I made a silly but fun WriterDeck that lasted about an hour before the cheap powerbank fried my Pi Zero. Then, like a dope I figured I could make it work with my Libre Computer Le Potato and the thing fried my touchscreen. Sent the battery back and got an old-ass refurbed ARM ChromeOS tablet instead (Lenovo 10e). Even if I can't get full Linux working (and I'm informed this one supports it), *and *even if it's slow as molasses, this use-case should still be fine. I will also be printing a "case' to shroud the DIY keyboard from the picture. It's based on the same PCB as one of my favorite DIY boards, so it'll be a nice one to use with a portable device. Outemu "mid-height" Black and a no-stabilizers layout.
this post was submitted on 07 Sep 2025
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Mechanical Keyboards
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I have used mainstream (Corsair, Logitech) mechanical keyboards for years, I picked up a low profile Keychron for my Steam Deck and liked it so much that I replaced my Corsair K95 with a full size Keychron.
Changing keybinds and led colors through the web based Keychron app vs Corsair's utility is so much easier, and it works on macOS and Linux.
I'm looking to get a new keyboard since my current board (Cooler Master K653) is in rough shape, spilled some coffee on it a while back and it's started to not register inputs randomly and sometimes doubletyping instead.
I want 96% or 100%, wired, hotswap, with a budget ~200€. Will mostly be used for casual gaming and some schoolwork.
I've considered Keychron Q6 Pro with K Pro Banana switches, but I've read a few scathing reviews about Keychron from 2024 and 2025, have their quality decreased during the latest years?
I’m looking to get a new keyboard since my current board (Cooler Master K653) is in rough shape, spilled some coffee on it a while back and it’s started to not register inputs randomly and sometimes doubletyping instead.
If you want a new keyboard, I don't mean to dissuade you, but if you're happy with the existing one and just don't like the post-coffee behavior, I expect that it's cleanable. I doubt that the issue you're seeing is from electrical damage.
kagis
https://old.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/t3uyg4/are_there_any_good_solutions_for_cleaning_a/
I spilled an alcoholic beverage on my gaming keyboard and it still works, but they switches won't "unstick". I removed all the keys, soaked them/cleaned them, then wiped the keyboard down with alcohol/swabs pretty intensely but after drying they switches won't stop sticking. Basically just can't press without any resistance on a lot of keys and I'm not sure what else to do short of dumping alcohol all over it which, sadly, I'm unsure if will work/break/do anything since it just evaporates?
Any input would be great! Just don't want to replace a $150 keyboard and I'm sick of switching between my work and personal PC keyboard all day lol.
Soaking it in isopropyl alcohol would be my recommendation, but it sounds like you've tried that. If the switches were allowed enough time to absorb sticky residue you would probably have to disassemble the entire board and manually alcohol and lube each individual switch and each component within the switches.
The nuclear option, and iirc Linus tech tips tried this, would be to put the whole thing in the dishwasher and then dry it as thoroughly as possible.
Hey, just wanted to say thanks again - soaked in a vat of alcohol, rinsed, box of rice for 3 days - brand new. Cheers!
EDIT: It looks like 99.9% isopropyl alcohol goes for ~$25/gallon on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/99-9-Isopropyl-Alcohol-Percent-Gallon/dp/B0DNFZN5HV
EDIT2: Note that I grabbed low-water-content isopropyl, since my understanding is that 70% is normally used for disinfection because it's more-effective. If the goal of using isopropyl is to avoid having water, which might oxidize metal, dumped into something, I'd probably use low-water-content stuff. That being said, I don't have extensive experience in cleaning electronics, and I've also seen people recommending putting keyboards in water and having them be okay afterwords, as long as they are thoroughly dried first. I can't speak with any authority as to how much of a risk the water is. shrugs
I've tried a bunch of methods of repairing it, I haven't tried soaking it in alcohol, it might do the trick. If I'm honest though I've been wanting to get a new keyboard for a while, though I might keep this one as a wireless keyboard if I ever need one, so I may try repairing it again at a later date.
I've been a Das Keyboard Professional guy, with Cherry MX Blues, for many years. While I have seen plenty of mechanical keyboards at the office and elsewhere, I feel pretty removed from thw whole scene.
Where should I start to learn more about keycaps, switches, etc., hands on? Is there a good, full size starters keyboard anyone would recommend?
Keychron has a lot of options including some with hot-swap sockets that let you change the switches without desoldering. If you like clicky switches I would try out Kailh BOX white/jade switches, or just order a switch tester or something.
Even if you don't buy a Keychron, and there are arguments for an against, the sheer variety they offer is a good primer for getting up to speed on what's broadly available.