I stumbled across Durock’s description of their Daybreak and Dolphin silent linears, and noticed it has a Polymer Nylon bottom housing versus Nylon PA found in their L series. Is it a stretch to assume their new bottom housings might make for a great H1 alternative?
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Linear and tactile Everglide housings contain different leaves. The ones used to make Jades are the linear Everglide housings. I would like the Jade stem/T1 housing to be a stock offering though!
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This is my second commentary on a Frankenswitch. Again, it is an extension of what I am doing, discussing modded tactiles, in this thread.
Golden Skies
Frankenswitch:
OUTEMU Sky [Tao] Stem in TTC Gold Brown V2 Housing | and
OUTEMU Silent Sky / Silent Forest Stem in TTC Gold Brown V2 Housing
The switch I am discussing today comes in at least two major forms, the OUTEMU Sky stem in a TTC Gold Brown V2 housing, and also the Silent Sky stem in the same housing.
I hesitate to call it a frankenswitch, because the Sky / Silent Sky stems are designed to be incorporated into various housings. This simply makes them into Sky variants or a combination switch, rather than the kludge that is implied by the term ‘frankenswitch.’
The most successful, in my view, is the Silent Sky in the TTC housing, which I have labelled “Golden Sky.” The combination involving the regular Sky stem, which I describe later, was less successful, and more deserving of the ‘frankenswitch’ appellate.
So first, the [Silent] Golden Sky.
Construction:
The OUTEMU Silent Sky stems are advertised as being compatible with “Cherry MX class” housings, and this extends to the vast array of compatible switches. The Silent Sky stem itself was originally inspired by the feel of the “Ergo Clear,” being a switch of reasonable tactility having a lighter spring than stock MX Clears.
However, as some people have noted, the Sky and Silent Sky stems departed over time from their close resemblance to the MX Clear stem, and the bump profile is now different. Despite these changes, I would say that the tactile level or intensity of Skies and Silent Skies are comparable to that of Ergo Clears.
I have a testing keyboard with 65G Ergo Clears, and there is still a resemblance to them in the later, non-silent Skies. They both share a conventional Cherry-style mid-profile bump. The Silent Sky stem, however, is top-loaded. The tactile ‘bump’ is concentrated at the top of the keypress in the same manner as Zilents and Kailh BOX Browns and Pro Purples. It is sometimes described as a “P” profile bump, in that the distinct tactile event occurs right at the top, and is replaced afterwards by linear travel. This is unlike the “D” profile, a giant, constant bump, present in the new U4 stems. The moderate intensity of the bump is why I say that the Silent Sky stem’s tactile intensity is similar to Ergo Clears, as opposed to the heavier tactiles.
(OUTEMU Silent Sky stems can be purchased as a separate component)
The Silent Sky stems can be placed in nearly any housing, but it leads to different sensations. Inside an MX Brown housing lubed with 3203 and using lubed 55 gr Spirit springs, the switch is light, quiet, and not much more tactile than MX Brown. What is interesting about the TTC Gold Brown V2 housing used in the “Golden Sky” switch is that it successfully produces the desired characteristics of a “Silent Sky” switch while in a cheap housing that does not require lube.
It has been said that the cheaper the housing, the better OUTEMU Silent Sky stems will perform. This seems to be validated in the “Golden Sky” switches, which I purchased at $1.80 per 10. The stems are an easy fit, and gave me no trouble. The existing TTC spring is fairly robust, being designed to vigorously return a stem more tactile than MX Brown. I think it actuates around 50-55 gr, and bottoms-out around 60 gr. This makes it a kind of ‘slow curve’ tactile spring, I think.
The TTC springs are pingy and require donut lubing, at the very least. Note that the TTC springs are longer than most.
Switch-feel
Once assembled, you have a switch that is less ‘poppy’ than the TTC Gold Brown V2, and about as tactile. The travel feels shorter, as with most Silent Sky builds, since the bumpers seem to take up space during the keypress. It can feel mushy at first, you need to break the switch in and give it some time. It results in a tactile what a deep and quiet sound, and perfunctory tactile event and travel. It’s almost like a silent Pro Purple. Or, especially, the new BOX Silent Brown.
I felt that the stock TTC spring could be improved upon. It is fairly heavy in actuation, and doesn’t have much of a force curve. So I tried the switch again, using 60 gr TX springs. That’s a similar bottom-out weight, but probably lower in actuation than the stock spring.
(60 gr TX springs are a good weight for the (Silent) Golden Skies.)
With the 60 gr TX (donut lubed) springs, I felt as if the switch had improved. It is easier to actuate, and still has a springy return. It also feels as if the travel is somehow longer, closer to the full 4mm than the <3.6mm travel I perceived with the stock spring.
So, in my view, the Silent Sky + TTC Gold V2 housing, using a 60 G TX spring, is the best version of the switch. I would also like to try 58 G Spirit springs, should they become available. I found 55 gr Spirit springs to feel weak, even in a lubed MX Brown housing, so I think 58-60 G is a better weight here. In contrast to switch using the stock TTC spring, which felt shortened as in the BOX Silent Brown, the Golden Sky with 60 G TX spring feels more like a less-tactile, less-sharp Zilent.
The biggest hazard here is the spring lubing. The switch overall is fairly quiet, so spring ping and crunch is the noise you will hear if you are not careful.
Conclusion:
It is possible to make a quiet switch fairly cheaply if you have access to Silent Sky stems and cheap TTC Gold Brown V2 housings. The TTC housings don’t take well to lube, but the Silent Sky stems seem to function fine without any. It’s a simple ‘P’ shaped bump as you’d expect from the Silent Sky stems, and is not going to win any awards for tactility or unique feel.
The problem with these switches using stock springs is what seems to be a combination of a flatter force curve, and the perception of shorter travel. This is remedied by aftermarket 60 G springs. Still, it’s a switch that’s closer in feel to rubber-dome than mechanical. But it does work, and doesn’t come with any excesses. I’m very interested in the possibility of building a board with these quiet, moderate-tactility switches.
Alternate switch:
OUTEMU non-silent Sky [late model] stem in TTC Gold Brown V2 housing.
Tried three versions of this switch: stock parts, lubed, and lubed with 60 gr TX spring.
Description:
The stock TTC Gold Brown V2 is kinda a 'roided up MX Brown. More tactility, more spring, more smoothness. But not much more. Because of the higher tactility and weight, it wants to be an Ergo Clear.
Variant 1:
With the OUTEMU Sky tactile stem, and the stock TTC spring, this is a very poppy and energetic switch. It is not relaxed.
It kind of reminds me of an inflatable amusement ride.
Without lube or any other mods, there is noticeable wobble. It’s also noisy. It’s fun to type on, but I am not sure it would be great for sustained typing.
It also sounds crackly and rattly, like a higher-pitched Everglide Jade.
Variant 2:
With lube [205g0], the sound improves somewhat. It becomes lower pitched, which is helpful, since the stock parts make a chittery noise. However, the feel doesn’t improve, and might actually become kind of sluggish. I’ve heard the TTC Gold Brown V2 switches actually feel worse with lube, and this may be the case here.
Variant 3:
With lube [205g0] and a 60 gr TX spring, these switches feel more boring. They are flat, and the spring makes it feel relatively underpowered. I don’t recommend this spring. Since both the TTC Gold Brown V2 and especially the OUTEMU Sky want to be an Ergo Clear, it is best to use a more energetic spring, like the stock TTC spring.
VERDICT:
I think the Silent Sky stem in the TTC housing provided a better switch for typing. The regular Sky stem is energetic and poppy, and could be suited for some uses.
I recently saw someone asking about ‘bouncy’ switches that could be used in an MX-based calculator or numpad, and I recommended the stock Sky stem in the stock TTC housing/spring. Doesn’t even require lube, except for the spring. It’s going to be noisy, but it could suit that requirement.
If you’re putting a regular Sky stem in a Gold Brown V2 housing, just leave them stock. Same spring, no lube.
Otherwise, I’d rather use the Silent Golden Sky. The TTC housing is a fine basis for the Silent Sky stem. You just need to determine whether you want the resistance offered by the stock spring, or the lighter experience of 60 G TX.
I don’t intend to take credit for the switch, as they were being discussed publicly on Discord as an affordable silent switch.
6 Likes
Ninja Turtle
- Kiwi housing
- YOK Panda spring
- Gazzew silent linear stem
- TX polycarb film & 3204 lube
- 90’s green shell
- Steel-silver stem
- Quiet like a ninja
Very quiet linear with a rad 'tude.
Flavor-text:
You can see what inspired the name and more photos in this thread.
These Kiwi housings are proving better homes for these stealthy stems than the YOK Pandas I had them in before - not that those were bad, but I think the tolerances are better for the stem here, leading to a bit more crisp feel.
Any switch with these stems is going to be very quiet, and of course these are no exception. The dampened bottom-out might be a turn-off for some, but the owner of these switches picked out these stems as an easy favorite because of it. The bottom-out feel is pretty unique, and definitely distinct from other silent linears I have tried.
Yes, that’s a POG slammer from the 90’s.
Now all I need is some pizza! 
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All I have to say is that they need blue, purple, red and orange switch-films for bandanas. 
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Halo U4
- Halo housing
- Gazzew U4 silent tactile stem
- 62g gold-plated spring from KBDfans
- Very quiet
- Strong tactility w/o harshness
- “Complex” dampened feel
Flavor-text:
After having tried prototype “clear” U4 stems in Halo housings and finding them a little muddy and underwhelming, I didn’t expect much different from the white ones that came pre-assembled in the new Boba housings.
I love being wrong about these things.
What we have here is something that to my sensibilities, is altogether more mellow and pleasant than the Boba U4. While the Boba U4 is a study in tight tolerances and steroid-aggressive tactility somehow wrapped in very quiet package, the Halo U4 is a glimpse into novel, complex dampening. I’ll do my best to explain.
The weighting of this combination reaches a sort of “valley” just as the tactile bump ends, with the spring providing plenty of resistance against bottoming-out before reaching the already soft silicone pads. While some U4 combos I have tried make it practically unavoidable to slam right into those dampeners, this one makes it remarkably easy not to bottom-out even while retaining a fair amount of the U4’s strong bump profile.
The result is a switch that’s snappy yet soft; a bit like biting through a stick of chocolate that’s embedded in a big, pillow-y marshmallow.
If we’re talking letter-shaped bumps, this one’s a “P” - but in cursive. Resistance up-top that you push through and overcome to be met with a springy cushion right as the rounded bump ends. Pressing the switch lightly, it almost feels as if it has reduced travel - but if you push through that, there’s just a bit more travel before you hit the gummy-soft dampening pads on the bottom-out.
Another bonus of the updated U4 stem is a bit more stability than most other Halo housing combinations I’ve tried, albeit less than the all-but-perfect tolerances between these stems and Boba housings.
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Hey! I recently made these too!
It’s a crazy feeling switch.
Edit: also using prototype U4s, i did run into a small problem with the leaf but just had to be careful when closing the switch up
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Lorde
- Silent Box Brown stem & upper housing
- Box Royal spring & lower housing
- Sharp, strong tactility
- Dampened top & bottom-out
- Subtle “click” synced with actuation / tactility
- North-facing / GMK compatibility
The name was an obvious choice, because after this mod, they will never be Royals. eyyy
Flavor-text:
Anyway. The idea for these came from two different places. More generally, I’ve seen conversations musing about dampened clicky switches, and more specifically a friend of mine totally new to mechanicals has been trying switches and mentioned how much he loved the crisp kind of tactility that clicky switches had, but that the noise would drive him nuts.
While I’ve seen plenty of lamentation about the Box tactiles’ propensity for producing clicking sounds depending on their age / use / other factors, this switch brings it out as much as possible and relies on it as a less loud but still plenty audible alternative to discrete, purposeful noise-making mechanisms. Since the click itself is caused by overcoming the negative-style tactile bump of the slider, it’s naturally synced with both tactility and actuation.
The sound isn’t too different from that of a normal Box Royal, except there’s only the click of the leaf / pusher / slider-cam interaction - no bottom-out clack or top-out rattle. The click itself is a bit more sharp with the SBB stem vs the original Royal, as well.
These are some weird bois, but if you’ve been curious about dampened clickies, Lordes are an easy to reproduce take on the theme.
A side note - I’d originally intended to use Crystal Royal bottoms for this switch because they look great and have 5 pins, but found that those are closer to the more subtle Hako Royals than the bombastic Box Royals. While the combination was still a pleasant one, it was pretty unremarkable - basically a slightly heavier and more tactile Silent Box Brown.
9 Likes
Lemon Lush
- Gazzew U4 white stem
- Gateron Ink Yellow housing
- Thic Thock 68g MP spring, donut-dipped
- Snappy, clean tactile bump
- Cushy-soft bottom-out
- Quiet yet crisp
A balanced alternative to the remarkable Boba U4.
Poppy, negative tactility with a “D-shaped” bump starting right at the top and a soft, bouncy cushion right at the end.
Flavor-text:
I’ve approached frankenswitching with Boba / U4 bits a few times, and while most of the combinations have been interesting or entertaining, they were just as much vexing to me. All of them had bumps that were just too big and wide for my comfort - including the “stock” Boba U4s. The 62g versions in particular emphasize the down-stroke while having a comparatively weak return force, which I’m still getting used to.
I liked how Ink housings retained most of the U4’s strong bump while letting the stem pop back up more easily, but none of the springs really felt quite right - including the TT MP’s, at least at first. Great smooth, poppy balance to the tactile bump - but so crunchy!
Remembering Gazzew’s suggestion, “donut dipping” either end of the spring in [ grease of choice ] was the finishing touch that tied this one together.
Donuts are magic, and so is polytetrafluoroethylene. …say that five times fast…
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How u like the regular Ink Yellows? =)
I’m a fan.
It seems like it was a fad for a minute there for shorter travel switches to bottom-out on the center post, and I like that these don’t. As a stock switch it’s a fantastic no-fuss linear.
I’m also generally curious about Gateron’s shrouded stems in general; from what I can tell, those are the short travel ones. Here in the West the only one I know of is the Ink Yellow, but in other markets they’ve got some tactile ones, too. (y u no sell tactile Inks, Gateron??)
It would probably be dis-advantageous for them to do this, but I’d love it if I could just order individual components in bulk by part number.
1 Like
Try put a stem in a black ink, maybe you can tell me whats happening then…
Yellow Ink stem in a Black Ink housing makes for the same switch, just a little heavier. *Nope - totally wrong about that; they actuate when you breathe on them. Closer to being accurate with Ink Blues, though.
Here’s a comparison between some stems; Ink Yellow, Ink Black, Halo True:
Each is lined-up by the top so you can compare the other dimensions relative to that. The Ink Black stem in the middle is the most typical; with the contact legs extending slightly past the “feet” where the switch bottoms-out. (There’s more space for the contact legs; they don’t touch anything besides the leaf.)
The Ink Yellow stem has the “feet” extend down to the same depth as the legs, so it bottoms-out sooner than but in the same way as a typical stem.
The Halo stem has an extra-long center post, similar to Kailh Pros or Creams. In most housings, that center post is what hits the housing, making the distinctive “tak tak” sound.
The down-side of this for me, though, is that the stem teeters on that single contact-point when the switch is at the bottom. For me, this lends a slightly unstable feeling to the switch - not so with the Ink Yellow (and presumably Gateron’s other shrouded-style) stems.
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Hmm, well for me, yellow in black (silent black actually) made it actuate after 1mm or so.
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I see what you mean now - yes, the leaves are probably different. Bottom-out is the same.
Ye, but would u say the yellow ink stems are useless in any other housing? 
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No, I don’t think they would be useless*. I’ll be doing more testing today and in the coming days to see if it actually holds true, but so far they seem a viable alternative to Kailh Pro and Cream stems for putting together linears with a shorter overall travel.
*Edit: I’m mostly wrong about that - see below.
Right!? I was like WTF when the announced Ink red, yellows & blues. What about browns? I know browns get some hate, but Gateron’s brown stem is a bit more tactile than MX browns. Add that to a stiff leafed ink housing & I guarantee it will blow up like crazy. There hasn’t been a super smooth mid tactility switch since V1 Zealios, it’s beyond me why nobody is trying to make something similar?
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I did some more testing today, and I was pretty surprised - the Ink Yellow stem is indeed nigh unusable in the majority of housings I’ve tried it in so far. Not all of them, though.
I’m really glad you asked about it and that you pushed me to test more thoroughly - I’ve learned just enough today to realize there’s a whole dimension of part interactions I hadn’t yet considered. So! Here’s what I found so far with the Ink Yellow stems.
Unusable:
Actuates way too early / with just a light touch
- Ink Black
- Cream
- Kailh Pro
- Halo
Marginal:
Potentially usable but mostly a curiosity - still actuates very early
- Gazzew Boba
Nominal:
More or less normal linear function
- Ink Blue
- Outemu Ice Teal
This just makes me all the more curious (and reinforces my desire to have a supply-side parts catalog I could pick through).
So - it seems that the Ink Yellow stems do work in a few other housings, but indeed won’t be usable with the majority of them.
At the moment, I only have the two click-jacket switches - but the small sample size does point in the direction of the stem being viable in housings meant for clickies. It’s quite nice in the Ice Teal housing; smooth and stable.
The marginal case with the Boba is pretty interesting, but I don’t think itself would be a great idea to use. It actuates very early, but not quite as early as most of the other cases - so it could theoretically be a good “speed” switch, but I don’t think typing with them would work for most people.
One more trivial but interesting thing about the Ink Yellow stem / Boba housing combo that’s pretty neat and also contributes to why it wouldn’t really work: It’s insanely stable. Without lube, it borders on bind-y; and the surfaces you’d have to lube to make it buttery would be exposed to potential dust and other keeb seasonings - the shrouds would end up accomplishing that contrary to their normal ostensible function.
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Well thanks! Then it wasn’t ju me doing something wrong. 