I bought a FHZ as my first throw, and have been throwing a magic t5 for about 2 weeks. I’m still a noob. Just wondering how the FHZ has gotten such a good rep. It’s SOO responsive. I’ve already worn down the response pads and its still super responsive. Is it just a good BEGINNER throw, or is there anything I can do to it to make it still useable? I have the “wider” spacers in it, and got 1 1/2 mount at best.
Try cleaning the bearing. Give it a good soak in some mineral turpentine.
Yuki
Yes. Clean it. Every Duncan I have ever had always came over-lubed. But I think the FHZ is made to be responsive. The FHZ, though is also a favorite for modder-fodder.
The FHZ is the No.1 choice for modifications and is easily the most modded yoyo out there. FACT.
I have always wondered why Duncan does not make a FHZ that is already modded?
If everyone modifies it, why not make it the way people want?
Guess it keeps modders in business and gives us something to do with our plastics. The constant search for the perfect yoyo.
I think because there are a real ton of modifications you can do with it that there’s no one modified version to sell. Also, some people modify for the fun of modifying a yoyo.
What kind of mods can I do to it?
some of those that I’ve seen are high wall mod, silicone mod, large bearing mod.
you can try searching for other mods.
You need a drill press for a sili recess, and a lathe to do reshapes, highwalls, and SPR.
You don’t need a drill press to do a recess. All you need is a standard drill or dremel and a vice.
same reason yomega doesn’t make the raider modded well make the stock the modded version
But at the very minimum, they should have changed the stock version to take modern sized response pads/flowable silicone. The only thing I can guess is that it would be a pain to redesign (but then again, why did Duncan do the light-up FHZ redesign and still keep the old pad response, hmm?), and/or they want to keep selling the old response pads (sorta like Hoover not wanting to switch to bagless vacuum cleaner designs because then they wouldn’t be able to see more bags, I dunno…).
I love the FHZ but I don’t think it’s a good modern beginner’s choice. It’s better after you’ve been yoyoing awhile first and want a classic feel, more challenge, want to smooth out your tricks, etc. Other than that, FHZ not having modern response is a fail, IMO.
Tough love, Duncan.
its their best selling beginner yoyo. and i think thats why the flip side was made to be their unresponsive fhz imo
Or a good friend who can hold still for five minutes 
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Duncan does make a unresponsive size c fhz with recess
Or
you should get the flip side
Naw that is just someone who got a bunch of fhz’s and modded them.
Duncan Freehands are great. You just need to break in the lube and the bearing. Then they become unresponsive. And make sure you remove the string after using the yoyo. Duncan uses steel bearings, and they rust from moisture in the string.
It must be good if there is a day ebery week dedicated to it (FHZ Fridays). Clean the bearing, take out one response pad (save the other). You can easily get like 15 hours off that one pad. Then switch to the other one (remember, you saved it?). I love FHZs!
Also, they are easily modded. I just modded one with a cordless drill and a regular 1/8’ wide screwdriver. No vise, no nothing. Squeeze the drill trigger with one hand, screwdriver it with the other. Remember you only need to do one side, not both. And wear safety glasses!
I’m guessing the main reason why they haven’t modified it is that the molds they use to make them are expensive. Injection molds cost $3,000+
While that might not be that much for a big business, the market for pre-modded fhzs most likely isn’t big enough to merit the cost.
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