Yo I have to order new response pads and I don’t know much about them. Which should I get?
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I’m a big fan of Atmos Saturn Pads.
RSO pads are also really good.
Hollywood Yoyos pads are excellent.
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permatex flowable silicone
6 bucks and you get enough for dozens of yoyos and can control the level of response by how much you fill the response groove with.
Pads are expensive and yoyos aren’t a “one size fits all” kind of hobby in regard to equipment. In the same way different yoyos play best with different string thickness, different yoyos like different response pads. Flowable covers all your bases.
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I’m sloppy with crafty stuff…is it easy? Can I ruin my yo-yos if I mess it up or do I just need to make sure I clean it up properly? I seen some text threads about it but maybe I should watch a video…yoshicuda x is out of commission until I get pads and I’m pretty sure I can find that stuff at a brick and mortar store so I’m definitely curious…I think b vu has a video I’ll go watch now
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Very very easy. You won’t ruin your yo-yos and making a mess is fine. I’m sloppy/hasty when I apply silicone. I just rub/peel the excess mess off once the silicone has cured.
The other nice thing about silicone is you don’t have to deal with cleaning out adhesive residue from pads, silicone peels off cleanly. If you don’t like your application you can just peel the whole thing up and instantly try again.
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Aight I think I’m going to try it I watched the Dylan kowalski how to vid and he makes it look really easy
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It took me a long time to want to try out silicone, but once I got a tube I haven’t looked back.
No more response pads protruding, no more putting in pads only to find the yoyo is now too snaggy/too slippy on binds. No more needing to have a several different sizes of pads.
Worst case scenario where you end up hating silicone, you’re only out 6-7 bucks. It’s definitely worth trying. I picked mine up irl from an Autozone.
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I came to say the same thing! Flowable silicone dude, you will never buy pads again and not just because it’s a cheaper method but because you’re gonna notice how nice and consistent binds are without being too grippy/slippy
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Alright gotta wait 20 mins for the auto store to open because google had the hours wrong bah! Any tips to getting all the adhesive out from the old pads? I tried to get it all out before replacing the pads on other yo-yos but it was hard to get it all out like little bits would stick around.
I use a paper tower damp with some acetone/other alcohol on it and just kinda scrape with my fingernail behind the paper towel until it’s all gone. If you miss a spec I wouldn’t fret over it, but yeah silicone not leaving any kind of residue behind is so nice.
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Q-tips with goo gone or wd40 work great for cleaning out the old stuff and q-tips with rubbing alcohol for leaving it clean and ready for flowable
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With all the talk about flowable silicone, I’d figure I would try it out. Seems daunting, but if it means not having to buy pads again, Im all for it. I got some Permatex 81730 Flowable Silicone Windshield and Glass Sealer. 
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The Dylan kowalski video made it seem annoyingly simple… his tuts always make stuff feel like that hah told my SO I would finish my taxes before I did Yoyo stuff tho… I’ll let y’all know how it goes!
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I get Hollywood modern yoyo’s/Ilinx response pads. They are great response pads and you get a great value when you buy them in bulk.
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Just some tips for applying silicone for anybody who wants to give it a shot @GTDropKnot @Woozie
How to silicone a yoyo - YouTube The angle you run the card at is how deep the recess goes, so if you need more grip just have the card going at a lower angle. I like my response grooves to be recessed really hard though so I just use the actual corner of the card like Jake does in this video.
Just kinda work out any air bubbles with the nozzle while applying, going slower helps prevent air bubbles.
Here’s what my yoyos look like after applying. The extra stuff just rubs right off the next day, and I leave the nozzle on the paper towel along with the yoyo so the cured silicone is easily removed from the nozzle.
Some people say to put your tube in the fridge or stick a nail in the tube to ensure the silicone doesn’t dry out inside the tube. I just let the silicone kinda pool into a bubble at the top after removing the nozzle, then put the cap back on and just let it sit upright in an airtight bag up against a shelf. This creates a little cured layer of silicone that keeps the tube airtight inbetween applications. I just keep the bag with the silicone tube in it under my desk.
I’ve been using this tube for about 6-7 months now and have siliconed around 10-15 yoyos in that time. I’ve only had to re-apply silicone to a yoyo once and that was because it had a wider gap and my usual deep recess was just too much. The silicone in my other yoyos is still going strong. The entire process takes me maybe 2-3 minutes. I spend far more time cleaning out pad residue than I spend on the actual silicone application/cleanup process lol.
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This is great info. I’ll have to check out the video a little later and using the corner of a card is genius. Great tips. Thank you. @mable
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Does the silicone wear down like normal pads do but slower or how does it wear over time? I think that should be my last question and thanks for all the info about this!
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Also going to recommend the clear flowable silicone. DO NOT get the red stuff. I tried that first because I like red, and it is horrible. It was hard to apply, crumbly, and more expensive.
this is the good stuff. Binds feel way better than most pads I’ve tried. Easy peasy application, I use a business card to level it off and it dries outside overnight. I just put the silicone over any response pad residue if its the first time Ive silicone’d it. When you replace it, the residue will be pulled out too.
edit: yeah the silicone wears out but it lasts a good while and the entire bottle is like 7 dollars at the auto zone near me. As opposed to 1.50-3.00 per set of pads (unless you find a good bulk)? Also you dont have to worry about having non-standard response pads because you just fill it with goop!
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I’ve tried a ton of response, I think the three most consistent I’ve tried over the years (that you can still buy… rip irpad) is siliconing yourself, hkmt grip-l, RSO pads, and I’ve been experimenting with the modernyoyo pads recently and have so far been impressed.
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When you start to get better at it and get a nice layer in the recess it will last quite a long time, more so than any pads I’ve personally tried (disclaimer I haven’t tried every single brand of pad or anything but probably 4-5 brands/different types.) I think it’s important to mention too not to be afraid of it getting on your yoyo or anything. Like Mable said it will rub right off the next day after it all dries. You don’t have to be a precision surgeon when applying it (me)
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