And in there was my YYE string! Yes, I put it there on purpose. Reading how Vulto was making a string that if you put in your pant pocket after wear and tear or dirty and wash it so you can reuse, I was inspired to do the same except with YYE 100 Poly string.
Before:
The string was sticky and moist plus rough and had the usual fray that shows it’s old. It had the tension problem you get with old string (you know what I’m talking about) and I thought it was time to put in a new string. Then it hit me, I shouldn’t throw it away, I should try and wash it. So I put it in the cargo pocket of my pants and threw it in the laundry basket. So I won’t suffer from throw deprivation I put on a new string anyways.
After:
Today I found out that my mom just did the laundry and took my string out. Right then I noticed the difference. The fray was down and the feel was smoother almost like new! Though I had to pick a knot of to due to the tumbling of the dryer (that wasn’t drastic) there was nothing wrong. The roughness of old string was still there but that was minimized and pretty much it felt like 10 minute old broken in string.
Play:
I put my newer string in my yo-yo case and popped this baby in. First thing I did was a whip bind and came up good. The string tension was gone so I did a jade whip and played like normal.
So all in all you guys can save some money on string by doing this. It’s not just Vulto string that does this (pretty sure their string is just better for this kind of treatment) but I highly recommend reusing these strings so you don’t have to waste them. When this string is done I’m gonna take the one I put in my case play that and then put that in the wash.
I just have one question. If your string is already used to the point that it’s “old,” then would putting it through the wash really strengthen the string back up so that it doesn’t have the tendency to break? The reason I ask is that I don’t normally change strings for the sole reason that they don’t play as well after a while, but because I don’t want them breaking if I’m out of the house at the store or something. I can’t figure out how it would be safe to use an old string, even if it is seemingly good-as-new.
i’ve been doing this for years… but i dont use the laundry. SImply wash it with soap n water… and rinse well. Then hang it to dry, for that close to new feeling. I really like gator floss and since they dont make it any more… I,m kinda stuck renewing my stings
Today I washed some old strings, what I did was washing them I soapy water, rinse and hang them, for some strings I did a variation. I wash them in starch for ironing after I washed them in soap.
The string may play like new, but you run the risk of breaking it. I’ve done this before with some bad results… Because washing the string doesn’t give it back strength from wear.
I’m the kind of guy that like to play his string till they are really worn out. That was how the string was when I put it and it had a day and a half of non-stop play before it became it’s old self again. It was a good experiment and made me realize that I should renew them before they reach the limit to the point where renewing them won’t last longer. I managed to do lots of combos with the renewed string so I’m pretty sure that’s the reason why it wore out.
I say that this method is OK and if you do it right then it will help lots.
BTW: For those of you who are afraid that it will break; the chance is reduced when you put it in a deeper pocket.
Sorry to bump this, but I have a new question in the subject, so I think it’s valid…How well would this little trick work with string that’s made from a blend of polyester and nylon?
Yes, it might return it back to the new feeling, but you have to remember that the string isn’t… so it’s not like the string is stronger. The chance of it breaking is still the same as before. So just watch out. It’s not new. It’s the old with better feeling, but not durability.
