I’m a newbie playing with a YoYoFactory One for a few months now - I picked it up at the start of the year. I’m using the responsive bearing because I don’t feel ready to advance to the unresponsive one yet. However lately it has been becoming less and less responsive. It’s not completely unresponsive but things like forward passes often don’t start to wind up or start too late for me to catch them.
First I thought it was the string wear, but after changing a couple of strings I don’t think it’s that. I tried searching the web, but the best advice I got was to “lube your yoyo”. Confusingly, the same advice was given to people who’se unresponsive yoyos were becoming responsive. I could see the latter, but how could a lube work the other way?
Anyway… if lubing is the right answer, here’s another question I couldn’t find an answer to - would sewing machine lubricant (unaltered) be suitable for a responsive yoyo? I could try and order specialty lube bottle from abroad, but that’s a bit on the expensive side, so I’d like to try something locally available, and sewing machine oil is commonly recommended. I’m pretty sure the “specialty yoyo lubes” are just some generic lubricants in a fancy bottle - I only have to find out their parameters to find something matching.
so there are 2 types of lube, thick and thin. thin lube is for unresponsive bearings and is honestly more for making the bearing quiet. thick lube is for responsive play. the thicker lube creates more friction inside the bearing and results in more responsiveness at the cost of some spin time, which is less important during responsive play. thin lube will do the same just at a lower rate so youd have to use more to achieve the same effect.
I’ve heard of ppl saying they’ve used that as well a 3 in 1. just remember with lube, a tiny bit goes a long way! if you find it was too much you can always soak the bearing in alcohol, acetone, or lighter fluid to reset it and start again.
As mentioned lube in the bearing creates friction and causes the bearing to decelerate more rapidly than when dry. This decelerating helps with response. Also in a year of regular play you can wear your response pads down as well. This will cause less response. If I remember the One comes with some pretty thick pads to make it responsive so you may also look at replacing those. But a thicker oil than sewing machine oil would work better. I typically use grease in bearings I want lubed for responsive.
Thanks for the replies! Say, would a bicycle chain lube be good? I’ve got the kind that is considered “thin” (dry weather) for bike chains, but I suspect that for something as delicate as a yoyo it might be the equivalent of a thick lube? I don’t want to ruin the bearing or spend hours cleaning it, so I’m a bit nervous of just trying it out.
It’s a bit frustrating that none of the various lubricants out there - yoyo or otherwise - specify any technical details, such as viscosity.
can’t speak for that specifically but you won’t ruin the bearing. also, just as a suggestion long term, a bottle of lube specifically for yoyos will last you a LONG time. you literally need a drop or two
So, I just took the plunge and added a tiiiiny drop of that chain oil. Not even a drop, just the tiniest smidge I could possibly do. And wow, what an effect that had. The normally pretty noisy yoyo became whisper quiet, and crazy responsive. A bit more even than I would have liked. But it’s not jammed up or anything - just way more resistance.
From what I read elsewhere, I expect that this effect will lessen with time - first a bit faster (break-in), and then slowly over time it will return to where it was this morning. Am I correct?
Say, would a bicycle chain lube be good? I’ve got the kind that is considered “thin” (dry weather) for bike chains, but I suspect that for something as delicate as a yoyo it might be the equivalent of a thick lube? I don’t want to ruin the bearing or spend hours cleaning it, so I’m a bit nervous of just trying it out.