What IS this?

What is it, and how do I get rid of it??? I’ve tried soap + water and rubbing alcohol, nothing has fixed it. My suspicion is aluminum oxide, but I don’t know how it would be there if the anodization is supposed to protect the metal from oxidization.

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Looks like oxidization or pitting to me

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Tarnished - Anodising alumnium does protect but it can, and will tarnish. No fix short of stripping and reanodising the aluminium. This is frequently seen on older motorbike parts and this is from where I take my experience from.

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Anodisation IS the process of surface oxidisation. Purpose of anodising on yoyos - to create a surface for paint, and not really to protect aluminium from oxidisation.
I think in your case paint starting to fall out from micro cavities in oxide film, and that is it. These small dots is small areas of oxidised sulface. I also think that only way to get rid of them - to reanodise your yoyo, as already been said.

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Soap and water?

You could not remove that with Magic soap and Holy water.

‘I’ am not an Anodizer. I am not a Chemist. I certainly do not have ‘all’ the answers. But that being said. I do have a few thoughts since I started having aluminum Harley parts anodized over 50 years ago.

Parts to be ano’d have to be perfectly cleaned in a mechanical and chemical sense.

The solution used in the ano process has to be Free of contamination.

If… there is a weak link in the process, the anodization will not yield a high quality result.

Contamination can result in micro porosity. The porosity results in a surface more susceptible to corrosion. Since the ano’d surface does not have a continuous molecular bond, it can more readily degrade.

Obviously, I have no idea what outside sources that yoyo has been subjected to? Salt water, sweaty acidic hands, close proximity to a dissimilar metal(causing electrolysis)? There are a number of things that can contribute to the pitting/surface breakdown in your image.

But you will only be able to solve that problem by stripping the yoyo.

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I hope that’s not your favorite throw!

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I just got it in a package from yoyobrothers, it’s his specially hand picked 28 Stories Chief, so I’m a little disappointed just because they’re SUPER noticeable, but it was going to be a player as well as a collection piece, so I’m only half disappointed.

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If its 7075 thats common. Something with how they ano them. My 7075 Jason lee supernova is mint but heavily played and has the same thing going on.

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I don’t think there were 28s chiefs done in 7075, correct me if I’m wrong?

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I’m interested in why anodised 7075 aluminum alloy is more susceptible to corrosion?

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Im not sure on the reason why, just something ive heard a few times.

Yep, I’ve seen it on yoyofactory stuff in the past like the 08 888’s.

Here’s an 08 888 that was part of the anniversary pre pro release that did the same thing
Imgur

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Correct - The only 7075 Chief’s were Hulk Smash and Saskatoon Blizzard.

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Theres black bip bop as well.

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Oh yes, you’re right. I blank BBB from my mind. Amongst the worst CLYW colourway. I have 153 CLYW’s and none are BBB.

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The extent to which the entire community would tear you apart for that opinion makes me worry for your safety…

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