Inconsistent clicks with white alps

[TIMOTH]

I have an Omnikey Evolution keyboard and have swapped out the stock sliders with dampened ones. The problem is when I reassemble the switches sometimes there is a louder more firm click as I press, and other times there is barely a click at all. Does anyone have advice as to how to get a more consistent feel? I've tried bending the metal leaf but it doesn't really seem to help, thanks

[jacobolus]

It depends on the precise shape of the metal leaf, and it’s pretty tricky to manually bend them all to be completely consistent. (In particular, if switches are under heavy use, or are stored for a long time pressed down, they bend a bit out of shape; if you look at the side of the click leaf facing the switch housing (away from the slider), it starts out completely straight, but can get a bit of a bend to it; bending it back straight should restore the click.)

Another thing you can do is replace the click leaves with those from new Matias clicky switches.

[TIMOTH]

Thanks, I'll check out the Matias clicky switches. I think I might have mixed some of the old leaves from the Apple keyboard I took the dampened sliders from with the Northgate leaves which might explain some of the inconsistencies

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Something I may never understand, but there's a good chance when I reassemble an Alps switch or a clone switch that it won't go back together right — it ends up really stiff and graunchy, and the slider often won't go all the way down. I've never figured out why, but sometimes I just have to open it back up and reassemble it.

[jacobolus]

Something I may never understand, but there's a good chance when I reassemble an Alps switch or a clone switch that it won't go back together right — it ends up really stiff and graunchy, and the slider often won't go all the way down. I've never figured out why, but sometimes I just have to open it back up and reassemble it.

Hmm, that doesn’t really happen to me, at least with complicated Alps switches. Perhaps the spring isn’t getting seated properly? Maybe you’re putting the slider in backwards?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I've documented on the wiki which way around the slider goes, having read about it allegedly only being intended to go in one way, but before I realised that it mattered, I never noticed anything from presumably inserting 50% of the sliders backwards.

So far as I am aware, Alps clone switches do have fully reversible sliders.

[jacobolus]

I've documented on the wiki which way around the slider goes, having read about it allegedly only being intended to go in one way, but before I realised that it mattered, I never noticed anything from presumably inserting 50% of the sliders backwards.

It quite noticeably changes the sound of blue Alps switches, for example.

So far as I am aware, Alps clone switches do have fully reversible sliders.

That’s true from the few I’ve seen.

Well, maybe the tactile leaf didn’t end up properly seated?

My money is still on the spring not fitting fully on it’s little peg.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I have no idea — I was just wondering what would happen if the OP opened and reassembled a switch — would it change its behaviour?

[TIMOTH]

Sorry I haven't checked this post for a while. I actually did try opening and reassembling the switch, sometimes it would seem to help and other times it wouldn't, very odd