Gradient finger grinding problems

Hey so i got a OD Gradient in the mail yesterday and have been extremely pleased with it, smooth play great grinding, and long spin time.

but just this morning when i keep trying to do a simple finger grind the string wants to all bunch up in the gap and bind!!! why? also when I just pull on the string when in a sleeper, the string will bunch up in the gap (not always binding but sometimes) but when I fist unpacked it the string was almost like it didnt want anything to do with the gap :slight_smile: it would go anywhere but the gap, this is part of the reason it WAS so good at the grinds…?

Any help?

Did you lube the bearing? it always happens to me every time i lube my bearings or when its brand new and needs breaking in.

One Drop 10 balls get responsive VERY QUICKLY when they’re new out of the box. Sometimes only a few throws, sometimes an hour.

You need to “break it in” or clean it (yes, already). A drop of lube helps this process, BUT it will contribute to the responsiveness of that yoyo until it’s also broken in.

1 Like

clean it and then gyroflop

I just got a gradient. My bearing’s loud…I’m too lazy to do anything and can’t find the oil either… Switched bearing out. Mine’s REALLY vibey either way. And it’s new, too… :frowning:

You want to clean the bearing. Pretty simple stuff.

Since the Gradient has side effects, have you tried tuning it by rotating one of the side effects? What I mean is unscrew it, then pop out one side effect and rotate like 1/8 of a turn. Screw it back together, give it a few throws. Repeat those steps until it’s smooth, sometimes you’ll need tiny turns instead of a full 1/8. And keep turning the same side effect every time in the same direction.

Just saying this because all of my side effect throws can be pretty vibey if I don’t tune them right.

1 Like

._. Thanks!
Yea, I’m sorta new to OD yoyos.

Co-sign on the “rotate side effects” technique. My Gradient had vibe until I did this, and I found a “sweet spot” with almost zero vibe within a minute.

welp, time to mess with my mmc.

How have we not moved past the dreaded OD 10-balls yet? Seriously they’re just not good.

Are you kidding me? They are the messiah of flat bearings. Wash them in clean water and dish soap, rinse, dry, lube with pin: They are the smoothest thing ever. Never had problems. Owned 10+

AIGR’s doe…

If it’s a new throw you shouldn’t have to tune the SE. My guess is that it isn’t screwed on tight enough. SE yo-yos need to be screwed on tighter. Also if you take the SE out its recommended you add a bit of lube to the rubber part of the SE. It helps it to seat correctly reducing the chance of vibe. Out of the 7 new SE throws I’ve had, I haven’t had to do any type of tuning. Two of them had the loud bearing issue. I put a drop of lube in it and the sound was gone. Too much lube makes it responsive.

I’d have to say with how you described how the string bunches up,its definitely the bearing acting too responsive. Just take it out, give it a good clean, dry, don’t lube unless is really loud (I’ve never had to lube any od 10balls, they always sound and play smooth right after being properly cleaned), and you should be good to go. I’ve had this exact problem too many times before and it’s always been the besring.

Try this and or some of the other suggestions and let us know if the problem is fixed. Good luck and keep us updated! :slight_smile:

Thanks guys for all the help, I will try cleaning it! One more question: which do you prefer to do to clean, soap and water or lighter fluid? ( i have both lol)

I have not used lighter fluid; but given the choice between similar solvents (like mineral spirits) and soap/water, I generally prefer the solvent.

I do use detergent (soap) in the ultrasonic cleaner when I bother with the ultrasonic cleaner, though. :wink:

As for the brand-newness of the Gradient, that has little to do with whether the SEs need tuning or not. It’s not like after a couple of months, vibe “grows” in the yoyo. If it’s a bit vibey to begin with for whatever reason, there’s nothing wrong with attempting to tune it right away. You CAN tighten SE yoyos more than most other yoyos, though, and you should indeed do that!

Thanks! gonna go clean it now xD

Okayyyyyy so now its even worse…
?!?!?! i clean the bearing dry it all out make sure everything is perfect and its even more responsive now?
I really hope its not broken…

What did you use to clean it? I like to use 100% acetone to clean my bearings

Also, are your bearings shielded or unshielded?

lighter fluid, and sheilded. i didnt want to remove them for fear of breaking it… :stuck_out_tongue: