Keyboard Builders' Digest / Test

The effect of WD-40 on switches

This follow-up shot by gidders369 demonstrates the effect of WD-40 on some switches treated 1 year ago.

KBD.news
Published September 2, 2021

People often ask for advice on unusual lubricants or ones readily available at home: e.g. olive oil.

This particular image demonstrates the effect of WD-40.

Click here for the original photo.

The switch on the top is a stock Cherry MX Speed, and below it there are two identical switches lubed with WD-40 a year ago.

"It did undeniably make the switches smoother but their bottom out feel became sticky."

The switches work fine though.

When I first spray lubed these on I didn't have many problems apart from the e and the s key not registering for a minute or two which was fixed by repeatedly spamming the keys but other than that the keyboard worked fine even though it had covered my PCB – gidders369.

Published on Thu 2nd Sep 2021. Featured in KBD #42 (source).

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