Modding My: Cooler Master SK621 (2)

Hello everyone and welcome back to Tiro Finale for another chapter of the Modding My series! Today, we will be taking a look at one of my earliest mechanical keyboard projects, the Cooler Master SK621. This 60% mechanical keyboard was first put under the knife back in May 2020 to address some of the shortcomings of the keyboard. Since then, the keyboard has been serving faithfully as my default gaming board with its handy hybrid Bluetooth and wired mouse.

Sometime in January, I made the switch to a full wireless mechanical keyboard in the form of Logitech's tenkeyless G915. Both were low profile, compact mechanical keyboards and wireless to boot. The fact the the G915 TKL supported Logitech's Lightspeed wireless technology meant that I could go full wireless. This also meant that the SK621 would be put away, for now.

Several months back, the replacement keycaps from Cooler Master finally arrived in the mail. With no prior notification, they simply sent it straight to my mailbox. Having waited for close to a year, I had pretty much given up hope and thought that Cooler Master would not be sending the new set of caps. Lo and behold they did but, unfortunately, at that point, I had not much use for them as the SK621 had been put on the reserve bench by then.

That was until a complaint brought up by a buddy of mine regarding 60% keyboards not having directional arrow keys made me remember that I had just a keyboard for such a scenario. Aside from my beloved and trusty Ducky One 2 SF, the CM SK621 also possessed a set of directional arrow keys integrated into the far right side of the board. Sensing a new project in the air, I wasted no time in taking the parts and proceeding with Part 2 of the SK621 modding project! First order of business was to remove the existing ABS keycaps.

With all of the existing keycaps removed, I got to cleaning the top plate of the keyboard. As I had not done it the last time I put the keyboard away, there was a minor bit of debris, hair and dust. Nothing too much and nothing that could not be removed without a quick pass of alcohol wipes.

With everything nice and clean, I could have easily just replaced the keycaps and called it a day. Instead, I decided that it would be the perfect time to re-lubricate the switches and stabilizers. It had been more than a year since the last time that I first lubricated the moving parts. While the stabilizers were still smooth, the switches were starting to feel a little scratchier than before.

Now that all of the Cherry Low Profile Reds had been lubricated, it was time for the wire stabilizers to be lubricated too. A quick pass through on all of the switches ensure that they have a smooth travel without feeling too boggy. Satisfied with the final results, it was time to move on with the new key caps. This was something I was very excited about!

Initially announced as PBT key caps, I am unsure of the material of the replacement key caps to be honest. They certainly feel thicker and heavier than the original ABS key caps. Part of the reason for my confusion was that the replacement keys were still laser engraved. PBT or ABS, it mattered not as these new key caps certainly felt a lot better in the hands compared to the original ones. In order to make installation easier, I installed the modifier key caps first (space bar, enter, shift and backspace). The wire stabilizers are much easier to secure in place without any keys by its side.

With all of the new key caps installed, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much different the SK621 now looked. More pronounced and of a higher profile, these keys certainly appear to be more ergonomic and suited for typing. I was a big fan of the SK621's original flat key aesthetics but, the more traditional indented keys on the SK621 looked great too.

Compared to other 60-65% keyboards, the SK621 still manages to stand out even with these new keycaps. While I forgot to make a direct comparison, these new keycaps still look notably shorter and thus, more low profile compared to standard Cherry or SA profile key caps. Now that everything was installed, I did a quick type test to see how these new keys felt. While I was not typing any faster than previously, the thicker keycaps combined with the freshly lubricated Cherry LP Reds sounded really, really good!

Installation complete, it was now time to pack everything back up into its original box. Together with the SK621, I will also be sending off the Glorious Padded Compact Keyboard Wrist Rest. The wrist rest should couple well with the SK621's new found height. The refreshed SK621 now has a new lease on life and while it may not be active duty with me, it will find its home on a new battle station where I hope the owner will enjoy it. If you have any questions about the SK621 or the replacement key caps do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section below. Until the next time, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!