It is common to want to remove the keys on a mechanical keyboard, for the reason why we want to do it, sooner or later we will find ourselves disassembling its different keys one by one. For this, there are a specific type of tools, the so-called key pullers, which allow us to extract the keys in a more comfortable and efficient way.
When it comes to removing the keys from a mechanical keyboard, many of us have made the same mistake, take a round-tipped, thick-bladed knife, usually in one piece, and begin to pry to remove all the keys. The consequences? We do not know where the keys are going and in some cases we can even break some. The best solution? Use the right tool for this.
What is a Key Puller and what is it for?
A Key Puller or a Keycap Puller is a tool that allows us to carefully extract the keys of a mechanical keyboard without breaking them. So it is a better option than taking a knife to pry, apart from being more secure and reliable.
It must be borne in mind that there are times when it is necessary to change the keys of a mechanical or semi-mechanical keyboard, since the duration of its keys is not eternal, so from time to time it is necessary to have to remove them, This is where an ideal tool for this function comes into play, such as key pullers, tools that are used to meticulously extract the keys from the keyboard itself.
When is it ideal to remove the keys from a keyboard?
There are several reasons that require removing the keys from a keyboard, the most general of which are the following:
- We need to clean both the keys and the keyboard of the dirt accumulated over time.
- The keys have worn out with use and we are going to replace them after long years of service, either at work or through long games playing a video game.
- The touch, weight, color and / or material of the keys are not to our liking and we have bought a new set of keys more suitable for us, either for technical reasons or personal taste.
- We have bought a foreign keyboard and we want to change the set of keys to Spanish after configuring it as such.
It may be that these have worn down due to excessive use and time or that we do not like the touch sensation of the keys and we want to change them for others with a different weight, material and texture or we simply want to have a custom keyboard configuration with different types of keys.
Considerations when using a key puller
When removing the keys from a keyboard with a key puller, we recommend that you take a photo of it to know the layout of the keys for later assembly, since there is nothing more annoying when reassembling a keyboard you find that you have forgotten where each key goes. And yes, it is curious that many people can type blindly, but then they are not able to know what the organization of the keys is on their keyboard.
The second step is to use this tool, be careful, the reason is that some types of key pullers have a tendency to scratch the keys if you are not careful and if the plastic used is of poor quality then we are at risk of having scratches. Nor do you have to remove them surgically, just be careful.
As a final note, some keyboard brands usually bring a custom key puller, it is not impossible to remove the keys with a key puller are given in that case, but their inclusion is appreciated, especially since they are not usually included as standard in many keyboards, especially the low priced ones.