Would it be possible to modify a Keycool 84's switches to Cherry MX Clear?

[orlp]

I've been looking at the Massdrop for the keycool 84: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/keycool-hero-84?mode=guest_open

After looking around for information the board seems to be decent quality, in the exact layout I want, with backlighting. However, I'm very uncertain about the Kailh switches, and I'd like to use Cherry MX Clears instead.

Would it be possible to buy seperate MX clear switches and modify this board and replace the switches with clears? Any problems I should know about? I'm not unknown to soldering, although I'm not a hardware geek/pro either.


P.S.: This is my first mechanical keyboard, but I'm a massive lurker and the type of person who first investigates a ton before making a purchase.

[SpAmRaY]

The pin outs should be identical. So its simply desolder switches and LEDs and solder in new ones.

There is an older model of the key cool 84 that comes with MX clears if you can find one, I have one.

[orlp]

The pin outs should be identical. So its simply desolder switches and LEDs and solder in new ones.

There is an older model of the key cool 84 that comes with MX clears if you can find one, I have one.

I have actually already PM'd you (stumbled upon through google)

Edit: it seems my message has disappeared, maybe I don't have PM permissions?

[Dreamre]

You could try it...would take some desoldering and resoldering though. May be cheaper to purchase one with clears.

[orlp]

You could try it...would take some desoldering and resoldering though. May be cheaper to purchase one with clears.

I've been trying to find one, but they're really hard to find =/

[berserkfan]

You could try it...would take some desoldering and resoldering though. May be cheaper to purchase one with clears.

I've been trying to find one, but they're really hard to find =/

I've heard that Keycools are hard to desolder because their pins were bent. Best to check with whoever you buy the keycool from, if you are buying secondhand.

If buying new they all come with kailh switches which makes me so much more unwilling to recommend.

[orlp]

You could try it...would take some desoldering and resoldering though. May be cheaper to purchase one with clears.

I've been trying to find one, but they're really hard to find =/

I've heard that Keycools are hard to desolder because their pins were bent. Best to check with whoever you buy the keycool from, if you are buying secondhand.

If buying new they all come with kailh switches which makes me so much more unwilling to recommend.

The idea is to buy one with Kailh switches from the massdrop and then change out the switches to MX clears.

[berserkfan]

OK, but I don't think you will be able to sell the kailh so your expenses will be inflated. You can contact me if you want clears/ clear parts.

Still if you don't mind, I think many of us will be interested if you do a teardown and experiment on the kailh stems with many good, close up photos. What most geekhackers are probably concerned about, is whether this imitation is of sufficiently good quality. It seems kailh switches have a much higher tendency to fail within 2 years but that's all I know.

What I suspect is that kailh switch leafs are not gold plated, so they are much more likely to corrode and degrade.

[DrHubblePhD]

You could try it...would take some desoldering and resoldering though. May be cheaper to purchase one with clears.

I've been trying to find one, but they're really hard to find =/

I've heard that Keycools are hard to desolder because their pins were bent. Best to check with whoever you buy the keycool from, if you are buying secondhand.

If buying new they all come with kailh switches which makes me so much more unwilling to recommend.

The idea is to buy one with Kailh switches from the massdrop and then change out the switches to MX clears.

Yeah it is somewhat common for manufacturers to bend there pins before soldering, in some ways it strengthens the joint because the pin cant just be pulled strait out ( utilizing the tensile strength of the pin). That said, its still not all that hard to get around, let me know if I can help, you can check out mine or anyone else's soldering services thread in the artisan section!

[Puddsy]

Possible and easy. Just time consuming and a bit expensive if you don't have soldering equipment already.

[Defect]

I've heard that Keycools are hard to desolder because their pins were bent.

My Choc Mini had bent pins.  Still managed to mod it to 62g linear.  Though I would not be willing to mess with that PCB a second time.