Suuuuuuper boring, but stock Cherry MX black. They are easy to find, cheap and have heavy springs stock. I go with them stock because after four or five years in the hobby, I kinda got tired of tracking down parts to frankenswitch and hate how lube can wear off inconsistently across the board, which necessitates relubing to get the consistency back.
I’ve tried a ton of switches over the years, but stock Mx blacks meet that sweet spot for me with good heavy linears, easy to find, and low time commitment to have them ready to go in a build.
Clicky: pinks. Undisputed. (Well in the MX world anyway, blue alps and BS are still king)
Tactile: BKE domes. Undisputed
linear: tealios. Undisputed
Special shout out to steel series Omni point switches as they are the smoothest switches in existence probably. However, it’s not like you can just put them on any board.
Also, Hako clears get a special mention. They aren’t up to much but for some reason I really enjoy typing on them, perhaps because they are so understated.
I think it depends what lubricant you use. If you use something like thin oil that can run off over long periods of time, then it makes sense. Have you experienced it with grease?
Think I am going to have to add lubed and filmed retooled Cherry Blacks to my all-time favorite list. I have been using lubed HP’s for quite a while and have forgotten how awesome these switches feel and sound!
Right now I’m loving lubed & filmed Kiwis. At 67g it’s perhaps a bit heavier than what I am used to, but I am loving the sturdiness. It’s a fantastic switch.
Sounds like you and Chyrosran/Thomas would get along! I wish contactless linears could be purchased and soldered into any board… they would kill the mx linear + lube craze immediately.
My hands down favorite switch are the BKE extreme domes especially after you break them in.
Favorite clicky are probably the jade choc switches, it feels like tiny pen clicks. Favorite linears are inks/silent inks.
My current favourite would be Kailh BOX Pink, followed closely by IBM Capacitive Buckling Springs. (Then again, I’ve yet to try out Topre, Holy Pandas, Beamsprings, Alps Blue…ahhh so many more that the community loves)
I’ve got the 67s and find them to be one of the louder silent switch variants. I wonder if a lighter spring changes things? I’ll have to try a spring swap.
Are the POM Holy Pandas the GB that was run through Deskhero earlier this year? If so those are the only panda’s I’ve owned to date and I absolutely love them.
I was curious if there is anyone who has messed with that specific batch and had any thoughts on mods. Typing on them stock is even a joy for me but holy hell the spring ping grates my ears. Wondering if the whole ‘breaking in the POM’ is needed or if I should just get to lubing.
Lube will help you out in both situation IME. Breaking in the switches will do nothing for spring ping/crunch. Lubing the springs will kill that though, I personally like tub lubing my springs with an oil like Krytox GPL105 or 106, but you can also use grease by dipping each end of the spring or brushing a very light coat on them. I have heard of people tub/bag lubing springs with greases, but I personally think that will waste a ton of product & most likely overlube the springs. Lubing the housings & sliders with a grease like Krytox GPL 205g0 or Tribosys 3204/3203 will take the plasticy sound out of your Kiwis. For me I lube all contact points with a very light for tactiles, but a lot of people swear by lubing everything but the stem legs & leaves to keep the tactility close to stock.
