Do you know to replace switches of mechnical keyboard? I have never expected my unintentional article about changing switches of mechanical keyboard with so many people browsing and received a lot of messages from people on the Facebook.

Many of them asked me about repairing keyboard. So, here I will show you how to change switches of mechanical keyboard, which is the simplest and most practical procedure.

Preparing Work Before Repairing Mechanical Keyboard

Because switch of mechanical keyboard is most likely to break down and learning how to change switch can solve most of problems. First of all, the choice of tools.

Owing to the pandemic, all my tools about repairing keyboard are placed in school and couldn’t be brought back. Then I bought a set of the simplest tools onlineagain for changing switch. It is enough to repair a keyboard. Tools mainly include:

1. Electric soldering iron (It is suitable for green hands to choose common soldering iron with adjustable temperature. And the soldering iron tip can choose knife-shaped tip, heating fast with a large contact area.)

2. Solder sucker (The cheapest is enough.)

3. Extraction tool for switch(IC Extraction tool is very useful.)

4. Solder wire, colophon

With these, you can change the switch. The following are the tools I bought at the time which are totally a few dozen dollar.

Electric soldering iron

Solder sucker

Colophon

Solder wire

Repairing Switches Process

And then disassemble the switch. The following is two videos. I have recorded which is the simplest and most convenient method of changing switch in my eyes. Looking them, you could become an expert on repairing switches.

First, clean solder joint with a solder sucker, place the keyboard up, remove the switch while heating another solder joint and assembly the switch like that (put the switch into the hole while heating), which is the best method to save time and materials. You can hold the electronic soldering iron in one hand and the solder sucker in the other.

Generally speaking, you should adjust the soldering iron to about 380 degrees. After heating and melting the solder joint, quickly put the nozzle of the solder sucker on the solder joint, and switch on it.

Then suck away the molten solder. The following keyboard is Majestouch 2 in Filco without light. So you only need to remove its switches.

Demonstration of Removing Mechanical Keyboard Switches

Demonstration of Changing Mechanical Keyboard Switches

Keyboard Before Disassembly New Swithces

Keyboard after Removing Switches

Keyboard after Changing Switches

The structure of mechanical keyboard is very simple. No matter how high quality a keyboard is, it couldn’t survive after splashing a cup of milky tea. The Filco keyboard is just a typical example. Luckily, we can use it after changing its switches. So I have saved money. What do you think of changing switchs? It is so easy, isn’t it? Those broken keyboards can be used again.

My Repairing Switches Experience

The following is my original answer. In 2016, I began to be addicted to mechanical keyboard and now have used more than 500 mechanical keyboards and bought keyboards that linking line were cut as well as also assembled customized keyboard. But I have seldom bought new ones because of their expensive prices.

What the keyboard I have assembled is one of Fox Lab Time series. Its back is so beautiful that is even like a craft.

I couldn’t afford buy a new keyboard but reuse some broken ones. There is a kind of keyboard in the keyboard industry whose linking lines are cut. Buying this kind is like gambling on stone. You do not know whether it is good or bad before receiving and repairing it totally depends on personal skill.

Nevertheless, most of them are good. After receiving it, you need to connect lines, repair, clean and transform it according to your interest.

I feel it repairing more interesting than using it. Besides, on the Internet, there are many assembled keyboards. It brings not only fun, but also extra money.

My Transformed Pink Filco Keyboard (It costs around 100 dollar)

Many screenshots in my phone are transformed keyboard.

Is it stupid to buy a mechanical keyboard?

I think item like mechanical keyboard about 20 dollar cannot be bought, whose cost is extremely low and inner parts are too terrible even worse than membrane keyboard.

However, keyboard about 100 dollar is comparable to those about 300 dollar. The latter is better on its details and hand feeling. When it comes to stupid tax, you should consider your own economic and actual needs. It is unimportant whether it is worthy or not.

The most important thing is that you like it . It is true that the price of customized keyboard includes stupid tax in some degree whose price is accredible to people’s hype. No matter how much it will cost when you spend, repairing it by your self must be cheaper.