Disassembly

The keyboard may not have hot-swappable switches, but that does not stop us from taking a closer look inside one since we have the trial kit from before. Given this keyboard has the EC Daisy V2, it is the one I chose to take apart. The switch design is not all that different from the larger scheme, with a see-through top housing, stem itself, a spring with 35 gf actuation, as per Hook's constant, and body. It is in the body where things get more interesting. Do you see above how the metal piece does not touch the other end? These metal contacts are how the switch-actuation circuit is completed in a typical mechanical switch. The answer to how actuation happens lies in the name of the switch itself, with an electrostatic capacitive action employed to good use. Note that the slider is not manually lubricated, with the switch design allowing for a self-lubricating and smooth action we will discuss more on the next page.


Disassembly of the Shurikey Gear Hanzo itself begins with the removal of the four thumbscrews on the side, which in turn allows for the top cover and kickstand to be removed. This exposes the keyboard further, which still has a two-piece plastic case construction that is at this point held in place by several sets of screws. The first stage of disassembly requires pulling off the two plastic knobs in the top-right corner, which are simply pushed in place over the two potentiostats. With that done, remove the three Phillips head screws holding this section in place to reveal the two large plastic diffusers acting as the indicator LEDs, with several smaller SMD LEDs below (four per light) on the PCB. A hidden screw that is crucial for further disassembly is now also accessible.


A total of eleven Phillips head screws keep the top piece of the case in place, removing which it easily comes off. At this point, we can access the steel plate that adds structural integrity to the keyboard, and the bottom case panel is still screwed to this plate/PCB section. Removing a few specific keycaps allows us to reach six more such screws, including one that has a telltale sticker on top that will alert Shurikey Gear of the disassembly. With all of these final screws removed, the plate/PCB piece can be lifted off the bottom plastic panel enough to access the internal cable going from the long, two-piece battery hosted in the bottom panel to the PCB to power wireless connectivity. The bottom panel is not too empty thus, minimizing reverberations when typing, and the batteries provide a 4400 mAh capacity combined, which should last for quite a while.


It is only at this point that we can fully examine the plate and PCB, which cannot be separated courtesy the soldered switches. I mentioned before how the lack of hot-swappable switches has more to do with the use of the Varmilo EC V2 switches and its specific PCB, and in consideration are plans for mechanical switch versions down the road that will allow for hot-swappable switches. What you do get in return is a silicone pad between the steel plate and PCB, which dampens higher-pitched bottoming-out sounds and pings against the plate itself. Solder quality is exceptional, with the tiniest of solder blobs left with each job. I was not able to find anything useful on the hardware drivers, although I will note that there is not a whole lot of extra pre-programmed functionality, so it's not like the keyboard needs something powerful, either. Presumably, one is the USB microcontroller and the other potentially a hardware LED driver to power the white LEDs. There is also a Texas Instruments Bluetooth 5.0 transceiver aboard to power the wireless connectivity option with the keyboard. As is the norm these days, the PCB has multiple layers.

Before we move on, be advised that disassembly may void the warranty and that TechPowerUp is not liable for any damages incurred if you decide to go ahead and do so anyway.