I have been reflecting on the various techniques we all employ when breaking in a new one. We all know that fresh out of the box, yo yos can be a bit unpredictable or feel different so I am curious to hear your techniques.
Do you give your yo yo some solid throws right away to loosen things up?? Maybe you have got a favorite trick routine that helps smooth out the response and get things spinning the way you like? Or do you adjust the bearing or string setup to get it feeling just right?
I have found that doing some simple tricks like gravity pulls and sleepers helps a lot. But I want to learn any unique rituals or methods that have worked well for you if there are any cool tricks I should try that help a new yo yo settle in faster.
As well, I found these resources when doing research on this; & I want to hearing your tips and tricks, It would be greatly appreciated!
When I am expecting a new yoyo I have a new string ready to go on it. I almost never use the string it comes with but save those in a bag. The first thing I do is a few basic binds just to get the feel of returns. Then a few frontstyle Guy Wright Binds Then Iāll do some frontstyle elements. I try to remember that sometimes I will love a yoyo instantly while others will take a little time to get the feel of.
I like to check out the default set-up. I grab whatever string came in the box/bag with the yoyo and just start doing whatever tricks I have been vibing with lately (unless the stock string was black lol). Then I usually clean and lube the bearing for good measure and put on a fat or normal string depending on what vibes I was getting from the yoyo before. Iām lazy so donāt typically like to fool with the response until the stock pads give out and then Iāll set that yoyo together with the other yoyos to silicone all together eventually.
something ive noted is that my perception of how a yoyo plays is heavily influenced by the type of yoyos ive been playing lately. For example, if ive been playing very light, unforgiving yoyos or of ive been playing with wide, rimweighted or heavy yoyos, then playing with something on the other end of that respecitve spectrum tends to feel jarring and its play characteristics tend to get amplified to a degree where they dotn reflect how the yoyo plays and feels in reality.
What i tend to do to avoid this is that i have some sort of āpalate cleanserā yoyos i tend to use after testing or evaluating a new one (i used to do this more often when i was actively filming yooy reviews, now not so often). Iād play for a day or two with very neutral playing yoyos like machined plastics or very mild feeling monometals (og shutter, iyoyo shooting star, protostar, czechpoint, etc). I notice this helps me to see every yoyo for what it really is, but iād only do this when i was worred about neutrally evaluating a yoyo for a review. Nowadays i dont do that nearly as much with new yoyos i get, only if i notice if something feels off with them setup-wise.
All my factory strings are still in the boxes as well, I never really use them. I like to replace the response with a slightly recessed permatex ultra grey as soon as Iām willing to let my new toy sit unplayed for a day. Itās always a huge step up from stock response for me. Iām just used to the feel of it and I love how it responds. Once the response is good to go I can finally get a feel for how it really plays.
