New Protostar won't bind!

I was hoping someone coudlhelp with this problem. I just got a new Protostar today and it won’t bind. As I am a newb I have been trying the very easy front and back binds and they don’t seem to be grabbing. Do some binds not work on some yoyos? is there a break in period before which Binds are tougher?

Let me know.

Thanks,

Tim

Nope, the Protostar is just picky when it comes to biting on a bind. Keep practicing on binds exclusively on the Protostar and just pay attention to what works for you every time you successfully bind and then just do that every time. It becomes really second nature after a little while.

1 Like

Yeah, From what I have heard, the YoYoFactory Protostar is more unresponsive than other yoyos. Just work on your binds and you should eventually be able to do a bind with the Protostar.

1 Like

Make sure you are doing the right bind for the way the yoyo is spinning. If you are doing a bind from a breakaway, for example, you have to do an undermount bind. Also make sure you are really flicking the loop into the gap, instead of just dropping the loop in.

1 Like

Just make sure that you don’t just let the loop fall you have to guide it backwards and then take your finger out. This is assuming you are doing a frontstyle bind and when I say guide it backwards I mean pull the loop in the gap and pull it towards you.

1 Like

Thanks for the advice guys. I will keep practicing and try your suggestions.

Tim

Pinching the loop will also help.

1 Like

Okay guys. I am having a new problem now. I can “usually” get it and my new Dark Magic II, to bind, but when I do I get the following problems:

  1. I get a long “tail” from the loop that I drop into the gap. It does not sort of “suck into” the gap. It just hangs out of the gap a couple of inches.

  2. It almost always jams up a bit, will only let me throw it about 12 inches and snaps back. I have to do this a couple of times before it will let me throw it the full length of the string and even then it sticks quite a bit and provides a really wobbly and weak sleeper.

Also, when I am binding the yoyo is usually spinning away from me and I am just doing a front bind from sort of a brain twister mount. Should I be trying to to an undermount bind? If so I need to practice undermounting as I am still pretty weak at doing string mounts etc.

Thanks,

Tim

Any more suggestions while I watch more binding videos?

Thanks again.

Tim

From what I see, both 1) and 2) are caused by the same problem. I think when you bind, the loop that you throw into the gap is too big. To solve this problem, when binding, try to make the loop that you put into the gap smaller. If the loop is too big, it might get stuck in between the strings when the yoyo is responding, causing the yoyo to snag when you throw it the next time.

1 Like

hey man, i know exactly how to fix your problume because it happened to me aswell. all you need to do is change the reasponse with new pads, right out of the box the pads almost look wornin or thiner with a slick coating (atleast the several iv got in in the past did) and i know it wasnt my bind because iv been bind ing for a while and this was my only yoyo with the problume so its a quick fix, just put new pads in
:slight_smile:

1 Like

No, it’s with his new ProtoStar, and even with worn out pads you can still bind. That’s not it at all. He just needs to work on his bind. What you want to do is pinch that bind, and push it into the gap until it looks like it will come up, and then take your finger out, and then it should come back up.

1 Like

ok, the loop is still big. when you get better at binding, the loop will get smaller (and this is what you should practice). in the beginning, a bigger loop means more likely to bind it. this is because you are not used to the amount of flick you need to use. with a big loop, the flick can be fairly small, with a small loop, the flick will be fairly large. with a smaller loop, the tail will hang out less and it will jam less. also, you may notice that you will get less random knots after binding.

and i recommend taking the center track out (because they do center the string, but it also makes binds slip more) and swap it for a flat bearing.

1 Like

derp bear, i know its new but if you read my post i said both my “new” protos came with very thin almost warn in padds straight out the box and couldnt really bind so i replaced the pads with new ones and it worked fine.

1 Like

this happened to me right when i got my protostar. i was so bummed i didnt play with it for almost a week because i couldnt bind with it. i just played with my velocity. then after a day i finally figured it out!

and yea try changing the pads. nothing like fresh pads and fresh string :slight_smile:

1 Like

Another way to bind is to pinch the string and then roll the yoyo towards your non-throwhand and then let it go when there is a considerable amount of sting in the gap and just let go of the string when it starts to come back, this is how I learnt to bind and soon you will be able to do a normal bind no prob (this works for frontstyle binds and breakaway throws).

P.S. are you doing a frontstyle throw when you do a bind in a brain twister mount, if so this is an under mount and you should bind from an over mount which is kinda the oppositeto this otherwise you are more likely to get a snag, the zipper shows you which is which. If you are binding from a breakaway then you should bind from an under mount as this is less likely to cause a snag then from a trapeze.

1 Like

I have the exact same problem. You almost have to concintrate on the bind at speed paying more attention to the bind than the trick.
I will order new response rings or make some from silicon. A flat bearing will be installed and testijng two types of string. , Guess I’me not pinching the string enough even on double binds.
This is the toughest yo yo I have,Dark Magit , Hit man, Mo Tu, are all great they have bigger O rings.
I realize it’s because the wide gap and center bearing. If I master a really good and quick bind this will be a fine yo.
Will be getting an 888 , hope it’s not like the Protostar??

1 Like

Thanks for all the help. I am getting better at it, but I still go through spells in which it won’t bind. Also, if it takes a couple of tries and the yoyo slows down appreciably, it gets almost impossible to bind. But again, I am getting better and occasionally get it dead on.

In general, as I am a real newbie at higher end yoyos at all, I am mostly throwing front throws. I have found that doing an over mount is more successful. I also, find that doing that throw over the non-throw hand index finger and flipping the yoyo back over non-throw thumb onto the string is also usually successful to some degree. But that means I actually have to land it on the string which is still a learning process for me. I have also tried the under mount from a trapeze and otherwise but I can never land that. Will keep trying.

By the way. I also have a Dark Magic II with the “non-responsive” bearing in it. Probably since that one is much narrower, I am usually much more successful in getting the DM II to bind than the Protostar. Both very fun yoyos though with very long sleep times.

Thanks again.

Tim

am i right u just started all u need to do is practice watch andre on the video and it becomes muscle memory

u might also want to learn the bind from trapeze it is easy and almost guarantees a return hope this helped

            have fun , LORD◘                also i have a protoostar and it binds just fine from trapeze
1 Like

Thanks. Binding directly from a trapeze usually fails for me, I think because I am not understanding the relationship between spin and bind direction. I have also tried to do that flip to undermount but can not seem to land that in the gap and even when I do it doesn’t continue through and go over.

Keeping on trying!

Tim

Sleeper= basic trapeze bind in front of you. Breakaway= Undermount bind. That’s really all there is to it. Just remember that, and keep practicing binding, and you should get it!

1 Like