How many people know what this yoyo is? (original Duracraft ProYo)

[codinghorror]

Images get copied around the internet a lot, we are trying to identify duplicate images and you do that by hashing the actual file contents, not trusting the file name

That said I recently ordered a 1988 vintage proyo off eBay because I wanted to compare the proyo I vs. the proyo II.

[zslane (ClockMonsterLA)]

I had one in the late-70s when I was a kid. Back then it was the yoyo to get, and regarded as the next great step in yoyo design and performance.

[photogeek]

@codinghorror

That said I recently ordered a 1988 vintage proyo off eBay because I wanted to compare the proyo I vs. the proyo II.

Sadly, I don’t think you’ll get the full story unless you got lucky and found one of the take-apart models with an intact wood axle. The brass axle non take-apart ones were still cool for the day, way better than a duncan metal axle for example. But they don’t really compare to the wood axle ProYo II.

That said, I always liked the original ProYo better than the ProYo II in terms of smoothness and spin time. But the reason for that was the same reason that made the original ProYo so frustrating. That skinny fragile axle design. The ProYo II design was FAR more sturdy. I can’t remember ever breaking a ProYo II axle. And while you gave up some spin time and smoothness (in my opinion) it was a better design for getting people into yoyoing. Trying to explain how to baby those fragile original ProY axles to beginners was both discouraging and impossible.

[photogeek]

@zslane

I had one in the late-70s when I was a kid. Back then it was the yoyo to get, and regarded as the next great step in yoyo design and performance.

Totally. That rim weighting design was just so far ahead of anything else. It really was a leap forward in the same vein as bearings or response-pad technology. At least in my book.

[codinghorror]

@photogeek

That rim weighting design was just so far ahead of anything else

Agreed, I mentioned this here

@codinghorror

you can see the shift to rim weighting models here, where the plastic is much denser on the rims

[ThrowButcher (Justin Thompson)]

That’s what I meant by ‘kinda cheated’

[ChrisFrancz]

Welcome to the forums. I’d love to see photos of those yoyos.

[Myk_Myk]

Love those pogs!

[Lido (Jordan)]

Is there any difference between the later Duracraft/Playmaxx Proyo and the Duncan version that’s still available?
Duncan Proyo

[photogeek]

@Lido

Is there any difference between the later Duracraft/Playmaxx Proyo and the Duncan version that’s still available?

A significant difference. The Duncan one is the same thing as the Playmaxx ProYo II. It has a stronger round wood hub instead of the hex one that is in the original Duracraft/Duncraft ProYo. It also has a significantly thicker axle.

Overall, the ProYo II was a much tougher design but it suffered a bit in play/spin time due to the thicker axle. I have had a number of them over the years, but never liked them as much as the original. ProYo II did come in a butterfly version, so that was one way the second version was cooler.

[SweatyString (Brad)]

@ChrisFrancz

I’d love to see photos of those yoyos.

This is my favorite fixed-axle yoyo (as long as it’s a wooden axle). I can confirm those axles, though, are fragile and can be frustrating. The best way to increase their durability that I’ve found is to carefully put super glue (non-gel) on the outer portions of the hexagons (not the circular part in the middle of the sides). This will increase their life by a decent amount. The axles on the right in the photo are the brass axles that come with the yoyo (I think one per yoyo, but can’t remember). On the left are the wooden axles (I can’t find them anymore) and in the middle is a wooden one that’s had super glue applied to it.