DISCLAIMER: The methods I show here are what work best for me. I've tried methods, as well, but this is the best result that I came up with, personally. Some of these methods or techniques might work better or worse for you. I always recommend trying as much as you can, so you can find what works best for you.

For a lot of starting enthusiasts, stabilizers are an afterthought; something that just needs to be there to stabilize larger keys, and nothing more. Well, they’re not necessarily wrong. However, bad stabilizers can really put a damper on an otherwise great keyboard. Have you ever wondered why your backspace feels particularly mushy? Or why your spacebar sounds like you’re shaking around a bag of coins every time you press it? This guide will help you to know what stabilizers you should be using and how you should be using them, to make your typing experience consistent, smooth, and appropriately quiet. Here I will primarily be referencing genuine Cherry-style stabilizers, which are generally the best option to use for MX format boards, in most circumstances. I will be using screw-in stabilizers manufactured by GMK, though this guide will work for any genuine Cherry-style stabilizer, regardless of mounting method.

Ideally, a stabilizer is like a good neighbor: so quiet you don’t even know it’s there, but always does exactly what it needs to. You want it to stabilize your necessary keys, but don’t want to feel any extra resistance from, or hear any noise from, the stabilizers. There are several mods that address these issues, as well as alter them in other ways. This is a guide aimed to improve your stabilizer experience to the best it can be. Here, we will cover common modifications like “clipping” and lubrication, while also going over slightly more advanced modifications, like the “band-aid mod”. This guide will be living, meaning it will be updated when good new modifications are discovered.

Clipping