Soft keyboard key

[taichi]

We all love our keyboards, which is why we love our Thinkpads.

However my down arrow key (used frequently for web scrolling) has suddenly become soft...not non-functional...just lacking the solid, springy kickback of the other keys.

Is this fixable, short of a keyboard swap?

By the way, here's to Bill Morrow, who invisibly guides and administers one of the best forums on the entire Internet!

[RealBlackStuff]

Under the key is what looks like a halfround silicon ball.
Search for "IBM T60 key" (or whatever your model) on eBay.
Not keyboard!
Check out the various sellers, they have pictures of individual key parts (3 types: Alps, Chicony and NMB, they call them type 1, 2 or 3 or something. Compare with what your own keyboard has, and order the individual complete key.

[dr_st]

It could be broken or maybe there is just something stuck under it. Remove the key carefully and take a look.

[TuuS]

As an alternative to buying one key that may not even fix the problem if your keyboard was that heavily used, you might consider a complete keyboard, if you get one from the same manufacturer you could use either for parts to service the other. A fully working keyboard would be about $10 to $20 plus the cost of postage, that's pretty cheap by most standards and there are many sellers here that could provide one, including myself.

[taichi]

No. The keyboard and T60P have not had hard use. Only the down arrow key suffers from web page scrollitis.

[Kasm279]

No. The keyboard and T60P have not had hard use. Only the down arrow key suffers from web page scrollitis.

That's why you use the middle button on the trackpoint

[taichi]

...
That's why you use the middle button on the trackpoint

Well, whaddya know!

Thanks