I Think My Switch Is Stuck! - The Tale of Cherry MX Locks
Over the years of collecting mechanical keyboard switches, I’ve been lucky enough to have encountered dozens upon dozens of rare and unique ones that have stuck in my mind to this day. Prototypes, factory errors, and even a few switches so rare that there is literally zero documentation about them anywhere in the world all fill that personal list from top to bottom. However, I realize that talking about switches so far outside of most people’s reaches, and even sometimes my own grasp, doesn’t make for the most exciting of articles about switches. To this newest generation of keyboard enthusiasts, though, there is one pretty rare MX-style switch which has made its way to the top of everyone’s “must try” lists – Cherry MX Locks. These often undiscussed and even more rarely seen switches are something that few people have seen and even fewer have had the chance to try at a meetup before. However, the list of people who really know how these unique Cherry switches work is even shorter...
Jul 23, 2024
THE BASICS
Default Hot Keys - All Drop V2 keyboards, SENSE75, and CSTM80 Hold FN + listed keys to activate LED Keys
Fn + W: LED Brightness Increase Fn + S: LED Brightness Decrease Fn + E: LED Animation Speed Increase Fn + D: LED Animation Speed Decrease Fn + R: LED Hue Increase Fn + F: LED Hue Decrease Fn + T: LED Saturation Increase Fn + G: LED Saturation Decrease Fn + Q: LED Toggle (All, Keys, Edge, Off) Fn + A: LED Next Pattern Fn + Z: LED Mono Color Mode Fn + X: LED Breathing Effect Fn + C: LED Rainbow Mode Fn + V: LED Rainbow Pinwheel Mode Keyboard Option Keys
Fn + N: Toggle keyboard 6KRO/NKRO (Default state 6KRO) Fn + LCtrl + O: Windows / Mac OS Swap (System / Alt location change) Fn + LCtrl + |\: LCtrl / Capslock Swap Fn + LCtrl + Backspace: Reset Keyboard Default Hot Keys - All Drop V1 Keyboards Hold FN + listed keys to activate LED Keys
Fn + A: LED Pattern - Select previous Fn + D: LED Pattern - Select next Fn + Q: LED Pattern - Decrease scrolling speed (for animating patterns) Fn + E: LED Pattern - Increase scrolling speed (for animating patterns) Fn + Caps Lock: LED Pattern - Change scrolling direction (left to right, right to left, bottom to top, top to bottom, radial center to edge, radial edge to center) Fn + W: LED - Increase brightness Fn + S: LED - Decrease brightness Fn + Tab: LED - Toggle breathing effect Fn + X: LED - Toggle all LEDs off/on Fn + Z: LED - Toggle mode (keys + edge, keys only, edge only, all off) Fn + R: LED - Increase brightness of edge LEDs only (up to brightness of keys LEDs) Fn + F: LED - Decrease brightness of edge LEDs only Fn + V: LED - Toggle every other edge LED off Media Keys
Fn + Page Up: Volume Up Fn + Page Down: Volume Down Fn + Print: Mute Fn + Insert: Play/Pause Fn + Home: Stop Fn + Delete: Previous Fn + End: Next Keyboard Option Keys
Fn + N: Toggle keyboard 6KRO/NKRO (Default state 6KRO) Flashing
Fn + B (hold for three seconds then release): Put keyboard into firmware flashing mode (also referred to as “resetting the keyboard”)
CONFIGURING YOUR KEYBOARD 1. Download the Drop Keyboard Configurator application.
- If you use Windows, download here.
- If you use a Mac, download here.
2. Launch the Drop Keyboard Configurator application. After the application launches, make sure your keyboard is identified and then click Configure Keyboard. If you are using a CTRL V2, ALT V2, or SHIFT V2 keyboard, your keyboard will be recognized right out of the box. If you are using a SENSE75, CTRL V1, ALT V1, or SHIFT V1, first go to the "FLASHING YOUR KEYBOARD" section below."- By default the keyboard will be set to Advanced mode with no safeguards. Remember with layers to always create ways to return to your home layer
- Momentary mode is also available for those looking for some customization with guardrails.
- Remember Boot Magic is always available to wipe your EEPROM and reset the keyboard back to factory settings.
- You can access Boot Magic by holding down the ESC key while your keyboard is disconnected.
- While holding down the ESC key, plug in your keyboard.
Once connected you can let go of the ESC key and the keyboard should be reset.FLASHING YOUR KEYBOARD 1. Launch the Drop Keyboard Configurator application. After the application launches, click “Flash Firmware”.
For CTRL V1, ALT V1, SHIFT V1 users that would like to continue using the older web-based configurator, see instructions here.