What are you typing on (a mechanical keyboard thread)?

[yashima]

have any of you ever tried to repair a mechanical keyboard? like switch 2 buttons?

My “q” and at button is no longer working … the thing is slightly over 3 years old and really a mechanical keyboard that costs over 200€ should not be broken now. it is just the one key. I have enough unused “F” keys… but the repair video I watched for a close relation of my keyboard suggests I am not up to the task -.- soldering stuff? Nope. My contact with razer support does not look promising either.

Barring repair… I had a Razer Huntsman Elite now for 3 years. Which is really loud. But I’d still like a mechanical keyboard. So I’ll be scouring the thread here for your recs. Thanks all. I just needed to vent. That particular button is not optional.

On an unexpected positive note: I bought the keyboard at amazon and their order history is really worth something. Tech stuff is one of the few things I still buy there occasionally precisely b/c they track all that stuff for me. So I don’t have to. Because stuff breaks.

[tomm_archer]

Unless it’s a hotswap socket you will unfortunately need to de-solder the switch and solder an new one in its place.

I almost pulled the trigger on my custom keyboard build then read some poor reviews of the lifespan of the switches I was going to buy. So I’m having a bit more of a think.

[yashima]

Which switches were those?

No soldering… I am looking for a new keyboard atm. This looks nice.

[tomm_archer]

I was looking at the Kailh Box, browns in particular for that tactility. Apparently they start off well but after a period of use the lubricant wears off and they become quite loud.

The vendor I’m looking at getting the keyboard and keycaps from do Gateron Browns or Kailh Purples so I may fall back to one of those. I think the Keychrons have Gateron Browns in them?

[yashima]

Yes, they have the Gateron Browns. If I had all the time in the world, I might spend money on a test kit to check what I really like best. As it is my current keyboard is lacking an important key–which my laptop still has of course but what a hassle.

I was looking at WASD Keyboards as well but delivery to Germany is around $80 …

PS: razer answered my second mail with “it’s probably a hardware issue, no you don’t have guarantee and no we do not offer any repair options whatsoever even if you wanted to pay for it” The tone was more friendly than my rough translation, the tone is mine. I am not happy with such an expensive unrepairable keyboard–what a waste.

[tomm_archer]

That sucks, if it was a mechanical issue you might be able to open the switch in place and swap its internals with another. My guess is maybe electrical, an issue with the contacts? Though that might be resolved by some cleaning? I know the LMB of my mouse sometimes stops working because the spring contact has got dirty or oddly bent.

I bought seven sample keys for my tester. Six of them were reasonably priced, reasonably available tactile switches. The seventh was less reasonably priced but threw it in to see what the fuss was about.

Unfortunately two of those six were Kailh Box so while useful for comparison, both seem to be affected by that issue.

[yashima]

I have cleaned it once again with air and every once in a while it does register… but with a strange lag. and then it works again for a bit. and then it stops. I am buying a new one with the hot-swappable switches. Amazon says it’ll be in stock in a week. I’ll be able to work around that issue for that long. And I’ll probably not buy another razer keyboard again.

And just for everyone else coming here: razer makes cool looking gadgets but their software is really bad. The synapse software in particular is terrible and they managed to lock out my older mouse a couple years back.

[dscheidt]

Even it’s not something you can fix, replacing a key is a pretty simple task. So, don’t toss it in the trash, get it fixed (I would ask a cell phone repair place, around here they can solder, or point you to someone who can), or give it to someone who can fix it.

But first, pry the key cap off and try a thorough cleaning. Rubbing alcohol is a reasaonable solvent to start at.

[yashima]

I gave my last keyboard to a friend’s kid. I know some people who are much better at repairing than myself. I’ll find someone to take it off my hands. Like my old laptop which will probably live another 4 years at another friend’s (once she has replaced the bloated battery).

[tomm_archer]

Most of my keyboard quest has been finding a base that doesn’t look god-awful.

[tomm_archer]

Two-thirds of my keyboard arrives tomorrow, exciting.

[pillbox]

Wow, big keyboard!

[tomm_archer]

I did go for a full-size chassis - can’t do without my num keys. The keycaps also arrive tomorrow, I’ll sadly have to wait a bit longer for the switches.

Edit: Keyboard and keycaps (and Haribo) arrived today. Now I endlessly refresh the switch tracking page.

[yashima]

Mine has arrived–supposedly in stock in a week but it is here already.
I love it. Resistance of the brown gateron switches is just perfect and the sound is pleasant and rather on the quiet side. I have to get used now to a slightly different size, the missing number block (which I only ever used for weirdo keybindings for weirdo tools–and recently work–anyway) and that somehow the windows key and the alt keys are ordered differently.

I appreciate it comes with the tools to take out both the switches and the caps

I love not having to use a cable and that it can connect to my phone and tablet as well.

Now where do I get purple keycaps for WASD? And a purple escape? Previously, I just switched out the backlighting for those keys, but this is not quite so configurable.

PS: I went with the K8 from keychron that I linked to above in case I forgot to mention that and a wooden wrist rest. Too old I am to go without

[tomm_archer]

Wooo, my switches have made it into the country. Fingers crossed should be able to build my keyboard tomorrow.

[yashima]

I’ve been enjoying my new keyboard considerably. have fun building your own and let us see the result

[tomm_archer]

It’s been hard not to at least get the keyboard base out and play with it while I’ve been waiting

[tomm_archer]

After a day delay because the switches got sent to the wrong delivery office:

And some assembly photos.

Bare keyboard and switches:

Populated with switches:

And with keycaps (the sun had gone down by this point)

[dscheidt]

I’ve been typing on an Apple extended keyboard for about six or seven years. (I forget exactly, a former employer bought it for me, after the almost identical one I’d been using for years stopped working. I don’t really love them, but I like the layout, and they hold up to my hammer typing, so I use it. It started randomly not registering keystrokes. (It’s not the same keys, but I suspect there’s a common address line or something between the keys that fail to work.) Maybe it’s just filthy and something is interfering or whatever. I don’t know, and it was driving me crazy, so I decided to spend some of my office supply budget on a new keyboard.

I am full time remote, which means I get a monthly allowance to spend on office stuff, using a special amazon site. I had previously tried to buy some legal pads, but could only get Amazon branded ones (which are hot garbage, in my opinion.), and not the Tops ones I strongly prefer. So I didn’t have high expectations. But I forgot we’re a software company, and everyone who types all day has opinions about these things. So there gazillions of keyboards to choose from. Gazillions, I tell you.

I ended up with a das keyboard model s, cherry mx blue switches. I don’t need a hobby, I just need to write code.

[globalcomputers]

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