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Duncan is making a big push to make product that change the way you play. These 2 new products are no exception.

First is a new all metal top with a one way bearing. This allows for long spins and the ability to regenerate the spin. This could revolutionize spin top competition. Now, instead of switching tops every trick, you can just regenerate the top and perform a new trick.

Also a unique new diabolo. The interesting new feature of this is that you can switch back and forth from bearing to fixed axle.

thanks to Doctor Popular for the pictures.

Around 90 will be sold on Yo-Yo Nation in the coming weeks. 5 colorways: purple, bronze, yellow and red will in the line up. Staying true to the original Luchador shape and the idea of “we design yo-yos we want to see” this is sure to be yet another unique, solid piece for ThrowDown Yo-Yos.

Several impressive design elements are showcased in the Lucha Libre. First is the steel spike nuts that follow the spike theme of the Luchador. Also the use of small metal washers to seat the bearing. This allows the bearing to sit on a hard flat surface and prevents the problem of “crunching” the bearing seat, which has been a problem in other delrin yo-yos like the Silk and Gong Fu.

Check out more pictures and info on the Lucha Libre here.

A few months ago Self Edge released their 5th colab with Flathead. It featured a yo-yo graphic on the leather back patch of the jeans (here). Now the graphic can be seen on t-shirts.

These will be released as part of a special Flathead party at Self Edge on the 7th of September. Check out more details here

Flatheads attention to quality and detail are impeccable. And while I have only tried on there jeans, I can only imagine how solid the shirts are.

So, I know I said I’d be updating yoyo2 a lot more. But honestly there hasn’t been much happening thats yoyo2 worthy. Again, if you guys find something you think should be up here email me. seth at savedeth.com

Anyways, here are some of the first pictures of the new Andre Boulay signature Yo-Yo Jam, the Legacy thanks to neX con.


The engraved mirror caps look pretty good on the Legacy. I assume both sides have alternate cap art which gives more evidence to the Legacy theme.

The big thing I like about this yo-yo is the shape. It’s a plastic Dark Magic. Its one of the most solid Yo-Yo Jam’s I’ve played with thanks to metal rings under the cap that are placed more in the middle of the shape. Finally a solid product that comes full circle. Although it still has those chintzy molded nuts.

Sorry I’ve been gone from yoyo2 for a few weeks. Dave and I were on a super long road trip and since I’ve been back home there has been so much to catch up with that the blog took a back seat.

Until now. At Worlds there were a ton of new products. I’ll try my best to talk about a few of them:

First the Turning Point. Kentaro has been working on the design of this yo-yo for a while and it shows. A super wide yo-yo that is very stable and smooth. Weight distribution is also impressive. A lot of mass at the rim with such a wide shape usually turns into a wobble. But Kentaro has tuned this yo-yo to perfection.

The Turning Point will be in production soon so keep your eye out for it.

Yo-Yo Jam released there new yo-yo, The Synergy, in its prototype phase at Worlds. Their answer to the hubstack is a yo-yo with spinning rims. While this isn’t a new idea (See Dave Poyzer’s mod from 2005 here and here) it is the first produced bearing rim yo-yo. The inherent flaws with the Synergy are the large mass of the bearings. To counteract this Yo-Yo Jam has placed brass weight rings in the hub part of the yo-yo. This increases the mass of the stationary part of the yo-yo. All the added weight makes this yo-yo extremely heavy and awkward to play with. It also decreases sleep times immensely so not much can be done while engaging the bearing rims.

From Yo-Yo Factory, we have their 10th revolution. A Plastic Hubstacked yo-yo. The Grind Machine

Thanks to hitmann for the picture
Wide regular sized plastic yo-yo with hubstacks and a big bearing. A deep groove to fill with silicone or thin pads. Stable and smooth. It’s really nice to see a new hit the market thats 1/2 the pice of most metal. Yet is has the playability of a champ. The weight is adjustable with the use of small rubber o rings under the plastic thumb grind lip.

The First composite mock ups of Sebastian Brock’s new signature yo-yo from Caribou Lodge Yo-Yo Works; The Bassalope

Smaller diameter. Medium Bearing. Semi-deep recess for pads. The yo-yos pictured are not functional. The production Bassalope’s will be aluminum.

Some nice added cosmetic touches to the yo-yo as well. Rumor is we might see working metal protos at Internationals/Worlds!

As much as I’m a critic of the “garage yo-yo manufactures”, I really enjoy when a group of yo-yoers get together to create a yo-yo for there niche geographic community. Brazil really started it all years ago when mario started Vulto. Mario, and the Brazilian community, had no way of bringing new Brazilian player quality yo-yos because taxes and exchange rates are so high.

This tradition is still strong. Forest has been working on the “Timeless”. A very classic butterfly shaped yo-yo, with an awesome looking finish! Looks like big bearing. O ring response (or silicone if you want to put it in the groove). And maybe Hubstack-able. Check out this post on the Brazil message board for more pictures and info. I hope someone has one of these at Internationals or Worlds!

The subtleties of this yo-yo are on point. It combines so many different aspects of current yo-yo trends. But it brings it all together and makes not just another rip off Anti-Yo/CLYW/Yo-Yo Factory. Even the logo adds to the concept.

For the past 10 years yo-yoers have been on the quest for a perfect looping yo-yo. Most have found it in nearly braking Yomega Raiders. Some find it in Duncan Speed Beetles or Yo-Yo Jam Sunsets. But they all require a large amount of tuning or break in time…

Now Yo-Yo Factory is challenging it all. The Loop 720. 4 years in the making. Countless revisions. And from my brief personal experience with them, one of the most versatile yo-yos on the market. When I had the chance to play with a pair at Minnesota States in february I was transitioning from 2 handed loops to velvet rolls with no gap or response adjustments. I hope they make a butterfly version some day.

The innovative new response system in the Loop 720 is actually as old as yo-yos are. It’s String. Strings of string are woven in and out of small holes around the inside of the yo-yo. Different patterns can achieve different feels and response levels. With the removable caps and weaving tool (provided) it shouldn’t be to hard. Check out Loop720.com’s maintenance section that explains it a little better.

We all know there will be some rad yo-yos dropping at Worlds, but what about the other cool stuff?

Duncan’s “A New Level” Instructional DVD looks super dope! Filmed and Directed by Takeshi with the purpose of teaching you stuff that you’ve only dreamed of comprehending.

Save Deth Spring Break 2008 Trailer from Tyler Severance on Vimeo.

On the opposite end of the spectrum… we have the new Save Deth DVD. It follows Tyler, Danny, Joey, Dave and I on a week of mayhem. While A New Level teaches you yo-yo tricks, this DVD teaches you life lessons like, never leave your drink unattended, how to become an astronaut or what to do with thrift store wheelchairs. It’s sure to be the coolest yo-yo video, with the least amount of yo-yoing in it, that your parents would NOT approve of.
Check out SaveDeth.com for more clips and trailers coming in the following days.

Wood is Good…

For the past 8 years I’ve been constantly inspired by Eric Wolff’s creations with wood, metal and plastic…

Now Eric has lent his experience to the very competent Steve of SPYY to bring us an awesome piece of work.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Steve on Tyler Severance’s TrainWreck, and can vouch for the attention to detail steve puts into his designs. Something I think is lacking with a lot of the independent yo-yo manufacturers today. But maybe that’s just me?