Dental floss mod
The dental floss mod involves inserting a length of fluffy dental floss into the middle of a keyboard switch's coiled spring to reduce the switch's noise.
Buckling Spring switches
This mod was invented for IBM buckling spring keyboards, such as the IBM Model M.
The mod can practically eliminate a buckling spring's "ringing". However, it does not dampen the "click", which is produced by the spring itself when it reaches the "catastrophic buckling" state. (This can be demonstrated by pressing a spring/hammer assembly between thumb and forefinger.)
Each piece of floss should be as long as the spring it will dampen. A piece too short may fail to dampen ping, while one too long may also dampen the switch's sound and operation. A spongy floss such as Oral B Super Floss is used.
Cherry MX switches
This mod can also be applied to both the leaf spring and coil spring in Cherry MX-style switches to reduce ping. Care must be taken with the length and placement of the floss to avoid it interfering with the normal operation of these springs. Unlike for buckling springs, the floss segment should not be longer than the length of the spring when fully compressed. If the segment is too long or improperly placed, it will increase the force required to compress the spring.
Gallery
Three floss-modded switches (left) and one stock switch (right).
MX-style switch with coil and leaf spring floss mod
