Funky Frankenswitches

dang that sounds nice I might have to try this one

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Yummy monster switch.

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YUM YUM

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Have you had any issues with extremely-fast actuation on these? Heard some feedback that the lightwave stem actuates really high in the keypress like a speed switch, but not sure if that’s related to the housing or stem

In my testing last night, it looked like the switch was actuating roughly halfway through the travel, @ about 2mm, but I didn’t take any actual measurements.

Now I’m pondering a simple travel-measurement dodad I could 3d print… I wonder which would be easier - that, or finding my digital calipers I haven’t seen in two months…

I haven’t actually tried the Lightwaves by themselves in a board yet; I’m pretty impatient about taking stuff apart and messing around with it. :yum:


Edit for subsequent scrollers; the Lightwave V2s themselves are definitely speed switches.

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Interesting! I’d be curious to see if you have a different experience with the stock switch but it’s good to know there’s at least one part that’s franken-worthy

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I’ll definitely be mounting them in a board soon, probably this weekend. I can tell you now that the housing is as weird as the stem, and they do seem to be designed with each-other in mind.

The stem has wider ā€œshouldersā€ - or the parts a stem normally tops-out on. These are broad and flat, which cause it to top-out early in many housings because of the more narrow tapering at the top of the channels they fit into. The KTT ones have a similarly broad and flat channel for them to strike - and I think the broadness of that surface interaction makes for that extra loud return clack.

Similarly, the KTT housing seems to have a higher ā€œfloorā€ that the dampening leg things strike; the other stems I tried in the housing seemed to bottom out pretty early, especially Gazzew’s silent stems, which have slightly taller shoulders and lower feet than most stems - they sit noticeably low in the KTT housings.

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discord.gg/40percent

Just control+F ā€œcop carā€ or ā€œcopreā€, it’s basically the only place I’ve found discussion about it.

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You did or did not lube the stems to make these?
Thinking about doing ultimate lemon build on Bacca60 poly - these switches and Infinikey Strawberry Lemonade Keycaps :smiling_imp:

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Mine are currently un-lubed (or only have the trace factory oil on the stem pole, anyway) for the moment.

If I have enough time this weekend I’m planning to do a sound test comparing them lubed and un-lubed, and comparing those to Lightwave V2’s lubed an un-lubed.

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So I got my Kailh Polia and finally had some time to play with the stems. My comparisons will be mostly to the U4T because I only tried the Polia stem in the Boba housing and my favorite tactile currently is the U4T (and Boba U4)

Lubed Stock Polia (with Krytox205g0):
It’s not bad, but not for me. I wouldn’t use Polia stock.

Polia stem in Boba housings:
Slightly less tactility than the U4T stem. Sound signature is fairly similar to the U4T switch, which wasn’t too surprising. The wobble with the Polia stem seemed very similar to the U4T stem in the Boba housing - meaning it lacked wobble and felt very secure.

Tactility: Polia vs U4T
The bump is slightly smaller on the Polia stem verus the U4T stem. I don’t have that much experience with various stems and comparing them, but theres a bit more room after the bump on the Polia while the U4T is basically all bump. The Polia has a ā€˜P’ bump and U4T stem has a ā€˜D’ bump.

I really do like the Polia lavender/purple color =D It’s very pleasing to the eye. I can see myself using the stem for color themed builds. The tactility is fairly nice.

Final thing I’d say is…opening the Polia switches is an annoying process that I did not appreciate.
(Please note that I also haven’t been in the hobby that long and don’t have that much experience trying different tactiles)

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I like Polia stem in boba housing as well, they are less sharp compare to holy boba and U4T and produce a deep muted sound as well

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Ordered me the parts for some Deadpools. Very excited to build them!

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To be entirely honest, I couldn’t think of a better place to post this announcement:

Does the new Ultra-Premium Zeal tax got you bummed out about your Zykos switches? Well, if there was ever a better time to be excited about a switch review, this week I’m bringing you Cannonkeys’ new Neapolitan Ice Cream switches which are billed as a one-switch, stock Zyko alternative. Do these really stack up to your favorite finger-breaking tactility, or are these too sweet of a deal to be real?

Website Link: https://www.theremingoat.com/
Article Link: Neapolitan Ice Cream Switch Review — ThereminGoat's Switches
Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/theremingoatmk/
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/GoatTheremin
Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/theremingoat

Hope you all enjoy, as these were really fun to get to try out!

Cheers,
ThereminGoat

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Not sure how I missed your review before I bought a batch of the Hippos this makes me feel much better about taking the leap. I had a feeling Gateron would be able to control the QC on the stems better than any of aftermarket UWHMPE stems we’ve seen & your reviews seems to confirm that! Can’t wait to get my batch in & get some properly lubed up, will definitely report back when I do!

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That’s pretty clever going with Giant springs. Even with a light spring weight, there’s still enough preload to get over the bump eliminating the tradition of needing to go heavy.

@Deadeye had a bit on this.

IMO, these do sound a bit scratchy on linears. I’m thinking since there’s like double the spring coil, this leads to more contact with the stem pole during actuation. :man_shrugging:

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this made me try the matcha stem in a full Boba housing, which I overlooked thinking it would stick. but it works! NOICE

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Aren’t polia stems just recolored halos according to @Deadeye? Holy bobas and polia bobas should feel the same

Hello and welcome!

I’m pretty sure they’re the same - but not 100% certain. At minimum they’re very close.

When it comes to Boba housings specifically, it might depend where you get them. Some places ship them bone-dry, but I could swear the ones I got from Gazzew have been carefully lubed - which will mellow the bump a bit. I have two batches of 62g Boba U4s, and one batch is more smooth with a bit more gentle peak tactile force - which I’m all but sure comes down to lube.

At some point I’ll have the force-curve dodad finished, but if there’s anyone else who would be down to take force-curves of a few switches with each stem, I’d be happy to send the samples - because at the end of the day, measurements are more precise than my eyeballs.

I’m very curious to see if my hunch is correct, or if there really is a meaningful distinction between the two stems - and if so, what that difference is. (I’m also curious to see if the upcoming Kailh Canary switch has yet another iteration of the same shape, or something completely different.)

They are close but not the same. Polia is a bit rounder in terms of the bump compare to halo.

All the halo stem have small difference between them due to the material and the tooling. Another example I can think of is Tecsee halo clone, their halo clone are less tactile compare to true halo in my opinion