I’m sure this sounds like heresy to many of you, but I really want a Cabal and I’m not ready for unresponsive play yet. Will a half spec bearing work in a Cabal? I know that most of the Onedrop yoyos have side effects and that the Cabal doesn’t. Can I switch out the axle for a shorter one with the hub system in Cabal?
I’m sure I’ll get to unresponsive play eventually. In the meantime I’d like to have a responsive, high end plastic yoyo.
I’ve also considered the Zeekio Zenith because I’m interested in delrin. That’s another yoyo that has a non-standard axle system… I think.
The half spec bearing will fit. Otherwise, lube the stock bearing. Lube will make it responsive. Use something like 3-in-1 oil or superlube PTFE oil (available at hardware store).
Thanks a lot for the quick reply. I want to catch the 4th of July sale I will use a half spec. You know, I’ve tried lubing a center trac bearing with thick lube. I used 3 in 1, and it made it responsive, but not reliably so. I even tried vaseline, thinking the lube needed to be thicker. No dice. It was responsive, but there was a delay in return. So I tried 3 in 1 with a Kitty XL string, thinking it might help. It did, but only until the string stretched out. I think I’ll be buying some half spec bearings for converting all of my unresponsive purchases to responsive until I’m ready to make the leap.
btw - I tried putting a half spec in the Magicyoyo Shark Honor and while it worked, it just wasn’t right. I have a feeling some yoyos will work better than others. If that’s the case, it will just make me work harder to get good enough to switch to unresponsive.
Thanks again. I’m gonna go order me a Cabal. I just wish YoyoExpert had white with purple hubs in stock. I’ll have to settle for green.
Dont even bother with a spec bearing. Just use a regular 10 ball flat bearing and lube it with Yoyofactory (thick) looping lube.
Then you just have to figure out which string meshes with that config until you dial in your response level.
Keeping away from the half thick spec bearing will give you a lot more ‘trick latitude’.
… I am seriously no trick machine… But I have figured out a few things in the past 18 years.
I know this will sound contrary to what people feel is the whole point of the Spec bearing. But Spec bearings are(in my opinion) better suited for players that are advanced to more quickly adapt to that narrow gap responsiveness.
If you really want to play responsive; it might actually be more entertaining to just get a good fixed axle and have some old school fun…
… Instead of hesitating to move to ‘unresponsive’ it might be wiser to focus specifically on learning how to bind. I mean; binding is a an actual trick in itself. Successful binding comes faster to some than others; no doubt. But all you need is a few good binds(one for frontstyle tricks and one for sidestyle) and you will find yourself in a World of yoyo happiness.
In reality; every thing in Yoyoing is another road to adventure. So if you want to play responsive; ok. If you want to play unresponsive; …ok. If you want to challenge yourself to figure out how to start playing ‘musical bearings’; changing stuff around until you are happy; then that is the mission you will undertake.
… once you get your Cabal; just put some thick lube in the stock bearing and see what happens?
That will be a good starting point for ‘perspective’.
I may be in the minority; but I do not like the half thick spec bearings; period.
To me it is about as entertaining as driving down the street with low air in your tires. < Sure you will get down the street; but why suffer?
I have some of the same thoughts as Doc. I primarily play responsive, all but a handful of my yoyos are in some state of responsiveness. I’d highly suggest just lubing the stock bearing, or if you have a bearing that is already deshielded use that one.
Again, JHB linked it: Page Not Found | Super Lube This is basically what I use, 3-4 drops or more if you’d like.
You said that there was a delay in the response when you lubed your bearings in the past, that’s not a bad thing. That can actually help you learn unresponsive play. Having a little responsiveness can help in learning to bind too.
While I do like half spec’s in some yoyos, most just do not perform right with them. And if you want to get into unresponsive yoyo, I’d really suggest not going that route, a spec and a full bearing play completely different from each other.
I’m sure I will try many approaches. I’m sort of chaotic in everything I do. I bang songs out in weird ways that mystify other musicians and it makes me hard to work with. Same with engineering in the studio. I have a style that is mutable and looks chaotic, but it works. Same with yoyo. I just need more time on this.
Yoyodoc, I took your advice and ordered some YYF loop response lube. I’m still in my first year of yoyo play if you count the 6 months I played back in the 90s. I like responsive because I like catching the yoyo as much as I like throwing it and what comes in between. I’m sure I’ll try all styles eventually.
Speaking of fixed axle, I do have some Imperials and a YYF Legend Wing. The real treasure is currently lost in the mess of my house. I have at least two Tom Kuhn No Jives in the house… somewhere… in a box. Probably in the same place all the lost socks, lighters and guitar picks are. As if the universe is teasing me, I found a bag with several spare axles in it
I need to contact you soon Yoyodoc. I have a 90’s SB-2, a Sleep Machine and a Roller Woody, none of which work worth a damn, no matter how much I try adjusting them. I need to find out what you charge for mods. I remember you saying you could make them play better than when they came out. That is exciting. Let’s talk about that soon in PM I guess.
I also have a Roller Woody that, I think is toast. I initially though the axle was bent, but now I think it’s the hardware in the yoyo itself. .
Thanks for your help. Cabal is on it’s way! Can’t wait.
-----> I know nothing about bearing, naming conventions <------
When I said half spec bearing, I though it was a generic term for a slim bearing. Large C size slim bearing, I think? Is a 10 ball flat bearing always one of the wider ones? I’m confused. I will UTFSE, but if anyone could help me understand I’d appreciate it. Is spec a brand name?
All std. C bearings are the same size (1/4" x 1/2" x 3/16"). The half spec is only 1/8 in. wide. Don’t know how the name evolved. BTW the bearing nomenclature you see here is peculiar to the yoyo hobby, having been invented by another on-line store and adopted by the others. If you go to a hardware store and ask for a C size bearing they will not know of what you speak.
Just a heads up - the lube breaks down as you play, and the yoyo becomes less and less responsive. You have to add more lube every so often to keep it playing responsive.
I will use a half spec. You know, I’ve tried lubing a center trac bearing with thick lube. I used 3 in 1, and it made it responsive, but not reliably so. I even tried vaseline, thinking the lube needed to be thicker. No dice. It was responsive, but there was a delay in return. So I tried 3 in 1 with a Kitty XL string, thinking it might help. It did, but only until the string stretched out. I think I’ll be buying some half spec bearings for converting all of my unresponsive purchases to responsive until I’m ready to make the leap.