Can I use engine oil to lube the springs?
Noticing that some switches come with a light film of lube already. Do you guys wipe it off before applying your preferred lube?
Generally yes, I do. I prefer to know what I have on my switches and allows me to ensure a consistent coat.
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Now that both Novelkeys and Switchmod have their lubes restocked… I’d really like at least some guide on the thicknesses of Krytox and Christo-Lube since I’m unused to them. I’m planning to mainly lube linears and Topre clones, and am utterly confused on what i should be getting to make these darn things even quieter!
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I’m probably going to order some MCG lube so hopefully that can help add some data points for that. Keep in mind the krytox that novelkeys is stocking is grade 00 so it’ll be even thinner than what is normally used for lubing!
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There’s a lot of good info on Christo lube throughout this thread: Cristo-Lubes Mini-Review. Particularly @donpark’s description of using it with Topre should be very helpful.
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Going to lube some Yok mint switches up but they come prelubed. What would you guys recommend cleaning them with? Some spots are really hard to reach.
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Going to lube some Yok mint switches up but they come prelubed. What would you guys recommend cleaning them with? Some spots are really hard to reach.
Nah. Embrace laziness as a virtue like I do. It’s not only rewarding but has kept me out of trouble for years. Repeat this mantra: “OH F**K IT.”
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I just… Didn’t clean mine. Just slapped 3204 on the housing and we’re done for the day.
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JTTR has a guide on cleaning them.
I plan on using micro fiber and lint free PCB Board Cleaning Swabs. Not trying to buy an ultrasonic cleaner that still doesn’t get 100% of the lube out.
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LOL thank you all for the guidance.
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Yeah the factory lube is a pain in the ass, & I have no clue why they did it either. 99% of the people buying them are enthusiasts who will be lubing them themselves. So why cater to the 1%? Furthermore the lube is applied so horribly inconsistently it doesn’t help anyone!
Anyways, the YOK Red & Trash Pandas I’ve gotten were not factory lubed so hopefully the Mints are the same. If not I’ve found working with MD’s Holy Pandas just using a lube applicator to remove as much of the factory lube is fine for cleaning them. It gets just about all of it out & smooths out any that is left evenly, so when you apply whatever your lube of choice there is no worry about inconsistentcy in the amounts on each switch.
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Received some YOK Mints today and it doesn’t seem pre-lubed.
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Finally getting around to tuning up my switches for my E6.5 build today. I decided on MD HP’s with Halo Clear stems, 70g TX springs, white switch films, 3203 for lubing the housing/slider, & TX’s springs oil that comes with them (it is a paraffin synthetic oil). So far I’m pretty impressed with the TX oil, it really quiets the springs down big time without affecting the feel at all. Gotta see how well it holds up over time yet, but if it does I think I found my replacement for VPF1415!
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Speaking of TX springs and oil and whatnot, does anyone know how TX’s custom Krytox blend performs?
Really, for that matter, we need some lube experts to get a big document or wiki or something that puts all of the lubricants on a scale to show their properties, or at least an explainer on what the manufacturer’s spec are. I still don’t know the difference between the Krytox grades and what the numbers mean.
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I’ve got a chart floating around somewhere that I think @Walkerstop put together with a bunch of different grades and brand. I’ll see if I can find it!
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Thanks for that amazing tuto ! I’m going to build a new keyboard with vintage Brown and all that information will be very useful 
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As far as Krytox numbers go, Store Uni has some good info on their product pages for it. e.g., for the grease grades:
| NLGI Grade | Appearance | Consistency Food Analogy |
|---|---|---|
| #2 | Normal Grease | Peanut Butter |
| #1 | Soft Grease | Tomato Paste |
| #0 | Very Soft Grease | Brown Mustard |
| #0S | Softest Grease | |
| #00 | Semi-Fluid Grease | Apple Sauce |
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Here are a few numbers. They don’t really mean anything until you’ve tried at least one to get a baseline idea of what the consistency is like.
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I think I’m following in your footsteps here. I’ve lubed quite a number of Tealios with 205g0 so far, and haven’t yet been happy with the results. After reading your comments here, I’m trying to apply even less 205g0. I know this might be a tough question, but do you know of a good way to tell when you’ve applied just the right amount of 205g0 to a Tealio? Should I barely be able to see the lube after applying it?