Topre Modification Guide

A. Disassembly

Watch — how to disassemble the board, exactly as written below.

• Remove the keycaps
• Remove the shell
• Unscrew the PCB
• Wearing safety glasses, remove the stems from the housings using an unsharpened pencil.
• Remove the stem housings — insert a jimmy between the tab on top and the metal plate, repeat on the other tab.

• Remove the stabilizers, including the spacebar stabilizer.
• Disassemble the slider and stabilizer bar.

B. Preparations

❗ Do NOT use DIELECTRIC GREASE or any silicone-based greases or oils — this will deform Topre domes.

Optional watch — Topre Lubricant 101: which lubricant does what, and why, before you open a single vial.

B1. Stabilizer Sliders, Bars & Spacebar

• Apply TriboSys 3203 to the stabilizer slider surface including the spacebar plunger — the thinnest layer possible.
• Do the same to the housing surface where the slider contacts it.
• Install silencing rings around the slider, shiny side up, if available.
• Install sliders in the housing, then install the stabilizer bars.
• Apply liberal Krytox 206g2 where the bar acts on the slider.

B2. 1u Housings & Sliders

Watch — the 1u housings, with 205g0.

• Apply Krytox 205g0 to the housing rails — the smallest amount to cover the length of the rail.
• Install silencing rings to the underside of the housing or around the slider, if available.
• Install the slider into the housing.

C1. Install Plate Gasket & Housings

• Align the Unreal Plate Gasket with the underside of the metal base plate, or install the HHKB spacebar gasket to the spacebar stabilizer housing.
• Install the prepared housings, ensuring both sides snap into place.

C2. Landing Pads & Plate Spacers Optional

Up front: I no longer use landing pads in my builds. They remain here, fully documented, for anyone who wants them — but skipping this entire step is my current standard.

Optional watch — installing landing pads.

• Using 2 books, elevate the plate so sliders rest in the "up" position with the housing underside exposed.
• Place Landing Pads on stabilizer and spacebar stabilizer housings. FC660C users: skip the spacebar landing pads.
• Place Plate Spacers on top of housings. (optional)

C3. Domes & Conical Springs

• Place domes on housings. BKE domes: align by the crisscross ventilation pattern.
• Lubricate the conical springs with a generous amount of Krytox 105 oil, one at a time to avoid tangling.
• Place conical springs on housings. BKE domes: springs should rest on top, not snap in. Center each spring.

Any Krytox oil works here — 103, 105, and 107 are all common choices. I use and stock 105.

Optional watch — separating tangled conical springs, when they inevitably tangle anyway.

C4. Reassemble the PCB

• Reassemble starting with the silver screws. HHKB users: do not overtighten.

C5. Weights & Sound Dampening

• Optional: fill the case with adhesive weights.
• HHKB Pro 3: install the HHKB Wool Dampener. Other Topre boards: fill remaining areas with 1/8" neoprene or sorbothane.
• Replace the shell.

C6. Test

• Test the keyboard.
• If keys fail or you hear spring crunch: open back up, recheck that every spring is centered and every dome is seated, and restart from C3.

C7. O-Rings for Keycap Acoustics

• Apply Topre O-rings to keycaps to prevent bottoming out on the plate. They raise the keycap slightly without changing travel distance.
• HHKB users: 1 o-ring on the spacebar only. For keys that "tick", install o-rings on those keys specifically.
• Replace the keycaps.