Cleaning a Dell AT101 (Black Alps)

[skinnycow]

I just got a Dell AT101 today from an online auction - so far I like it, it has black alps keys, which have (i believe) a tactile actuation point but no audible click, and after that they are linear to the bottom.

The only thing I noticed - the keys don't slide very smoothly - its an old keyboard, i'm sure it needs to be cleaned, but after taking off some keycaps, it seems the dirt or whatever is on the shaft itself.

Anyone have a recommendation for cleaning these? is there some kind of plastic lubricant that can be used on keyboards like these without destroying them?

thanks for the help.

[TimIsABat]

I just got a Dell AT101 today from an online auction - so far I like it, it has black alps keys, which have (i believe) a tactile actuation point but no audible click, and after that they are linear to the bottom.

The only thing I noticed - the keys don't slide very smoothly - its an old keyboard, i'm sure it needs to be cleaned, but after taking off some keycaps, it seems the dirt or whatever is on the shaft itself.

Anyone have a recommendation for cleaning these? is there some kind of plastic lubricant that can be used on keyboards like these without destroying them?

thanks for the help.

i was going to ask this as well lol

[rowdy]

Dunno if this would be any good.

Support GH and find out

[davkol]

ALPS switches are a pain to disassemble. Probably the best thing you can do is order some Matias switches (at DT) and replace the old switches with them.

[SpAmRaY]

Depending on your location, http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/ also sells matias switches.

[skinnycow]

Ok thanks, I picked up some Powdered Graphite Lubricant from AutoZone yesterday. As long as these Alps are probably no good anyway, thought I may try a few things to see if they can be revived at all. Nothing to lose right.

[ninjadoc]

I know this old but this is a link if someone is searching for cleaning and lubing alps switches.

http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/pink-vs-orange-alps-t1181-30.html

[fohat.digs]

Once they get dirty they will never be the same again unless you take them apart and thoroughly clean them - not worth it!

However, I improved an AT101 a good bit by cleaning and lubing in place. I pulled all the keys, and got a small thin stiff artist's paintbrush and used 91% alcohol for cleaning. I used the brush just barely damp, and brushed up each side of the stem with one stroke.

I used a similar technique with a teflon lubricant that went on wet and dried leaving a very light film. I made sure that it said "safe for all plastics" but I am still not sure whether I believe it.

The action was a lot smoother, and since they were black Alps, it was not like I could ruin anything precious.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I just got a Dell AT101 today from an online auction - so far I like it, it has black alps keys, which have (i believe) a tactile actuation point but no audible click, and after that they are linear to the bottom.

They're actually not. There's two tactile peaks in a row — see the black graph here:

http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~silencium/keyboard/html/alpssw.html

I have a virtually NIB one and it felt crap from new. Stiff, spongey, scrapy, juddery, nothing like typing on MX clears. I don't know what Alps did wrong with that switch, possibly just cheap plastics?

You may find that lube sorts it out though.

The only thing I noticed - the keys don't slide very smoothly …

They're pretty ropey switches — they're from the period where Alps seemed to be cost cutting, possibly to try to compete with the wide range of clones on the market. White complicated Alps is also pretty naff, not a patch on the blue Alps switch that preceded it.

Black was preceded by salmon, which was a lot smoother than black, but far too stiff. Orange Alps should be your best bet, or Matias quiet switches. Brown sounds like the best tactile Alps, but those really are rare. (Brown → orange → salmon → black, with black simplified added at some stage.)