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Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 03:47
by snacksthecat
First of all, let me say I'm not sure if this are keyboard switches. The metal one in particular seems quite weird (I'll explain why later).

I saw them pop up on ebay and my curiosity got the best of me so I bought them. Cool little addition to my small switch collection I figure.

I've got the rest of my evening set aside to take them apart and photograph them. Anything in particular you guys want to see?

Perhaps these are already documented. In my cursory look through the wiki I wasn't able to find them.

Here are some pictures of each one.

Switch #1
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Switch #2
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Switch #3
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Switch #4
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Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 04:52
by snacksthecat
I thought this would be a novel way to show these.

Switch #1
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Switch #2
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Switch #3
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Switch #4
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Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 04:59
by //gainsborough
Woah!! Is this time lapse? Very well done and super cool!

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 05:13
by snacksthecat
//gainsborough wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 04:59
Woah!! Is this time lapse? Very well done and super cool!
Thanks! Yes, I put them on a turntable and took a bunch of photos to make those gifs.

Also, these things are so hipster. Like, what is this mechanism?!

Image

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 05:18
by Lbibass
snacksthecat wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 05:13
//gainsborough wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 04:59
Woah!! Is this time lapse? Very well done and super cool!
Thanks! Yes, I put them on a turntable and took a bunch of photos to make those gifs.

Also, these things are so hipster. Like, what is this mechanism?!

Image
It looks almost like a capacitive Shitsumi Miniature Mechanical! Very funky.

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 06:46
by Findecanor
snacksthecat wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 05:13
Also, these things are so hipster. Like, what is this mechanism?!
I suppose the gold spring is supposed to slider against the contacts and close the circuit...
Or does the spring roll?

How is the key feel? I can't imagine that sliding contacts would be any good.
Lbibass wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 05:18
It looks almost like a capacitive Shitsumi Miniature Mechanical! Very funky.
I would not shit on Mitsumi. I have got only one of their standard Mechanical tactile switches that use the same tactile mechanism as the miniature switches, but it feels very nice.

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 06:50
by samuelcable
i assume these types of switches are for push buttons in like cars , or other industrial applications rather than keyswitches for keyboards. very cool stuff, i love those spinning gifs

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 07:31
by brainandforce
Findecanor wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 06:46
Lbibass wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 05:18
It looks almost like a capacitive Shitsumi Miniature Mechanical! Very funky.
I would not shit on Mitsumi. I have got only one of their standard Mechanical tactile switches, but it feels very nice.
That's the catch with Mitsumi miniature mechanical. They feel amazing as loose switches, but when you actually use them in a keyboard, they bind like you accidentally got your Krytox mixed up with Krazy Glue and decided to go ahead with lubing them anyway.

In the eternal words of Chyros: "The keyfeel of these is absolute, perfect, crystalline FUCKNESS."

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 11:05
by Chyros
brainandforce wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 07:31
Findecanor wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 06:46
Lbibass wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 05:18
It looks almost like a capacitive Shitsumi Miniature Mechanical! Very funky.
I would not shit on Mitsumi. I have got only one of their standard Mechanical tactile switches, but it feels very nice.
That's the catch with Mitsumi miniature mechanical. They feel amazing as loose switches, but when you actually use them in a keyboard, they bind like you accidentally got your Krytox mixed up with Krazy Glue and decided to go ahead with lubing them anyway.

In the eternal words of Chyros: "The keyfeel of these is absolute, perfect, crystalline FUCKNESS."
On top of that, don't confuse their standard (and actually considerably rarer) switches with the miniature ones. The tall ones are OK. The miniature ones are an eldritch abomination.

And yeah, they definitely feel very different as loose switches.

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 13:12
by Muirium
Someone once told me they’re perfectly fine once lubed. I’d believe that when I see it. But I already gave my fairy cursed board away for your enjoyment!

The super shitty flexy case and literally every other aspect of the thing besides the switches did not exactly instil a sense of being likely.

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 16:04
by zrrion
So you're the one who beat me in getting those pop. Glad to see they went to someone who is documenting them.

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 28 Jul 2019, 20:33
by snacksthecat
Findecanor wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 06:46
How is the key feel? I can't imagine that sliding contacts would be any good.
They feel okay. But the travel is so short on these that most of the scratchiness doesn't have a chance to come out.
zrrion wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 16:04
So you're the one who beat me in getting those pop. Glad to see they went to someone who is documenting them.
I'm the rascal! There's actually another set of these up right now. That set doesn't include the metal-slider one but I think mine is missing some parts anyways (no spring and no contact leaf). Or, once I'm done playing with these, you can have them for a more reasonable price if you're really interested.
samuelcable wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 06:50
i assume these types of switches are for push buttons in like cars , or other industrial applications rather than keyswitches for keyboards.
Yeah, the more I look at these I'm more and more convinced of the same.

lsoelxi a few months back posted a 1993 Alps switch catalog. First of all, it's amazing to look through. Unfortunately I didn't see anything resembling these switches in the catalog, despite the variety of different switches it has. Probably these pre-date that catalog.

Have any other similar catalogs surfaced ever? I'd be really interested to look through those as well if they exist. Bitsavers is surprisingly sparse, only containing a patent for achieving n-key rollover.

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 29 Jul 2019, 01:28
by samuelcable
snacksthecat wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 20:33
Findecanor wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 06:46
How is the key feel? I can't imagine that sliding contacts would be any good.
They feel okay. But the travel is so short on these that most of the scratchiness doesn't have a chance to come out.
zrrion wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 16:04
So you're the one who beat me in getting those pop. Glad to see they went to someone who is documenting them.
I'm the rascal! There's actually another set of these up right now. That set doesn't include the metal-slider one but I think mine is missing some parts anyways (no spring and no contact leaf). Or, once I'm done playing with these, you can have them for a more reasonable price if you're really interested.
samuelcable wrote:
28 Jul 2019, 06:50
i assume these types of switches are for push buttons in like cars , or other industrial applications rather than keyswitches for keyboards.
Yeah, the more I look at these I'm more and more convinced of the same.

lsoelxi a few months back posted a 1993 Alps switch catalog. First of all, it's amazing to look through. Unfortunately I didn't see anything resembling these switches in the catalog, despite the variety of different switches it has. Probably these pre-date that catalog.

Have any other similar catalogs surfaced ever? I'd be really interested to look through those as well if they exist. Bitsavers is surprisingly sparse, only containing a patent for achieving n-key rollover.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alps-power-pus ... Swx9lcJuBs

this one for example is for some sort of audio equipment as a push button, the spring reminds me of some of the ones you found....

Re: Four interesting Alps switches

Posted: 24 Mar 2021, 13:02
by mcmaxmcmc
Gonna be a bit of a necro on this post, but it looks like these switches are already documented by our man Beardsmore himself.

Seems to be Alps AKC and Alps SCK switches; maybe something along the line of AKC Plastic Blue, AKC Plastic White, AKC White, and SCK in order.

https://telcontar.net/KBK/Alps/AKC
https://telcontar.net/KBK/Alps/SCK