RO-59 - Topre and MX

Learning and discussion Key switches
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Hi all,

I recently picked up a few vials of R0-59 from Ringer Keys after reading JasonATXBS’s fantastic write up on how to apply it to Topre sliders (shared on the Conical Keyboards Discord).

I should have a few vials left over after I use a few to lube up the Densus x KLC sliders (not yet delivered). I was wondering if anyone had any experience applying it to MX switches?

I have some ultraglide cherry browns coming in and I feel like it would be a great combo - I remember some post about people applying it to stems via bag lube? And then by brush to slider rails, but I’m a bit afraid of messing up/wasting the R0-59.

If anyone has any thoughts or recommendations, please let me know!

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AFAIK the way to use R0-59 is to use a small paint brush to apply a thin layer (basically just get it wet as R0-59 has almost no viscosity) to the parts you want it on. Then let it dry & repeat the process a few times. Most find 2 applications to be sufficient, but since it is so thin I prefer to do 3 or 4 to get a smoother, less stock feeling result.

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Thanks for the tips! I see, its quite a different experience applying such a non-viscous layer on. I’ll put try putting on 4 and will report back in a few days!

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While hand-brushing is best for RO-59, I think bag lubing + heat is also decent.

  • Applied RO-59 appears to bloat like water-soaked skin before hardening.
  • After bag lubing, RO-59 applied surface looks uneven with splotches.
  • After bloating, surface looks more even but matte. Touching the surface leaves fingerprint behind.
  • After hardening, surface is hard and gleaming.

So what I do now is (because hand-brushing is too tiring even for me) is wait for a sunny day to cure the stems under the sun after bag lubing.

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Update: I decided to hand-brush the R0-59 onto the Browns, keeping each switch separate so their ‘mated’ parts can continue to reap the benefits of being broken-in (although this could be copium given that the R0-59 will inevitably add onto/fill in the grooves in the plastic created by the break-in process? But anyways…)

First go, spilt the vial onto my desk. Not great.
Second try I found a dog chew toy holder which can hold the vial and prevent spillage. Wish I found this earlier.

Brushing on the R0-59 on the lower stem rails was quite an easy and enjoyable process. Moving onto the stems, I see what you mean by it bloating - the viscosity makes it quite difficult to gauge how much has been applied, so bag-lubing is actually a pretty attractive option as you can somewhat ensure saturation.

As an aside, I wonder how efficient it would be to use a stem holder and dunk the stem into the vial of R0-59, then shake off the residue and dry… I may revisit this with some MX Blacks.

I went with two coats on the stem, all sides, and two on the housing rails. Will try filming ten of the Browns with TX films and slap in some 60g XL springs to see how enjoyable they are. I’m quite tempted to apply another two layers of coating, but let’s see!

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Quick update: after getting springs in the mail, I was finally able to finish making the Browns, which I feel turned out great! I ended up going with .15 TX films and 55g 22mm Geon springs which feel very snappy. Currently have them in my Merisi Dodici on a CF plate - which I guess allows the Browns to truly shine in all their slightly sandy, not quite tactile yet not quite linear glory, haha.

I saw that KLC has shipped out the fixed EC parts, so I’ll be bag lubing those sliders and reporting back after a few sunny days! Fingers crossed that they feel like proper cup rubber.

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I saw that KLC has shipped out the fixed EC parts, so I’ll be bag lubing those sliders and reporting back after a few sunny days! Fingers crossed that they feel like proper cup rubber.

Would appreciate any news about this. especially spacebar and their dome offerings

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Hey sure, sorry about the delay, took a while to build up the Theca EC kit.
To preface this, my Topre experience is limited to the following:

  1. Stock Hybrid HHKB
  2. 205g0 lubed sliders and stabs + KBDfans Hypersphere Silencing Rings, OEM HHKB keycaps, Hybrid HHKB
  3. Heavy Grail with the above internals

I haven’t tried any Realforce boards, nor have I tried any Deskeys sliders or stabs.

First time building the EC kit, I lubed up the 2u stabs quite heavily and experienced some really loud ticking? sounds, and the keys did not return well. I also felt and heard some interference coming in when bottoming out the third row, which was pretty hard to distinguish from the ticking.

Densus suggested that I remove the lube and re-apply with a thin coat. This made them move fine, but bottoming out the stabs I still feel a bit of weird interference - I’m pretty sure that’s not going away. I also noticed that the 2u stabs rattle quite a bit on the aluminium plate, which may be the cause of some of the plasticky sounds.

No issues with the 1u sliders or the spacebar kit, they sound and feel great lubed with 205g0. Spacebar in particular feels great.

Domes felt nice, I went with 45g ones, and I read somewhere that they feel really close to OEM Realforce domes? I’ll add that since the domes are all individually cut it was a bit tedious getting everything lined up to screw in place.

I believe Jason is planning to R0-59 the sliders, interested to hear his thoughts. Stock experience I believe was not great in terms of sound.

Honestly, having built up the EC kit, or perhaps I’ve been spoilt by the Heavy Grail, I’m going to put the MX kit back in the Theca, which sounds and feels wonderful (R0-59’d blacks on alu, bought the switches from Mechmarket which got me hooked on the dry lube feeling haha). I haven’t tried a stock or modded Realforce so I can’t really give a good comparison, but I feel like the aluminium plate and 1u housings really detract from the EC experience. Vastly prefer the Heavy Grail/Stock HHKB’s ABS plastic plate which gives such a deep sound and soft typing feel.

Perhaps PBT caps would make the sound deeper and more in line with my EC tastes, but I’m not sure.

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Ro59 didn’t do shit for topre when I tried

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Disappointing. Entering Denial Mode.

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Me? don park?

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Just me. I’m going to have to try the same to see for myself.

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You’re disappointed in yourself for being in denial about ro-59 on topre. Didn’t work for me

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I mean I guess it could be explained like it needs a sort of substantial lubricant and not just something you’d use on mx green sliders in 2011 lol

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LOL. Nah. Assume the best of intentions when confronted with ambiguity.

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Ohh

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I am saying that although your result suggests RO-59 will be ineffective, I am going to pretend to be in denial and proceed with my own attempt still.

I should’ve been more clear. I tend to be terse when I awake past noon.

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Ok enjoy