KEYCHAIN
Portable Switch Opener
Switch modding, wherever you go.
A magnetic closure system keeps the opening blades safe during transit and storage.
Project Status
End of life
Product discontinued at KBDfans
End of life
2024-01-01
Product discontinued at KBDfans
In stock
2019-02-16
Active product at KBDfans
Visit KBDfans’ website and/or Discord for latest updates
A tool that defined an era
In early 2019 when the Keychain was released, the keyboard community looked very different from how it does now.
Keyswitch modding tools were expensive and rare, and both the 4-clip MX-type and 2-clip Kailh-type housing switches were in demand due to limited switch variety and demand for tactile switch modding.
In an attempt to create a reliable, versatile, and compact switch modding tool, I began this project with Kevinplus and KBDfans as a solution - two sets of interlocking switch opening teeth that could handle both types of switches, and a latching magnetic mechanism which would protect the teeth during transit while compacting the assembly down.
The test of time
The teeth’s dimensions were dialed in over numerous prototypes to achieve the ideal angles for easy switch opening across various switch types, and at long last the opener became available at KBDfans for $25 - less than the cost of single switch openers at the time.
Needless to say, the design got cloned instantly and the attack of the clones flooded the AliExpress shelves; the genuine opener still had quite a long product life of many years.
Since then, the original keychain has been discontinued - leaving a legacy visible in the imitators that followed.
Looking for a quality successor?
You may be interested in the Pillar Switch Opener - a design revised for easier handling and better visuals, with teeth re-designed for modern switches and their dimension variations.