All string centering bearing are just grooved track bearings except for the Terrapin X Wing Cut.
Google it and see… http://www.precom-europe.com/en/track-rollers.html
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I have to say, I agree with Geezer on this one. The patent never should have been awarded. The patent is also not able to be defended, which is why bearings such as the Center-Trak and other have been on the market for so long without persecution.
Can someone give me more detail upon this mentioned patent?
Honestly its all preference. String centering bearings are about the same in costs as flats so no need to debate which is better. Opinion is opinion.
Let me first say I a not defending either or any bearing type as being best. You guys have thrown so many incredibly inaccurate statements around in this thread, I can’t even make ‘an argument’ about it, lol.
With that said, since you guys seem to possess all this massive knowledge; Riddle me this>
I am going to state 3 things. These things are common knowledge. These 3 things are not debatable. And these things are going to make you put on your thinking caps to come up with explanations that sound even reasonably logical in dispelling any of the 3 statements.
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For years, Carlo Oxy has been known for making High performance Yoyo designs. He has never been known for specifically for making beginners yoyos. His yoyos are for people that are already burning up strings.
… Oxy High Performance yoyos, come ‘stock’ with KonKave(curved) bearings. -
YoYoRecreation for years has produced High Performance yoyos. They have a sizable following of players, who demand Performance and don’t hesitate to pay for yoyos they obviously feel are worth the money.
… All YYR metal yoyos, come ‘Stock’ with KonKave(curved) bearings. -
Back to Oxygene yoyos. Several months ago, Carlo proudly announced the release of his newest Titanium Yoyo. He stated that the Hyperion is the Cummulative result of All he has learned about making yoyos and specifically High Performance yoyos. He stated that the Hyperion is the best Yoyo he has ever made, up to this point in his Yoyo Making career.
… The 500 dollar, Full Titanium, High Performance, for Hard Core Yoyo players, yoyo, comes ‘Stock’ with a KonKave bearing.
So, who is the first Genius that is willing to step up to da plate and give some kind of explanation, that sounds at least somewhat intelligent, as to why/how/what, these guys were thinking when they Clearly identify CURVED BEARINGS as being an integral component in High Performance yoyos?
?
This is not a timed test… Please think…Deep, before you speak.
PS… One more thing. The New YYR Dazzler is a 650 dollar, all Titanium, high performance Yoyo. It comes Stock with a bearing that looks ‘not flat’. Not sure what exactly it is? But ‘flat’ it is not.
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First off I’d like to say its preference.
Secondly there’s a reason top companies use stock kks and center tracks
Thirdly I’d like to say why not make a compromise between the flat and kk? Less of a curve? Would give it more of the real feel while still string centering. But it’d have to be enough of a curve that with a slight tilt it’d still center.
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Check out the Wing Cut Terrapin I mentioned earlier. It has a tiny groove the centers the string quite well on slightly off throws but doesn’t force it there like other profiled bearings.
And they go with KK cause it has the best performance for the price and can be mass produced.
The Whipple has a “v” shape that is less dramatic than the “u” of the KK. But I still think overall the bearing sold as a “genuine Dif-e-Yo” KonKave is a higher quality bearing than the Whipple, in terms of construction and seemingly tolerances. I find a lubed 8-ball KK to be pretty near as silent as a 10-ball, too.
About this “snagging” thing. I wonder if people have REALLY concentrated on their play to evaluate this, or if they’re just repeating what they’ve heard because it’s intuitive and “seems” to make sense (I agree, it does “seem” to make sense, but I’m wary of opinions based on appearances and this caused me to ultimately have a different stance).
A profiled bearing will force string segments to rub against one another more. Depending on string type and the exact movement, this could potentially cause more so-called “snagging”. But I haven’t experienced much of it. String segments actually do pretty well sliding against one another with even standard poly. It’s not like this is cotton we’re using in our high-performance yoyos.
But a flat bearing will allow string segments to be pushed out to the response pads sometimes as a direct consequence of also rubbing against each other. A string rubbing against silicone is DEFINITELY going to cause more “snagging” than string rubbing against itself. That’s the basis of how an unresponsive yoyo can be made to return to the hand after all.
I like flat bearings sometimes because they’re easier to do trick binds for the reasons stated above.
You can’t have it both ways. A flat bearing is good for trick binds because the string engages the response more readily. Engaging the response more readily is what causes snagging. Sure, I get that strings rubbing against one-another (instead of against… nothing!) is a different feel, but I do not at all believe that it’s causing an epidemic of snagging string.
Anecdotally: the first time I became really frustrated at snagging (I don’t generally notice much for snagging with EITHER type of bearing), I recalled these objections to profiled bearings under the grounds that they can cause snagging and went to change it out, only to discover it was a flat bearing all along. Took the opposite tack and swapped it out for a profiled bearing and the snagging cleared up. It was a grabby response in that yoyo.
Fast forward to the Gambits, which are acknowledged as being “grabby/snaggy” out of the box… and the recommended fix? Put in a profiled bearing until the response is broken in. I have a Gambit and can confirm that a KK cleared up the snagging quite effectively.
I’ve never noticed the “snagging” or “bunching” of strings that people claim to happen when using profiled bearings either.
Always seemed like pro-flat/CT bearing propaganda to me.
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the kk bearings centre the string which improves the sleep time and stops the string rubbing the sides recommended if beginner level ;D
I’m guessing that Mr. Difeyo doesn’t pursue this harder is primarily due to the costs of taking someone to court v.s. the potential rewards, which given the size of most companies that make yoyos is virtually nil. Up to a few years ago, US companies honored it and I believe still do for the most part. But then I may be totally wrong on both parts. 
BTW, I have a few and like how they play.
I think the snagging people refer to are more of knock offs. I believe that they don’t get the outer tolerance right and the string gets caught between the bearing and bearing seat.
Don’t know this for sure, but i know the precision isn’t as great on knock offs and this could be an explanation.
Most people are referring to an alleged “bunching up in the center” phenomenon, which I personally think is either nonexistent or highly overstated. These opinions perpetuate, though, because people parrot a phrase that seems to make sense. “They get all bunched up and snaggy in the middle” sounds like it should be correct, so people blindly assume it IS. At the very least, if some people have in fact experienced something like that because their tricks look very different from mine, there’s no way that every person who says similar phrases has actually experienced it.
Just like people say, “I recommend the Level 6!” without having played one, people will also say, “I don’t use profiled bearings because the strings bunch up with layers,” without having actually experienced it themselves. I certainly haven’t found there to be a plague of string bunching in profiled bearings.
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I see what you’re saying. I’ve never experiences snagging do to a profile bearing, for me snagging has everything to do with the response and string used.
Terrapin X Wing Cuts will help a beginner and pro.
Play like you wish you could with s flat bearing.
I really wish yye would restock :
They have them, just not up yet…?
If you want one just let me know…
“Wing-cut” are hardly curved. The curve is so imperceptibly small as to: a) not violate the patent; b) almost not matter.
Using a grooved track bearing for it’s intended purpose isn’t exactly patent worthy.
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The profile is also somewhat different between KKs and others. You still don’t see any 3rd-party bearings with the exact profile of the KK being sold as yoyo bearings. The Center Trac can claim “improvement” with the flat area. Trifecta/Ripple/Whatever can claim “improvement” with the loop-holding channel. Whipples are more “v” shaped, etc.
I agree that Dif-e-Yo probably wouldn’t litigate anyhow, but I still thought it was worth mentioning that the patent might apply to that specific profile of bearing.
If it’s any consolation to you, Frank originally produced a grooved bearing. Don’t know if he patented that or not.
Actually, one manufacturer came up with a concave sleeved bearing at one point. I believe he and Mr. Difeyo came to a business agreement over that. The bearing was a stock flat bearing that used a press fit concave sleeve.