deskthority

Hi there Deskthority!

Its my first time posting here and I just have a little question. So I found an old AEK II with cream dampened alps awhile ago and so far, it has just been sitting on my desk for while without getting the use it deserves. I plan on desoldering the switches and putting them in an AEK64 PCB. The switches feel really scratchy so they definitely will need to be cleaned. While looking around, I saw that there are a few mods I can make to the switches such as taking out the rubber dampeners, click modding, taking out the leaf to make it linear, etc... The question I have is, what mods, if any should I make to the cream dampened alps to make them the best they possibly could feel?

Thank you so much!

Hey there!

Some bad news about Alps, unfortunately. They tend to get ruined by dirt. People more knowledgable about Alps than me can say why—I think it has something to do with their design being more open to external dirt from above. But the conclusion is that they don’t fix up good. You can mod them, but unless you replace the bad bits, you’re not going to get much out of that.

This is why pristine condition Alps boards are so prized: their switches haven’t been sullied! My Alps boards are generally pretty nice. I’ve never picked up a heavily used one.

Welcome!

There is a modern reconstruction of Alps switches though: Matias switches. The Matias Quiet Click (which does not in fact click!) resembles the dampened Cream switches in the AEK II.
You could also mix and match parts from multiple switches if you would get hold of an Alps keyboard with smoother switches.

BTW, The AEK64 PCB supports only US-ANSI AEK and AEK II layouts. AEK and AEKII with vertical Return key (ISO layout) are a bit weird and don't fit. Keys from some other Alps keyboards with vertical Return key might fit though.

Is there any possible way I can clean up the switches? I really want to use them because I just want to make a modern AEK II. I don't mind replacing bits but will that save the switches possibly? That leads me kinda into, I want to use alps over matias due to the originality factor.

Thank you so much for they responses!

You’re also better off using Alps because of the feel and lifespan factors. Matias switches are a modern remake of the later simplified Alps design, which isn’t as good as complicated Alps like in the AEK I & II. And Matias switches are somewhat notorious for going bad in their own maddening way…

So you ask a good question: what parts do you need to replace in worn Alps?

I don’t know the answer. But here’s a helpful video.

Chyros wrote: ↑I made a video tutorial a while ago on how to clean and maintain Alps switches. Hope it helps . Some switches that have seen particularly heavy use are simply at the end of their lifetime though.

lbassett_21 wrote: ↑Hi there Deskthority!

Its my first time posting here and I just have a little question. So I found an old AEK II with cream dampened alps awhile ago and so far, it has just been sitting on my desk for while without getting the use it deserves. I plan on desoldering the switches and putting them in an AEK64 PCB. The switches feel really scratchy so they definitely will need to be cleaned. While looking around, I saw that there are a few mods I can make to the switches such as taking out the rubber dampeners, click modding, taking out the leaf to make it linear, etc... The question I have is, what mods, if any should I make to the cream dampened alps to make them the best they possibly could feel?

Thank you so much!

Depends what qualities you are after in an Alps switch. My own preferences are for tactile or tactile/clicky. I've had good results with "top modding" Alps switches, which consists of swapping the parts that can be easily removed without desoldering (top switch housings, sliders, springs, and tactile/click leaves).

If the bottom housings and switch plates are in good shape in the recipient board and the donor bits are in good shape, then you stand a good chance of everything working well.

Depending on the condition of the donor switches, I might clean the parts in an ultrasonic cleaner and allow them to dry completely before assembly.

There's a lot of controversy about the merits or demerits of lubing, but I've found that judicious application of synthetic oil to the friction points in the top switch housings can be beneficial. For future refurbishing projects, I am considering switching to a dry lubricant, based either on teflon or molybdenum disulfide.

In addition, I like to dampen the sound from the stabilized switches by lubing the stabilizers. If the stabilizer mounts on the keycaps strike the top plate of the keyboard, I install thin strips of very thin adhesive-backed foam on the plate at the contact points -- this is especially helpful under the spacebar. Finally, I often install a damped slider from a Matias "Quiet Click" switch in the spacebar switch; I sometimes use the Matias tactile leaf as well if the original spacebar switch was clicky.

lbassett_21 wrote: ↑Hi there Deskthority!

Its my first time posting here and I just have a little question. So I found an old AEK II with cream dampened alps awhile ago and so far, it has just been sitting on my desk for while without getting the use it deserves. I plan on desoldering the switches and putting them in an AEK64 PCB. The switches feel really scratchy so they definitely will need to be cleaned. While looking around, I saw that there are a few mods I can make to the switches such as taking out the rubber dampeners, click modding, taking out the leaf to make it linear, etc... The question I have is, what mods, if any should I make to the cream dampened alps to make them the best they possibly could feel?

Thank you so much!

IMO, cleaning the tops, sliders and click leaves (if they're particularly dirty) works pretty well. I use an ultrasonic cleaner.

I'm currently typing this on my custom 65% alps board with cream damped (I needed a quiet board...) and the switches feel fine. Click-modding them definitely makes them feel better, and removing the dampeners make them less mushy when bottoming out.