Convert KBTalKing Pure to MX Green?

[admiralvorian]

Hey everyone! I've always loved searching around for old Model M keyboards, and only recently discovered amazing places here and mechanicalkeybaords.com. I've been using a Black Widow Ultimate and a WASD with blues for a while and I've got to say I enjoy MX Blues very much. I also have used keys with stronger springs and am pretty sure I'd like to try to convert one of my keyboards to Geens.

I've never had the occasion to open up a keyboard and inspect the switches. Can the KBT 60% be modded in this way with no soldering? Can I replace the whole switch, or just open the switch and change the internals? And where the heck can I find green switches???

I searched, and I found some info but I'm still unclear (difference between plate and soldered etc)

thanks everyone!

[ne0phyte]

The Pure is PCB mounted (no metal plate to hold the switches) so it can be modified without soldering.
You could get mx black switches from an old board or new ones from 7bit and just take the springs and put them in your blue switches. The resulting ghetto green switches feel like green switches but it's a lot cheaper and easier to get some black switches.

[Trev]

If there's LED's, those will need to be desoldered to remove the switch top housings.

[admiralvorian]

Yeah it has LEDs. thanks for the information

[kwago]

7bit would be happy to sell you switches

I have a bunch of Plate Mount MX Greens I've been trying to get rid of (around 63 or so). Greens and Blue stems are identical,it is just that Greens have a stronger spring.

I've never used a full Blue board myself for any extended period of time, but I do have a QFR with Greens that I use often. IMO it really cannot compare to a Model M. The Greens are just too stiff for me when it comes to extended use.

[Trev]

Yeah it has LEDs. thanks for the information

You can very lazily desolder these by heating both LED pins with a wide solder tip and pulling the LED head with needle-nose pliers. I ended up breaking 3 LEDs in my set from going too quickly, but I'm not re-installing them anyhow.