Keycap Kevin: even I wouldn’t need this gadget

My switch break-in machine from DingKey Designs has a motor which is attached to two guide rollers. This motor operates two 3D printed arms with hands for holding the switches. This is what it looks like in action:

Like the engine of a car, switches should be «run in». If you don’t know how a switch is built, I recommend the following article. The knowledge contained in it is a prerequisite for understanding all the statements.

But why?

The machine is incredibly loud and actuates 36 switches up to 18,500 times an hour. Why? Buttons that have been pressed many thousands of times should feel smoother and sound less scratchy than new ones. Like when you’re sanding wood, you want the stem that moves up and down to rub against the case. The housing should also become thinner as a result. You can also make switches smoother and less scratchy with grease, but that takes a lot of active time from you.

My first attempt

I put 36 brand new Hippo switches in the machine and let it run for 12 hours. This actuates the linear switches 222,000 times. This is what a new switch sounds like compared to an actuated switch:

I’m disappointed. As a keyboard nerd, I’d have hoped for more. Although, «more» is a strong word because I hear and feel absolutely no difference. This may be due to the fact that the stem of the Hippo switch consists partly of UHMWPE. Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene is characterised by an excellent sliding friction coefficient. Stems made of this material inherently slide better in the case than, for example, stems from the manufacturer Cherry do.

My second try

I decide to try a Cherry switch. The manufacturer doesn’t specify exactly what material the switches are made of. It describes the plastic components as «plastic polymer». I assume they have a higher sliding friction coefficient than the UHMWPE stem in the Hippo Switch. Since I still have Cherry MX Silent Blacks lying around, I’ll use them. They’re also linear switches.

This time I let the machine run for a whopping 36 hours. The switches are therefore actuated more than 600,000 times. Here’s another comparison:

This time, I notice a difference. The tangible change is greater than the audible one, but I can’t show you that. In general, the worn switch feels and sounds less scratchy. But still not as good as if I greased the switches.

But something else bothers me much more: both switches make a ping noise. This is generated by the spring when it pops back into its starting position. It’s annoying and I’d either replace or grease the spring. To do this, however, I’d have to open every switch. Then I could also modify the stems by means of mass lubrication in the plastic cup. So, the break-in machine doesn’t do any work for me.

Take three

For my third try, I'll use switches that I’ve already lubricated but haven’t used yet. When I use new keys, I always feel like I have to type with them for two or three weeks before they feel really good. I guess that’s because the grease spreads even better when you press them. This time I take Rebult Penyu switches and leave them in the machine for an hour. The linear switches are actuated more than 18,000 times.

I don’t hear any difference between the two switches, but I can feel one. The actuated switch feels the way I want it to. It glides a bit smoother than the less used one.

Conclusion: I don't really need it, but... I now own over 20 keyboards. Do I need all of them? Not really. It’s a similar situation for the switch break-in machine. From my three attempts, I can only identify one use case for myself: pressing already lubricated switches a few thousand times so that they feel good on the new keyboard right from the start. I could also achieve the same thing manually by using the keyboard every day for two or three weeks.

But as I like to change my keyboard every few days, it means I don’t have to write with the same one for weeks, which is a big plus for me. That’s why I'll actually be using the break-in machine in the future.