Why are clear stems so thick?

[Pacifist]

I was swapping keycaps on my 11900 modded partially with clears from mk.com.
They were a PITA to pull out, I even pulled one cap out with the stem and top still attached.
My stock blacks on the other hand were effortless to pull out.

So why did cherry make clear stems thicker now? An error or are they doing it on purpose?

[sth]

clear plastic is bigger than black plastic

[stancato9]

I haven't soldered my clears yet but I have the exact same problem. It is very frustrating and seems it could do some damage to the caps or switch if you aren't careful.

[Puddsy]

See: SP DCS stems being so tight

probably something to do with their intention of the use of clears.

[tp4tissue]

Yea, it's really weird.... they're very hard to put on and dislodge....

[Alessandro]

That's what Cherry want you to think.

[tp4tissue]

That's what Cherry want you to think.

Cherry conspiracy thread #5

[Alessandro]

That's what Cherry want you to think.

Cherry conspiracy thread #5

That's what the Ergodox wants you to think.

[tp4tissue]

That's what Cherry want you to think.

Cherry conspiracy thread #5

That's what the Ergodox wants you to think.

I only have clears in the periphery keys on my Egdx, the rest are blacks..  Coincidence or Conspiracy thread #6

[1pq]

That's what Cherry want you to think.

Cherry conspiracy thread #5

That's what the Ergodox wants you to think.

I only have clears in the periphery keys on my Egdx, the rest are blacks..  Coincidence or Conspiracy thread #6

Why that combo?
I could have sworn you said somewhere you had blues...

[Pacifist]

That's what Cherry want you to think.

But I put cherry clears on a cherry board with cherry keys....

[tbc]

Anyone done clears with DSA?  Sounds scary tight.

[Alessandro]

That's what Cherry want you to think.

But I put cherry clears on a cherry board with cherry keys....

But that's what they want you to think! Why don't you get this man!? D:

[tp4tissue]

That's what Cherry want you to think.

Cherry conspiracy thread #5

That's what the Ergodox wants you to think.

I only have clears in the periphery keys on my Egdx, the rest are blacks..  Coincidence or Conspiracy thread #6

Why that combo?
I could have sworn you said somewhere you had blues...

No, I said, cherry Blue is the most advanced, least perceptible friction switch..

My Egdx came with clears, and I put in blacks after, because I didn't feel like I need the tactile response. And I prioritized for low noise because my room became way more quiet after I turned off the harddrives.

[Grendel]

I was swapping keycaps on my 11900 modded partially with clears from mk.com.
They were a PITA to pull out, I even pulled one cap out with the stem and top still attached.
My stock blacks on the other hand were effortless to pull out.

So why did cherry make clear stems thicker now? An error or are they doing it on purpose?

Looks like it's on purpose, the clear stem mold is different -- if you look very closely at the stem of the clears you'll see little "bumps" (for the lack of a better word. Maybe "ridges" would work tho) on it that are most likely the cause for the clears to grab on to the caps. I have not found them on blue, red, brown, black, or green stems of the switches available to me. I tried to get a picture of one (there are four on a stem), hard to see but gives you an idea what and where to look for.



My clears from mk.com, in the CM Storm Switch Demo, and in a Deck Legend Frost all have them.

[nubbinator]

Clears aren't any thicker.  I've taken calipers to them and they're the same thickness as other stems.  They have a different cutout on the front side and do have that little nub on the sides that Grendel mentioned though.

[SpAmRaY]

Anyone done clears with DSA?  Sounds scary tight.

I didn't have any issue with DSA....

GMK keys have been a very tight fit however.

[daerid]

Clears were manufactured to be used in high-traffic and industrial applications, so the caps fit on tighter to avoid accidental removal.

[MJ45]

Clears aren't any thicker.  I've taken calipers to them and they're the same thickness as other stems.  They have a different cutout on the front side and do have that little nub on the sides that Grendel mentioned though.

I have measured them and found that they are thicker. But not by much like a half a thousandth (0.0005) or so. On the latest Phantom I built with new MX Clear switches when I tried removing also new GMK caps for some spring tuning, I pulled several switch tops off. After that I used some older looser caps until I found my spring choice (65g). The difference in the stem bumps and slightly thicker stems add up to some extremely tight cap fits. It would easy to damage switches if your not careful changing keycaps, especially the tight ones.     

[damorgue]

I was swapping keycaps on my 11900 modded partially with clears from mk.com.
They were a PITA to pull out, I even pulled one cap out with the stem and top still attached.
My stock blacks on the other hand were effortless to pull out.

So why did cherry make clear stems thicker now? An error or are they doing it on purpose?

Looks like it's on purpose, the clear stem mold is different -- if you look very closely at the stem of the clears you'll see little "bumps" (for the lack of a better word. Maybe "ridges" would work tho) on it that are most likely the cause for the clears to grab on to the caps. I have not found them on blue, red, brown, black, or green stems of the switches available to me. I tried to get a picture of one (there are four on a stem), hard to see but gives you an idea what and where to look for.

Show Image

Show Image

My clears from mk.com, in the CM Storm Switch Demo, and in a Deck Legend Frost all have them.

Those notches exist on other switches as well, but on different sides. Some stems have them facing the cherry logo while others have them facing the LED hole. I never got why this is. The only reason I ca think of is that some of the switches are designed to be used upside down, so that the LED is located at the upper end of the cap under the legend rather than at the lower part.

[nubbinator]

Clears aren't any thicker.  I've taken calipers to them and they're the same thickness as other stems.  They have a different cutout on the front side and do have that little nub on the sides that Grendel mentioned though.

I have measured them and found that they are thicker. But not by much like a half a thousandth (0.0005) or so. On the latest Phantom I built with new MX Clear switches when I tried removing also new GMK caps for some spring tuning, I pulled several switch tops off. After that I used some older looser caps until I found my spring choice (65g). The difference in the stem bumps and slightly thicker stems add up to some extremely tight cap fits. It would easy to damage switches if your not careful changing keycaps, especially the tight ones.     

Mine were just as thick as either Blacks or Browns (it was a while ago, so I forgot) and a hair thicker than Blues.  They all fell within the normal thickness range for Cherry MX stems though.  The stem really isn't any thicker than any other Cherry MX stem aside from that little bump on the front.

[kmiller8]

Those notches exist on other switches as well, but on different sides. Some stems have them facing the cherry logo while others have them facing the LED hole. I never got why this is.

Have you tried flipping the stem around? OuO

[Wildcard]

clear plastic is bigger than black plastic

They keep saying it's length that matters, but it's really width.

[Grendel]

Tactile Grey's have the same bumps, easier to see on those.

[damorgue]

Those notches exist on other switches as well, but on different sides. Some stems have them facing the cherry logo while others have them facing the LED hole. I never got why this is.

Have you tried flipping the stem around? OuO

You heard it here first folks.


Kmiller8's Insta-linear mod ^TM
So linear, there isn't even any actuation at all.

[Pacifist]

I was swapping keycaps on my 11900 modded partially with clears from mk.com.
They were a PITA to pull out, I even pulled one cap out with the stem and top still attached.
My stock blacks on the other hand were effortless to pull out.

So why did cherry make clear stems thicker now? An error or are they doing it on purpose?

Looks like it's on purpose, the clear stem mold is different -- if you look very closely at the stem of the clears you'll see little "bumps" (for the lack of a better word. Maybe "ridges" would work tho) on it that are most likely the cause for the clears to grab on to the caps. I have not found them on blue, red, brown, black, or green stems of the switches available to me. I tried to get a picture of one (there are four on a stem), hard to see but gives you an idea what and where to look for.

Show Image

Show Image

My clears from mk.com, in the CM Storm Switch Demo, and in a Deck Legend Frost all have them.

Could we file them down?

[phoenix1234]

I was swapping keycaps on my 11900 modded partially with clears from mk.com.
They were a PITA to pull out, I even pulled one cap out with the stem and top still attached.
My stock blacks on the other hand were effortless to pull out.

So why did cherry make clear stems thicker now? An error or are they doing it on purpose?

Confirmed, at least on what I have.
Maybe it is an error or it is just production coefficient?

As far as I know and test, different Cherry MX stem has slightly different tightness with keycap :

Clear >> Blue ~ Brown ~ Black ~ Green >> Red
*Clear is very tight on OEM keycap sets
*Red is very loose on imsto side printed keycap set

It's just my personal test on 4 keycap sets:
+ 2 Cherry imsto Keycap sets (side printed and dye-sub)
+ 1 Cherry original set
+ 1 OEM WASD keycap set
+ 2 OEM Filco stock set

However, don't quote me on this because maybe Cherry has many different production lines and molds.

[Findecanor]

Anyone done clears with DSA?  Sounds scary tight.

I have tested a PBT DSA key on a Cherry clear switch ... and then decided to NOT use it for my keyboard build. It is scary tight.