My Tactic has been acting very responsive lately and it’s been making some different noises too. I figured that could be fixed with a good cleaning. One problem though, I don’t have any thin lube and won’t be getting any for at least 2 weeks (i’m a little short on cash right now). I do have mineral spirits though, which leads to my question: how long can a bearing run without any lube in it (dry)? How long until the performance of the bearing really starts to noticably drop and needs to be cleaned AND lubed? I really need to know cause it’s really starting to bother me. Thanks!
I wouldn’t really worry about it and just keep playing with it.
If you do decide to clean it, bearings can run dry for several years at least.
I personally don’t lube my bearings. After I brake them in I just play it and only use a half a drop of Yoyojam Thin Lube when it acts weird, like making loud noises, responciveness, etc. Which is hardly ever. 
~James Reed!
so your saying I should clean it? Or wait until I get some thin lube and then just lube it?
Your Tactic bearing is just breaking in. It takes a while, and when it’s breaking in, it usually makes loud noises and is responsive, which is happening to you. So just continue to play with it, and if it continues to happen over a week, clean it, and thin lube is not necessary.
Keep playing and don’t worry about it. Running dry will make it unresponsive but I heard it might make it loud. If you keep playing it will get to that unresponsiveness you want. I heard thin lube will just make a dry bearing responsive for a little while.
I’ve had my tactic for about 2 weeks and up to this point it has been perfectly unresponsive. The sound it makes really sounds like there is something that got inside it, almost like it’s scraping against the walls of the bearing. The sound happens every few seconds, so at least it’s not constant
If it’s acting like that, it’s not because it’s dirty, it’s actually because it IS dry. So just put a small drop of lube, and it’ll be better.
And it can take that long. Happens to all of my yoyos, just give it a little more time and it will be OK.
Everyone in this thread saying not to lube their bearings don’t really know anything about metallurgy.
ANYTIME you have metal spinning on metal, it will end up causing small scratches and pits in the race and in the ball bearings. This causes loud noises. Lube is designed to keep the bearing from getting those scratches and pits. Thin lube will make your bearing last longer. I don’t care what any teenager says. So many people are having problems with their bearings these days and dryness seems to be the biggest question about their bad bearings. Lube will save the day. Trust me.
does that mean that I shouldn’t use my Tactic until I get some lube in there to prevent more scratching?