It's OK to Scratch Your Yo-yos

[Gizzyo]

Well if its a huge gouge, I wouldn’t think it would grind so perfect lol.

[yoyojamben]

@Mikers

5A with an 888? Dear lord, that must have been terrifying for you.

At least don’t mock me about it, and be sarcastic. You really don’t wanna see me do 5a, because I suck. I’m just happy I didn’t destroy it. Happy now mikers?

[Mattylightning]

@Steve Brown

Should I be weirded out by the fact that this has spawned threads on multiple web boards, and yet I haven’t gotten a single e-mail about it? Everyone seems to have an opinion, yet no one seems to have any interest talking to me directly. Not sure why, but something about that gives me the creeps.

Also, for the record, this is what all my yo-yos end up looking like. If the axle survives this long.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1267/1229296414_cc401657c6.jpg

And, for the record again, this is how I’ve always treated my yo-yos. Even when I first started and paid for every single one of them. As for the fistful of yo-yos in that video, several (not all) of them were purchased or traded for or what-have-you so no…that’s not just a bunch of freebies.

They are simply equipment. A yo-yo is no different to me than a really good wrench or hammer. It’s a tool, built for a purpose. Yes, a great deal of effort goes in to making them far prettier than most wrenches or hammers, but I would be incredibly content if they were all just raw silver. In fact, I actively try to get ALL my yo-yos that way. The anodization is either going to be worn or scratched away, might as well just skip it.

Appearance, in yo-yos, is one of the weirdest things ever. I mean, it’s neat to see something that looks good on a shelf but as soon as you start using it it’s just a blur of whatever the dominant color is. Fancy ano and engraving on yo-yos is totally neato, but in order for you to appreciate it the yo-yo has to be in a state of complete uselessness. Weird, right? So, I just find it weird when people worry about a couple of little scratches or dings or whatever. Can’t see it when it’s spinning, so why worry about it?

I guess I should be concerned that people have “lost all respect for me” from watching a video that they didn’t get the point of. Especially since they admitted that they don’t actually know me, and none of them e-mailed me to actually talk to me about it.

You guys seem to be having a good time taking sides and all, so I almost hated to chime in. But really, I’m just another yo-yo player floating around and doing his thing. You can e-mail me. You can PM me. I’m pretty easy to find.

I guess what I’m saying is, instead of starting this huge thread and debating the philosophical merits of my short little video…why didn’t someone just ask me?

Weird.

Anyway, carry on. Have fun. Play with your yo-yos.

you sir are still a rockstar imo btw i agree on that whole raw deal. they still look cool even if theyre raw

[Paolo]

@Batryn

@Born2YoYo

I am just going to get yelled at no matter which side I choose, but I’m on batryns side.
If you don’t ding, scratch, and scuff your yoyos eventually, then you don’t unlock there full potential.
But, this. This is just un-necessary. It is OK to scratch your yoyos, but not on purpose.

I don’t care if my yoyos get scratched. As long as it has no vibe, and still can grind. Heck, I did offstring for a half an hour with my DM, CW’ed with my 888, dropped them both 5 times +. But no person should ding there yoyos on purpose, it just isn’t right.

Finally! Thank You.

BTW, I think dings do matter… it effects your grinds. You guys act like it doesn’t even matter, that dings are even better.

Believe it or not, all my yoyos that are beat grind better than the ones in good condition.

[edhaponik]

steve with that espionage (and a file) in va beach a few years back.

this thread has so much dumb in it, i don’t know where to start.
be a real human being. there are worse things in life than your toys getting dented… like being afraid to dent them, for example. if you’re a slave to your possessions, then [implicitly] it’s THEY that possess YOU. ‘this is just unnecessary.’ this is completely necessary. even more so given that this thread is replete with knee-jerk, nails-on-chalkboard reactions that fail to appreciate the POINT.

[Mikers]

I’ve seen those pictures tons of times, and I haven’t noticed the Juggler and YoYoMan tattoos before. Those are great!

[Smoke770077 (Mitch)]

@Mikers

5A with an 888? Dear lord, that must have been terrifying for you.

I never understood the “you should learn 5A on a plastic” thing. Plastic yoyos break. A lot. Would you rather keep replacing a fifteen-thirty dollar yoyo or put a few marks on an aluminum yoyo? And if you’re not dropping your yoyo, your 5A probably sucks.

Im honestly all for learning 5A with a plastic… Im not one to avoid scratches, but that day I dropped an arial and picked up my Die-Nasty which was in a < shape because the bearing seat collapsed, there were two things going through my mind… 1) Didja’ see how high that went, and 2) $*%&! I didn’t bring a back-up yoyo… Now thats because I went… Oh, 17 bucks! My stupid Taco Bell Minimum wage job and replace that, and I can still pay the cell-phone bill, and party!! Yay! But if it had been my '09 $115 G5, I would’a been ticked!!

I do feel that learning 5A is learning to let go… And when a player new to 5A takes their 888 outside and looks around at all the stuff that could destoy it, they might get worried, and go aw man… I better be careful, and that might hinder their learning. Like you said, if your not dropping your yoyo learning 5A, your probably doing somthing wrong.

Wow Ed, I love those pictures… Steve, whats with that MASSIVE spin-top?

[edhaponik]

the alan gray top… a whole lotta top.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4470918625_31e88b9ae6_o.jpg

[stephen_cam (stephen_cameron)]

Steve never replied to my email…he asked for one, but didnt respond.

[Mikers]

Yeah, he has got a wife, kids(?), and a store to run. You should probably give him some time before you complain about him not answering.

(Uh oh. Decided to check up on the store. What happened to shoparooni? That’s a shame…)

[unklesteve (Steve Brown)]

@Mikers

(Uh oh. Decided to check up on the store. What happened to shoparooni? That’s a shame…)

Same thing that happened to the wife.

Still got the kids though, so everything important is intact.

But yeah, super busy at the moment, I’ve got 21 cartons of plush toys arriving today for my other job, and trying to get a couple of press releases together. I’ll reply soon, honest!