Silent tactile switches, stabs and lube

[seon123]

I'm thinking of making a split 60% keyboard to carry around and use at school/uni, instead of a laptop keyboard. Therefore it would have to be quiet. I still want it to be tactile, and it would be used pretty much only for typing. 

 

For switches, I was thinking of Aliaz switches or Gateron Silent Browns. Is the Aliaz worth paying more for?

Zilents are quite expensive, and Cherry Silents only come as linear, so both of those don't seem very ideal. 

Are there any options I've missed? 

 

For stabilisers, which ones should I get? The goal being silence, and I will lube them. They will have to be plate mount, as there will be no PCB to mount it to. I would need 3x 2u stabs. Zeal stabs seem very expensive, so what are the other good options? Just the Cherry ones? In that case, KBDFans has those, but the wire isn't Cherry. How would that affect it?

 

And lube. Just for the stabilisers, I think. Unless the switches that I choose will benefit a lot from lube, I'll leave them dry. 

For the stabs, I should get teflon grease and dielectric grease, is that correct? Is teflon grease for bikes fine? And for dielectric grease, could I just use this stuff? Would that work?

 

Thanks

[Dissitesuxba11s]

17 minutes ago, seon123 said:

For the stabs, I should get teflon grease and dielectric grease, is that correct? Is teflon grease for bikes fine?

Yes, as long as it's Teflon fluoropolymer.

17 minutes ago, seon123 said:

And for dielectric grease, could I just use this stuff? Would that work?

I've never used that. This is what is usually used.

 

For the stabs, you can look at the Enjoypbt stabs in KBDFans. I've read that they come from the same mold as the Zeal ones, so they should be relatively the same but for significantly less.

[seon123]

4 minutes ago, Dissitesuxba11s said:

Yes, as long as it's Teflon fluoropolymer.

So like this one?

Says DuPont Teflon on the packet. 

5 minutes ago, Dissitesuxba11s said:

Never used that. This is what is usually used.

Thanks. 

10 minutes ago, Dissitesuxba11s said:

For the stabs, you can look at the Enjoypbt stabs in KBDFans. I've read that they come from the same mold as the Zeal ones, so they should be relatively the same but for significantly less.

That sounds amazing. I did however just realise that the Zeal stabs are screw in. Do you know of any decent options for plate mount ones?

[Dissitesuxba11s]

12 minutes ago, seon123 said:

So like this one?

Says DuPont Teflon on the packet. 

Should work.

12 minutes ago, seon123 said:

Do you know of any decent options for plate mount ones?

Whoops, glanced over that you need plate mount. Cherry stabs are the only one that I know that is plate mount. The wire being not Cherry shouldn't impact it at all. Lubrication, clipping, and maybe a band-aid mod would have a more noticeable effect.

[geo3]

4 hours ago, seon123 said:

 

For switches, I was thinking of Aliaz switches or Gateron Silent Browns. Is the Aliaz worth paying more for?

Zilents are quite expensive, and Cherry Silents only come as linear, so both of those don't seem very ideal. 

Are there any options I've missed? 

Browns are not very tactile, so I'd personally avoid them. 

 

Also what do you mean there will be no PCB? Are you going to hand wire? You know there are plenty of split PCB options out there.

[seon123]

2 hours ago, geo3 said:

Browns are not very tactile, so I'd personally avoid them. 

 

Also what do you mean there will be no PCB? Are you going to hand wire? You know there are plenty of split PCB options out there.

If not the browns, are the Aliaz switches decent? 

 

Yes, I think I'll use wires. Going to save costs, and it's for fun. 

[b emoji]

2 hours ago, seon123 said:

I'm thinking of making a split 60% keyboard to carry around and use at school/uni, instead of a laptop keyboard. Therefore it would have to be quiet. I still want it to be tactile, and it would be used pretty much only for typing. 

 

For switches, I was thinking of Aliaz switches or Gateron Silent Browns. Is the Aliaz worth paying more for?

Zilents are quite expensive, and Cherry Silents only come as linear, so both of those don't seem very ideal. 

Are there any options I've missed? 

 

For stabilisers, which ones should I get? The goal being silence, and I will lube them. They will have to be plate mount, as there will be no PCB to mount it to. I would need 3x 2u stabs. Zeal stabs seem very expensive, so what are the other good options? Just the Cherry ones? In that case, KBDFans has those, but the wire isn't Cherry. How would that affect it?

 

And lube. Just for the stabilisers, I think. Unless the switches that I choose will benefit a lot from lube, I'll leave them dry. 

For the stabs, I should get teflon grease and dielectric grease, is that correct? Is teflon grease for bikes fine? And for dielectric grease, could I just use this stuff? Would that work?

 

Thanks

I have some 80g Aliaz switches and normal gateron brown switches, but from a tactility stand point they're basically quite similar, and they both have the same stems. 

[seon123]

1 hour ago, b emoji said:

I have some 80g Aliaz switches and normal gateron brown switches, but from a tactility stand point they're basically quite similar, and they both have the same stems. 

The housing is different, though? Is the Aliaz worth paying more for?

[b emoji]

2 hours ago, seon123 said:

The housing is different, though? Is the Aliaz worth paying more for?

I think housing is different kinda feels like zealio housings abit, and iirc the leafs are slightly stiffer on the aliaz switches as well. How much more are the Aliaz switches compare to Gat Silent Browns? 

[seon123]

Just now, b emoji said:

I think housing is different kinda feels like zealio housings abit, and iirc the leafs are slightly stiffer on the aliaz switches as well. How much more are the Aliaz switches compare to Gat Silent Browns? 

On KBDFans it's $5,50 Vs $3,80. For 68 keys it's $37 Vs $25. 

[b emoji]

3 hours ago, seon123 said:

On KBDFans it's $5,50 Vs $3,80. For 68 keys it's $37 Vs $25. 

Personally, browns are a bit too light for me, I think the extra 12$ might be worth it. 

[seon123]

6 minutes ago, b emoji said:

Personally, browns are a bit too light for me, I think the extra 12$ might be worth it. 

Which weight? I like the BOX Jades that I currently have, which seem to be 50gf actuation and 60gf bottom out.

[b emoji]

4 hours ago, seon123 said:

Which weight? I like the BOX Jades that I currently have, which seem to be 50gf actuation and 60gf bottom out.

I have a few loose 60g switches and 6 80g switches in my m6b, I prefer something between 60 to 70g. If youre coming from jades I would get 60 or 70g. 

[seon123]

7 minutes ago, b emoji said:

I have a few loose 60g switches and 6 80g switches in my m6b, I prefer something between 60 to 70g. If youre coming from jades I would get 60 or 70g. 

Okay. The 60gf is out of stock at KBDFans, so probably 70g then. Is it actuation or bottom out?

[b emoji]

17 minutes ago, seon123 said:

Okay. The 60gf is out of stock at KBDFans, so probably 70g then. Is it actuation or bottom out?

From what I've heard it's actuation