[mralgi]

Part 1 of 5 in the Key2 teardown since I can only add 12 photos per post. A few quick takeaways:

1. There's no way in hell the screen will be popping off like the KeyOne.
2. The BlackBerry logo on the back cover is actually an internal plate. Not glued on berries.
3. Very hard or close to impossible not to break the frets when trying to take off the front fret plate.
4. The spacebar is not a part of the main keyboard plate. I was able the pull the keyboard off, which left the spacebar on the backside circuit board of the keyboard.
5. The spacebar does not contact the board like the other keys do. It's attached on both sides of the spacebar with 1 post in the middle, which explains the wobble.



Part 2 - https://forums.crackberry.com/blackb...2-5-a-1153560/
Part 3 - https://forums.crackberry.com/blackb...3-5-a-1153561/
Part 4 - https://forums.crackberry.com/blackb...4-5-a-1153562/
Part 5 - https://forums.crackberry.com/blackb...5-5-a-1153564/

[chetmanley]

This is fantastic! Thanks for the work you're putting into this.

For the back cover, what method do you recommend for removing it? It looks like it might be taped down in some locations? Once removed, can it be reinstalled, or does removing the panel destroy it?

Just noticed the battery capactity - its not 3500, it says 3360? Edit: below it says 3360/3500 (min/typ)

Do you think there is anyway to modify a faulty spacebar to remove the free play?

[Chuck Finley69]

Why? Seriously? What did Key2 do to deserve this????

[chetmanley]

Why? Seriously? What did Key2 do to deserve this????

Here is why

https://forums.crackberry.com/showth...1#post13254744

[Chuck Finley69]

Here is why

https://forums.crackberry.com/showth...1#post13254744

Whew.... thanks chetmanley

It’s like an organ donor phone or better yet.... when someone dies and leaves their body for scientific research purposes.....

[RWIndiana]

Glad the keyboard frets/chin are separate. Should be cheap to replace if the paint gets worn or scratched. How difficult would it be to replace the actual keyboard? Or the battery?

[mralgi]

Why? Seriously? What did Key2 do to deserve this????

Oh it hasn't event gotten good yet. I especially like Part 4. Once the mods approve the other posts, you'll see.

[the_boon]

Oh it hasn't event gotten good yet. I especially like Part 4. Once the mods approve the other posts, you'll see.

Can't wait to see the rest!

[mralgi]

This is fantastic! Thanks for the work you're putting into this.

For the back cover, what method do you recommend for removing it? It looks like it might be taped down in some locations? Once removed, can it be reinstalled, or does removing the panel destroy it?

Just noticed the battery capactity - its not 3500, it says 3360? Edit: below it says 3360/3500 (min/typ)

Do you think there is anyway to modify a faulty spacebar to remove the free play?

For the back cover, my small knife worked fine. There are half a dozen or so clips on the inside of the back cover that clip it into the body and it's also glued, but I see no issues taking it off and putting it back on if you're careful. My back cover is perfectly functional still.

For the battery, I think this might be accurate:

"Minimum voltage.
Min voltage is the lowest safe voltage level that a battery should be discharged to. If voltage falls below the specified minimum voltage, there is a chance of damaging the battery.

Rated/ typical voltage.
It is the optimal voltage at which the battery is supposed to be operated."

So the 3500 typ noted on the battery is likely the capacity number we normally see. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I do think the spacebar could be modified, BUT getting to it is going to be very messy. I personally don't think it would be worth it. I'm also not very tech savvy.

Check out the other posts with better photos of the disassembled keyboard (3-5) and spacebar once they're approved and you'll have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

[mralgi]

Glad the keyboard frets/chin are separate. Should be cheap to replace if the paint gets worn or scratched. How difficult would it be to replace the actual keyboard? Or the battery?

I think the battery and keyboard could totally be replaced, but you'll need to know what you're doing much more than I and you'll most certainly need a set of new frets because you're going to break the ones on the phone. The frets are glued in and also have posts that are attached to the fret that clip into the phone, which are also glued.

Everything inside was plug and play as far as connections, minus everything on the boards, chips, etc.

[chetmanley]

I think the battery and keyboard could totally be replaced, but you'll need to know what you're doing much more than I and you'll most certainly need a set of new frets because you're going to break the ones on the phone. The frets are glued in and also have posts that are attached to the fret that clip into the phone, which are also glued.

Everything inside was plug and play as far as connections, minus everything on the boards, chips, etc.

Guess I could wait for the rest of the tear down but cant lol

Is the keyboard not screwed down to the frame like on the Passport SE? On the passport, the only way to remove the keyboard is to work from the back, forward. Once all the parts are out of the way, you can unscrew the keyboard from the frame.

[mralgi]

Guess I could wait for the rest of the tear down but cant lol

Is the keyboard not screwed down to the frame like on the Passport SE? On the passport, the only way to remove the keyboard is to work from the back, forward. Once all the parts are out of the way, you can unscrew the keyboard from the frame.

They keyboard is screwed down from the back side. It has 3 screws across the bottom.

[conbrio29]

Could we see a picture of the underside of the actual spacebar key?

[mralgi]

Could we see a picture of the underside of the actual spacebar key?

Yes, there are 3 more posts that are waiting to be approved by the mods that will likely include everything you'll want to see. About 36 more pics.

[Soapm]

Maybe your SIM card died, that's what happen to mine. But you could have the face popping off problem according to several of the pictures, but no double typing for you...

Switch to decaf...

[Summer_Moon]

Part 1 of 5 in the Key2 teardown since I can only add 12 photos per post. A few quick takeaways:

1. There's no way in hell the screen will be popping off like the KeyOne.
2. The BlackBerry logo on the back cover is actually an internal plate. Not glued on berries.
3. Very hard or close to impossible not to break the frets when trying to take off the front fret plate.
4. The spacebar is not a part of the main keyboard plate. I was able the pull the keyboard off, which left the spacebar on the backside circuit board of the keyboard.
5. The spacebar does not contact the board like the other keys do. It's attached on both sides of the spacebar with 1 post in the middle, which explains the wobble.

This is just fantastic work! Thank you so much for doing this can't wait for the rest of the posts! So excited to finally see the inside lol

[chetmanley]

For the back cover, my small knife worked fine. There are half a dozen or so clips on the inside of the back cover that clip it into the body and it's also glued, but I see no issues taking it off and putting it back on if you're careful. My back cover is perfectly functional still.

From the photos, it looks like all the clips are located along the top and bottom of the back cover, and the sides are just taped/glued in place, is that accurate?

If you were to take it off again, where would you recommend starting to reduce the chance of warping the back panel? I'm thinking the sides and then working towards the clips on either end?

[mralgi]

From the photos, it looks like all the clips are located along the top and bottom of the back cover, and the sides are just taped/glued in place, is that accurate?

If you were to take it off again, where would you recommend starting to reduce the chance of warping the back panel? I'm thinking the sides and then working towards the clips on either end?

There are 4 clips along the top, 4 along the bottom and two more on the bottom sides (one on the left and one on the right), just above each corner.

The sides are secured by a tacky, tape-like substance.

I thought the bottom end of the phone near a corner worked well and my cover is definitely not warped, but it likely could have been done better with a thinner/sharper tool and a very light use of heat. I used a small Kershaw folding knife and I am not a tech guy, so I am positive this could have been done better.

From my experience with this tear down, TCL/BBm did some research on the KeyOne and built this thing like a tank.

Here are some more pics of the cover:

[chetmanley]

Thanks!

[the_boon]

I really like that the BB logo is actually a single metal plate behind the cover. Much more futureproof than just gluing the 6 bullets to the back cover like they did with the KEYone.... And just about every BB before it actually lol

[Summer_Moon]

I really like that the BB logo is actually a single metal plate behind the cover. Much more futureproof than just gluing the 6 bullets to the back cover like they did with the KEYone.... And just about every BB before it actually lol

Actually it's like they watched Zach's Jerryrigeverything video on the KeyOne last year and fixed everything that he mentioned lol

[mralgi]

I really like that the BB logo is actually a single metal plate behind the cover. Much more futureproof than just gluing the 6 bullets to the back cover like they did with the KEYone.... And just about every BB before it actually lol

Agreed. Smart and simple move. One of my first takeaways during demolition.

[OldBBlover]

Is it possible in any way to see the ‘keyboard’ build date in the phone settings etc.?

I have a feeling that here is the key to the problematic space bar as i have 2 silver keytwo’s with the same phone build date and only one of them has the wobbly space bar.

[mralgi]

Is it possible in any way to see the ‘keyboard’ build date in the phone settings etc.?

I have a feeling that here is the key to the problematic space bar as i have 2 silver keytwo’s with the same phone build date and only one of them has the wobbly space bar.

Pretty sure that the settings won't show the keyboard build date. But you're probably right. The first iteration was likely problematic. Whenever I buy the first release of a device, I assume things like this will happen. Beta baby.

[chetmanley]

I took some photos of my recent Key2 repair. My keyboard was misaligned from the factory, and unable to return it, I decided to repair it myself after seeing these tear down pictures thanks to mralgi.

I'll outline the steps I took to reposition the keyboard, and also the experiments I performed on the spacebar.

Step 1:
To remove the back cover, I recommend starting along the sides, using flexible double edge razor blades. I didn't use any heat. I used two blades and with them wedged into the seam between the rubber back and the metal edge, I was able to bend them outward to pry the cover up.

Once you can get the blades under the cover, you can work your way along both sides of the cover to free it from the black adhesive. I used a flat head screw driver for this, but a guitar pick would work better.

For the top and bottom of the phone, there is still a bit of adhesive, but the cover is held in by flexible plastic clips. Very easy to pop them free from the metal as you use your pry tool to work your way around the phone.

There is also a bit of adhesive near the camera lens.

The cover is very flexible and wont warp.

Step 2:

You will see the NFC coil - you do not need to peel this off. I did because I thought I would need to remove it in order to get the next layer of electronics out, but it comes off with that layer in one piece.

Fortunately all the screws on the phone are Phillips head and aside from just 2 of them, they are all the same size and length, no T# like the Passport.

With the screws removed, its just a matter of carefully removing the layers of electronics to get to the bare metal frame under the keyboard and glass.

There is a bit of glue between the top layer of electronics and the bottom layer (motherboard) near the antennas, but easy to remove.

Step 3: You do not need to remove the battery - which is fantastic. On the passport the battery needed to be removed to access the screws along the top of the keyboard, but on the Key2, there are no screws along the top, just tabs that slot into the metal frame.

If you do need to remove the battery, it is very very easy and you will not damage it in the process. There are plenty of pull tabs and there is very little glue holding it down. The passport on the other hand is far more difficult.


Step 4: Keyboard removal.

I realized after as I was reassembling the phone, that to remove the keyboard, there is no need to remove the main motherboard. Just remove the small board at the bottom of the phone which contains the microphone and USB connector. This will give access to the metal frame directly under the keyboard.

The keyboard connector is the bottom most ribbon cable on the main motherboard. Just unclip that, and as the keyboard is removed from the front, the ribbon cable will slide through the hole.


The Keyboard is secured with 3 screws, glue and some easy to pop clips on the sides. The screws are already removed at this point, so that just leaves the glue.

The glue is along the bottom edge. To get started, I used the screwdriver to push the keyboard up, and away from the frame by pushing it from the backside through the screw holes.

The glue is flexible like on the rest of the phone. The keyboard plastic is also flexible which is great. You will see the keyboard flex, but it will return to its normal shape.

With a gap formed between the keyboard and the frame at the bottom of the phone, you can use your razor blade to cut the glue.

From there, it just pulls up and away from the frame. The sides are secured with plastic tabs and the top has tabs that slot into the metal from under the screen.

Step 5: Space bar replacement

I was able to remove the space bar from the keyboard without damaging either of them. It is simply glued down to the metal base of the keyboard. There are also some plastic tabs along the long edges which click into the surrounding keyboard.

To remove it, first pull the ribbon cable from the connector, and gently pull the cable free from the back of the keyboard where its glued down.

I used a small flat head screw driver to pry the spacebar free from the metal backing plate. As I did this, it pop free from the plastic clips and came out of the front of the keyboard.

To re-install, just press it back in. the clips will click and the glue will still hold it.

My spacebar is really wobbly and makes clacks when its wiggled. I experimenting with tightening it up by wedging a thin piece of metal between the post and the button on the spacebar. This certainly tightened it up, and removed all the play and noise, but without some glue, I'd be worried it would come free and become a loose chunk of metal rattling around in the keyboard spacebar

I was also worried that the metal was too thick, and wouldn't allow the button to work properly. So I removed it and decided to leave the space bar as is.

What is great about this design is the ability to replace the spacebar only, and not the entire keyboard. Hopefully when replacement parts start showing up online, we'll be able to buy new and maybe improved spacebars.

Note, the wide primary ribbon cable on the back of the keyboard pulls free from its connector very easily. there is a white line across the ribbon showing how far it needs to be inserted into the connector to work. Just wiggle it back and forth to slide it back into the connector.



Summary:

I'm impressed with the build quality of the Key2 (aside from the spacebar). The fact that it is so easy to disassemble is fantastic. The battery is also very easy to replace if required.

I re-assembled my phone with all the glue removed. I felt the glue was pretty redundant considering the number of screws holding everything together.

Even with the glue removed from the back panel, it sits nicely on the back of the phone with no free play.

And with the glue removed, it will be very easy to take apart again in the future in case something needs to be fixed.

The passport didn't use glue, so I figure the Key2 will be fine without it also.

Here are the pictures.