noobie question but
is YoYoFactory Long Spin Performance Oil and yyf thin lube same?
I assume so. It’s just a low weight lube to protect the bearing and reduce noise. Any lube will create friction and slow a bearing slightly but extend life span
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100% yes the lube I use is the yyf long spin performance oil (that’s what it says on the bottle) but I bought it as thin lube like that’s what I ordered it just doesn’t say thin lube on the bottle
Just googled it again to be certain but properly applied lube reduces friction in bearings.
Here is a technical pdf from nsk and they say the same
https://www.nskeurope.com/content/dam/nskcmsr/downloads/literature_bearing/P_TI-0105_EN.pdf
“ Lubrication – Reducing friction and bearing wear
Lubricating a bearing with greases or oils stops direct metallic contact between the bearing components and the cage. A sufficient film of lubricant prevents friction and potential overheating of the bearing, which can stop premature wear and extend fatigue life. Lubrication also means that foreign particles cannot penetrate the bearing and protects against corrosion.”
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Yes lubrication reduces friction between the race and balls within the bearing however overall the friction coefficient of the yoyo is higher reducing overall spin time and speed of a throw within a yoyo. Your increasing the overall contact between parts by putting a layer of light weight oil between the parts you want to reduce wear on, but the overall physics equation of your throw and the spin friction is increased.
We are saying the same thing I’m just referring to the yoyo action as a whole while you’re talking about bearing its self. Lube will never give you more spin or faster spin thats just not how it works.
as for the long spin and thin lube yyf stuff i assume its new and old packaging and because they make a bunch and vendors buy a bunch there is overlap in the market but i would bet its the same stuff.
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I don’t understand because this nsk document about it says the opposite. I don’t think lube increases spintime or anything like mmoi is the same either way. I just don’t think it hurts spintime either like as long as there isn’t friction in the bearing, spintime should be the same, based on what I’ve read but I don’t know I can definitely definitely be wrong and misunderstanding this.
I guess I just like lube and it’s been working for me.
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Run them dry. Problem solved about oil.
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We are getting very close to remedial physics class here and I’m not qualified to talk at that level, but I did a paper a decade ago when in college about viscosity being essentially liquid friction. By adding a lubricant, you increase the contact surface area by filling the voids in the materials contacting each other with something. The more viscous the liquid the higher the friction coefficient between the materials however the more even the wear of the material and reducing wear over time. yoyo oil/Lube/grease is useful. long spin/thin has a lower viscosity/weight so it can protect the bearing from wear while still allowing for a long spin (humidity and other environmental factors play in here too) In the end your reducing friction between the bearing race and balls because your adding friction between those components and the viscosity of the lube which reduces “performance” it’s all a balancing act. For responsive you use this to your advantage by over lubing your bearing or using a heavier lube/grease to increase the overall friction coefficient.
Similarly harder and softer pads, larger and smaller gaps and thicker, thinner and course or soft string can change the equation but it’s all friction increasing or decreasing friction between the yoyo parts. and that my friend is the extent of my ability to explain what i mean. feel free to research or not on your own.
In the end knowing the science behind why yoyo yo’s isn’t necessary to enjoy yo.
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If you’re looking to pick up some lube get One Drop’s V4M. There is absolutely nothing wrong YYFs I have a bottle of that too, but the V4M seems to last longer in the bearing, makes the yoyo more quiet (if you’re into that), and doesn’t seem to take away spin time, at least I haven’t noticed it. I also use the tiniest drop known to man so lol
@GTDropKnot . NSK is a bearing manufacturer. They make all kinds of different bearings and it’s likely that you are reading a statement about their other types of bearings, but their yoyo bearings are dry when shipped and designed to run dry. Yoyo bearings are not subjected to the heat and pressures of bearings in other applications. A stainless steel yoyo bearings world can only be degraded by dirt and grime and maybe humidity but i doubt it. Actually lubricating the bearings makes them more susceptible to it by attracting dirt. I have run NSK for over 5 years without cleaning or having to replace them.
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Speaking of One Drop, the product page for 10Ball Bearing states:
Your choice lubed or cleaned. Lubed is recommended for spinners if your priority is quietness. Lubed won’t spin quite as long, but its quiet and buttery smooth. Cleaned are recommended for unresponsive yoyo play.
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Hey to each their own lol, I clean and lube my ODs like every other week and I don’t see any difference in play or spin time other than the obvious more quiet and smooth. I also don’t throw super long combos or anything either though.
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No argument here. I never lube bearings because for me a little more noise is a good tradeoff for rarely needing to clean bearings.
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Yes sir, I see your side too🫡 Plus ODs are pretty quiet and smooth either way you prefer it, they’re just damn good bearings lol
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Lol 
David. Obviously I used the NSK technical insight documentation bc I know they manufacture good bearings. I think it’s annoying that you assume I don’t know what I’m talking about, without even considering the evidence I posted. I would love to see evidence beyond the anecdotes about your own personal experiences. Please provide some some of information to prove me wrong.
If you google, lubrication friction ball bearings, there is a ton of articles explaining how PROPER lubrication of a ball bearing reduces friction and that’s why I made the comment I did and provided evidence from a source I thought was reputable and relevant.
In general, I believe
But I enjoy learning about yo-yos and how they work. Use lube or don’t. I don’t care if you or anyone else uses lube or doesn’t. 
Okay so after reading that article what is “proper” lubrication for a yo-yo bearing? I would imagine based on the very mild review I did of that article that temperature, bearing size , weather conditions environmental conditions would all factor in ? Does someone in New York lube their bearings different than someone in LA? I think you are being a bit rough on David when it didn’t seem like he was not being confrontational at all.
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And okay my bad maybe I was. I put up the evidence and instead of looking at it, they decided that I was likely reading the wrong thing.
Ok Henry. The OP asked a question. You, answered said question. That should have been the end of it. The OP never asked for yours or anyone else’s opinion about lubrication and friction. you decided to try to prove another poster wrong about it using an article from NSK. That’s a bearing I have been using for a long time now because the platinum and gold plated bearings are shipped dry and designed to run dry. So I responded because you admittedly didn’t understand how lube could add friction. I wasn’t trying to make a deal about it but you were using your misguided opinion to help another newbie. I don’t care if you lube or not. I wasn’t trying to help the OP because I didn’t have the answer to his question. You have been all over this forum for a few months now rushing to help and trying to be an influencer in the community and while that’s a good thing, there are still times when you give information that is not helpful or even useful.
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Don’t continue this here
Okay, I am happy to be wrong and have a conversation. If you think I’m giving bad advice, you should say so! I just would like to see some evidence is all that I ask because as a newbie, there is a ton of bad advice out here already. I wasn’t trying to be a ■■■■I was trying to get the facts straight bc that statement conflicts with what the manufacturer says about lubricants.
I said I could be wrong and I’m just trying to get the facts straight. captrogers explained about the use in bearings specifically for yoyo and that was cool. You went out of your way to call me out about how I’m wrong with no evidence.
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