I might buy 1, eventually. That $50-$70 price point they keep frequenting matches up very well with my disposable income. I’m more likely to buy 6 of their $50 yoyo’s over a year than a single $200.
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I don’t think the issue is it not being able to sell. With One Drop being such a popular brand, they could make a plain jane bi metal that was mostly b grades and it would still sell. But, at least for what I have seen, Shawn and Dave care about putting the best they can make out there, so if there is no need for a bi metal out there I don’t see one coming from them anytime soon.
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This topic comes up every now and then. Shawn @ OneDrop posted a video on why they do not make bi-metals. I think it is this one, if not then check his channel, it’s in there.
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That video is almost five years old. It hardly explains anything when nothing has changed in that period of time.
What I find irksome is the continual denigration of bi-metal throws by various members of this community that I suspect believe they are somehow supporting One Drop. Anyone that makes blanket statements like “I do not care for bi-metal throws”; is just silly. There are good yo-yo’s that are both mono; and bi-metal. A well designed AL/SS bi-metal will always outperform an AL mono-metal; period. That One Drop does not make a bi-metal has no bearing on that fact.
I personally do not care whether One Drop ever makes a bi-metal or not.
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Objectively speaking you’re absolutely right about bimetal performance being superior but that’s not what everyone wants. Modern dual clutch transmissions will always put down a faster lap time but some people just wanna shift themselves.
I’m one of “those guys” I guess. Not that I only buy OD, but I just don’t reach for my bimetals. I appreciate them for what they are, but usually it’s not what I want
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To me is simple, or I least this is how I see things:
Equipment investment: if you invest in a piece of equipment you better use it in order to recover your investment. It seems that OD needs to invest in a piece of equipment to make a bi-metal throw. If they did, they would need to start making more bi-metals to pay off such equipment.
That said, I do not think the above aligns to their business strategy. If I were them and if I knew my brand is known by the quality of yo-yos I make (because honestly, making something in the US, Europe, Latin America does not guarantee quality, and vice-versa something made in China does not mean poor quality) I would not invest thousands of dollars in a piece of equipment that would be under utilized if I do not change my entire product line to bi-metal.
That video to me is irrelevant. Let’s face it: China controls most of the world’s supply of materials, components, electronics, etc that even OD uses so if they do not buy anything from China, then they can talk like that. I even wonder what country of origin the aluminum they get to make their yo-yos is. It would not surprise me is China as they are the major aluminum supply worldwide.
Bottom line, it is a matter of investment and product portfolio change.
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Our aluminum is made in a mill in Spanish Fork Utah. Thanks for showing us love and using the Kraken as your avatar.
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It just feels like the advantage of bimetals is blown way out of proportion. There probably an advantage in stability which helps get slightly better spintimes . Weight distribution ,shape, and specs are far more important to me.
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I’d like to see a OD centering bearing before a bi metal. I love how quiet the flat ones are, but they quickly exceed my skill level.
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Leeeeet’s not go there lmao… it was thoroughly debated to exhaustion in 2019 and does NOT need to be revisited.
Back to the bi-metal discussion…
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I can dream. But my favorite throws are OD, even put a flat bearing in my Silenus.
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I’m at the bottom of the yo-yo throwers food chain and a huge OD fan.
I think my want for more and different side effects transcends my want of a bi metal OD.
When you can create yoyos with amazing character in mono. What’s it really adding? Stability and spin time.
My humble opinion is that I’m working on tricks lasting less than 45 seconds, or just stand there flicking a trick and binding. I guess my skill level is below the need for the ultra long spin times and long techy trick stability.
I’d still buy it 
as long as I don’t miss the drop 
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More than love, I am just using a master piece as my avatar and you guys know how to do master pieces.
Have you considered outsourcing the machining or the assembling portion of a bi-metal throw? Not always doing an investment to make something is needed. Just a thought.
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Talking about OD, I’m enjoying a lot the Free Solo.
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I believe One Drop will always do everything in-house and despite the trend / pressure on every yoyo company to crank out bimetals, One Drop will only make yoyos they want to make.
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Call me silly then!
Over the last few years I would estimate that I’ve purchased over 60 different bimetals. Bought them from most every brand from G2, iyoyo, YYF, Circle City, Duncan, Core Co, YYR, etc etc etc etc. I’ve tried all the different varieties ie. Inner ring, outer ring, mid ring, two rings, three rings, etc. After all of that I have exactly ONE bimetal in my collection now. I’ve sold EVERY other one. I simply “did not care for them” as you put it. The only bimetal I’ve kept is the Duncan Orbital GTX. It’s EXTREME design is different enough that I elected to keep this one.
It’s not about brand loyalty. I’ve tried dozens and dozens of bi metals from all the brands, but ultimately just prefer playing the monos.
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We have a tax guy, Gruntbull does our anodizing, we don’t manufacture our own bearings or axles, I wouldn’t even begin to think about the process of making tiny o-rings for our SideEffects, we don’t smelt our own aluminum, we don’t generate our own electricity for the shop. We rely on the city to supply us with water. There’s plenty of stuff that we outsource to other entities.
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i’m in this boat too. bimetals are great, if that’s what you like. i believe i have one or two in my collection - and i’d say there is less
than half-dozen i’d seek out again - and not necessarily for performance reasons.
more can be better, but it isn’t always better - or for everyone. i overall prefer monometals… there’s nothing wrong with bimetals
either though
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Utilities are of course not considered to be part of outsourcing as anodizing, components or semi-finished products that go into the yo-yo. It would be super expensive being totally vertical integrated.
I think you do great OD. It seems you are focused on what you do well and that’s a core competency you want to keep all the time. Kudos to you!
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A good yoyo is a good yoyo regardless of what kind it is (plastic, hybrid, monometal, or bi-metal). One Drop knows how to make high-performance monometals that can easily compete with most bi-metals, so I really don’t think there is a meaningful gap in their product catalog just because it doesn’t include bi-metals. If they don’t want to make bi-metal yoyos, that’s fine with me, there are plenty of other companies I can get my bi-metal fix from.
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