I picked up a set of Gateron Oil Kings (v3.0 if that matters) to try out on my ncr80 and what an eye opener!
I’d previously been using zeal clickies but they were always a little loose. Not enough to really effect typing but just enough that the top and outside rows would tilt if i nudged them too hard.
But the gaterons are firmly in there with no wobble. Both are 5 pin so are the gaterons just built differently or does every switch brand have different tolerances?
I thought Zeal PC’s switches are manufactured by Gateron.
Maybe it comes down to the materials used? With Zeal’s switches mostly using polycarbonate and the Gateron Oil Kings using Nylon for the top housing and their blend of plastics they call “Ink” for the bottom housing.
Looks like you’re right, so maybe it is a matter of the material.
Nah it’s mostly down to the molds they used. Whatever size they are is what the switch will be mostly irregardless of the materials (some plastics have more shrinkage during cooling, but we’re talking very small amounts of difference in size there, not something you’d really notice in usage). While Gateron does produce Zeals switches, Zeal had the molds specially designed for his switches & owns the molds so Gateron can not use those molds to produce any of their own switches per their agreement. Also Gateron has been known for having extra fat fixing pins for quite some time. Which on the one hand is nice since they do stay much more firmly in the PCB which has been great for half plate or plateless builds IME. On the other hand it’s a nightmare for hotswap PCBs. Since once you use Gaterons they will widen the holes for the fixing pins & make just about every other switch from a different manu sit very loosely in the PCB.
So that answers a few questions I never thought to ask over the years.