Royal Kludge RK71 Mechanical Keyboard Switch Replacement
Inleiding
The Royal Kludge RK-71 keyboard is a mechanical gaming keyboard that was built with hot-swappable switches; this means that when it comes to repairing and changing switches, it is easy for the user to pull out the switch using a switch puller.
As the RK-71 has two product lines, it is important to be sure that your keyboard is hot-swappable before following this guide. The purpose of hot-swappable keyboard is to make it easier to repair and replace the switch, the process of which can be moderately difficult, so I would advise some experience with disassembly and repair of products before attempting this fix. Nonetheless, this guide will take you through the step by step of how to clean the keyboard and replace a switch.
Before removing the switch, clean the inside of the keyboard.
Use a brush to get rid of the potential dust that could be trapped while installing new switches (which might affect the connection and function of the key).
Hook the switch puller to the top and bottom of the switch (indicated by the red squares).
Pull the switch straight upwards.
The switch should be pulled straight up and free easily. If not, check whether the keyboard is actually hot-swappable or not.
Once removed, check whether it is a 3-pin or 5-pin switch.
For the RK-71, I will be using the Blue 3-pin Switch. However, if you would wish to chose another color switch, you should find the 3-pin version of that switch.
Look at the bottom of the switches and locate the two metal pins connectors. These connectors will correspond to the two holes at the position where you will place the switches on the keyboard plates.
Align the switch to the receptacle and gently push the bottom of the switch so that the two pins are in position (do not force it in or else the pins might break),