Support for Alternative Layouts
This is a summary of how alternative layouts have been supported by kits such as Colevrak and Homing. It is not a discussion of alt layout performance and development, but if that interests you I highly recommend starting with Pascal Getreuer’s A guide to alt keyboard layouts (why, how, which one?). It’s a concise and comprehensive overview with links to some great sites that go deeper. He also has a separate Links about keyboards page. The Keyboard layouts doc he recommends explains layout goals and metrics in detail, summarizing the alt layouts discussed here as well as more than one hundred others. Sculpted-profile The majority of custom keycap sets are sculpted-profile (Cherry, SA, MT3, KAT, etc. - more on profiles generally here) so let’s start there. Because each row has a unique keycap shape, alt layouts require a unique keycap for each legend that moves off its QWERTY row. At first there were two The Dvorak layout was patented in 1936 by August Dvorak & William L....
Apr 23, 2024
I have a K95 Platinum with Cherry Browns, but I'm a bit disappointed by the inconsistency of the switches.
Though I'm a bit worried about opening this board. The K70 has a hidden screw under the company logo which is just glued on, so it can be wedged off. The K95 Platinum has an RGB logo in the same location, with the light bar right next to it. I'll try to find out if that needs to be removed, but I really don't want to damage it.
I think the best solution might be to pop the tops off the switches, lube them and replace any bad springs or sliders. I think all Cherry MXs share the same case, so with a bit of luck I might even be able to change them into Blues or Clears without opening the board.
Naturally I'll practice on something less expensive first. :)
I have made a hobby of collecting switch testers, so I have a large variety to choose from. The Zealios are a good option - they're noticeably smoother than Cherries or clones.
I will be sure to practice desoldering, resoldering and lubing on one of the secondhand keyboards I have, before doing it for real.