Got my batches of HMX Serene Greens & KeyGeek x MZ Y3s in today from unikeys! Both feel great stock, I’m particularly impressed with the KeyGeek switches since they are very affordable! The Serene Greens are HMX’s first switch to use POM for housings, but it’s just used for the bottom housing with these. It definitely helps temper the HMX clack some though, for sure one of the deeper sounding HMX switches IMHO. The Y3s on the other hand are on the deeper sounding side overall. Very smooth with very good factory lubing (on par with HMX I’d say) & the housings fit together nice & tight. Not sure which one I want to try out first! Will report back after I do try both of these.
I got the replacement PCBs I designed for my Kinesis Advantage 2’s! I had to do a lot of troubleshooting and reading up on ZMK documentation to write the firmware because I used non-standard pin locations for MOSI and SCLK to support the shift register, and I didn’t realize that for quite some time. Once that was resolved I was having a bit of oddness with which keys were registering on the bottom rows, but ultimately just swapped a few pins on the shift register for my columns (the matrix on KA2s is… weird. Kinda sideways.) and all was well! This was a great learning experience, and I typed this post using the board with the new controller.
I am happy to report that this PCB design seems to be a complete success. So far, I am two for two with boards I designed, which feels like a pretty big achievement to me.
Nice score! I’d would’ve made it my fourth if I found one for that price too, NGL! Although personally I have been waiting on the WKL tops before I grab one.
Not in the mail (again…), but picked up an Apple refurbished M3 MacBook Air. First laptop upgrade in a decade, and it was very much overdue.
I’m not normally big on Apple stuff, but I give them credit for Macs, they just work and they are easy for me to get up and running for programming projects and such.
Not today but a few days ago, I got my Gateron Fade switches. As I mentioned in another thread, the springs are quite heavy. However, the feel and sound of the switch is something worth noting. These are very nice Gateron switches. I think it’s probably a result of the polished stem. I’m currently using the unlubed version and, at least in this keyboard, I would easily recommend these to be used as a stock linear, especially if you don’t mind a heavier switch.
As I have been using so many HXM switches lately, these are a nice change-up. Deeper pitched with a full 4mm travel.
I wouldn’t recommend ordering from Loobed switches, but you can get them directly from the person who designed them
I also ordered some of the L’Orange switches as well. I’ll report back when these come in.
Great question, and I tried to spend some time getting a good answer. Disassembled both switches and did some comparisons.
First off, I ordered the “unlubed” version of the fade. But When I open them up, I see that I did, in actuality, receive the lubed version. It’s a very good factory lube on the sides and contact legs of the stem. Applied very lightly and evenly in precise locations. Almost looks hand lubricated, with what seems to be something between 3204 and 205 grease. I think this is the main thing making the switch different from the oil king.
Overall, I would say the Fade has an ever-so-slightly quieter sound. Oil kings tend to have a nice, medium-deep clack. Fades have a similar pitch but less clacky.
Also, if you twisted my arm, I would admit the Fades have ever so slightly less wobble in the N/S direction of the stem.
The oil kings have a longer spring and start off heavier, but the fades are heavier by a few grams at bottom out.
I think the main difference in the switches are the spring and the method of lubrication. Oil kings feel and sound more like a dry switch because they use very low viscosity lubrication, whereas the fades sound a bit cleaner and feel a bit tighter because of the medium viscosity lubrication. I would definitely use both of them stock in a hotswap board. If I soldered them in, I would most likely only lubricate the springs on both switches.
This is more about what I DIDNT get in the mail today.
I got a message saying a package had been delivered in my mailbox. I’m not expecting anything so I went to check. No package.
Well, that does happen occasionally. Sometimes the package shows up the next day or the status on it changes. So, I checked the tracking number from the item.
Tracking says: Pre-Shipment Nov 6 2024. Then it says out for delivery today and delivered today! The hell?
Turns out, this package appears to be the HSA toxic order from Valasupply. I mean, I didn’t actually get it, but that’s what the tracking number matches up with.
The odd thing is that I emailed them Saturday and let them know I was going to pursue a chargeback if I didn’t get an update.
So either Valasupply has a way to manipulate tracking numbers, or they sent my package and it’s been delivered to the wrong address, or it will show up later
I had something like this happen recently. I got a tracking number with an estimated delivery date for a few days out. The next day it said it was delivered at an address half way across the country from me. After speaking to the vendor they told me it was due to USPS reusing/recycling tracking numbers too close to shipments. Sure enough, a couple of days later it was delivered on the original estimated date. I wonder if Vala sat on the shipment for so long that the number was reissued?
Got a huge shipment of JTK trays & a pack of HMX Macchiato springs in from the awesome @fatalruin (huge thanks bud, this really helps me out a ton with my keycap storage!), a Wheatkeys Pine Blank I did not have in from the super cool @Deadeye (thanks again bud!), then a Sunken Lucky Cat in from Ko Caps today! Now to start organizing keycaps again…
Will report back after I do try both of these.
