Black alps from Dell at101w; Gray strongmans from DSI smk-85. Is there any difference between the two switches? Can the internal parts be mixed and matched? Enquiring minds want to know.
Q. Is there a difference between the two switches? Similarities: -both are clickless; both have tactile bump
-both are relatively light (and relatively quiet) switches compared with the white alps family of switches and its clones.
Differences:-black alps' tactile bump is less pronounced, and its spring is
slightly lighter tension, vs the gray strongman (The opposite of what I guessed, go figure).
-black alps appears to have a
slightly shorter throw but this could be my overactive imagination. Not enough to make a real difference.
-black alps (when new anyway!) are smooth, but I'd argue the gray strongmans are a touch smoother. Not enough to make a real difference though.
Bottom line is that black alps feel slightly lighter to type on because both bump and resistance is a touch lighter. Of these, the bump difference is more noticeable than the spring difference. I'd say the blacks are like cherry brown except that browns are super light, even lighter than this.
Q. Can the parts be interchanged between them? Short answer is: yes, but it doesnt make much difference if you swap parts.
The top part housing is different, the black alps uses a single slot to accomodate the bottom part's switch (see pics).
However you can still swap click leaf and spring and plunger if you want. . Click leafs are very similar (see pics). But it doesnt make much difference in feel to swap them. You could theoretically tho make the grays have less spring resistance and/or bump if you wanted, and vice versa (have the blacks with more spring resistance or bump if you wanted).
The difference is slight and probably not worth the effort. You're better off just swapping keyboards if you want that.
Q. Can you add the click leaf from a "white alps" mk96 or an AEKII into either board? I dont know about aekII yet since mine hasnt arrived in the mail yet. Should have it in a few days.
As for the click leaf from the mk96,
you could put it (with the mk96 upper housing) into the smk85's gray strongmans but not into the dell at101w black alps. This is because the mk96 top part housing will only fit the gray strongman bottom part switch (and will not fit the black alps bottom part switch). See pics.
bottom part "switch" on the gray strongmans
bottom part "switch" on the black alps
springs: gray on left, black on right. Black is slightly lighter resistance. Yes, I need to dust.
tactile leaves: gray on left, black on right. Black is lighter. Notice the lower angle tension on the black leaf. Notice the less pronounced "bump" part on the blacks. Notice two-part brace on the blacks (vs. the single part brace on the grays.) 
Top part housing: gray on left, black on right. Notice the "single slot" accomodation for the switch on the blacks (vs the "double slot" for the grays). (Yea, its hard to see it, sorry. The next pic below is better, really.)
"white alps" mk96 housing top part, for comparison. Note it has the double slot for the switch, like the gray strongmans.
plungers seem same size. Pretend the hair isnt there. I hope thats just an eyelash.
