deskthority

Hey folks - need a bit of advice regarding alps switches in general (I mostly have vintage ones at the point). I tend to find that off centre key presses produce a lot of friction - which feels a bit meh. I understand that is partially due to the design of the alps stem itself, but does anyone know of a good method of reducing this catching feeling? I imagine lube will involved somewhere - but there doesn't seem to be much info on lubing alps switches. Thanks in advance.

Well, good condition alps should not bind. you probably have dirty switches. not much can be done about that.

Besides taking the switch apart and cleaning it I assume?

JollySkeletor wrote: Besides taking the switch apart and cleaning it I assume?

Once alps are dirty, thy can never be fully restored, it is a shortcoming of alps switches. It is necessary to get your alps in good condition.

Well you can TECHNICALLY go through the trouble of desoldering the full board, doing a nice ultrasonic cleaning job on the switches and put it back together!

Biggest problem here will be the fact that Alps switches are a major pain to desolder without harming the PCB in at least a few places. Usually a handfull of switches have their legs bent and you can't really suck the solder out of those joints.

mike52787 wrote:

JollySkeletor wrote: Besides taking the switch apart and cleaning it I assume?

Once alps are dirty, thy can never be fully restored, it is a shortcoming of alps switches. It is necessary to get your alps in good condition.

Unfortunately that's correct, that's why I jokingly refer to Alps SKCM as a really slow suicide switch. After a certain point of wear it's nothing but damage control.

I'll probably have a go at pulling the top housing off and giving the insides and slider a quick tickle and perhaps add a little lube to the slider.

JollySkeletor wrote: I'll probably have a go at pulling the top housing off and giving the insides and slider a quick tickle and perhaps add a little lube to the slider.

Doesn't hurt to try that. The most effective way to give your sliders a good lubing is a method I learned from kin25.
You put all the sliders in a ziploc bag, add a couple of drops a low viscosity lube (like Super Lube or silicone lube) and then inflate the bag, seal it and shake it really well until everything in the bag has a nice, even lube coat.

Best use some tweezers to put the sliders back into the switches afterwards

OK? I have never encountered any Alps that didn't bind on off-centre key presses.

My SKCM white alps board isn't anywhere near as bad as the board i'm using now

Findecanor wrote:OK? I have never encountered any Alps that didn't bind on off-centre key presses.

Sounds like you have had alot of bad luck. I have had more clean alps boards than dirty alps boards.

Findecanor wrote: OK? I have never encountered any Alps that didn't bind on off-centre key presses.

Me too. The only complicated Alps that felt decent were in NIB Dell AT 101. All other Alps keyboards I had (or still have), like AEKs, Focuses, and other Dells felt either totally crap, or in case of very old white Alps, quite OK, but binding on off center presses making them unusable.

czarek wrote:

Findecanor wrote: OK? I have never encountered any Alps that didn't bind on off-centre key presses.

Me too. The only complicated Alps that felt decent were in NIB Dell AT 101. All other Alps keyboards I had (or still have), like AEKs, Focuses, and other Dells felt either totally crap, or in case of very old white Alps, quite OK, but binding on off center presses making them unusable.

Damn, that's pretty bad luck Oo . Now it's time to find AEKs, Focuses and other Dells NIB! 8)

Quick question, are Alps Plate Spring keyboards also known to suffer from scratchiness when dirty?

y11971alex wrote: Quick question, are Alps Plate Spring keyboards also known to suffer from scratchiness when dirty?

..Along with SKCC.

Wodan wrote: Doesn't hurt to try that. The most effective way to give your sliders a good lubing is a method I learned from kin25.
You put all the sliders in a ziploc bag, add a couple of drops a low viscosity lube (like Super Lube or silicone lube) and then inflate the bag, seal it and shake it really well until everything in the bag has a nice, even lube coat.

Best use some tweezers to put the sliders back into the switches afterwards

This sounds like a really good method. I have used q-tips all the time, which is quite timeconsuming. For me I found PTFE spray working better than a silicone one.