I ordered a Model 01 to replace my current keyboard (which has Cherry MX Browns). I want to love it, but these Matias keyswitches require a lot more force to press than I’m used to… to the point I started getting hand pain. As a result, sadly, I’m not able to use it yet. I think I could, if the keys had similar stiffness to my old keyboard. So I came up with a plan:
Buy third-party springs (from e.g. this site I just found on google)
disassemble each keyswitch
Question: I found this video about disassembling ALPS switches – since Matias are ALPS clones, would the process be about the same?
swap out each spring
reassemble
It seems simple enough, but I’m new to this whole keyboard hacking thing so I thought I would sanity-check it with the experts. Any holes in my plan?
About disassembly: if you search on the forum there’s a couple posts about it, and some yt videos. You just ‘open’ the switch. I don’t know if it’s the same but definitely possible. On changing springs: on one of the posts about changing the matias quiet with matias linear for the same reason as you, Jesse himself suggested that maybe just changing the spring for that of the linear switch might be enough to reduce force and keep the tactile feedback (just a suggestion, mind you). I don’t know if anyone tested that, I’m planning on doing it once I get my currently on repairs keyboardio back :). So yes, mostly there’s nothing wrong with what you are suggesting and similar things have been done by other users. Just look for those posts and be mindful of possible pitfalls and common problems like stuck keys. Taking apart the switches is delicate so it’s easy to mess up, you should be aware that you might end up having to de-solder a switch and replace it if you do. Also make sure to test on a couple switches first before changing the whole board
I thought it was a great price too ($50 for 200 switches)
About your plan I would say you are good to go but I would say a few things that really helped me.
use a fine point needle pliers to remove the top part of the switches. Don’t go with your fingers like the linked video.
the witches are not all easy to take a part. If you find that is too difficult to remove the top part or to put it back one switche I would suggest to leave it and pick a new one. I used some force once and ended up bending and breaking one of mine on the board and had to de-solder it.
I would really be organized with the springs because they look and feel very similar on their own and you might go through the all the work of opening and changing the spring just to realize you are still using the old spring (yep, it happened to me lol)
I guess that is mostly all I remember about it. What I did was change the switches to linear but, after trying out with the lighter springs that comes with them, I ended up using the linear switches with the springs from the clicky ones and now I just love them. Would recomend.
