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Here are some brief answers to some of the questions you
may have about the care and use of your Yo-Yos.
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What is a
fixed axle yo-yo? What is a transaxle yo-yo? What is a ball bearing
yo-yo?
- Fixed axle yo-yos are called such because the yo-yo's axle
does not in itself have moving parts. The axle does not spin independently
of the sides. The axle spins in the loop at the bottom of the string.
The fixed axles were traditionally made out of wood but other materials
are also used. In a Transaxle yo-yo the axle has outer and
inner parts which move independently. The outer part is actually
the transaxle which spins around the inner axle. The string then
hugs the outer part. These transaxles are made of various materials
as well (brass, nylon, Teflon). Ball Bearing yo-yos are a
kind of transaxle which uses ball bearings. A ball bearing consists
of a inner and outer race which are separated by a series of small
balls. Functionally fixed axle yo-yos are more responsive and are
better at looping tricks, whereas transaxles excel at sleeping/string
tricks. In general, sleeve transaxles sleep longer than fixed axles,
and ball bearing transaxles sleep longer than sleeve transaxles.
Centrifugal clutch transaxles (Brains, X-Brains, Black Mambas)
consist of a transaxle and a clutch mechanism which opens up to
allow the yo-yo to sleep when the yo-yo is spinning at high speeds,
but as the yo-yo slows the clutch engages, stopping the transaxle
from spinning and returning the yo-yo to the hand.
- Why won't my yo-yo come
back up?
- Fixed Axle - Your string is probably too loose. Lefty Loosey,
Righty Tighty applies in yo-yos just like everywhere else. Let your
yo-yo hang down and spin it to the right just a bit. Now it should
come back.
- Transaxle - Many transaxles require lube to make them return.
Use a little Yomega Brain lube or Vaseline Lip Therapy between the
transaxle and the axle. In addition many transaxle yo-yos recommend
double looping your string (see, How do I change my string?). If
you have a Brake Pad Technology (BPT) yo-yo from Playmaxx you may
need to change your Brake Pads.
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- How do I wind my yo-yo
up? My yo-yo won't wind up, what do I do?
- Because of the reduced amount of friction transaxles can be very
difficult to wind up. One technique is to hold the yo-yo in your
left hand and place your left forefinger in the string gap. Wind
it over your finger three or four times and then remove your finger.
Continue to wind the yo-yo. One throw down to clear the string is
now in order and your yo-yo is ready to go.
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- Why won't my yo-yo sleep?
- There could be many different reasons. Your throw down must be
cushioned out at the bottom or the bounce at the end of the string
will cause the yo-yo to rewind. Try throwing at a point three feet
in front of you. Throws straight down are difficult to sleep. So
the problem could be technique. If you have a fixed axle
it might be double looped which prevents sleeping. Or the string
could be woud too tightly around the axle. Let it hang down and
spin it to the left to loosen the strings grip on the axle. On a
transaxle the string might have slid between the transaxle/bearing
and the yo-yo half. So check the yo-yo's string for those conditions.
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- How can I make my yo-yo sleep longer?
- Practice! That's it. The straighter and more exact your sleeper
the longer it will sleep. And the only way to throw hard straight
sleepers is to practice. Oh, you want an easier answer. If you have
an adjustable gap yo-yo you could make the gap wider. Or, you can
clean your bearing. Use 90% and above Isopropyl Alcohol, Radio Shack
Professional Tape Head Cleaner, Goof Off, even lighter fluid to
clean out all of the lubrication from your bearing. Just soak it
over night, shaking it occasionally. Sometimes repeated cleaning
will be necessary. A clean bearing will spin longer. Bear in
mind that these are chemicals and should be used with caution. And
children should get parental permission and supervision before using
any of these substances. And If you really want longer sleepers
Practice!
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- Will adding lube make my yo-yo sleep longer?
- No. Adding lubes such as Brain Lube, Zebco Reel Oil, Vaseline
Lip Therapy, or other lubricants will increase response and decrease
sleep time. No lubricant will increase sleep time. The fastest spinning
bearing is a completely dry clean one.
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- How long does (insert yo-yo name) sleep?
- As long as you can make it. Really. I mean certain yo-yos sleep
longer comparatively to other yo-yos but skill is the determining
factor. Some yo-yos are known for their long sleeps (Cold Fusion,
Samurai, Mega SpinFaktor), but a truly skilled thrower with a Turbo
Bumble Bee I'm sure could out sleep me with a Cold Fusion. And as
long as you can make it sleep long enough to do a trick, what else
matters?
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- When should I change my string?
- Before it breaks is a good rule of thumb. Make sure to inspect
the string where it makes the slip knot at your finger. Looping
especially can weaken the string there. Also replace the string
whenever it looks dirty or frayed or becomes stiff. After a while
you will develop a feel for how long you can use a particular string.
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- How do I change my string? How long should my
string be?
- To take the old string off, pinch the string a couple of inches
above the yo-yo and spin it to the left until the string opens up.
Slip your fingers into the gap in the strings and slide the old
string off. Now take your new string and gently untwist it until
you can insert your thumb and forefinger in the loop at the bottom.
Slip this loop over the yo-yo and onto the axle. Keep a little tension
on the string so it retwists correctly. To double loop do the same
procedure, but after you slip the loop onto the yo-yo, twist it
once and put it back on again. Generally the string should be short
enough that you can impart good force on a throw. One guide is to
tie the finger loop at approximately your belly button. Bear in
mind that everyone prefers something different on string length.
Find out what works for you.
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- Does it matter what kind of string I use?
- Some yo-yos seem to perform better with different kinds of string.
Strings vary in both thickness and materials. Try various kinds
to see what you prefer. Generally they are referred to by a type
number which indicates how many individual strands are involved
in making up the string (Type 6, Type 8, etc.). Most string is 100
percent cotton, but some combination poly/cotton string is also
available. Examples include Spintastics Slick 6, Team Losi Speed
String, and YoYoJam JamString.
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- What are the different yo-yo shapes? How does
the yo-yo's shape effect play?
- There are a multitude of different shapes in which yo-yos are
produced. However, most yo-yos can be grouped generally into three
categories. The first, and the shape which has been around the longest
is the classic or traditional shape.
This shape yo-yo is characterized by a narrow string gap, and is
considered the best looper of the three. The next shape is the open wing shape. It can be summarized as a classic yo-yo
reversed. It has a very large string gap and is quite easy to land
on the string. The other main shape is the modified (modern,
flywheel, Proyo) shape. It combines the best of both worlds. Rounded
rims make it relatively easy to land for string tricks, but its
slim profile makes it an adept looper as well. In addition its rim
weighting allows it to sleep for longer periods of time.
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Name
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Shape
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Characteristics
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Examples
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traditional
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( )
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Good Looper, Narrow Gap
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Team Losi da Bomb
Duncan Imperial®
BC Rainbow
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open winged
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) (
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Big Gap, Poor Looper, Great For String Tricks, Long Sleeps
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SuperYo Renegade
Henry's Viper
YoYoJam Super SpinFaktor
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modified
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] [
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Long Sleeping, Rim Weighted, All Around Shape
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Playmaxx Turbo Bumble Bee
Spintastics Technic
Tom Kuhn SB2
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You may see other shapes as well, but most fall
under one of the other shapes.In the traditional family you have: Professional/Slimline
(Duncan Professional, Duncan Alien), and Bottle Cap/Bulge Face
(Russell Fast Eddy Shooter, BC Spitfire): In the open winged family
you have Hybrid/Slimline (Variflex X-Game). In
the modified family there is Coaster (like modified but with
flat rims, Bandai HyperWarp). Also there are shapes rarely made
today such as Satellite (Duncan Satellite), Ball (Duncan
Sportsline), and Humphrey (Humphrey All Pro Style Yo-Yos).
Novelty yo-yos often come in a Sculpted style (Tiger Electronics
Star Wars Episode I Destroyer Droid yo-yo, Star Wars Epsode I Trade
Federation Battleship yo-yo; Spectra Star Donald Duck, Freddy Krueger,
Dinosaur yo-yos.)
- Ouch! My yo-yo finger really hurts. What can
I do?
- Eventually you will develop a callous on your yo-finger that will
protect your finger and prevent yo-yo use from causing you pain.
In the interim you can use medical tape or Yomega Yo-Tape to protect
your finger. In addition moving the slip knot slightly on your finger
can give areas in pain some relief. Finally take breaks as needed
until your callous develops.
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- What's up with those gloves I see some yo-yoers
wearing on one hand?
- Those gloves allow the string to slide easily over the fingers
of your non-yoing hand, which facilitates many tricks. In addition
the string can rub and cut the fingers of your non-yo hand, especially
in humid weather. In that case wearing the glove protects those
fingers from harm. Bear in mind that these gloves are generally
worn on the non-dominant hand (left hand for right handed yoers,
right hand for left handed yoers). Some yoers do wear one on each
hand, but this is not usual. Additionally products have come out
recently to provide protection for the yo hand (Finger Armor, Hyper
Yo-Yo Glove).
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