IDENTIFY THE KEYSWITCH thread

[thefarside]

Guess who writes that site.

I still posted here first, so I win

For whatever reason, I keep forgetting to browse https://kbd.news. It's a really cool website.

I also forget but enjoy the newsletter.

[Bitteneite]

Any ideas on what this is?




Here's a similar keyboard, but it seems to have the mounts broken off.



The keyboard also seems to have the exact same layout as this other post here (But with different switches)

I got this retro pc from a flea market (2$) called "GALAKSIJA" - which means galaxy. The keyboard that i have is a commercial use, that was used in schools, etc. The problem is i don't know what switch this is. Someone told me it's a Cherry m7, but i really can't tell if it's a clone or not. What do you think? Thank you!

Any help is appreciated.

[hellothere]

I don't think Cherry M7 or M9. Those have "Cherry" on the upper housing and the switches in the keyboard(s) above don't. Looks close to Mitsumi Standard Mechanical.

[John Doe]

Siemens ST switch.

wiki/Siemens_ST

[june bug]

do these internals match any alps clones that y'all recognize? they are from a fuluck branded alps clone switch

edit: never mind, i think they're the same as wiki/SFON_Alps_clone with a different shell

[guidemetothelight]

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Found in an Olympia Standard 200 Typewriter.
wiki/Marquardt_Butterfly ??

[hellothere]

index.jpg

Found in an Olympia Standard 200 Typewriter.
wiki/Marquardt_Butterfly ??

Looks like it. It's got that "M in a circle" mark on it, too.

[guidemetothelight]

Looks like it. It's got that "M in a circle" mark on it, too.

The user Inozenz actually knew the correct one:
wiki/Marquardt_Two_Fingers_Typewriter_switch

[hellothere]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314229594948

Spoiler:

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I thought of a couple different things, but that circular mount is throwing me off. I Googled and the only keyboards that looked like this had Cherry MX. This is obviously not MX. Dome/slider?

[Findecanor]

I thought of a couple different things, but that circular mount is throwing me off. I Googled and the only keyboards that looked like this had Cherry MX. This is obviously not MX. Dome/slider?

I'm sure I've seen it before but I can't remember or find it in the wiki. The rubber cup supposedly goes in-between the plate and the keycap, which would indicate a "hybrid" or foam-and-foil type switch.

[hellothere]

The rubber cup supposedly goes in-between the plate and the keycap, which would indicate a "hybrid" or foam-and-foil type switch.

I've seen a couple of switches using similar rubber thingies as "dust protection." You may be right, though.

[guidemetothelight]

switches.jpg (117.71 KiB) Viewed 24552 times

Somebody can identify them ?

[John Doe]

switches.jpg

Somebody can identify them ?

wiki/Mitsumi_miniature_mechanical

[hellothere]

switches.jpg

Somebody can identify them ?

wiki/Mitsumi_miniature_mechanical

If you want to get one of these keyboards, check the forum. There are older reviews saying that they're not that great of switches, but if you use some sort of (spray?) lube, they turn into "not bad" switches.

Don't confuse them with Mitsumi Standard Mechanical switches, which were most commonly found on Apple Extended Keyboard IIs. I've also got a typewriter with them.

[Muirium]

Ah Mitsumi Miniature: the cursed wee genius switch. The two keyboards I ever encountered with them were both unspeakably horrible, binding like absolute crazy. So disappointing after trying a handful of the switches NOS. As I put it at the time:

That's the thing with Mitsumi miniatures: they're *almost* awesome. When they're loose in your hand, they feel like a tiny little miracle switch: the closest thing to modular Topre I've ever handled, and with MX mount! But my board full of them is damn well nasty. It's a flimsy Chicony, and either these switches need a really tight body to hold things straight and prevent binding, or they're bloody useless because any more flex than that Chicony would be agony in itself!

I donated one keyboard to Chyros, who had some choice commentary about it:

And the other identical Chicony went into the Surprise Box as a warning to other curious minds! Sometime later, their reputation improved as someone claimed if you lube them just right they come to life with aplomb. Hmm. Consider me skeptical. Their binding is no joke at all: by far and away the worst binding I've ever encountered, even comparing unfairly to hellishly dirty keyboards with dried gunk in the keys. Must take quite some lube to fix all that.

[The Laptop Lagger]

See I have a Mitsumi Miniature board (white not yellow) and it's entirely fine? Barely binds, at least not significantly.

[Muirium]

Good for you!

What's it like then? Can you shoot a review rebuttal, or make comparisons with other switches? To me, the individual switches do have that Topre bounce to them, so they really should be quite luscious in a keyboard. That's how I ended up with them in the first place…

[hellothere]

Ah Mitsumi Miniature: the cursed wee genius switch. The two keyboards I ever encountered with them were both unspeakably horrible, binding like absolute crazy. So disappointing after trying a handful of the switches NOS. As I put it at the time:

That's the thing with Mitsumi miniatures: they're *almost* awesome. When they're loose in your hand, they feel like a tiny little miracle switch: the closest thing to modular Topre I've ever handled, and with MX mount! But my board full of them is damn well nasty. It's a flimsy Chicony, and either these switches need a really tight body to hold things straight and prevent binding, or they're bloody useless because any more flex than that Chicony would be agony in itself!

IIRC, Chyros has this listed as one of his top 5 worst switches. Mind you, both of Chyros' videos came out before people started saying that lubing un-curses the switches.

I've never been actively looking for one of these keyboards. I'd be looking in the $30 and under range.

[guidemetothelight]

If you want to get one of these keyboards, check the forum. There are older reviews saying that they're not that great of switches, but if you use some sort of (spray?) lube, they turn into "not bad" switches.

Its part of a deal i made on ebay for the DEC Keyboard i posted about in "identify the keyboard". I get both boards together for pretty cheap, so i just took it for sh*ts and giggles. If it isnt horrible, ill probably just gift it to somebody from my friend group / family.
If it is, well i just got some almost free double shot DE Caps.

[guidemetothelight]

Ah Mitsumi Miniature: the cursed wee genius switch. The two keyboards I ever encountered with them were both unspeakably horrible, binding like absolute crazy. So disappointing after trying a handful of the switches NOS.

Then i will be interested in how it will feel. I got the Board for around 15 Euros, so not bad at all. It looks quite clean, since it was stored by a vintage pc / keyboard hoarder, i hope properly.

I donated one keyboard to Chyros, who had some choice commentary about it:

So thats why i felt like that the switch looked familiar, i watched that video. Iam not surprised that i dont remember anything about it, since it was very late and i was ..... well you could say i enjoyed a not so native plant from chyros home country

Sometime later, their reputation improved as someone claimed if you lube them just right they come to life with aplomb. Hmm. Consider me skeptical. Their binding is no joke at all: by far and away the worst binding I've ever encountered, even comparing unfairly to hellishly dirty keyboards with dried gunk in the keys. Must take quite some lube to fix all that.

Iam skeptical as well and i wont buy special lube for the board but i have some of that stuff on hand:

synco-lube-super-synthetisches-mehrzweckoel-7-ml.jpg (16.22 KiB) Viewed 24024 times

Maybe ill just drown the switches in that stuff and see where it leads me.

[Muirium]

Progressive drowning. Kind of like the CIA.

[guidemetothelight]

Progressive drowning. Kind of like the CIA.

I call it: Operation Slip & Slide , sadly it isnt funded by Tax Payer Money , just by me

[The Laptop Lagger]

Good for you!

What's it like then? Can you shoot a review rebuttal, or make comparisons with other switches? To me, the individual switches do have that Topre bounce to them, so they really should be quite luscious in a keyboard. That's how I ended up with them in the first place…

I currently don't have an AT to PS/2 adapter on hand (with it being in use on my secondary setup) so I'll have to delay a more proper overview. But I'll try to get around to making a post about it soon-ish! Perhaps when my AT/XT to USB converter comes in.

[Bjerrk]

Sometime later, their reputation improved as someone claimed if you lube them just right they come to life with aplomb. Hmm. Consider me skeptical.

I actually bought a board with Mitsumi minimechs that had been lubed in that particular way. Let me tell you, the binding was awful. So in this case I think a certain measure of old grumpy Deskthoritarian skepticism is warranted

[Muirium]

I like to think it’s more eye rolly than grumpy, but the fact I’m saying this kind of proves your point…

[zrrion]

You're not supposed to like switches because they're good, you're supposed to like them because they're cheap and/or goofy and you have a hyper fixation on them.

[Polecat]

You're not supposed to like switches because they're good, you're supposed to like them because they're cheap and/or goofy and you have a hyper fixation on them.

...or because they have a slider color that photographs well.

[Muirium]

Good is overrated. And overrated is *definitely* overrated… /sarcasm

[ArtyomTheMetroHopper]

Anyone recognize these switches? They are off a "Model 970" that I have found a listing for and considering if if it is worth $150 dollars and if I should buy it. Obviously I want to make sure I am not buying a board with switches in the same tier of Datalux's MEI switches

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Thank you all in advance!

[Muirium]

SMK vintage linear, I think. They’re okay, quite like Cherry M7, the ancestor of MX.

Those caps look pretty nice, I’d consider getting that board.