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Switch lubing guide.

geo3
By geo3
in Peripherals
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Posted
4 minutes ago, Constantin said:

Silicon does not evaporate 

Only some kinds of it, original WD does not have silicone in it iirc, might be wrong. WD40 is waterbased and will dry up and leave crap in your switches.

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Posted
Just now, noxdeouroboros said:

Only some kinds of it, original WD does not have silicone in it iirc, might be wrong.

Just Google WD40!!!

A big % is silicon

CPU:i7 9700k 5047.5Mhz All Cores Mobo: MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Edge AC, RAM:Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 OC 3467Mhz GPU:MSI RTX 2070 ARMOR 8GB OC Storage:Samsung SSD 970 EVO NVMe M.2 250GB, 2x SSD ADATA PRO SP900 256GB, HDD WD CB 2TB, HDD GREEN 2TB PSU: Seasonic focus plus 750w Gold Display(s): 1st: LG 27UK650-W, 4K, IPS, HDR10, 10bit(8bit + A-FRC). 2nd: Samsung 24" LED Monitor (SE390), Cooling:Fazn CPU Cooler Aero 120T Push/pull Corsair ML PRO Fans Keyboard: Corsair K95 Platinum RGB mx Rapidfire Mouse:Razer Naga Chroma  Headset: Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma Sound: Logitech X-540 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker Case: Modded Case Inverted, 5 intake 120mm, one exhaust 120mm.

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Posted
4 minutes ago, Constantin said:

Just Google WD40!!!

A big % is silicon

Well :

  • 50% "aliphatic hydrocarbons". ...
  • <25% petroleum base oil. ...
  • 12–18% low vapor pressure aliphatic hydrocarbon. ...
  • 2–3% carbon dioxide. ...
  • <10% inert ingredients.

Which of these is silicone? Only some kinds of it uses silicone. Original does not.

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Posted
3 minutes ago, noxdeouroboros said:

<25% petroleum base oil. ..

<25% petroleum base oil. Presumably a mineral oil or light lubricating oil.

CPU:i7 9700k 5047.5Mhz All Cores Mobo: MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Edge AC, RAM:Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 OC 3467Mhz GPU:MSI RTX 2070 ARMOR 8GB OC Storage:Samsung SSD 970 EVO NVMe M.2 250GB, 2x SSD ADATA PRO SP900 256GB, HDD WD CB 2TB, HDD GREEN 2TB PSU: Seasonic focus plus 750w Gold Display(s): 1st: LG 27UK650-W, 4K, IPS, HDR10, 10bit(8bit + A-FRC). 2nd: Samsung 24" LED Monitor (SE390), Cooling:Fazn CPU Cooler Aero 120T Push/pull Corsair ML PRO Fans Keyboard: Corsair K95 Platinum RGB mx Rapidfire Mouse:Razer Naga Chroma  Headset: Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma Sound: Logitech X-540 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker Case: Modded Case Inverted, 5 intake 120mm, one exhaust 120mm.

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Posted
3 minutes ago, noxdeouroboros said:

You said it's silicone, while it's not, is it?

silicone=mineral oil

OMG!!!!!

 

 

WD-40 Smart Straw.JPG
WD-40 with Smart Straw
Product type Penetrating oil, water displacer
Owner WD-40 Company
Country San Diego, California, United States

CPU:i7 9700k 5047.5Mhz All Cores Mobo: MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Edge AC, RAM:Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 OC 3467Mhz GPU:MSI RTX 2070 ARMOR 8GB OC Storage:Samsung SSD 970 EVO NVMe M.2 250GB, 2x SSD ADATA PRO SP900 256GB, HDD WD CB 2TB, HDD GREEN 2TB PSU: Seasonic focus plus 750w Gold Display(s): 1st: LG 27UK650-W, 4K, IPS, HDR10, 10bit(8bit + A-FRC). 2nd: Samsung 24" LED Monitor (SE390), Cooling:Fazn CPU Cooler Aero 120T Push/pull Corsair ML PRO Fans Keyboard: Corsair K95 Platinum RGB mx Rapidfire Mouse:Razer Naga Chroma  Headset: Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma Sound: Logitech X-540 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker Case: Modded Case Inverted, 5 intake 120mm, one exhaust 120mm.

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Posted
1 minute ago, Constantin said:

silicone=mineral oil

OMG!!!!!

Silicone is not the same as mineral oil.

OMG!!!!!

 
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Posted
6 minutes ago, noxdeouroboros said:

Silicone is not the same as mineral oil.

OMG!!!!!

 

 

11 minutes ago, Constantin said:
WD-40 with Smart Straw
Product type Penetrating oil, water displacer
Owner WD-40 Company
Country San Diego, California, United States

What is not clear??

CPU:i7 9700k 5047.5Mhz All Cores Mobo: MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Edge AC, RAM:Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 OC 3467Mhz GPU:MSI RTX 2070 ARMOR 8GB OC Storage:Samsung SSD 970 EVO NVMe M.2 250GB, 2x SSD ADATA PRO SP900 256GB, HDD WD CB 2TB, HDD GREEN 2TB PSU: Seasonic focus plus 750w Gold Display(s): 1st: LG 27UK650-W, 4K, IPS, HDR10, 10bit(8bit + A-FRC). 2nd: Samsung 24" LED Monitor (SE390), Cooling:Fazn CPU Cooler Aero 120T Push/pull Corsair ML PRO Fans Keyboard: Corsair K95 Platinum RGB mx Rapidfire Mouse:Razer Naga Chroma  Headset: Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma Sound: Logitech X-540 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker Case: Modded Case Inverted, 5 intake 120mm, one exhaust 120mm.

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Posted
Just now, Constantin said:

 

What is not clear??

Mineral oil is not the same as silicone. I know that for a fact and just gonna end on that.

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Posted

Wd 40 isnt a lubricant its name stands for water displacement the 40 Is for the formula number. You should never ever use it as a lubricant ever. Works great as a solvent though oh and it breaks down plastics and rubber so that too.

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  • 2 months later...
Posted

the wd 40 company actually makes silicon lubes and still has wd 40 in its branding, maybe he is talking about those? i have it, but i dont know if it will create residues or not.

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Posted

I had this great joke about jumbo frames ready but then realized you were talking about a keyboard switch rather than a network switch.

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  • 2 months later...
Posted

I have a Leopold FC980M with MX Red Silents and I was looking to lube the switches without having to desolder every switch. I came across this guide. The picture examples seem to reflect that it is a plate mounted switch that you're removing the top of. 

I have the exact tool from mechkeyboards and I cannot get these things off. Is there something I'm missing? it seems pretty straight forward?

 

Thanks

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  • Author
31 minutes ago, SeptemberWasp said:

I have a Leopold FC980M with MX Red Silents and I was looking to lube the switches without having to desolder every switch. I came across this guide. The picture examples seem to reflect that it is a plate mounted switch that you're removing the top of. 

I have the exact tool from mechkeyboards and I cannot get these things off. Is there something I'm missing? it seems pretty straight forward?

 

Thanks

First do your switches have through hole LEDs? If so desoldering is your only option.

 

Second it may be that your plate doesn't have the notches to allow the clips on either side of the switch to open. If this is the case you may also need to desolder, but you could also try to lower the plate. This would involve uncliping each switch from the plate and pushing it down towards the PCB. The clips that hold the switch to the plate are on the front and back sides of the switches, (as opposed to the clips that hold the 2 switch halves together which are on the left and right of the switch) and you would need push them in with a tweezers or small flat head to get them to release. This process can be tedious because it needs a tool to release the switch from the plate but they easily reclip them selves on to the their own. 

 

Once you are finished lubing you would just need to raise the plate up and make sure all the switch are clipping in. 

 

I'm not sure about the construction of your board however and that may not be possible either. On many boards the PCB and plate are only fixed to each other by the switches themselves. But some there are posts with screws holding the 3 to each other. 

Mechanical Keyboard Switch Lubing Guide

 

 

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Posted

No LEDs on the switches. 

 

Any way to tell from pretty basic pictures if the plate is too restrictive? 

 

I'll obviously have to take the keyboard apart much more to tell if I can slip down the plate. I readily admit that I have near zero experience and just starting out with this whole keyboard so I'm apprehensive about most activities with it.

 

Thanks! 

20200609_132153.jpg

20200609_132200.jpg

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It looks like it's missing the little notches. The edge of the plate looks totally straight from that first angle. A plate with notches looks like this https://www.amazon.com/stabilizers-Universal-Anodized-Aluminum-Positioning/dp/B06XJ36N1G.

 

Anyway, these are the clips that hold the plate to the switch. You have to just push those inward

20200609_132153.jpg.5e5b7e9f795c5a733c0ea0fa1e5e0f3e.thumb.jpg.12e78a3b92050c89410e4678a56367d2.jpg

Mechanical Keyboard Switch Lubing Guide

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...
Posted
  • Author

There's a new style switch opener made by Gateron that I find to be even better.

 

Here's a few links:

https://www.keychron.com/products/gateron-switch-opener

https://zealpc.net/products/ez-switch-opener?variant=39289706217536

https://kbdfans.com/collections/switch-opener/products/gateron-switch-opener

 

This only works for MX style housings with 4 prongs, the Kailh style housing with 2 tabs still needs the KBDFans opener previously linked. 

Mechanical Keyboard Switch Lubing Guide

 

 

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