HOW TO MAKE BLUE SWITCHES LINEAR? – UNLIMITED GUIDE

Blue switches are trendy due to their loud clicks or minor bumps. And the keystroke sound can be awkward for many people. However, testing showed that blue clicky switches had a lower response rate than linear switches when surviving competitive games. So let your hair down. Here is an uncomplicated guide on how to make blue switches linear. Let’s take a closer look;

Components of Blue Clicky Switches

Before upgrading, figure out all the components that make blue switches clicky. By understanding all Switch parts, blue switches can be made into linear switches more efficiently.

Keycap & Stemp

The keycap is partially responsible for noise when tapped, but mechanical switches should not be considered.

The tactile white plastic piece and keycap are held in place by a blue colored jacket-shaped stem inside the blue clicky switches. They’re responsible for varying the travel distance or a actuation of mechanical Switch. Due to the hybrid stem and clicky jacket that attach separately to the blue switches, the stem differs from any other.

Clicky Jacket & Upper Housing

The clicky jacket makes the blue switches louder. The maximum audible click comes from the jacket. However, they’re famous for tactile plastic pieces. Also, the clicky jacket is Located below the stem, and this component is attached to a pole (slider) on the outside.

In contrast to tactile or linear switches, the click jacket generates a small bump and loud sound with every keystroke. Furthermore, they have a clicky jacket identifying blue switches. 

Blue switches have transparent upper housings. They designed the stem to protect the inside and assembled the bottom housing with two side clips (two legs). Additionally, keycaps hit the upper housings when the stem goes down when you tap on them.

Coil Spring & Metal Leaves

Coil spring is inserted into the pole (slider) to determine the resistance of blue clicky switches, the required pressure to operate the key, and the actuation time. Although coil springs help to push up the stem and rest the key, you can feel bumps due to coil springs.

Two tiny metal leaves with blue clicky switches are the gold pieces with the blue switches. When in contact, these leaves register a keypress, and slender pins either attach to the bottom of the blue Switch or stick out. Furthermore, these metal leaves are physically soldered into the PCB of the keyboard.

Bottom Housing

The mechanical switches cannot function without the bottom and upper housing attached here. A blue stem of clicky Switch rests inside the center mast of the bottom housing, and the clicky jacket moves freely up and down due to bottom housing rails or LED slots.

Remove Blue Switches in Keyboard  Before Start Changing

Before starting changes, if the switches assemble in a mechanical keyboard, you must remove them first. Please take this with a grain of salt. You need to grab the right tool to remove blue switches in the hot-swapper mechanical keyboard or on-hot swap mechanical keyboard quickly. Follow the steps below:

Step 1 – Grab Tools:

Work will be efficiently done if you grab as right as the rain tools, because there’s a lot of chance the blue Switch will damage. So, hold the horse and collect tools for the hot swapper keyboard.

1. Keycap Puller
2. Switch Puller

Non-hot swapper mechanical keyboard;

• Soldering iron
• Solder Sucker
• Soldering kit (accessories)

Remember, non-hot swap keyboards require more time to assemble blue switches than hot-swap keyboards, and people prefers a hot swap keyboard because you save quite a bit of time replacing the Switch. If you ask, I can prepare a hot swap keyboard to replace the Switch. It’ll be easy pie.

Step 2 – Pull out Keycap:

 Please take the keycap puller to make this process efficient. So, place the keycap puller over the key and pull them straight up. The keycap is removed easily. You can try hard to pull it off slowly. 

Although, newbies can wiggle puller back and forth while taking off the keycap in the ho-swapper keyboard, this technique works safely and fine to avoid any risk. Plus, try to remove the keycaps in order. That helps to reassemble them fast. Sometimes, the Switch comes out when you pull the keycap. In this case, remove the Switch under the keycap by hand.

After all, in hot-swapper mechanical keyboards removing keycaps by hand is common. Hold the keycap and pull it up straight. This technique can damage the switch stem or keycap. But, using a keycap puller can bite at the cherry.

The process will be the same in non hot swapper keyboard. By wiggling the keycaps gently, you can remove them with a keycap puller.

Step 3 – Disconnect Blue Switch:

After removing the keycaps, you see the blue clicky Switch connected to the mechanical keyboard’s PCB. So, place the switch puller’s left and right edges over the clicky Switch. Press the switch puller with the index finger or thumb. After pressing the Switch, gently wiggle them and pull them upward.

Also, use plastic switch pullers instead of metal switch pullers because metal switch pullers can scratch and damage the PCB plates. Removing the clicky switches from the hot swapper keyboard is a delicate process with stainless steel and plastic switch pullers.

Furthermore, a clicky witches can be disconnected with a flathead screwdriver and guitar strings, newbies should try something other than this tip. It is possible to scratch or damage the Switch.

Removing Blue Switches in Non hot – Swapper Keyboard

You’ll see the difference while switching on the non-hot swapper keyboard. Follow the instructions below to remove blue switches from the skin of your teeth.

Disassemble Keyboard: Blue switches install over the bottom PCB. Take the screwdriver to disassemble the keyboard case first. So, you see the switches installed with PCB, but the setup depends on your keyboard type. 

Using Soldering Iron: Firstly, heating soldering iron and solder sucker. Then, loosen the leaded solder using a hot iron by pressing it against the joints. Next, press the button and solder the soldier up.

Remove Switches: After that, check the blue switch Switches that are mounted into a plate can easily be removed with a switch puller. Otherwise, they’ll probably fall out if switches are mounted onto the PCB.

How to make blue switches linear?

If the blue Switch is in your hand, it’s the best thing since sliced bread. So let’s follow the instruction to make blue switches linear without further ado.

Getter Equipments

You need the perfect tools to open the blue Switch and make it linear. After all, opening the Switch is sensitive because any extra focus and wrong tool can easily break the upper hosing leg. So, you need the following;

1. Switch Opener 
2. Spudger 
3. Wire cutter
4. TheVan JSpacers
5. Soldering coil
6. Scissor

Open the Blue Switch

I used a switch opener because it helps to open the Switch quickly and safely, without any break or damage. Although, the switch opener is designed for two clips (two legs) and four (four legs). Prepare the clicky switch legs by analyzing them and putting them into the switch opener with the stem facing upward. Then, press down hard on the LED slot in the upper housing with your index finger and thumb.  

Furthermore, if switch opener not at the moment, you don’t need to be sick like a parrot. Use a 2.5mm flathead screwdriver. So, both side clips should be screwed with screwdriver inserted under the top housing. Remove the upper housing by slightly rotating the screwdriver, pushing it up, and using your nails to apply some force.

Required Changes

The magic in the stem or clicky jacket first takes the stem because of a white tactile plastic piece attached to the stem arms. Although, grab the spudger and remove the clicky jacket.

Step 1:

Place the spudger over the clicky jacket head. Because the stem is not attached to a clicky jacket like others, you see a little gap between them.

Step 2:

 After that, start rotating because a clicky jacket slightly de-assembles with the stem when you rotate the tool. Pop the two apart. Plus, the clicky jacket quickly takes off into the stem. If you don’t have a spudger, you should remove the jacket with fingernails. Remember that you need to require some extra force to remove the jacket. But having a spudger is good point for you.

Step 3:

After removing the clicky jacket, insert a JSpacer into the stem pole because they easily fit. After that, placing the clicky jacket back, due to JSpacer, you’ll take a ride of loud audible click and make it linear,

Tip: You can use a soldering coil if you don’t have JSpacer. The clicky jacket should be kept under the stem at all times. The jacket should then be pushed through the stem middle, wrapped around the soldering coil tightly, and cut with a wire cutter. The Switch will be stuck in the housing if the coil juts out of the sides.

Step 4:

After putting on the Spacer/soldering coil, please let your hair down. Now it’s time to reassemble it. So, start with the spring coil first. Next, reassemble the spring coil of blue switches into the external pole of the stem below the clicky Switch.

After that, take the bottom housing and put the external stem pole into the center mast, and the spring coil is on the other side of the center mask.

Step 5:

Hold the stem and bottom housing because the stem will pull out automatically due to the coil spring. So, put the upper housing over the stem, placing the upper housing by checking the clip lock and making sure the stem head comes out into the upper housing hole. And check the clip and lock the upper housing with the bottom housing side by side.

f your item is stuck, it is time to check the stem. Reassemble the Switch cautiously after opening it again. 

Install Blue Switches Back in Keyboard

Check the blue Switch hope it’ll change adequately. Now you can assemble it again correctly. Follow the instruction below;

Install the Switch

1. Hold the Switch with the switch puller by the south side.
2. Check the metal pins in the bottom housing and see the PCB hole.
3. Make sure both metal pins are attached to the PCB of the keyboard.

Furthermore, you should put the Switch by hand quickly. Ensure that blue switches are aligned with their respective holes by going straight down; clicky switches are aligned with their respective holes by going straight down.

Check Switch working: After pressing the blue Switch into the PCB, it’s time to check the Switch is working. First, check the Switch before inserting the keycap. You can solve your keyboard problem efficiently using this website (https://keyboard-test.space). The Switch may not work if the copper pins bend when pressing it, so remove it, insert it, and replace it. Moreover, using your thumb or index finger, press firmly and slightly down on the keycap after the Switch works.

In Non-hot swap keyboard: In case you are new to soldering, you may want to watch a YouTube video before soldering.

Wrapping Up

Making blue Switches linear is a piece of cake, but first, understand all the components of blue switches. Because they’ll help you find changes in the right tool, these guides will help you change the Switch and save money but ensure you follow all the instructions carefully. Then, if you’ve doubts, purchase linear switches and mechanical keyboards without changing the clicky switches.