I haven’t heard anything about Pewters recently.
I think Durock White Lotus is their ‘modern’ version of the Pewter switch: long-pole, long spring, factory lube, and removable light column
According to the manufacturer’s specs:
Light Tactility, MX Brown optimized Alternative, same to DUROCK Burgundy Light Tactility
Durock Burgundy is Durock Light Tactile, the base design for the Pewter. So, Durock is saying that White Lotus is like the DLT / Pewter.
Hmm. I read somewhere that their bumps differ from that of Pewter and, of course, housing material differs. Maybe I’m confusing them with SP Star Meteor Orange stem. I’ve also heard White Lotus sound tests and pretty sure they’re not what I’m looking for.
Hope to see more quality switches like Pewter become available in the light tactile category.
You are right. White Lotus is not a Pewter. It just seems to have replaced Pewter in the Durock “light-tactile” category.
WL is louder than Pewter / DLT, probably because of long-pole.
I agree that it would be nice for Durock to give us more offerings like Pewter - a full-travel light-tactile. Maybe with nylon housings this time.
I’ve been enjoying my DangKeebs Birthday Cakes.
Welcome!
I heard the Pewters & DLTs were made in the same molds just different materials but I have a batch of both & the DLTs bump feels a bit more prominent IMO. Although that could be down to DLTs maybe having a stiffer leaf. I still haven’t used the DLTs, but have my Pewters in my Salvation & love them. Really wish they’d make more of them, even if they have to change the colors & name. A switch made from the same specs & materials would be all the same to me.
Although they would have to fix the inconsistency issues for sure. I got lucky with my batch of Pewters, they haven’t developed any leaf ping/tick issues & have a pretty consistent feel across the batch IMO. However I’ve heard the inconsistent complaint against Pewters enough to believe there is an issue there. I did spring swap & film mine when I lubed them, that could possibly have something to do with why I haven’t had any issues with mine. 
I wasn’t able to compare the bump of Pewters to DLT very effectively, because my Pewters were Batch 0 and had problems with factory lube.
The introductory batch of Pewters were lubed heavily, and very inconsistently. So it was hard to get a sense of the standard tactile bump. The DLT, conversely, used different factory springs I think.
I wish I could have tried some later-generation Pewters. As it was, I sold mine.
Durock has been having issues with leaf ping/tick. So, I too would like to see some kind of Pewter successor without any of these issues.
After all this time, this is still one of the more honest assessments of current ‘light tactiles.’
Zealio V1R, I still think, can safely be reduced in tactility through careful lubing and Brown-like replacement springs. But I suspect the original leaves were more tame.
Instead of Purple Bamboo, it is likely that Zuoce Lichi Milk offers a better stock light-tactile experience. But it’s not perfect: they’re loud, somewhat rattly, and somewhat inconsistent. But are otherwise pleasant to type on.
I found Durock Light Tactiles to have the same imperfections as described in this post. But people seem to like Pewters. Another run of those, with good factory lubing [or no lube], might be the answer.
It’s shocking that KTT hasn’t made anything exactly like Mallos. They are one of a very few switches in the MX Brown category, but are built in KTT style. They would benefit from 55-60 G Cherry-like Korean-built springs and quieter leaves. Should probably ship without lube.
The new Jupiter Browns are an interesting alternative to G Pro 3.0 and Phantom Browns. I haven’t tested much, but mine had decent factory-lube and sound. Just throw them on a light keyboard with polycarb plate.
Durock Medium Tactile seems to work fine on 1U with 58 G Spirit Supreme springs, so that makes them not much more than Browns. DMTs take well to generous 3204 or 205g0, if you want to make them milder.
Other than the above commentary, there hasn’t been much happening in traditional light-tactiles. I’ll find out soon enough whether MX2A are any good. They are divisive, but have their fans.
Samples of Cherry MX Purple were actually good. Yes, they have Cherry scratch and oversized MX Clear stems. But the factory lube is improved over MX1A, and the springs are okay. You’ll still want to lube and spring-swap, but they are usable as-is. Housing stability notably improved over all of my MX1A Clears.
One area that’s presently booming are snappy, long-pole light-tactiles. Gateron Beer, Mini i, Durock White Lotus, maybe KTT Macaron Orange, and WS Light Tactile. The WS are medium-tactile by old standards, but are actually pretty decent and usable stock. Mini i are especially crisp and snappy, you can just throw them into a flexy board. So if you are interested in something distantly descended from Pro Purples or Huano Bananas, these types have come a long way. [White Lotus excluded, as it shares Durock Light Tactile problems IMHO.]
For some reason, the above post has been shared a number of times outside of this forum.
Perhaps it was shared derisively, to critique MX Browns, or genuinely to give advice.
If I had to update this post with what I know today, it would contain the following points:
If you have pre-2017 MX Browns, such as a mid-2010s Filco Majestouch 2 would have, then just wait. Just type on them. After several million actuations, the Browns become smoother. They ping less.
The springs also seem to go down by about 5 gf in weight. To about 55 gf.
Use something like DCS-profile ABS doubleshots. They will give fairly good ergonomics [most will prefer GMK], and a lower-pitch, less chittery, than GMK.
So, just wear in a 2010s Filco [or even a Ducky], and use DCS-profile keycaps. A good amount of the ping and other noises will simply go away.
The Browns become less problematic if you use good, aftermarket springs.
The “natural” weight of MX Browns is somewhere around 58-60 G Spirit Supreme.
Whatever you choose, it will give a more consistent experience than factory MX1A springs.
Some people prefer 55 G TX 14mm springs. On the other end, I have seen people use 63.5 G Spirit Supreme. [Extreme cases might use 65 - 72 G springs.] I even have a couple of MX2A builds with 57.5 G Geon. On the latest Tiger Lite, those 57.5 G springs turned out very good. Very precise, smooth, and consistent. Maybe more punchy than the typical MX Brown. What seems like a more aggressive curve on those Geons should be taken into consideration.
So, you can improve consistency and reduce noise, just by replacing the stock Cherry springs with lubed aftermarket springs. This gives the best results, with the least amount of effort.
Obviously, you have to be very careful when lubing MX Browns. The tactile leg is not very pronounced. You can easily reduce it via lube. In addition, because of the subtle tactile leg, any inconsistency in your lubing will be noticed.
Lubes such as 205g0 are possible, but require the most care. You can easily overwhelm the switch with 205g0. 3204 works okay, but you will notice any inconsistency in application. Don’t just slap it on.
I found that 3203 works best for Browns [and light Ergo Clears]. 3203’s effects are more subtle than the two aforementioned lubes, and it is probably more forgiving. Cherry already has a signature sound, so why lube it away? The 3203 will have a lower-impact on the sound profile, than an equivalent amount of 205g0.
To keep the Browns sounding and functioning the way that they are supposed to, I find that 3203 is the easiest and lowest-impact route. It’s great for helping the switch function a little better with lower spring weights, creating ‘ergo Browns.’
The thing about light-tactiles is that they are a concert of spring, tactile-leg, and leaf. They operate with subtlety, and together. If you are careless in how you prepare your light-tactiles, it will be noticed. It’s not a linear, where you can just slather on 205g0 and create a “waxy” or what some call a “creamy” switch. You need to be subtle, and you need to be specific. The Chinese storefronts were right to call Browns a “tea axis” switch - it’s not a Holy Panda.
Don’t get me wrong: I use films with certain switches. Durock Medium Tactiles, for example, benefit both from films, and generous 3203/3204/205g0. Yes, the hand-lubrication reduces DMT’s tactility, but you can still create smooth and pleasant switches.
But when I use films with Cherry tactiles, I really notice them. I can hear them in operation, no matter how professionally-applied they are. They are like tarpaulin, blowing in the breeze.
Yes, films make the switches a little more consistent. More likely to operate the same way each time, giving a more consistent sound-profile across the entire board. They may even reduce wobble somewhat, which is an issue with Cherry. But I can hear them every time I press a key.
So it’s a trade-off, and it’s up to you what you want.
I haven’t had the best results with machine-actuated Cherry tactiles. First, it takes a lot of actuations to see a difference. Once you get past a certain amount, you are endangering the longevity of the switch. Second, the machine may not actuate the switch the same way you would. So it might not be creating wear-patterns that you can lube in the way that you would have by typing on them for a month before-hand.
I had better-results with 3203-lubed stock MX2A Browns from Geon, than I did with machine-actuated MX2A Browns from a Chinese storefront, lubed with 3204. They were using the same springs.
Leave MX Browns as they are. Less is more.
Try to make as few modifications as possible: Stock pre-tooled MX1A Browns work great after a few years, without any modification. Just use the right keycaps.
Cherry understood MX Brown switches as “Ergo Soft.” They weren’t supposed to be “tactiles,” and this is where a lot of the confusion comes from.
They were meant, initially, for boards like the Kinesis Advantage. Something that lets you know that you pressed a key, but is ergonomic in any position.
The Chinese labelling of them as “Tea Axis” is perfect. They are a subconscious switch, that is meant only to provide you with a faint “grain” of tactility. Maybe not even consciously. So just let them be what they are: give them replacement (lubed) springs, maybe a reasonable amount of 3203 [or ultra-careful 205g0]. Or just wear them in, stock.
If you do this, you will have a gentle typing experience, with Cherry sound, and versatility for a wide range of functions.
For a tactile switch, look elsewhere. Gateron Lanes, TTC Bluish White, the MMD Princess and its many spiritual cousins produced by HMX. Gateron Kangaroos, Quinns, Beer, Mini i, and Durock Anubis are all ‘thockier’ and more tactile than the MX Brown. Even more obscure switches like MODE Tomorrow, Moyu Blacks, and the more common U4T are noticeably louder and more tactile. For serious tactility, look outside MX to a foam-and-foil or 55 G Topre switch, or ALPS-like options. Those are the “tactiles” you’re looking for.
If I were to use MX Browns in any upcoming build, it would probably be stock MX2A, with moderate 3203, and lubed 58 G Spirit Supreme springs. I might even go with 63.5 G Spirit, for a more Ergo-clear-like curve. The MX Browns just want to get out of the way of your typing, and the minimal modifications you do to them should best reflect that.
[And yes, top-mount is a good choice for MX light-tactiles. You probably want to merge a crisp, top-mount build (which emphasizes the limited MX Brown tactility) with a soft-material, flexy plate. Something that yields to the typing, instead of resisting it. A flex-cut PC plate in a top-mount build should be adequate for this purpose. With Mallos, you might indeed want to go for a stiff, metal plate.]