Das Keyboard stiff after cleaning and greasing

[Schalken]

I have a Das Keyboard Professional Silent (Cherry MX Browns) which I spilt Coke on making some of the switches feel like they were immersed in mud. I decided to do a deep clean of the key switches and PCB with soap, tap water, distilled water (once I found out soap + tap water was a bad idea) and methylated spirits (to make sure nothing was left behind).

After I was done with the cleaning, I noticed the key switches were extremely stiff. Thinking the soap must have washed out the lubricant, I sprayed WD40 in each of them - a generous amount to make sure it got where it was needed. It worked for a few hours but they went stiff again probably because the WD40 just sank to the bottom. So I got some lithium grease and sprayed that inside the key switches similarly, and it has improved a little, but they are still a lot stiffer than when it was originally purchased.

I know the proper way to lubricate them is to open them up and apply a little grease using a brush, but they are mounted to a metal board above the PCB and from what I've read that locks in the tabs they let you open them. Regardless I tried prying open the key switch for the "-" key on the num-pad but that just turned it into a Cherry MX Red once my tiny screwdriver got inside it.

Now I'm not sure if they are stiff because the lithium grease hasn't gotten into the right place, because it has but the WD40 is interfering with it, because there is now just too much crap inside them to work smoothly, or because the cleaning process has actually rusted the metal inside them screwing it for good. So besides unsoldering all the key switches from the PCB so I can get them open to find out what's really going on, does anybody have any ideas on how to restore this thing to it's factory-shipped tactile feel?

Thanks.

[HaveANiceDay]

Well, since you already know what to do...
Desolder every switch, open up, clean, lubricate (don't use WD40, lithium grease is good) and reassemble.

Maybe it will work.

[Merlin]

I read that throwing the keyboard against the wall is good for loosening up keys.

[REVENGE]

The maintenance / lube article should be sticky'd with a banner on every page, maybe even at OCN as well. [H]ard is probably a lost cause.

Also, I find that dry Teflon lube works very well for plastic-plastic contact areas. Check the MSDS for the product before you apply it, you don't want to use something that contains acetone or other plastic non-compatible solvents.

[soong]

Maybe call the company and ask for a warranty replacement? I accidentally dropped my monitor on my Das Keyboard Ultimate while I was moving and they shipped a replacement out immediately after they received mine through mail.

[bluecar5556]

WD-40 has just about every chemical ending in -ane in it and Teflon is the trade name of PTFE that stands for Polytetrafluoroethylene so there is fluoride and is the same stuff used on non-stick cookware, FYI.  Teflon is probably the best lubricant known to man-kind and is the only substance in existence where gecko's cannot adhere to, much less food.

Not to be harsh but the only way it is ever going to work right is if you completely tear down the keyboard and switches and toss all the switch parts in 90% alcohol (if that is safe, someone correct me if i'm wrong,) rinse them with distilled water thoroughly, and dry completely promptly with compressed air to prevent any possible oxidation to the silver.  Now lubricate all moving parts with an extremely low viscosity, plastic friendly and non-detergent based ( detergents will only attract dirt just like WD-40 would but lithium grease does not, for instance) as anything even moderately thick will recreate the problem at hand.  As revenge stated, try to stay away from anything that oxidizes plastic or otherwise is not compatible with it.  It's fun taking stuff apart, probably the worst that can happen is lifting pads or bending switch leads (can easily be bent back with no problem) which is repairable.  Good luck and welcome to geekhack!

[Bird]

Polytetrafluoroethylene...

[False_Dmitry_II]

Because he cares so much about that double bond there?

[Bird]

No, just for the sake of knowing the exact designation.

[Schalken]

So 3 months later and I finally got around to finishing this thing off, having been stupid busy since I started this thread. I desoldered all the switches, pulled them apart and put all the pieces in a bottle with kerosene to clean the grease off overnight. Then I regreased them with lithium grease, resoldered them and put the whole thing back together. To be careful about how much grease to apply, I fist put them back together without grease and applied tiny amounts until the feel of the switches stopped improving.

The thing feels much better now. Unlike before, I can type on it without immediately thinking "I can't type on this". I have missed my Das, but it's still not the same as when I bought it. It's still a little tough. It still hurts my fingers to type on for more than a paragraph. I distinctly remember it being lighter to touch than the keyboard on my Macbook Pro, which is not the case now. Actuating a key requires a real push from the finger.

So it looks like I better try some dry PTFE lube as REVENGE, bluecar5556 and Bird said. I found some "PTFE Dry Lubricant Spray" at JayCar (where I got the rest of my stuff), but I don't want to desolder and resolder this thing with a different lube just to find it's exactly the same. Is PTFE definitely going to be better than lithium grease?

Thanks for all the advice.

By the way it seems I'm not allowed to make a post containing a URL. Is that normal?

[godly_music]

PTFE, like every lube you apply to the inside of the switch will also make it heavier to press. I've tried this. Although it's not often suggested because it will make some switches not actuate, that can be fixed by just pressing those switches a few times to free the electric contacts.

My advice if you want to get back to factory condition.. clean thoroughly with ethyl alcohol (Spiritus). Let the alcohol evaporate over night, then apply a hair blower on cold, pressing down one switch at a time to get residue alcohol out. Don't lube anything but the stabilizers.

PTFE is still the best lube, in my opinion. And it doesn't make the switches -that- much heavier, but it's still noticeable. My old G80 was always a tad lighter than my brother's new one, now it's a tad heavier.

[TheProfosist]

You could also try the DeoxIT stuff that I have been trying out.

[spolia optima]

why in the name of god would anyone spray that much junk into a tiny, fragile microswitch?
No offense, but that totally baffles me... Like trying to cure cancer by injecting yourself with HIV. It just doesn't make sense.

[TheProfosist]

why in the name of god would anyone spray that much junk into a tiny, fragile microswitch?
No offense, but that totally baffles me... Like trying to cure cancer by injecting yourself with HIV. It just doesn't make sense.

So lube is bad? Especially lube made for close to the exact thing thats being lubed? But the switches feel great after a nice lube job.

Edit: Also its not "that much junk" as you say, its a very small amount. I spray as little as the can allows.

[spolia optima]

oh for the love of pete