Today I have the honor of profiling @jeffreypang911 owner and creator Luftwerk!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
My first yoyo was a typical up and down wood one my dad gave me. I was 7 years old. When I was around 12 there was a dude named Fast Eddy that came to our highschool to do a campaign (Like those anti-bullying ones). Everyone in my school was hooked on it for about a month or two, including myself. Afterwards, my cousin sent me this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYkGL30HPwI
I was in such awe that someone could yoyo like that, and it was the first time I saw unresponsive yoyoing. After that I begged my mom enough and finally got a yellow Yoyojam Kickside and a green Spinfaktor HG and the rest is history.
What inspired you to create Luftverk?
It’s kind of a long story but on my website I have a writeup about how it all started ported from the old website. It’s kind of a hidden page now, so heres the link. Essentially I was an Engineering student and thought it would be cool to create my own yoyo out of Titanium originally in Canada. Huge failure haha - but worked out in the end.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
Luftverk Plastic Fulvia or Offset Outlier + (Very Biased, I know haha)
What trick are you working on currently?
I stopped learning new tricks from 2018 so I had this huge gap where all my tricks were super outdated. but the Yoyotoronto crew (Jacky, Evan, Yejune, ect.) have all taught me new meta combos so thats kind of what I try to do now to stay relevant. Learning the newer tricks also helps with how I design products since I can test them myself easier to understand how customers are using my products. Theres a tension hook I always miss that Im trying to get consistant at, you can see it on the Luftverk IG page: LUFTVERK on Instagram: "Triple Zero Unresponsive Yoyo - Available now on the LUFTVERK store!"
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
Ive been trying to land a 3.5 hook for the better part of 3 years. At 31 years old, I think Im just too old for those kinds of movements lol. My arms hurt after the last time I tried it, and kind of gave up haha.
What’s your favorite yo-yo of all time?
Very biased, but either 000 or Evora more so of how they remind me of where I was in life when I was designing them then their play characteristics. Non Luftverk yoyos - Both The End and OG Peak I watched drop online as a kid, and back then I didnt have the 100$ to buy. So those will always remain core memories and grail yoyos of mine.
What’s the most meaningful throw you have?
Maybe my Paul Escolar FH1. I visited him in SF and we hung out in his room where we decided to do a collaboration of Paul Escolar the month before he passed away. I think the way Duncan made such a beautiful homage to him was really special so I am glad I had the chance to purchase one.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
People think Im weird but I never leave string on my yoyos. I rotate one string to every yoyo I will use, so when someone comes over they have to get a string and put it on to try anything lol. Does anyone else do this or is it just me? Please let me know Im not crazy hahaha.
What’s kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
My life is mostly Drifting, Business and currently studying Japanese.
What fictional character best fits who you are?
Man I don’t really watch much fictional shows to be honest. Im a pretty boring person haha.
Favorite restaurant and order?
Probably Kura in Japan - people will hate on me but it’s so cheap and I’m a sucker for a good deal and saving money. Back in Canada though we would go to Korean restaurants a lot, theres one called Daldongnae thats really good, check it out if you are in Toronto.
Favorite movie and or Book?
That’s a hard one, movie wise probably Back to the Future since I used to watch it a lot with my dad when I was young.
What does yo-yo’ing mean to you?
I think the community is really special, and I have a theory that it is what causes someone to just play with yoyos vs someone who becomes a yoyoer. They join that community, film videos, go to contests. I think that is something I maybe took for granted since for me it happened organically. It taught me so many relevant skills to make me who I am today, and even though I don’t yoyo as much as I did as a kid (literally every waking hour haha) It gave me fundamental skills that I still use in my life even today. If I were to sum it up, maybe it would mean community and also personal skill development like perseverance, dedication and how to deal with failure.
What’s your favorite memory from your time in the hobby ?
When I was yoyoing and playing video games with my friend Adam and a bat flew into his house and we spent literally 2 hours trying to get a bat out of his house. We were 14.
How has the community changed since you started? Where do you want it to go?
I don’t even know how to explain how small it was back then. When I started there was only one other person in my city who played with yoyos (My buddy Adam). When I went to worlds in 2008, it felt like how big a regionals was now. Another thing thats different coming from a manufacturing perspective is that yoyos are way more commoditized now. Back then yoyos really sucked so I would have to modify them with a lathe to get them to play right. Now a days you can really get any yoyo and it plays great out of the box.
It would be cool for modern string trick yoyoing to become a staple toy much like a rubik’s cube or juggling. I think it’s getting there, but when I was younger people thought of yoyo as wood and walk the dog. Now people think of yoyoing as DNA - which to me is in the right direction.
If you never picked up a yo-yo - what would things look like now?
Probably still drifting or cars.
Advice/ words of wisdom to new players?
Focus on making friends in the community - I wish I did that earlier. I would just yoyo alone in my bedroom before there was social media, and I wish I had the opportunity to talk to people as easily as you can now with Instagram and stuff. I’d probably be a way better yoyoer.
Advice to veteran players?
Gatekeeping yoyoing sucks.
Whats you want to tell the world?
Be kind to others and have fun in life - find what you love and go for it!
Thanks again for reading everyone! FYI I am going to take the weekends off from posting these, but I’m trying to do one every day of the week! If you would like a different frequency please let me know!!