Which Lube To Use For Different Switches & Stabilizers

Even the best switches need a little extra help to achieve optimal performance. That’s where lube comes in… but which one to use? And, should you use different types of lube for different types of switches? What about lubing stabilizers?

The truth is, no matter what lube you use you will see 90% of the benefits by just applying any lube across all your switches, springs, and stabilizers. But there are a few things to consider when choosing lube so you get the most out of your money and time. Here’s what you need to know:

Types of Lube & Which to Use

Some users recommend using different lubes for different parts of the switch. A viscous, oil-based watery lube for the springs and a thicker lube for the other parts of the switch.

Users essentially do this in order to lube switches faster by “bag lubing” the springs and then separately lubing the other parts of the switches with the thicker lube.

In my experience, this is unnecessary and overcomplicated. After wasting more hours than I’m proud to admit on research, lubing, and endless comparing, I say that this is not the way.

I recommend using the same lube as an all-purpose lube for the entire switch, including the spring, and the stabilizers. I have never noticed a difference in using different lubes for the springs and the rest of the switch parts. I recommend you use the same all-purpose lube for both tactile and linear switches too.

The lube I recommend is none other than Krytox 205G0.

Krytox 205G0 has the ideal viscosity for lubing mechanical switches and it delivers the best performance across the board.

I prefer using Krytox205g0 for everything due to its simplicity.

The thick, viscous lube is easy to apply to every little part of the switch. No need to make a mess using something like Trybosis 3204, for a fraction of the benefit. You don’t gain anything using 2 separate lubes, or by using runny lubricants like Trybosis 3204.

Using separate lubes for the switch body and for the springs only makes the lubing and cleanup process unnecessarily complicated. Especially considering all of the watery lubes used for bag lubing are not water soluble, and potentially hazardous if touched and ingested. Not to mention the mess of a potential spill. Another drawback to watery lubes is that they don’t last as long and they’ll require more frequent lubing than something like Krytox 205g0 which is much thicker and longer lasting.

So stick to Krytox 205g0 for everything, there’s no benefit to doing otherwise.

Krytox is the best lube to use for tactile switches because it delivers the best performance and it’s easy to apply and clean up. You can also opt for a more watery lube, but there’s no real benefit, and it makes no practical difference in performance. On the downside, though you’ll have a hard time cleaning up using lubes other than Krytox 205g0, especially if it gets on your skin or if spilled.

When lubing tactile switches you cannot “break” your switch or ruin the tactility by using certain lubes. You can ruin the tactility by incorrectly applying lube and overlubing, no matter what kind of lube you use.

Alternative Options:

• GLube
• Krytox 105 (Oil)
• Tribosys 3203
• Tribosys 3204

Krytox is the best lube to use for linear switches because it delivers the best performance and it’s easy to apply and clean up. You can also opt for a more watery lube, but there’s no real benefit, and it makes no difference in performance. On the downside though you’ll have a hard time cleaning up other lubes if there’s a spill, if it gets on you or your stuff, and when you have to re-lube again.

Alternative Options:

• GLube
• Krytox 105
• Tribosys 3203
• Tribosys 3204

The best lube for switch stabilizers is Krytox 205g0 because it has the perfect viscosity, lasts long, is easy to apply and clean up, and delivers the overall best performance. Use this same lube for your entire keyboard including the switches, springs, and stabilizers. Keep it simple.

Conclusion

Choosing the right lube for your mechanical keyboard is very simple and easy. Pick any all-purpose lube and use it for lubing the entire switch including the spring, and use the same lube for lubing stabilizers. No added benefit in using a different lube for lubing your springs, yet it makes the process that much more painful and complicated. Above any lube, I recommend Krytox 205g0 because it has the best performance and it’s easy to use.

You’re free to use any other lube, and you will most likely not notice a huge difference. I use Krotox 205g0 because of its convenience and good performance.