Thanks so so so so so much it really does work
1 Like
Hello everybody.
Please bear in mind that small yoyo bearings (any type of bearing for that matter) are meant to be lubricated. In the yoyo world, we like them dryā¦or VERY minimally lubricated. With even a little bit of lubeā¦because the yoyo weighs so little (respectively, compared to a wheel or something similar) - they tend to stop mid-motion or run slowly causing an inadvertent bind because theyāre greased up.
So we clean the goo out and run it dry. Weāre on a clock from that moment forward. Eventually itāll wear out and need replacing. If you get a crappy one out of the gate, contact the company you purchased it from. It is not uncommon to buy 100 bearings and 10% of them are unusable. Happens to YYWS all the time.
Bottom line: bearings are not designed (no matter who tells you differently - a simple google search will yield professional engineering opinion pieces on this topic) to run dry. So in yoyoing, bearings are consumables. If you clean it and lube it, and it still acts wonky - replace it. Sometimes, theyāre made in batches and most of the batch is garbage. It happens.
Sorry you got a lousy batch of bearings!
3 Likes
Thanks for posting this. That has been my position since bearing yoyos came on line. I keep mine lightly lubricated and they work fine, never having to replace them. They play unresponsive if you blow the lube out. Want responsive, just keep them heavily lubed.
2 Likes
Since people are on this topic. I need some one drop ten ball experts. Ive had three come from 3 different yoyos. All from 3 different places. No matter how much i clean them they will not become unresponsive, are they just not considered good bearings anymore? If i do get them unresponsive no matter how small the amount of lube i have on a pin needle, it will just kill the bearing. I have no issues with other bearings for the most part
OD bearings can be super finicky, but are amazing when you get em running right. Theyāre my favorite bearing. Try the paper cleaning method. If the spin time is killed after lubing, Iāll hit it with compressed air then clean it out with the paper and that usually gets it going again.
1 Like
Out of 200+ bearings Iāve only had 1 go completely dead. I usually just chuck them in a film canister with isopropyl and shake for a couple minutes. Then rinse, water rinse, spin on a pencil or so to air dry. Then chuck on a pan at 300 for 30 minutes to air dry and prevent rust. Let cool down for 10 minutes or so then a drop of oil and another pencil spin and their ready.
1 Like
Seeing this thread pop back up reminded me that Iāve seen a handful of Japanese players start using ultrasonic cleaning machines for bearings with very good results.
I canāt see the appeal in buying one when a wood pencil and compressed air gets the job done just fine, but figured Iād mention it since itās a more uhā¦ interesting method.
About a decade or more ago modders were offering ultrasonic cleaning services for bearings. But a lot of people just used lighter fluid, isopropyl alcohol, or acetone in a glass container, and spun the bearing dry on the end of a bic pen. For stubborn hairs stuck in the bearing you can burn them out with a lighter, but the paper method may be a better idea.
To this very day I am still curious as to the effectiveness of ultrasonic cleaners used in conjunction with stainless steel bearings.
-Rad
1 Like
I use this method, all except the paper, i just spin the bearing hard on a pair of tweezers to air dry it, i also lit them with a lighter to singe any possible hairs. I will try the compressed air bit, if it doesnt work then im just gonna call it a quits. Hopefully it does
The paper part is probably the most important part because it scrapes out leftover gunk. Iāve even had brand new bearings where there was black stuff on the paper afterwards.
1 Like
For what is worth. I use the compressed air method. Have not found anything better.
If they are very crunchy, I will soak in 99% alcohol.
Then put them on the end of a pencil and use the compressed air.
It amazing how fast you can get them spinning. 
Then a tiny bit of thin lube on a toothpick, dripped into bearing. Sometimes I spin them with the air again at this point, but you see the lube blowing off as most, so I am not sure that itās needed.
Only one time did the above not fix the bearing.
Cheers
Rob
2 Likes
Note: Some finger polish remover has added ingredients such as an oil to condition the nail.
You can get pure acetone in paint stores and hardware stores. Acetone that is actually 100% will evaporate leaving no residue. You do have to do enough rinsing that the contaminant in the bearing is removed.
Jeff
PS. Iām a retired chemist. 
3 Likes
I only use 100% acetone nail polish remover anyways, same stuff
So acetone, compressed air, paper towel, lube, air again? Light on fire, throw in the trash? Joking but i will try all those steps tonight.
3 Likes
So, theyre better, still not as unresponsive as other bearings but i can clean up my play with them. Thanks!
Iāve had better luck cleaning konkave bearings when they are hot.
Hold them for a few minutes in front of a heater or blow dryer, make sure they are nice and warm. Then spin 'em like crazy for about 5 minutes or so, or a good hard throw sessionā¦
If that doesnāt work, repeat the heating process and drop it in nail polish remover. Make sure to spin the bearing while in the remover a few times, then pull out and dry.
Iām not sure why heat helps my kk bearings better than flat tracks, but from my experience it does.
On the flip side, if your bearing still doesnāt work after all of thatā¦
As a last resort, try putting it in the freezer, get your heaviest throw ready, then pull the bearing out cold and run it fast. Iāve had bearings that Iāve left in my car overnight in winter which were fried, come back to life after being ran hard coldā¦ I assume it is because the metal contracts and grinds any imperfections out.
I would advise only doing the last method if you think your bearing is totally shot, since you could potentially mess up an otherwise good bearing doing this as well.
Anyways, just some alternative thoughts.
Good Luck 
2 Likes
Most all nail polish remover has other extraneous stuff in it in addition to the advertised ā100% acetone.ā
1 Like
My method for general bearing maintenance (usually done when it starts screaming or becoming responsive).
- Deshield the bearing
- Soak in isopropyl and shake
- spin until dry
- pour a āneedle dropā of thin lube
- spin genlty, to spread the lube, you dont want the lube be shoot out of the bearing.
My method for felineās\canineās foreign objects:
2 Likes
The polish i have that says its acetone seems to completely evaporate with an air dry, so it must be pretty tride and true, but in the future I will get some acetone from the paint store
Do you have a link to an MSDS or something similar to show what else is added in? The ā100% Acetoneā nail polish remover that I use seems pure, same as @CaptainFoxxButt said it seems to evaporate as cleanly as the paint store stuff.
Although now that Iām curious I might have to do a side-by-side testā¦
Ivan