Easing Into Linears

I’ve been enjoying RO-59 coated Cherry MX Browns as well as NK Cream with 53g 3-stage spring. Interesting bit I wanted to share is how the later, a linear switch, feels similar to the light tactile. I suspect 3-stage spring interacting with contact leaf results in uneven wiggly feel you get with Cherry MX Brown when it’s really smooth.

Maybe we’ll to see springs intentionally designed to amplify the wiggly feel. While some may perceive the feel as unstable, it’s pretty addicting to me.

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So you’re telling me that the springs seem to buckle under compression… :thinking:

This could be a hot new trend that I think I can get behind! :wink::+1::+1:

Not sure how you derived “buckle” from “uneven wiggly feel” but :man_shrugging:.

Invokeys Red Beans

Initial impression was not great. Sluggish and uneven sound.

Turns out sluggish feel mostly goes away after a short break-in period. I chose to break-in mine in-use.

While in-use, switch sound is more even which is good. What’s not good is the sound. It’s distinct sound alright but one not pleasing to me. Maybe it’ll grow on me but it’s currently just sounds like two PBT keycaps colliding. I’d take BSUN X over Red Beans any day.

It’s darn smooth unlubed though. Very slight bit of sluggish feel that stayed after breaking-in the switches almost feels buttery, like its been lubed with 205g0. Before breaking in, it felt more like 205g2.

And there is very little wobble so no filming needed.

I’m going to keep using it until I feel the need to lube it or another switch comes along.

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might be one of those that needs a certain keyboard to have an acceptable sound profile

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definitely possible.

Anyone have a good Cherry Nixie recipe?

I recently got some Cherry HG Blacks, and I spring swapped them with TX XL 60g. My gut feeling is that the “secret sauce” in this recipe for me are the upgraded springs. I was surprised how much I liked these switches when I am traditionally a tactile guy.

Just curious if anyone has a tried and true nixie recipe since these switches are on sale at KBDfans. I could use the same springs, but I thought I would hear what y’all have to say. :beers:

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I think og nixie is like 63g, keep swapping springs for linear, that’s the variety there. I enjoy tactile for the bump and with linear it’s about customization and the combinations you can spiff up to greater fit preference. Lube, spring and a specific switch can end up having lots of different combinations based on the variety of different kinds of materials you have and the excitement here can be more or less comparable to the one I get from tactile in variety as I see things. It’s almost like the difference between like west coast vs east coast thing lol, linear va tactile people

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I have two sets of New Nixies. One set has 60g TX L (16mm) and the other 53g 3-stage from MM (22mm). Of the two, I like the later more because:

  • extra top weight makes it feel closer to tactiles with bump at the top
  • reduces typing fatigue
  • feels and sounds more playful

Oh I didn’t really think of that with the 3 stage springs. Nice thank you! I am bouncing around with either just continuing with the 60g XL springs (since I have some left over), or was thinking I should play around with a weight like 58g :+1:

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I did the Nixies I got in my Thermal + up with either 50g or 55g TX medium springs, deskey films, & lubed with 205g0 on the plastics & 105 on the springs. They came out super nice IMO. Really I think spring swapping & lubing will net the best results with these, as they are a bit scratchy & pingy stock. Although with just those two things they really shine!

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Troublesome but RO-59 can address this aspect of Nixies.

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This is the same combo I did on my HG Blacks. I planned on trying the same with the Nixies, I was just unsure on the spring weight. Thanks for the tip!

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Cthulhu vs Cream Soda Mystery

I noticed that my set of Cthulhu, made with NK Cream stem + Gateron Yellow top housing + Black Ink bottom housing, sounds slightly different from Gateron Cream Soda. Cthulhus sound more raw or harsh where Cream Soda sound a bit more controlled or rounded.

I originally thought the difference stems from the stem material because Cream Soda, as displayed at Keebhut (presumably owned by PunkShoo) say the stem is made of Nylon:

But I just noticed that the original GeekHack group buy post by PunkShoo say the stem is made of POM:

If the stem material was changed from POM to Nylon for the sound difference mentioned above, that’s some fine switchcraft work there.

Just one more thing. While I like the sound of both switches, I currently like Cream Soda more because it has slightly longer key travel. NK Cream stem is 13.42mm long. Cream Soda is 13.20mm long.

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The super short travel for a good bit of newer long pole linears has been a real turnoff to me. Don’t get me wrong I can deal with up to 0.5mm of travel reduction since ALPS SKCM/L switches all have 3.5mm travel & they got me used to that. Although any more than that becomes really noticeable & awkward feeling to me. I honestly don’t get it either. If the goal is to have the switch bottom out on the stem pool you only need to lengthen it by 0.2mm to accomplish that. If you reduce the travel anymore than that you might as well raise the actuation point & just make them speed switches. I think the closeness between actuation & bottom out of switches with travel under 3.5mm is the real thing that makes them feel so funky to me.

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This review of Vertex V1 encouraged me to retry the switch after having shelved it initially.

My initial impression of the switch wasn’t that good. Its rounded stem pole end making a distinctly crisp bottom out sound was interesting and oddly silky feel but sound was disappointingly wimpy.

The video recommended it should be lubed to make the sound creamy so I lubed it with 205g0 and, while at it, replaced the spring with 58g CK 2-stage to give it more pop.

The result is a more pronounced creamy sound which I liked. Until I can find a more roomy case to amplify the sound more, this will have to do.

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I really liked mine. I purchased them unloved and lubed them myself with 105/205g0 mix and bag lubed the springs in 105. While you might not be a fan of the stem wobble, the sound and feel are pretty nice, IMHO.

Good luck, and I am looking forward to reading what you think! :+1: :+1:

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Turns out I didn’t need a roomier case. Found that lubed Vertex V1 in Polaris sounds great in Polaris which isn’t at all roomy.

Revealations like this is why I prefer wearing explorer’s hat than cardinal’s.

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Sounds like I need to pick up a set of the Vertex V1s. I have passed on them for so long cause I was just assuming they were a Jwick recolor for the most part & I have way too many unused sets of JWK linears. Although everyone I know who has V1s in a build loves them so I’m starting to think they have some special sauce to them. They’re priced pretty damn good too so worst case I have another batch of switches to give away at a meetup. :person_shrugging:

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They apparently went with a completely different mold than normal JWK linears, as described towards the bottom of the product page on ClickClack

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