Got some CanonKeys Clipper switches in recently. Most folks with hot swap boards probably won’t care much, but clippers are GREAT if you have a solder-only PCB with Mill-Max (or other brands) of single pin sockets.
Normal hot swap sockets usually have two metal leaves, which grips the flat pins of most MX switches well. However SIP sockets tend to have a hexagonal pattern to their contacts, which means they don’t have the best grip on the switch legs. As a result, I will frequently pull off the switches when removing keycaps. Even more annoying is when the whole plate pulls off from the PCB. But such was the price I was willing to pay to swap switches without desoldering.
Clippers obviously help by anchoring the switches to the board. Extremely well. Getting one out is honestly a right pain and usually damages the plastic. So rather than using clippers on the entire keyboard, I did some Frankenswitching.
The first I’m calling a Mint Clipper. I used a Haimu Mint top, spring, and stem, with the bottom from a clipper. Since they’re both Haimu switches, everything seemed to fit. There’s not much noticeable difference between the frankenswitched vs the Mints, so I only needed five to keep the plate glued to the PCB.
Based on the success of those, I tried a second variation, though it didn’t go quite as well. The Bolsa Supply Zaku II was the target this time, and I quickly found out that the Zaku2’s top doesn’t fit on the clipper. So, I used the top from the Haimu Mint (as it was close to the same color and material of the Zaku2 vs the polycarbonate top of the clipper). The final stack up is: top from Haimu Mint, stem and spring from Zaku2, and bottom from the clipper. Not as good of a match as the Mint Clipper, but close enough for my tastes.
Will try a few other FrankenClippers when I get the chance.
I am sure I’m not the first person to think of this, of course, but hopefully the compatibility info will help others.