I picked up a few cool yo-yo’s from our local yo-yo meet up, lot’s of trading going on. There are a few folks in El Paso, TX that happen to throw yo-yo’s. Were trying to get it to grow a little more. If your in El Paso, want to meet up with us drop me a line through this web site and I’ll give ya some details. 

I’ve owned a One Drop Project in the past, an original model, real solid player. The Project two is no different. The Project two has a slightly different feel, but just as solid. I’m not sure what the improvements are from the different versions. I do now I dig them both.

On the smaller scale I picked up this One Drop Dingo. Talk about different. This little fella takes some time to get used to. I’m so used to wing shape yo-yo’s that it makes it more of a challenge to land tricks on this undersized yo-yo. Once you get your practice on with the Dingo, going back to the larger wing shape yo-yo will amaze your consistency.

After playing with these One Drop YoYo’s I’m on a mission to pick up their latest model, The YFactor. Hopefully in the same fab Orange as these two beauties.

I’ve done some trading lately, and have been pleasantly surprised. One nice surprise is the playability of the Kyo DNS by Kyle Weems. The DNS has met my weight limit, 65 grams. Since my elderly bones feel anything above 64 grams the weight of the DNS is tolerable for me. 

I’m a HUGE fan of the Duncan FreeHand line. When anything is produced that looks similar I have to give it a try. The DNS fit’s that mold. Although the FreeHand is a little more square the DNS has a great feel in the hand.

The thing that really impresses me with the DNS is the finishing touches. The Ano work. (color work) is simple and clean. The machine work is extremely clean. All of this equates to a really nice spinning yo-yo. I believe I’m the third owner of the yo-yo in the photos. Being the third owner, take a close look at the finish, still holding up.

I’m starting to think this yo-yo didn’t get the love it deserves when it was released. For the money you can’t go wrong.

Some stats from YoYoNation:

Weight                  65 grams

Width                    42.40mm

Diameter               53.7 mm

I added these two babies to my collection thanks to Ernie over at General-Yo.  The larger silver colored yo-yo is The Magnum, a satin-polished, nickel-plated, full-sized yo-yo made out of pure magnesium.  It isn’t a fast player, but it feels real good in the hand.  The addition of the wooden box which was hand turned from one piece of wood by Ernie’s father really makes this something special.  As I understand, not all pieces will come with a box so I was one of the lucky ones.

I also want to thank Ernie for making something special for me.  A custom engraved ministar, with the name “glasseye” laser-engraved on one side (not shown).  How dope is that?  Many many many thanks to General-Yo for the nice surprise.  General-Yo is really making a big impact on the yo-yo scene here in Southern California.  It’s definitely one of the favorite throws of many of the players in the area.

Dif-e-Yo Tank

Have you ever purchased a product and wondered if it was going to hold up to your usage? Cell phones come to mind, some of them feel so cheap I’d be afraid to put it in my pocket. Then there are some things you pick up and it just feels right, nice and solid. Craftsman Tools come to mind, they just feel good.  I’ve always considered Dif-e-Yo products to be the Craftsman Tools of the yo-yo world.

Dif-e-Yo Bone Chip

When you hold a Dif-e-Yo in the palm of your hand it just feels right. Constructed in the USA, high quality Aluminum, it’s solid, regardless of the model.

Why are Dif-e-Yo’s so solid? A huge axl helps, simplistically yet well designed, and the focus on playability vs aesthetics. Also each yo-yo is tested by the owner, Frank Dif-e-Yo, prior to shipping to retailers. My only wish for Dif-e-Yo product line is Silicone. I wish they would move to a more modern style response, thin groove, silicone response. I have become a silicone lover. The consistency of silicone is something I haven’t been able to get from other responses.

Let’s hope more companies step up to the plate and create products that feel the way they should, solid. Dif-e-Yo has set the bar high, but I’m sure there are others who can keep pushing it higher.

I took the dive into a second quality yo-yo, YoYoFactory B-Grade DV888. I’ve always been a bit skeptical on investing into something that is being sold as less than meeting standard. This time around YoYoExpert made a deal I couldn’t pass up. The Price was right for the product. 

B-Grade to me used to mean, shelf yo-yo, something that would wobble so much it wouldn’t function as designed. I was wrong. This B-Grade DV888 plays nice, there is a vibration to it, something I wouldn’t expect to feel on a first quality yo-yo. The color is probably not what YoYoFactory expected either, I dig it though. There are some markings on the body that probably aren’t supposed to be there, don’t bother me.

You can see from the markings, YoYoFactory wanted to make sure everyone know’s this is a B-Grade.

The bottom line, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a second quality yo-yo. Nothing wrong as long as the consumer’s expectations are at the right level. The price is worth it in my simple opinion.