Not long after buying my CODE keyboard, I started looking for O-rings in order to obtain the lowest possible price while ensuring that they have adequate characteristics. I was able to test some O-rings of different thickness and hardness and make my own opinion on this subject (more info :
).
In my opinion, 40A hardness (aka "soft") O-rings are the best. They are also difficult to find.
WASDKeyboards are selling some but it is expensive : 20$ shipped (USA) or 24$ shipped (Europe). This is why I would like to help this community benefit from my experience with some manufacturers in China.
"Slim" O-rings bag price : - 90 pcs : 6,70€ (⇔ $9 )
- 110 pcs : 8,20€ (⇔ $11.10 )
- 125 pcs : 9,30€ (⇔ $12.50 )
|| These "slim" O-rings are exactly the same as those sold by
KeyboardCo (125 pcs per bag - 14,40€ / $19.50 ... without shipping
).
It has a very small key travel reduction, so you may or may not notice it. It dampens the noise pretty well, and eliminates almost all of the “shock” you feel when the key hits the bottom. If you can’t decide which pack to get, try these ones first. Can’t go wrong with these ones, they’re good all around || source : WhiteFireDragon’s GB
"Fat" O-rings bag price : - 90 pcs : 8€ (⇔ $10.75 )
- 110 pcs : 9,80€ (⇔ $13.25 )
- 125 pcs : 11,10€ (⇔ $15 )
|| These "fat" O-rings were sold here 2 years ago. They are not sold anywhere else to my knowledge.
This one is my personal favorite, but I know it’s not for everyone. It’s the max thickness you can have in an O-ring. It bottoms out just after the key’s registration point. This simulates scissor switches on laptops or thin membrane keyboard, but still retains the “mechanical” feel from MX switches. || source : WhiteFireDragon’s GB