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Why You Should Lube Your Keyboard Switches
Guides & Resources
May 12 2021
Yes. You read that right. LUBE. Now why in the world are people putting this slipper solution on their sacred switches? Well, keyboard enthusiasts love to tinker and teardown their switches to improve them any way they can - it's part of what makes the hobby so enjoyable. In this article, we will touch upon the main benefits of lubing your keyboard's switches. Who knows? Maybe you'll be lubing in no time!
If you read through this article and decide to lube switches yourself, we recommend you check out our selection of high-quality mechanical keyboard switch modding tools. We have everything you need to get the job done efficiently, which means less time lubing and more time enjoying those satisfying switches.
People choose mechanical keyboards for their improved sound over the typical membrane board. While membrane keyboards are mushy and muted, mechanical switches produce a clean, resonant sound that makes you never want to stop typing. What if there was a way to improve this sound? Look no further than tried and true switch lube.
Properly lubricated switches tend to sound noticeably fuller. The thicker property of the lube removes some higher-end frequencies, like ping, treating your ears to a more pleasurable typing experience. You have to hear it to believe it, and community members swear by the noticeable improvement in sound quality.
However, there is a possibility of over-lubing your switches. Excessive lubrication can cause them to revert to the sound of a membrane board, making the switches sound notably dampened. Compare switch lubing to painting: it is easier to add more than to take it off. So, we recommend watching a few videos before giving it a try yourself. Check out this tutorial from JTTR for a comprehensive guide:
Satisfying Smoothness
When looking at key switch discussions, you will see the term "scratchiness" thrown around. Most commonly used when describing linear switches, scratchiness refers to when you press down the key and feel some notable friction during the key's travel. Lubing your mechanical keyboard switches reduces this friction, and in turn, the scratchiness is severely reduced or completely removed.
Scratchiness may sound like a minute detail when it comes to typing or gaming using your board, but it is something you need to feel to understand. Typing on a lubed switch feels like the keys are gliding effortlessly on the board, and you will never want to go back to scratchy switches again.
Over-lubing your switches will mitigate the friction, but it also reduces the tactility we crave from mechanical keyboards. Like the sound issue we previously mentioned, switches with too much lube gumming up their operation can feel too mushy and similar to a membrane board.
The DIY Experience
Enthusiasts love to take ownership of their favorite things. The process of opening a switch, carefully applying lube, and putting it all back together is a pleasant, peaceful experience. Sometimes, we need to look away from a screen and focus on something mindless and straightforward. We suggest having a guide ready, a podcast or music to play, and a free afternoon to truly get the most out of lubing your mechanical keyboard switches.
Wrapping Up
Lubing your switches is taking a more significant step into the world of mechanical keyboards. Once you experience the process of lubing and enjoying your optimized switches, you will see a bevy of lubrication tools, techniques, sound tests, and more. It's what we love so much about the mechanical keyboard community, and we hope that you give it a shot sometime - your ears and fingers will thank you.