Do people like them and want them? I know I’ve sold a few, but I just wonder how popular they are in general.
1 Like
I kind of want one but I’ve never tried one.
I’ve always wanted to try a wooden unresponsive. I’d say there’s probably a demand for them, but not anything prolific. It’s more of a collector/connoisseur kind of product.
I still throw the one I got from you pretty regularly. They’re unique yo-yos and it’s cool to have something handmade.
2 Likes
If I’m completely honest, when I think of a wooden yoyo I automatically picture a responsive fixed axle throw.
Maybe its me that just hasn’t had the pleasure of playing a wooden yoyo with a bearing, but I always have the assumption that they would be too unstable, but like I said I’ve never tried one and this is just my opinion.
Wood as a material has far to many variables within its structure to promote evenness in two yoyo halves. I suppose this is the same with some injection moulded plastics, which is why some of them suffer from “plastic vibe”.
I know there are some fine grained timbers out there that would reduce unevenness in the yoyo halves and have less vibe, you could also possibly add weight rings to aid this. But at least for me, when I want to play unresponsive I want something smooth, consistent and reliable to play with, and I think that metal is the material of choice.
Having said all this, I’d imagine a unresponsive wooden yoyo would be more of a fun work of art than a competition yoyo. But if that’s what you would want out of a wooden unresponsive throw then there is no harm in one.
Not at all, I too have a 
magical wooden unresponsive from our very own Glen and it plays great! It’s also beautiful. 
There is some vibe, of course, since wood is organic but it’s hardly enough to be a problem unless you’re super obsessive about vibe 
My only beef is that wood simply lacks the inherent density of metal, so it can’t play as well overall. Metal (and POM, which gets much closer to metal in feel) spoils you.
I believe A-RT sells a number of hand made responsive woodens don’t they? It’s not exactly a mainstream business to be in, for sure.
Anyway @Glenacius_K I say open a small web storefront, you will certainly sell whatever you want to make in the realm of wooden unresponsives. Just be sure to charge enough that it’s worth the considerable amount of time you put into each one as they are hand made!
1 Like
There is certainly validity in your concerns, but they are not as serious as you might think.
They are certainly not as stable as a metal yoyo, but they do have enough stability for everyday play without it becoming too difficult to use.
There are many variables in wood, but when the wood is selected and processed correctly, the affects it has on vibe are minimised. I have turned wooden unresponsives before that have vibe of a very similar level to an aluminium yoyo. Also, generally speaking, the wider the wooden yoyo, the more vibe is introduced Again, careful turning can result in a pretty smooth wooden unresponsive. I turned one for Jensen once which had about a 54mm diameter and about 41mm wide which turned out fairly smooth.
It’s about utilising the chosen wood well. More material is needed due to the lower specific gravity of wood as compared to metal or plastic. This is also often why many wooden unresponsives you buy have oversized diameters and organic, chunky designs. This ensures a good level of durability at the right weight.
A well made once can definitely provide smooth, consistent and reliable play.
1 Like
Heheh… the one time I got a wooden yoyo I got a knot and found out the sad way that you can’t unscrew wooden yoyos… man I thought I knew grief but I wasn’t prepared…
1 Like
That’s not a wooden unresponsive.
I’m still very keen to try one.
I think most of your potential customers don’t even know they need one yet. Have you thought about showing off your work on Instagram?
This is solid idea. You should look into this Glen!
Oh yeah I definitely just misread the name of the thread sorry about that.
I may look into doing it. I’m pretty time-poor these days, though. I’m working through an order for a store as well as my regular job. If I has an online store front I probably would struggle to fulfill orders at this time in my life.