# How to work out what's broken?

**URL:** https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Tags:** question
**Created:** [February 10, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555 "2020-02-10T16:49:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![wardmw](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/wardmw/32/3135_2.png) [@wardmw](https://community.keyboard.io/u/wardmw)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/1 "2020-02-10T16:49:19Z")

</div>

Hi all, I have a model 1 that I have been very happy with up to now.

It’s been left untouched in my attic for the last three months due to a broken collarbone and now that I am able to I’m back up there and using it, but sadly the 9 key is now very unhappy.

I have to press the key upwards of 20 times before it actually prints something. It’s the same if I try and get an open bracket character (shift 9), so I figure it’s a physical failure rather than a s/w one.

My question is, any suggestions on how to fix it? I can take the keyboard apart, I’m not scared of a screwdriver, but I really want to be sure that I’m not going to break it all before I go down that route.

|/|artin

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Foppe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c77e96/32.png) [@Foppe](https://community.keyboard.io/u/Foppe)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/2 "2020-02-10T16:53:51Z")

</div>

I’d say start with cleaning under the keycaps.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![wardmw](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/wardmw/32/3135_2.png) [@wardmw](https://community.keyboard.io/u/wardmw)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2020, 5:13pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/3 "2020-02-10T17:13:50Z")

</div>

Yep, an excellent idea and something I hadn’t done.

I removed the wooden facia from the keyboard, prised the 9 and 0 caps off, gave them a thorough clean around with a cotton bud, gave the rest of the keyboard the same treatment because you know how dirty keyboards can get and put it back to get  
her again. Sadly it’s still broken.

|\/|

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/67e7ee/32.png) [@fire](https://community.keyboard.io/u/fire)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 8:11am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/4 "2020-02-11T08:11:10Z")

</div>

Is this a quiet or loud Model01?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![wardmw](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/wardmw/32/3135_2.png) [@wardmw](https://community.keyboard.io/u/wardmw)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 10:13am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/5 "2020-02-11T10:13:19Z")

</div>

Err, pass? It was from the first or second batch that was made so whichever came first.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![wardmw](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/wardmw/32/3135_2.png) [@wardmw](https://community.keyboard.io/u/wardmw)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 11:34am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/6 "2020-02-11T11:34:42Z")

</div>

It’s a model 01-Q, if that helps any.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Foppe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c77e96/32.png) [@Foppe](https://community.keyboard.io/u/Foppe)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 12:43pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/7 "2020-02-11T12:43:47Z")

</div>

I recently had a similar issue with the D key being on infinite repeat part of the time, not responding at others. While cleaning, I found that a dog hair had worked its way inside the switch in the space between the switch casing and the stem that holds the keycap. I found that pretty amazing, had hoped you were facing a similar issue.  
Try contacting [support@keyboard.io](mailto:support@keyboard.io)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/67e7ee/32.png) [@fire](https://community.keyboard.io/u/fire)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 11:58pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/8 "2020-02-11T23:58:49Z")

</div>

Q is for Quiet. The loud ones sometimes had keys that were very firm so I was wondering if that was related.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![chrisSCM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/chrisscm/32/907_2.png) [@chrisSCM](https://community.keyboard.io/u/chrisSCM)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/9 "2020-03-10T15:54:03Z")

</div>

I am facing the exact same problem with one of the keys - and yes, it seems to me that indeed, dirt can make its way into the key switch casing.

So - any chance of fixing that, or would the key have to be replaced?

Maybe @jesse could shed some light on this, before everyone writes an email.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![jesse](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jesse/32/361_2.png) [@jesse](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jesse)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/how-to-work-out-whats-broken/3555/10 "2020-03-13T04:01:21Z")

</div>

Hi,

Sorry for the delay in my reply. Infinite repeat typically means a mechanical failure of the switch due to metal fatigue. If you’re still within your one year warranty and send it to us, we’ll repair it and cover return shipping.

If your warranty has expired, we’ll charge for return shipping, but not for the repair.

If you’d rather we send you replacement switches for you to solder in yourself, we’ll send them for free if you’re in warranty or for the cost of shipping if you’re out of warranty. (Outside the US, it may be cheaper to buy the switches locally than to pay for shipping from California.)

No matter what, the easiest way to get started is to drop us email at [help@keyboard.io](mailto:help@keyboard.io).
