IMO, grease is not needed for stabs that have tight tolerances like C3 Equalz and TX. Still needed for OEM and OG Cherry stabs.

In your opinion, if the priority is just least problems over time, what would be your choice of switch/spring/lube/mods?

Yes, sorry I was unclear. 205 is sufficient for me on the tighter tolerance stabs. For others, grease is needed.

Thanks. Just fielding opinions for a build far in the future. Still happy with my Fold as daily driver. I want more of the same but they have discontinued it.

Keebio have promised to open source the Fold PCB, so I'll be looking at that when they release it. Maybe do some minor changes like changing the right space bar from 2.75U+1.25U to 2U+1U+1U.

If I can move my numpad from the red box to the green box I'd be so happy.


This post has been edited by niakulah: May 8 2023, 02:38 PM

Also when your preferred layout is too vanilla aka full size 100%. As I found out when trying to make a custom full size. 60-65% is still the most catered to form factor.

Tecware Spectre Pro

I built a numpad using Aliaz silent tactiles before and didn't like em. Combined with the super low weights....yeah I think I'll steer clear of topre.

I do. My custom keyboard is tuned for thock but is not particularly loud. My boss punching on his Dell membrane keyboard is louder.

And our shared office is locked whenever none of our department members are there, so totally no issue for me. I have literally a few k worth of keycaps in boxes under my desk...

I walked into a Thundermatch last weekend and happened to see they had Keychron keebs on display. Nice! TBH, I have never handled a full aluminium keyboard before that day. Somehow I managed to spend thousands in this hobby and never owned a single metal keeb other than a KPrepublic aluminium numpad.

I must say I was happy to find out that my own designed and built acrylic casing feels and sounds better than a full aluminium Keychron hands down.

But right beside the Keychrons was a very plain looking TKL. It was within arms reach and so I just tried a few keypresses. And a few more. And a lot more. I furiously began to mash all stabilized keys, moving my finger all along the length. WTF! Here
was a prebuilt plastic keyboard that felt and sounded almost as good as my custom keyboard! And certainly much better than the Keychrons next to it.

I noted down the model, and today finally did some research on this model. Turns out it has quite a number of good reviews as well. It was none other than the Tecware Phantom+ Elite.

Highlights:
4 different foams
Clipped and lubed stabs
Sound dampening material for the spacebar between the stabs and switch
Prelubed switches

Excellent and fun review of the non-Elite model here. Good sound test at the end of this one.


A lessor review, but with better explanation of the differences between the Phantom+ 87, 104, and the Elite, and the 4 different switch options.


Since I have too many keycap sets, I may just get an Elite in the near future and pop one of my sets on it.

True. Most people have a bad experience with a brand and never look back. It might be too early to tell if this model will develop problems, it was only released 7 months ago and no one has used it for more than a year yet.

I wanted to get the SS02 as well if my sodapult clone died. But now I might get this instead:
https://www.lazada.com.my/products/frogbro-...0826786487.html

Thanks for the tip.

Also, a tip for you. The reason adding more solder works is because it adds fresh flux, which is in the core of most solders. You can also buy just the liquid flux and use that instead. This is what I use:
https://shopee.com.my/100ML-MULTICORE-Liqui...1392.5122872585

Yes, I've read that multiple times but keep forgetting to try it! I have to remember to buy some silicone tubing for the next time I need to desolder something. Which is hopefully never, I am still wary of the whole process.

For soldering, most any soldering iron you can find at supermarkets are good enough.

For desoldering, I'd recommend getting something much more reliable and powerful. Something with temperature control. This is what I use:
https://shopee.com.my/KSGER-T12-Soldering-S...605.20490523193

Don't use the K tip that comes with that particular set, get a D tip. I use a D16 (1.6mm) but sifu horns says that that's too small. So probably go for the D32 tip.

https://shopee.com.my/KSGER-T12-D08-D12-D16...605.17275323993

Edit: Actually he uses 2.4, but also 3.2

This post has been edited by niakulah: Jul 14 2023, 04:29 PM

PSA. Some GMK sets shipped this year has issues.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboard...ps_know_before/

This post has been edited by niakulah: Jul 23 2023, 08:31 AM

Kuzumi Taiga or something like that?

Tecware Phantom + and Phantom + Elite are relatively new. Released last December. They have gotten rave reviews, and from my short test in a Thundermatch, it feels and sounds good! I may be getting one myself if there's a deal on 8.8. I need more boards to put my keycaps on. Haha.

horns Do you find that your stabs' tuning get bad over time? I am getting unhappy with mine recently. Is there anything you do to maintain it? I can't get mine off without desoldering the entire board...

The Phantom + now uses Kailh hotswap sockets so there's no longer any switch compatibility issues. In any case, I'm a Gazzew fanboy so it was never a problem for me.

When I was new to MKB a few years ago, Royal Kludge had plenty of bad reviews. I honestly have never owned one, but I have heard they have gotten a lot better these past few years, so I may consider it. Since it's not going to be a daily driver anyway.

This post has been edited by niakulah: Aug 4 2023, 12:34 PM

U4T on my Sinc

LT on my Fold

Nah. Had other stuff I needed to buy this month. Couldn't justify spending 288 on what was basically a spare keyboard cum keycap tray.