However, I tend to avoid (harsh) bottoming out, because of both noise and ergonomic reasons, and I'm unable to stop the keystroke right after actuation on switches with sharp tactile point, such as MX Blue or complicated white ALPS. Therefore, I prefer dampeners on clicky switches (except buckling spring, but bottoming out and noise are irrelevant in that case)... which I don't use almost at all anyway.

I tried all WASD's o-rings on reds with Cherry keycaps as well. I either didn't notice them, or they rendered the keyboard nearly unusable for me, reasons were the same as in case of soft-landing pads: too short key travel and mushy landing.

Now, I'm using clears. There's no point in putting dampeners on them.

[PointyFox]

First, I bought black EK's soft-landing pads. I didn't like them on linear switches (blacks at the time) at all. Landing felt mushy and key travel of Cherry keycaps was already rather short even without them. However, I tend to avoid (harsh) bottoming out, because of both noise and ergonomic reasons, and I'm unable to stop the keystroke right after actuation on switches with sharp tactile point, such as MX Blue or complicated white ALPS. Therefore, I prefer dampeners on clicky switches (except buckling spring, but bottoming out and noise are irrelevant in that case)... which I don't use almost at all anyway.

I tried all WASD's o-rings on reds with Cherry keycaps as well. I either didn't notice them, or they rendered the keyboard nearly unusable for me, reasons were the same as in case of soft-landing pads: too short key travel and mushy landing.

Now, I'm using clears. There's no point in putting dampeners on them.

Same experience.