WTF to do with these gateron blues???

[thatsmrdoctortoyou]

Recently picked up a bunch of gateron blue switches from massdrop, and man am I disappointed.

Before folks get triggered, let me explain that my experience is a bit biased in terms of switch feel/sound/overall experience. My first board was a poker2 with cherry clears. Shortly after that, I picked up a model-M and fell in love with the buckling switches! Next, HHKB fell into my life and wouldn't leave without leaving a permanent stain on my perception of 'smooth' feeling switches. Most recently, I completed my first build with lubed zealios 78g switches, which have been absolutely AMAZING! Honestly I cannot say enough about the feeling of zealios switches.

Okay, so back to gateron blues. I have a build coming up and because I don't have a "clicky" board at my disposal I thought, "hey, lets build one of those un-godly loud keyboards with clicky swithes!" Then, when massdrop had a sale for 100+ gaterons, which I had heard where nice and smooth, I jumped on it. This leads me to about 1 week ago when the 100+ gateron blues arrived to my doorstep. Okay so I was extremely excited to use these switches with my upcoming build. However, after 10 seconds with the switches I realized that they were nothing near the quality I was expecting --- again, I think my expectations were WAY off considering the switches I developed with.

So here's where I reach out to the community: WTF do I do with these blues???

What have folks done to: decrease "grit," increase auditory/felt "click," and overall increase the users experience with gateron blues?
Here are some options I've come up with:

• Lube them --- From my (admittedly limited) knowledge, lubing 'clicky' switches is a "no-no" but I'm a rebel at heart so you know...
• Switch out the springs for a (heavy)/(light) spring to increase the user's experience
• deal with the switches for a bit and wear them in!
• ditch the mo-fos and get you some alps or more zealios!
• OTHER

I don't know that to do with these things - and what to do with this board...

I'd love a 'clicky' switch to add to the board, but I don't think I'm ready to settle for the feeling of these stock gaterons... Perhaps I'm spoiled on topre / zealios...

[tp4tissue]

idk.. see how many you can fit in your mouth @ 1 time ?

hahaha

but probably just wait for a blank board to come on sale, and drop them in.

[Findecanor]

IMHO, other clicky Cherry MX compatibles are worse. The Gateron Blue are also the only clicky switches compatible with silencing clips - for proper audial feedback: click and nothing else.

Heavier springs will only make the clicky bump feel smaller in comparison to the total force expended.

I find them almost as smooth as vintage Cherry MX Blues. I think that everything but the coiled spring should be expected to be as smooth as purple Zealios - but Zealios have also gold springs that make pressing them a tad smoother. I think you're really a connoisseur if you could feel the difference.

[Fullcream]

maybe try that jailhouse mod that people talk about.

[Geroximo]

So here's where I reach out to the community: WTF do I do with these blues???

Gift them to me.

[cynviloq]

Buy some Aristotles and swap the stems in!


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[ander]

Too bad. You should've gotten Blacks; they're great.

[klennkellon]

Buy some Aristotles and swap the stems in!


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I second this. Gatistotles are very good from what I've heard.

Be sure to order a lot of Aristotles though. They are inconsistent and sometimes the stem will be a hair bigger than usual and can stick.

[kmba]

Aristotle stems. They have a larger bump on the stem arms which increases the activation force and the click feedback.

[digi]

Too bad. You should've gotten Blacks; they're great.

You must have really large hands, blacks are way too heavy for the everyday keyboarder.

[thatsmrdoctortoyou]

I may end up going with the Aristotle stem switch, looks enticing!

I'll have to take pictures when I have a moment, but I have what I thought was a normal gateron blue switch which was gifted to me a few years ago for testing. It has the most excellent 'click' of any switch I've tested! So, naturally, when I decided to build a clicky board I went with gateron blues. However, the switches I got from massdrop are drastically different. First, the test switch has a milky top and bottom case. When I opened up both the milky and non-milky/massdrop, I found that really the only noticeable difference is with the metal leaf. The milky switch has a leaf with very prominent bumps, whereas the non-milky/massdrop switch has a leaf with hardly noticeable bumps. Has anyone heard of a modification which involves switching switch leafs / do you think the milky switch is a gateron green housing with blue stem?

I'll take detailed pictures when I get a chance, any input is greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

[OfTheWild]

I have a pile of leftover gateron green stems and their 80g springs from my gatistole assembly if you're interested.

[cutterline]

Another alternative.
You can make it tactile (not clicky) by lubing them on the sides and plastic that contacting metal leaf part. Then you can trial with different springs. Who knows you'll like them.
Clicky switch is very versatile 

[Leslieann]

Too bad. You should've gotten Blacks; they're great.

You must have really large hands, blacks are way too heavy for the everyday keyboarder.

You adjust.
Blacks are about the same spring pressure as a Model M if I remember correctly.

[digi]

You adjust.
Blacks are about the same spring pressure as a Model M if I remember correctly.

NO YOU ADJUST PAL! j/k

Blacks seem way heaver than BS to me...(racist)