Zeal has a surprisingly decent sale on a few switches. Tempted to get these v1 redux for at 50c each https://zealpc.net/products/zealio_v1_redux?variant=39352365482048
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I really like the e-gray option. I wish it were offered more frequently.
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Akko’s upcoming SPR67. It has a “spring” mount, like with actual springs. Hmm. That might be cool, but do you have to bag lube those too? Lol.
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I feel like this is another one of those things that is either:
a.) low-key awesome, why didn’t I think of that
b.) seems like a decent idea but actually isn’t
If it works well, seems like it could a great way to get more out of cases originally designed to be tray mount: replace the full-height standoffs with little nubs for springs, include some of those little toppers, find the right (or right combination) of resistance, and get bouncy with it.
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https://geekhack.org/index.php?PHPSESSID=4a6f72b9r75o7as8bp2pjiihs57jdmh3&topic=118594.0
Stretching the word “gasket” inside-out, but otherwise seems pretty neat-o. I mean, it would be fine if they just called it a leaf-spring assembly; they wouldn’t be the first.
Honestly I think my favorite part of this one is that cut-away in front of the space bar. I’m one of those people who types wrongly, with their wrists resting right on the desk - hence loving flipped space bars - and this little divot.
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Not totally new, but new to NovelKeys - and there are probably still plenty of folks that don’t know about these yet - that being something I’ve been hoping to see for years, individual components for sale as official products (rather than from resellers or overseas cone mills).
Essentially this is a series of mix-and-match (hence “MM”) components made by JWK that allow you to assemble your own bits by preference.
It’s like frankenswitching, but without all the leftovers, extra cost, incompatibility risk, confusing nomenclature, disassembly, and associated damage potential.
I can get behind that - I’d honestly love it if all the manufacturers did this, but I understand at least a few reasons why they don’t. Still, it would be great to have one side of a site/catalog be complete, curated switches and the other be a list of all the possible component pieces they can make, available a-la-carte.
As fun as esoteric things like Creamsickles made from NK_ Creams (pre-retool only!!) and Tangerines can be, I think it would be a much better customer experience to be able to pick housing material, stem material, pole length, and other factors from some drop-down menus and get some parts in the mail you know are going to work together, and that haven’t gone through the physical stress of opening - not to mention all those leftover parts you won’t have to pay for / store / toss / whatnot.
High-five to JWK for kicking this off something like this as a mainstream option. 
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Matt3o posted an update about their new keycap profile being made by GMK: MTNU: October update
Double shot PBT confirmed, and the first set to come out will be Susuwatari, likely later this year.
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This YouTube company is going to start testing keyboards in some automated fashion and building some databases, maybe interesting:
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came here to post this hahaha.
I can’t put my finger on it, but it reminds me of something… hmm.
The novelties are kinda cute, tho. Don’t like the colorway, nor how they did the stripes on the bars (even if they’re officially licensed). I think I did it better 
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Looks like Cherry is finally making ergo clears from the factory. They’ll also be factory lubed:
https://www.cherrymx.de/en/cherry-mx/mx-special/mx-ergo-clear.html
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Hell hath frozen over. Good move Cherry. Wonder if they will still have fat stems.
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How cool is that! The OG frankenswitch is going official. Almost reminds me of marking height milestones in the kitchen doorframe.
Hey, a glacier-slow response is infinitely better than none at all, and this seems like a universally high-five-able move to me. I’m deffo buying some. Now I just need the perfect Ice-T sticker for the jar…
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Anyone else catch the announcement for Cream Clicky switches?
Mike claims that is uses a complex click mechanism not done before on an MX Style switch!
Seeing some real innovation outside of Zeal is very nice, even if they are going to be 90 cents a switch.
Also that NK Plus keyboard is looking pretty sweet!
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I once made an Ergo Clear just to try it out, I had issues with it sticking down and not returning properly. I wonder if these new Ergo Clears would be functional without lubricant or if the lubricant degrades over time the switches will get stuck. Hopefully they tweaked some other aspects of the switch design to prevent this.
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I think they are using MX Black springs? You don’t necessarily need to lube an Ergo Clear if the spring actuates > 50 cn.
And I think MX Black actuates at what, 60 cn?
This may be a bridge too far but my biggest request is that the springs aren’t a pingy, crunchy mess that basically require replacement. I don’t mind the tinkering at all but a stock switch that performed well and had the Cherry sound would be a game changer, imo.
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They might be using an existing stock Cherry spring like MX Black.
But if they actually do use good springs, and the switch are newly tooled, then it could actually be a decent switch out-of-the-box.
Cherry housings already produce excellent sound. If they’re not too scratchy. A fresh factory Ergo Clear with a powerful enough spring doesn’t require user intervention. Especially if they carefully add some additional lube during production.
I really hope they updated the thickness of the stems. I had to throw away my MX Clear stems because of how insanely tight it is.
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GMK Nines is on sale (finally at a reasonable price).
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