TotalArtist Review of YoyoSpirit Ano Strip and Polish
Well, at yo-yo club, a kid wanted to trade me his YYF Boss that had a bit of damage, for my Spyy throw that also had a bit of damage. The trade was in his favor, but because it really made him happy, I traded the Spyy for the Boss. As soon as I did, I knew what I planned to do with it…send it to YoyoSpirit.
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Boss by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
Now for some background. Some time ago, Fellavader texted me a photo of his Skywalker, that he bought off the Buy Sell Trade, and later had polished by YoyoSpirit. I saw that yo-yo before it was polished, and it seemed like there was no way it could be the same yo-yo. So, when I saw the Boss, that had scratches and tiny scuffs around the rims, after that word of mouth review, I knew that I had to send the Boss to YoyoSpirit. I remembered posting a donation thread, where yo-yos would be donated to Fellavader’s club, New Hampshire Yo-Yo Club. If I recall correctly, Fellavader told me about YoyoSpirit then, as he was impressed with what he donated. Fellavader told me that YoyoSpirit was a young man, and that he silicone recessed Freehand Zeros. He also told me the tool that he used to do it, and he told me that they played great. I took note of this, and was curious about this talented young man. I polished a few of my own raw throws, but to strip the ano off the Boss and then polish it, was really a bit too much of a task.
So, I contacted YoyoSpirit, and we quickly made a deal. We decided that the strip and polish would be a mere $20. He was willing to work with me on the price, but the $20 was more than fair, so we agreed on that. After all, it must take several hours, at least, to strip and polish a yo-yo. I sent the funds via Paypal, and mailed the Boss out to him the very next morning.
Communication was prompt, straight forward and consistent throughout. I notified him when I shipped out, and he contacted me when he received the yo-yo. Not only did he state that he received the yo-yo, but he gave me a quick assessment of the condition of the yo-yo cosmetically and otherwise. I knew precisely that the yo-yo had some vibe, but I was not sure if it could be attributed to the bearing. I had not switched it out to check. YoyoSpirit noticed it, and gave me his assessment of it, and he identified the bearing in the yo-yo as well. He identified it as a 10 ball bearing. He gave me an estimated return ship date, and when he shipped out, he sent me a tracking number.
I met YoyoSpirit in person at NorthEast Reginals. He is very perceptive, and I can tell that he like to analyze things and take in the world around him. That was my read of him when we met. He knows his yo-yos, and I noticed that in the Shape Game I posted on the forum, he could identify almost every single yo-yo I posted…99% of them. He is extremely observant, and has the characteristics of a great yo-yo modder.
The timeline was as follows:
I shipped the yo-yo first class on July 20th
He received the yo-yo on July 22nd
He return shipped on July 27th, via Priority
I received the yo-yo on July 29th
So, from the date he received the yo-yo to the date I received it back, was one week turnaround time. Pretty fast, to have your yo-yo get an entire makeover in that time. So, I received the yo-yo, which was packed well in the box, with the yo-yo halves wrapped separately. A complimentary string was included with my bearing and axle, which were all packaged separately in a small zip lock style bag. I removed them carefully, so that I would not get my fingerprints on the yo-yo. I knew, as soon as I saw it, that the yo-yo was way too shiny to have the light box do it any justice. It was a sunny day, so I thought it was best to photograph the yo-yo outside. I put some white paper down, and took these shots. I should have dressed better and done my hair, because I did not realize I would be in the photos. Shame on me for that:
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Boss3 by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
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Boss6 by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
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Boss5 by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
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Boss7 by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
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Boss4 by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
Now for indoor shots…mark on the left is part of the light box showing in the reflection:
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Boss2 by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
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Boss1 by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
So, this young modder lets his work speak for itself. He has quietly maintained his thread, updated his photos, and let it do the talking for him. He had no clue that Fellavader essentially gave him a referral long ago, and I had not forgotten. YoyoSpirit is very knowledgeable about the things he tranforms, and he has a talent that is the product of hard work. I can tell that he enjoys what he does. He is responsible, and lets people know when he is accepting work and when he is not. He responds promptly, and he is more than fair. Communication is great. I got an overall assessment of the condition of my yo-yo, the ano stripped and polished, all for $20. I had my yo-yo back in a week. YoyoSpirit has just gained another satisfied customer. If you would like your yo-yo to be stripped and/or polished, send it to YoyoSpirit. I cannot imagine the work he will be doing in the future.
-A TotalArtist Review