I'm not the best at keyboards and lubing in particular, but I think those browns sound a bit over-lubed. I don't think that browns are supposed to sound THIS quiet and kind of mushy. Of course, I have yet to try and hear an over-lubed Brown but based on that huge brush probably. Overall, this guide was helpful though, nice job. I like the Keychron K6 and I just ordered it.
Ohhhh, they are definitely overlubed, my friend... 100% 🤣 Buuut, that also kinda what I wanted them to be, personally. The tactility is still there, but “dampened”, the overall sound profile is very quiet with a deeper note to it, and despite what it sounds like, it doesn’t feel mushy, at least to me. I’ve done a new sound test to compare them to the Drop Entr in that review, which could give you an in to how they sound like now, months later. Aaanyway, thanks and welcome aboard! Oh, and I hope you enjoy your keeb ;)
buying and modding my c1 has cost me around 140 bucks so far (springs, caps, stab clip, band aid, foam, films), but yeah, it's definitely way less than some other boards and mods out there, just know that not every mod is free
Thanks for making this video. I have been contemplating doing something like this; but was not convinced the results would be worthwhile and your experience has really propelled me to take the plunge. Thank you!!
that disclaimer about this process being ultra time consuming was very well said. most people actually do end up hating lubing switches in particular. I like modding keyboards a lot but lubing switches is the most tedious part. i need to invest in some actual good lube for switches.
Its time consuming as hell, but it can be therapeutic depending on the day hahaha. I need a modding/lubing tray or something like that... I'm still doing this old-school with a bunch of pots and little bowls, going 1 by 1, without a switch opener etc. This definitely slows the process down, but I still enjoy it at least.
I'm actually pretty appreciative of this video as it shows what everybody else is saying - too much lube. This is really helpful, I've seen a hundred videos of people lubing switches properly and it's hard to tell what that "proper" amount is. But this video shows me what to look for if I'm lubing too much. It might be good to add a note somewhere that these switches were over-lubed, but it is very helpful as I can see what "too much" looks like. Otherwise, very well made video and I bookmarked it for future reference.
Oh, trading in the switches for something "fancier" is definitely on my to-do list. I'm thinking of de-soldering something I have here in the studio once I'm done with it just to use the switches it came with because "Holy" crap ;)
You bet! Thanks for dropping by as well ;) I'm currently testing 2 other keyboards I gotta review BUT I can't stop looking for keycap sets for the K6 hahahaha!
I appreciate the build, but my honest opinion is that the switches and stabs are heavily overlubed. The sound is really mushy, the space bar basically has no clicky feedback, the stabilizers are silent but not in a good way, they sound really mushy too. I would suggest using a very small amount of lube for the switches, since as we could see in the closeup shots, the stems were overlubed by a lot. The right amount is when you could barely see a translucent coat of lube on the stems. As context I just modedd my Keychron K2 a week ago and the difference is pretty big. If it is a preference of yours I could understand the mods but in my opinion this really ruins the typing experience, since the feedback of the switches and the stabs are basically non existant, therefore a stock K6 could give a more mechanical keyboard feel. On the other hand it's a nice build aesthetically.
I appreciate the comment and difference, really. I've for sure overlubed everything, but the stabs are the issue, to be honest. They were still somewhat rattly and I had to go back and do some other modding and refining to them - and now they're extremely better, honestly, just as some different mods I've applied to my custom Carina board from Drop as well. Short of actually grabing better stabs, they won't get any better to my preferences at least, as I've cleaned them up, re-lubed them, used different lubes, different applications of band-aid modding on the plate, on the pcb, inside the shafts, and it's soooo much better, but still the same stock stabs. On the switches, I 100% agree its overlubed on the video, and I did try and clean a couple to test out different amounts (before I finished the video), but what I ended up striking was a balance of an existing but not very pronounced tactile feedback bump, and a smooth/soft typing experience that was well complemented by the stronger springs I put inside each one. My mic didn't do the absolute best possible job with replicating the acoustic feeling of the switches, and I get from the *many* comments that they sound somewhat scratchy to a lot of people, but they've been almost just as scratchy with close to nothing in terms of lube (or nothing at all), probably because of the different springs, I imagine. Now, months later, the lube has "faded" a little, the scratchy sound has dampened a bit and the overall experience is even better (to me, obviously). The only thing I'm still not exactly happy with is the dang stabs. Same with my Carina board, actually. Band-aid mods, lubing, holy panda switches lubed and with tweaked springs to dampen ping (and I'm waiting delivery of a silicone mold thing to create something inside the case to help with dampening the sounds a bit more, actually), and it sounds and feels incredible to type (for me), and with the accoustics MUCH better than stock, but the stabs are still definitely what almost kills the joy of using these boards, sometimes... Especially when you put in the work, the switches get so much better and the stabs being "kinda bad" just end up being even more in evidence, by comparison... Waiting delivery on a some custom (better) stabs to add to these builds. Maybe that'll finally get me 100% satisfied with my Carina board and not totally hating the sounds on my Ctrl one as well hahaha. Anyway, thanks for the comment, mate! Hope the videos keep being entretaining at least. Welcome aboard ;)
Great video. Not sure if anyone has mentioned but you should use dialetric grease on the metal stabiliser bars, and use the krytox on the plastic housing.
Thanks bud! As for the lubs, yeah, people have mentioned that distinction before. Didn’t find specific reasoning to be honest aside from thickness tho.... is there any?
@@TechHyped it’s to do with the thickness of the grease, which will likely make it stay in place longer and stick to the stab wire. I think lube is actually fine but you may need to redo more often.
I just bought the SHP9500 bc of you a few months ago and now you're tempting me to buy this keychron just when I was looking for a new keyboard AHHAHHAHAHa. ur amazing u always help me out with tech. keep makin these vids!
Thank you so much for making this video. Very detailed and helpful. I’m still in the process of learning about building my own 65-68% but the keychron K6 has really stood out as a viable option for me. One question I have for you though, is do you think the actually keyboard (case) is too thick? I’ve seen many complaints that it’s just so bulky.
Honestly, not to me.... the Drop Ctrl is the exact same hight from the table to the top of the keycaps, so I was already used to it. I know a bunch of people use wrist rests with the CTRL, but I don’t... same with the K6. The heights: - 3cm from the table to the top of the keycaps on the bottom row - 3.7 on the top row - 4.3 on the top row with the smaller feet - 4.8 on the top row with the higher feet
Tech Hyped thank you so much! Yeah the other contender I had in mind was the Drop Alt but for the price I feel like I could just build my own. I think I’ll stick with the K6 and do the mods you suggested in the video. And also try to find some nice PBT keycaps. I messaged keychron and asked if some pbt caps for the k6 would be on the way soon and they told me it was in the works.
I love how this the first vid I watched of him and the first thought I had was how much he looked like Peter Mckinnon and he had his video playing on his monitor lmfao
Chinpo Uly aside from both of us being human, I really can’t see the resemblance AT ALL, but hey, Pete’s awesome so thanks! Hahahah! Welcome aboard btw ;)
I went for Gateron Blues and love that they are obnoxously loud. The only mod I did (other than keycaps changes) were O-rings to dampen the *thock* when the keycaps bottom out. Now all I get are the delightful *chirps*. It's my first mechanical so I don't dare to venture too much with the modding. But in the future, who knows.
I think your brush is a bit too big. And it has too much lube on it. There's some danger to over lube with that. But I guess it all worked out in the end. EDIT: I see you're a fan of Tin HiFi!
SirAdeno yeah. Didn’t buy a smaller/thinner brush just yet, but this one has done the job. The lube amount definitely is a point of concern, as it can ruin the switch or cause contact issues/problems, but there’s very little chance of that unless you lube parts of the stem that press against the metal contacts. Those are the main leakage points. Still, you’re right, its something to be careful with! Thank GOD it worked out hahaha! Yep, review on them is uuuup! ;)
I was thinking about doing exactly this because I want a keyboard to travel with to and from school with my Mac, but I don't have $200 to drop on a Drop Alt which doesn't even have Apple caps. Thanks!!
Sure. Whenever I get s new board, I assemble it as is, use for a little while to test, then mod the stabs to see the difference, then move to the board, then the switches. Unless I already know I want a fully modded build, then I’ll just try to get it done in one swoop to “save time”
Awesome video man!! I have been desperate to make my K6 less "rattle-y" and you're video gave me all the tips I needed. Is there a way you could share a link for Canadians? Or maybe just a list of items? I can't access your link :(
Mahmoud Husain awesome to hear that dude!! Glad it helped out ;) Truth be told, I didn’t put up a list of items for the mods, which, you know, pretty damn stupid of me hahaha. Here’s a “list”: - crytox 205 grade 0: amzn.to/33PyEDO - tweezers - clippers / cutters - band-aid - scissor - Patience: either you have it, or you’re F... haha The links should all work fine no matter where you are, btw ;)
@@TechHyped Thanks so much brother! You've got quality content so I know you're gonna make it big! Yeah it looks like patience is going to be the biggest factor haha. Last question, how thick should the eva foam be? I found this on amazon: www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BL1Z19L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_MaxAFb7KV5ZDY
Thanks bro! Appreciate it ;) I was using 2mm foam but I guess I could have gone for 4mm. In some places I used 2 sheets, actually - come to think of it, I could have gone for 4mm (os 2x2mm sheets) all over, but I didn't want to have the PCB connectors squishing the foam at the time.
Tactility without lubing the stem legs is basically unchanged, but smoother and quieter. Lubing the lets tends to make it more slippery which takes away a little bit from the tactile feel, but it definitely doesn't erase it.
Those switches sound over lubed. There is no sound to them. They just sound wet. The key caps didn't even clack against the plate so the dude is either a perfect typer and knows exactly where the actuation point is on his switches. Or the switches have a mushy bottom out.
100% overlubed, not mushy tho and the “wet sound” was weird haha... It doesn’t really, tho. Plus, keycaps don’t necessarily hit the plates on every keyboard, which is the case here, incidentally. And yes, “perfect typist” with absolute knowledge and control over each stroke for the precise actuations points, oooobviously 🤘🏻😜
Just a note, those switches and stabilizers are way overlubed. Ideally there should be a very thin "haze" of lube over all the parts, but your switches look covered in globs of lube. Lubing like this makes switches feel all mushy. Lubing a normally loud switch shouldn't turn it almost silent. I'd suggest using a much smaller, thinner, softer brush next time, and using the least amount of lube you can get away with.
can i ask you a question firstly it is absolutely a great video , i saw it 5 times 😂 so i want to ask you what would happen if i don't put a little band-aid under the stabilizer? will it affect hardly on the experience ? I'm so afraid that the stabilizers will not fit right way if i put something underneath them. thanks for the tutorial BTW 💜
Thanks for the views! haha. Welcome board to the channel and I hope you keep enjoying the content ;) As for the Bandaid under the stabs, that helps with the stabs hitting the PCB, which dampens the high pitched sound of the plastic of the stab hitting the plastic/metal of the PCB. It may seem like it doesn't do much, but it does help quite a lot in terms of acoustics. As for the fitting, depending on how thick is the tape you place underneath them, it CAN be a bit harder to push them in place, but that tends to mean it'll be very much dampened. I haven't had a single situation where the tight fit made the stabs jump off or get dislodged after pushing them in place, so I don't think you'll have issues there either. Cheers!
@@TechHyped thanks for the fast response i didn't expect that and I'm enjoy watching your vids man 💜 I'll try to take your advice so will see what would happen thanks
Hello, really nice review of the product! Wanted to ask whether it would be possible to use the BT and Cable switch as a "KVM" switch between 2 devices?
@@TechHyped Hahaha ideed! Thank you for both your replies! I'm just trying to look for a solution to use 1 keyboard for both by devices without a KVM swtich that I find kinda annoying.
Wellllllllllllllll, nda's up, so those keycaps are from the Drop ENTR mechanical keyboard. It's in pre-order still, and the actual keycap set I'm not sure if they're out already as a stand-alone thing, but here you go: drop.com/buy/drop-entr-mechanical-keyboard And yeah, video on the Entr is coming up, and I'll touch on the keycaps ;)
Its the skylight keycap set from Drop. Just look for those! They have a bunch of color combinations. This one was the full white + the stock darker keycaps.
The board doesn’t use nearly enough juice to overheat the battery... The power-draw is what pushes those limits, and the Bluetooth + keystrokes don’t do the trick. Plus, the idea is NOT to cover the battery due to space anyways, and since there are plastic spacers dividing the area where the battery is and the rest of the chassis, I wouldn’t worry. Still, non-flammable foam I’d guess any type would work... The EVA stuff I’ve used isn’t non-flammable as far as I know, so I’m gonna add a fire-extinguisher to my setup just in case 🤪😬
Great vid however your brush was to big it was touching the leaf, the leaf is the gold contact that makes the switch work touching it may damage the switch
Thanks bro! Yeah, I'm aware the brush was a bit too big. Fortunately I haven't had any issues with the contacts, but I did get myself a lube cleaner just in case before I went further with the process ;D
Way to go, dude! Be patient and you'll get it done ;) And it can... If you overdo it, the tactile bump ALMOST fades away... it becomes super easy to miss, almost inexistent, but using the harder springs helped with that feel as well, actually. Still, I'd advise a very VERY THIN coat if you intend to brush the tactile legs, just to add a bit of smoothness.
Wellllllllllllllll, nda's up, so those keycaps are from the Drop ENTR mechanical keyboard. It's in pre-order still, and the actual keycap set I'm not sure if they're out already as a stand-alone thing, but here you go: drop.com/buy/drop-entr-mechanical-keyboard And yeah, video on the Entr is coming up, and I'll touch on the keycaps ;)
I know this video is a year old (nice job btw, I plan on doing this to my K6) but could you please tell me where you got your desktop background (screensaver) from please? Thats pretty rad. Cheers Gus. 👍
Can i upgrade the stabalizers to cherry stabalizers cause im new to keyboards and i used tecware phantom keyboard before but after using it on quite some time my space bar just keep falling off if i click on the left sides. I wonder its shit stabalizers or is it the cheap keycaps. Therefore, im currently choosing between apple magic keyboard and the keychron k6 and wanting to upgrade the stabalizers to a better one
Its gonna be compatible with any plate-mount stabilizers, including cherry.... But if you’re gonna upgrade stabs, I’d suggest something nicer since you’re already gonna do ir anyway heheheh ;) Try looking at something like Durock, NK or Glorious. And sorry for the delay, btw.. ;)
Thanks dude!!! Appreciate the views hehe 😜 As for the sets, not sure... if you find a gmk that has those extra size units for the bottom right, sure. Can’t say its something you will or will not find tho ;/
Hey buddy, looking for exact same set of keycaps black and white with mac keys(command keys included), the link doesn't have exact one, can you help me out! It looks amazing buddy!!
It looks like the skylight keycaps you used had the right shift key and a 1u FN1 and FN2 key... when I look at their listing though I don’t see the FN1 and FN2 key, am I going crazy?
Yes... lol! Just kidding... I actually took my set from another keyboard that came with those keycaps that Drop had sent me for review, so I didn't even have access to the full set when I put this together, so I imagine you'll have access to those keys no problem. That said, just in case it wasn't 100% clear, the Skylight keycaps are the WHITE ones... Everything else is what came with the K6 stock.
Wow! The sound difference. I'm going to do that when I get my own. Thanks for this great guide. But what was was the lube that you've used? I've reviewed the video and I still couldn't find it mentioned.
Thanks! ;) Glad it was useful! The lube: Crytox 205 grade 0 or any other dielectric grease viscous lubricant made for small circuits, O-ring applications and that sort of stuff.
That’s a nice question. Raw out of the box, the metal structure with very little internal empty space of the CTRL made it a quieter board. Modded, at least right now, its been as quiet or perhaps a bit more quiet than the K6 because of the linear switches, but since I exchanged the springs in almost all the switches? Its not been as pleasant of a typing experience... Too light. I’m waiting on a new switch shipment to try a couple of new things with the CTRL tho. I’ll let you guys know ;).
@@TechHyped Good to know. I've seen a number of reviews ragging on the sound of the K6, but no real comparison (properly modded) with lubed switches, and foam, etc.
Yeah, comparing stuff when the same effort or process hasn't been applied isn't fair. From my own tests with the CTRL, sound-wise it's at least as good, if not a tiny bit better, but I'm not sure if exchanging the switches for something tactile would bump it up and out of the same "sound-level zone" the K6 is right now. NOT necessarily adding foram to the interior, you could check BadSeedTech's video on modding the Drop ALT because the frame and keycaps are the same as the CTRL, so it should give you an audible idea. ;) ps: adding foam to all the interior of the CTRL and the ALT is almost impossible because of the acrylic diffuser.
Yes and no. Not exactly made for it, but even in wireless mode I haven't had any issues with it in the countless hours I've used them for gaming. I would say that if you already have the Ducky SF, unless you NEED (or want) a wireless keyboard for the flexibility, getting another 65% keyboard to use in wired mode for gaming is sort of a waste, really. But it's an overall great little board.
Great video! Was wondering what you meant when you said you changed the springs? Did it make the actuation feel any different? Lighter/Stronger maybe? Thank you!
Thanks bro! Yeah, I switched up the springs from the switches that came with my K6 for the springs on the Kaihua linear switches from my Drop Ctrl to make it heavier, actually. ;)
Nope, didn't go for the aluminium frame because it's basically a bumper.. The structural rigidity is still going to be much more related to the overall structure of the case, and the basic plastic version is already fine. No flex, super stiff.
Hi, I’m new to mechanical keyboards. I’m getting a hot-swappable K6, and I’m looking at improving the keyboard with some of your suggestions. I understand the reasoning behind nearly everything, but I don’t understand why you clipped the stabilizers and added band-aid underneath them?
Well, that's sort of easy to explain: When you bottom out the keys that have stabs, the bottom of the plastic pilar of the stabs usually depresses a bit further than the "housing", so it usually makes contact with the PCB, like what happens here with the K6. Clipping the little legs helps make that contact less pronounced, and adding a band-aid helps even further by dampening that contact noise. You know, plastic on plastic is rather loud hehe.
Mazlan Aje Topre switches are interesting. Could be reeeally nice to see a version with one, or just to get some to put in there, but I think that’s still out of the cards
@@TechHyped Hi, I've been using mechanical switches for many many years with different kind of switches, but once I get hold of Topre keys, I never look back. Now I'm rocking with Realforce TKL. If keychron do it with bluetooth, I for sure will buy it. :)
They’re from this thing: drop.com/buy/drop-entr-mechanical-keyboard#overview They have just the keycaps for sale but my browser’s acting up. You can find it there tho ;)
I have a question im new to moding and i want to get into lubing but after using the lube how long can i keep it for or what is he longest time youvekept the lube for and still be usable
You mean how long the lube will last say, kept in a drawer somewhere for you to eventually use again with another keyboard (or even the same one)? As long as you keep it properly sealed and not somewhere that would get way too hot, it should last for a looong time.
This video was the most useful video i've seen in a while. I'm planning on buying a K6 and adding Zelios V2's and I want to do all these mods. Do you know what exactly the foam you used is called (if i wanted to order from amazon)
Samstrex Thanks dude! I appreciate it ;) I used EVA 2mm (or 3) foam, but honestly, I just had this layin’ around for years, so I’m not super sure what was the exact thing I bought back when... Any EVA foam around that thickness should do the trick. You can stack multiple sheets if you want, just don’t put too much that could squish the stuff inside ;)
@@Samstrex I got mine a couple months ago, it did have tow different foam densities in the packing. I used the more dense foam in mine. Also, if this is the first time you've swapped out switches, make sure to take your time when putting them back in. This was the first time I've done it and I didn't realize how delicate the pins were on the bottom, they bend quite easily. Good luck!
Could you specify the thing about the springs you swapped out from you other set of switches? Kahil something? Sorry I'm new to mech keyboards. Just got my K6 a month ago.
Kaihua Linear Speed Silver. They are originally from mas Drop CTRL keyboard, but since that's also hotswap, I decided to try and exchange the springs because it's a bit heavier to type on, and I like that feel.
Well, can't really say it's Gateron Browns anymore, because I've literally changed them physically by changing the springs, so it's a set of "custom gateron browns"... Sort of...
Yes they did! Forgot to add to the description, actually. Here you go! drop.com/buy/drop-skylight-series-keycap-set?gclid=CjwKCAiAjeSABhAPEiwAqfxURbCc7dVu3fy0oe_IUxCh_PwQFfA38g7C3FV9n4UfLgJLLEBKkm_Y8hoCtfAQAvD_BwE
