Yep the "CIY" puller is my favorite style but not tried the button press one but sounds like more pain than worth. I find the "IC" pullers have metal "tabs" that are too long and can break the little tabs the other pullers push in to release the switch.
To add some anecdotal experience, a couple of optical boards I've tried, especially after painter's tape mod on the back of the PCB, the switches have been unbelievably difficult to pull out. That should be counter-intuitive considering it's essentially a 1 pin switch, vs 3 and 5 which you'd expect to have more grip/friction. My guess is that it has to do with tolerances of the holes in the plates... So like you said, it SHOULD be super easy to pull switches (some of mine just come out while pulling the caps if the caps are a bit tight), but it may not always be the case if your board's or your switches' tolerances are weird. Actually I recall recent reviews talking about some switches that had slightly larger housings than others and causing this problem, I forget which... I don't have one yet, but I would bet I'd prefer the simple long V/U shaped ones (I've seen them called "Chip Extractors", not even designed for keyswitches). The problem I have with the orange one is that I find myself needing to pry the prongs open to get them around the switch, or hook onto the non-rgb side first and stretch it over. The larger starting position of the chip extractor seems convenient to me. Also as a side note, I saw one keeb youtuber with this cap puller that looked like the chip extractor, but it was 2-3 caps wide. I've been unable to find anything like it or anyone else with one. (TofuTypes, Cub 65 Review, at 2:45)
That cap puller looks sick, now I need to find me one! I've had a lot of "fun" dealing with different tolerances between switches and plates when I first dove into the hobby.
@@jammies701 Thanks! Not exorbitantly priced either, 10 bucks for the bundle of both sizes! They really should add some descriptions and SEO terms to their store page. I didn't see that or anything even vaguely like it while searching for cap pullers, even adding "wide" which is the only way I could describe it.
Great review! Could you please review the Wuque Titanium Switch Puller? I have read nothing but great reviews and the consensus seems to think it is the holy grail of switch pullers.
The best switch puller is the rama one (newest version), however I probably wouldnt't pay more than 5€ for it. Anything more than that and you might aswell get one of those wuque titanium pullers. Those super flimsy ones you showed first are great for switches right next to the case. I wouldn't use one of the gateron ones, they look like they scratch the plate, which most people probably won't care about...
How do you think that Rama's switch puller is different than the IC chip pullers I'm using here? I've reached out to Rama to see if they'd send me their puller so that I can compare. Thanks for the feedback!
@@MechKeyboards There are 2 versions of the rama puller, the old yellow one (basically IC puller recolour) and the newer one that came with my rama kara:(which I sold, but I kept the puller :D) The newer one doesn't bend like an IC puller, it feels really substantial. I used mine for 1,5 years and hundreds of switches and feels just like when it was new.
@@shadowcore94 the blue one I have from Ranked is like that; unlike most IC pullers, it's quite firm and I feel I would have to exert a lot of force to bend it even slightly. Hopefully Rama Works reaches back out and sends me one so that I can compare. Thanks for the info!
I gave up I have a CA Shark keyboard and it looks like I can't get into the bottom clip. Just won't go under. The top seems to be lifting but bottom is stuck...
I went to order the Kemove key puller and some o-rings but the o-ring "set" doesn't bother to say how _many_ o-rings come in the kit. I didn't order them. Bummer. And think about that, they got me to go to their website and put things in my cart but because of such a silly mistake they lost a sale, and I won't be going back.
I bought this switch puller from Amazon after watching your video and it is a disappointment. The switch puller mechanism would not lock after it was pushed onto a switch ( the key on top was not pressed). It failed both as a keycap and switch puller for me. It either has some design flaw or serious QC issue. Lucky I got it from Amazon and can initiate a refund. Buyer beware!!!
The one that matters for me is for old outemu switches in outemu sockets.
That's the true test for which best switch puller there is.
The blue on the left is the one that I always use and has never broken any switch, for me it is the best and the simplest.
Well, you'd be pleased to know I bought one in baby blue Keymove. We'll see when it gets here, getting ready to mod my keyboard and make it more thock
I bought some titanium ones... works great...
Yep the "CIY" puller is my favorite style but not tried the button press one but sounds like more pain than worth. I find the "IC" pullers have metal "tabs" that are too long and can break the little tabs the other pullers push in to release the switch.
To add some anecdotal experience, a couple of optical boards I've tried, especially after painter's tape mod on the back of the PCB, the switches have been unbelievably difficult to pull out. That should be counter-intuitive considering it's essentially a 1 pin switch, vs 3 and 5 which you'd expect to have more grip/friction. My guess is that it has to do with tolerances of the holes in the plates... So like you said, it SHOULD be super easy to pull switches (some of mine just come out while pulling the caps if the caps are a bit tight), but it may not always be the case if your board's or your switches' tolerances are weird. Actually I recall recent reviews talking about some switches that had slightly larger housings than others and causing this problem, I forget which...
I don't have one yet, but I would bet I'd prefer the simple long V/U shaped ones (I've seen them called "Chip Extractors", not even designed for keyswitches). The problem I have with the orange one is that I find myself needing to pry the prongs open to get them around the switch, or hook onto the non-rgb side first and stretch it over. The larger starting position of the chip extractor seems convenient to me.
Also as a side note, I saw one keeb youtuber with this cap puller that looked like the chip extractor, but it was 2-3 caps wide. I've been unable to find anything like it or anyone else with one. (TofuTypes, Cub 65 Review, at 2:45)
That cap puller looks sick, now I need to find me one!
I've had a lot of "fun" dealing with different tolerances between switches and plates when I first dove into the hobby.
Wuque Studios Keycap Puller (size L). There is also a S/M (can’t remember what they call it) that’s a 1u. The large is a 3u I think
@@jammies701 Thanks! Not exorbitantly priced either, 10 bucks for the bundle of both sizes! They really should add some descriptions and SEO terms to their store page. I didn't see that or anything even vaguely like it while searching for cap pullers, even adding "wide" which is the only way I could describe it.
@@jammies701 Nice, thanks. Added to my 'Want' list. Cheers!
@@MangoTangoFox what are” SEO terms?”
Great review! Could you please review the Wuque Titanium Switch Puller? I have read nothing but great reviews and the consensus seems to think it is the holy grail of switch pullers.
I'll reach out to them and ask, cheers!
@@MechKeyboards Thank you! :o)
The best switch puller is the rama one (newest version), however I probably wouldnt't pay more than 5€ for it. Anything more than that and you might aswell get one of those wuque titanium pullers.
Those super flimsy ones you showed first are great for switches right next to the case.
I wouldn't use one of the gateron ones, they look like they scratch the plate, which most people probably won't care about...
How do you think that Rama's switch puller is different than the IC chip pullers I'm using here? I've reached out to Rama to see if they'd send me their puller so that I can compare.
Thanks for the feedback!
@@MechKeyboards There are 2 versions of the rama puller, the old yellow one (basically IC puller recolour) and the newer one that came with my rama kara:(which I sold, but I kept the puller :D)
The newer one doesn't bend like an IC puller, it feels really substantial. I used mine for 1,5 years and hundreds of switches and feels just like when it was new.
@@shadowcore94 the blue one I have from Ranked is like that; unlike most IC pullers, it's quite firm and I feel I would have to exert a lot of force to bend it even slightly. Hopefully Rama Works reaches back out and sends me one so that I can compare. Thanks for the info!
I gave up I have a CA Shark keyboard and it looks like I can't get into the bottom clip. Just won't go under. The top seems to be lifting but bottom is stuck...
Are you certain it's hot swappable?
@@MechKeyboards it should be, they even included a tool to remove it in the box... but it's so damn hard it's insane
@@MIDICastleTheme I've never heard of CA keyboards until now, so I don't have one on hand to help troubleshoot. Have you tried reaching out to them?
I went to order the Kemove key puller and some o-rings but the o-ring "set" doesn't bother to say how _many_ o-rings come in the kit. I didn't order them. Bummer. And think about that, they got me to go to their website and put things in my cart but because of such a silly mistake they lost a sale, and I won't be going back.
Unfortunately Kemove is not very good at communicating details, or communicating period...
I bought this switch puller from Amazon after watching your video and it is a disappointment.
The switch puller mechanism would not lock after it was pushed onto a switch ( the key on top was not pressed).
It failed both as a keycap and switch puller for me. It either has some design flaw or serious QC issue.
Lucky I got it from Amazon and can initiate a refund. Buyer beware!!!
Kemove's switch opener? I'm sorry to hear. Though I only use mine occasionally, it still works, knock on wood.
u gotta make sure the metal prongs are already pushed inside of the housing before latching on to the switch,