Thinkpads Forum

Hi,
I have a T500 (about 7 years old), and recently I've replaced a keyboard.
For some reason one specific key (the 'W' key) is somewhat unresponsive and only registers (i.e the 'W' is electronically printed out)
if I press it hard and/or on it's bottom right corner.

I'm looking for a custom way to tweak it a little - remove it, permanently attach something underneath (preferably concocted from common household items)
and then put it back in place for good.

The catch is that I've gone into great length in finding this keyboard for my T500 model where I live, so I only get one 'live' shot at this.
It's worth mentioning that I do have the old keyboard for some trial and error, but the real deal though is a one timer...

So in light of this, I'm quite apprehensive in removing individual keys and putting them back in place.
For starters I've found this video tutorial for some guidance on how to remove and attach individual keys:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU-iMa4WbZw

Can someone please help out and share some advice ?
(instructions / images / videos will be greatly appreciated).

Thanks in advance!

Assaf

You could always buy a new complete W-key from people like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/160831662375
They also provide how-to instructions.

On a side-note: all keyboards from any T60/T61 laptop (and a few others) will also fit.
Those are a lot more rugged than the T400/T500 keyboards!

Hey RealBlackStuff,
Thanks for replying!
The problem I have is not with the key itself but I reckon it has something to do with the underlying contact below the physical key.
This means that either I get another complete new keyboard or I find a way to just tweak this individual key.
I'd rather go with the latter, as I've already have this keyboard installed with my native language letter locations signed on it,
and everything works fine, except this little annoying thingy!!!

so, any suggestions, please?

asiniv wrote:so, any suggestions, please?

Check your private messages, please.

Hello.

I notice that the keyboard in the video is for older IBM thinkpads, like the T4x and R5x laptops. I'm not sure if there is the Lenovo keyboards are put together differently?

Hi TPFnataic, thanks for replying.

I've checked - the 'scissor like' key attachment mechanism displayed in the video is exactly the same (I've accidentally broke the ';' key on the old keyboard while playing around...).
So now I need to figure out what I can attach underneath a key which will supply some extra pressure but will still enable me to put the key back in place like nothing happened

any suggestions?

I suggest you go on youtube and find videos about the basic electronics of keyboards, seems like a logical first step. That should give you enough information to figure out a simple work around. Have fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEJV5yck8u4

also, though I've never tried it on a keyboard, I wonder if you can clean the contacts with ethanol.

A bad contact is one possibility. Another possibility is the key isn't in the correct (expected) position when it is at the bottom of it's cycle making 'contact'. Perhaps the underlying x braces are warn, or out of position?

Instinctively I'd think the black material, under the rubber housing, is out of position. Maybe the rubber can be removed and repositioned a millimeter in this-or-that direction so the contact strikes the exact 'center' of whatever it's supposed to strike - concentrating the force on the contact (where currently just a vector force of your w-pressing is making it to the contact).

Hey jaspen-meyer,
Thanks for your reply.

Per another advice, I've tried inserting a padding underneath the key (by cutting out a small plastic piece out of a credit card and inserting it permanently under the key), to try and shorten the response time.
I got it right - the response was a little better, but the problem remained.
This suggests that the real issue is connected to something underneath the rubber piece which the key presses.
Unfortunately the rubber piece is gently glued in place, I've searched a little on youtube for an explanation of my specific Lenovo keyboard keys mechanism (see the original YouTube link for example), but it says that removing (or altering for the matter of our discussion) this rubber piece results in irreversible damage.
So, I've decided I'll try that anyway (with the old keyboard first). As I broke one of the keys (the ';' key) in it, I also nudged the rubber piece (I still convince myself that I did it on purpose and not by mistake...lol), and no I can't put it back together, and it seems I ruined this specific key in the old keyboard

Well, all in all at this point I'm stuck. I've had it and already ordered another new keyboard from e-bay, though it hasn't arrived yet.

Thanks for your suggestion anyway

asiniv wrote:it says that removing (or altering for the matter of our discussion) this rubber piece results in irreversible damage.
So, I've decided I'll try that anyway

I have a T400 keyboard which is missing the left shift and the f. The keys and the braces and the rubber things are all off of the keyboard. I've been meaning to glue them on but I haven't figured out which glue to use:

- use the correct glue (chemical). just thinking of it - rubber isn't very porous so it's possible the glue will be both something sticky, and a second part which impregnates the rubber - giving the glue something to hold onto

- use the correct amount ... overglue and it'll impede movement, underglue and it'll fall off

- apply glue in correct places

it's not rocket science. the people who made the factory got the rubber to stick on there and it didn't "result in irreversible damage".

More to follow.

well, the key that I've removed the rubber from is on the old disconnected keyboard in another location (the ':' key).
So, suppose I remove the rubber from my problematic key (the 'w') in the keyboard that I'm currently using.
and suppose I have a way to glue it back correctly (which currently I do not), what do I do after I remove the rubber?
I can't seem to find out how I may improve / correct the underlying contact...

The local computer repair guys will have ideas, I'll ask. Was just looking at the rubber with and without a magnifying glass - there are a lot of things to try without removing the rubber.

It may not be the contact. Maybe the black rod got moved out of place (??) and maybe you can just move it back into place without removing the rubber - with a little massage. I don't have an un-assembled keyboard to play with but will ask around.