Ripped off MX Clear top

[faceyourfaces]

I received my GON in the mail the other day and I am very happy with it so far. When I went to remove a keycap, I guess I put too much force pulling up because the top of the switch housing, the stem, and the spring came off. I put them back into place and the switch worked fine, albeit with no tactility.

I would appreciate any advice on how to fix this.

Edit: The switch doesn't actually work; it just presses down like a linear switch.

[Flyersfan1]

Only way to fix this is to desolder the switch and replace it with a new one, with clears you really have to exercise some caution when removing caps, slowly wiggle from side to side until the cap is released, or this will happen again with another key. 

[boTy]

If you can't put it back, then you would need to replace the switch i'm afraid

For the next time: Wiggle when pulling off a cap!

[faceyourfaces]

Well thanks for the responses. Is there any specific reason MX Clears can't be put back? Because I've seen it done with other switches.

[Oobly]

Looks like you bent the contact plate at the back, so you'll need to desolder and replace the entire switch (you could bend it into shape enough for it to work, but it won't ever feel quite the same as the other switches). Be sure to save the switch sticker so you can install it in the new switch before putting it in place. If you opted for lubed switches, you'll have to lube the new one yourself also while installing the sticker.

[faceyourfaces]

Looks like you bent the contact plate at the back, so you'll need to desolder and replace the entire switch (you could bend it into shape enough for it to work, but it won't ever feel quite the same as the other switches). Be sure to save the switch sticker so you can install it in the new switch before putting it in place. If you opted for lubed switches, you'll have to lube the new one yourself also while installing the sticker.

Thank you for the advice. I'll probably get around to replacing the switch sometime in the future but I don't have an issue with bending the contact plate to work in the meantime, especially since it's not a key that I use too often.

I've never dealt with the inner workings of a Cherry switch before, so how exactly do I go about bending it back into place?

[Oobly]

Here's an animation that shows what's happening inside a Clear switch:



There are 2 contact plates, one stationary and one that touches the slider. The one that touches the slider puts pressure against the tactile legs of the slider and is held away from the other one until the slider moves down far enough to let it move inwards enough to make contact with the stationary one. The springy one is the one that's bent inwards too much on your switch. So you have to bend it so it both touches the other plate with no slider in place, and puts some pressure on the slider when it is installed. Then it should function. Getting the actuation point and pressure the same as it used to be is the tough part, but as long as you just want it to function it's not too difficult.