I’m servicing a Model 01 that my friend has intensively used for years, and I we both have worries about the longevity of the Matias Quiet Click switches. Specifically, his E key has already failed twice, and after disassembling the keyboard I can spot multiple issues:
- On the faulty key, the metal contact elements have significant vertical play (about 0.5mm) inside the switch case. This rings some alarm bells with my electronics repair experience, as I assumed those parts should be firmly fixed in place - when those parts move, it affects the characteristic of the entire switch.
- At least one switch has a cracked case, with the case latch no longer serving its function.
- Multiple switches have significant front-back wobble, and they are no longer firmly attached to the metal plate. This puts unacceptable of strain on the metal contacts whenever they are pressed.
Our initial plan was to replace all the switches with equivalent Matias switches, but having witnessed the deterioration, I no longer trust them. Therefore, my two questions are:
- Are there any new, “refreshed” versions of those Matias switches that have better build quality?
- What would be an equivalent from another manufacturer that’s roughly close in tactile feel, and won’t fall apart after a few years? I have searched the forums here and found some old threads, but I’ve also noticed that the landscape of available switches changes quite quickly and most of the threads are quite old.
PS. Before you ask - no, the keyboard was not abused, just used a lot.