• Removing a Key-cap
• Replacing Scissor Hinge Mechanisms
  • Standard Size
  • Small Size
• Removing Scissor Hinge Mechanisms
  • Removing Standard Sized Scissors
  • Removing Small Scissors
• Disclaimer

Removing a Key-cap

Replacing Scissor Hinge Mechanisms

Standard Size

Standard size Dell B1 scissor hinge mechanisms are made of an inner, an outer and a flat top part. The inner and outer parts snap together at hinge nobs (highlighted with light blue arrows).

These scissor mechanisms fasten down to two pairs of metal hooks on the base (see first two pictures at right) via holds on the scissor (see third picture at right).

First, place the scissor hinge mechanism over the key position with the holds against the top edges of their hooks and the mechanism lying flat on the base (see first image at right).

Second, slide the scissor mechanism, in the direction of the orange arrow, so that all four of its holds go under their corresponding hooks. This is a TIGHT fit, so ...
some force needs to be applied to the scissor: Increase the applied force gradually - do not bang the scissor.

Now, lift the bottom bar of the scissor (indicated in purple) up a little from the base and slide the groove of the "flat" part of the mechanism (also indicated in purple) under the bottom bar so it looks like the rightmost image.

Finally, press down on the other "clip" end of the "flat" part (indicated in green above) until it clicks nicely down on the top bar of the scissor (green, again). You're done with replacing a scissor hinge mechanism!

Small Size

Small size Dell B1 scissor hinge mechanisms are similar to standard size scissors (compare the image for small size with the one above for standard size).

There are 2 ways to replace the small size scissors: a hard way and an easy way. We shall not bother presenting the hard way (it is very fiddly and can take hours). The easy way takes a few minutes. It is almost identical to the method of replacing the standard size scissor but has one additional step at the beginning. We shall focus on this extra step.

Before describing the extra step, note that small scissor mechanisms, like standard size, fasten down to two pairs of metal hooks on the base (see first two pictures at right) via holds on the scissor (see third picture at right).

Now take a closer look at the two hooks in the keyboard base highlighted in red. Note that the entrance to the middle "hooking area" of each of these hooks is partially blocked by a small metal "stub" poking up from the base: These metal stubs are highlighted by red circles in the far right image.

The extra step is simply to push each of these metal stubs out of the way to make it easier for the scissor's holds to slide under these hooks.

To do this: (i) find something with a hard pointy end (the end of a ball-point pen works well); (ii) (one at a time) push the metal stubs outward and downward with the hard point (see orange arrows) until they fold down to the keyboard base.

You can now easily replace small size scissors using the same "slide under hooks/press down flat part" technique detailed above for standard size scissors.

Removing Scissor Hinge Mechanisms

Removing Standard Sized Scissors

It is a good idea to review the section Replacing Scissor Hinge Mechanisms, Standard Size (above), since removing standard sized scissors is pretty much the exact reverse:

1. Lift up the flat top part at the green spot (first image) - it should easily "pop-off" at that end.
2. With the flat top removed, push the rest of the scissor mechanism, in the direction of the orange arrow (second image), to slide it out from the base hooks.

Removing Small Scissors

[Review of some material given above: Small Dell B1 scissor hinge mechanisms are made of an inner, an outer and a flat top part. The inner and outer parts snap together at hinge nobs (highlighted with light blue arrows).]

The easiest method of removing small, type B1, scissor hinge mechanisms is to:

1. Lift up the flat top part at the green spot (first image). Then pull the flat top part away.
2. Unlock the inner and outer parts of the scissor from each other:
   • One at a time, pop out each hinge nob: Apply force close to each hinge nob by pressing down on the inner part (at red spots) and pulling up on the outer part (at green spots). Increase force gradually.
3. Gently, twist and giggle the inner and outer parts until they come completely apart and slip out from under the keyboard's retaining hooks and flange.

Disclaimer

Laptop key replacement should not affect warranties but you have to check your own warranty to be sure.