Stripped.

[GunstarHero]

I'm not putting this in the modding section because this doesn't pertain to mods, I'm not looking for advice on how to fix it...I'm looking to see whether or not I just have bad luck or others have had the same issue.


As some of you know, I am a huge fan of the YYF Superstar. I have, and still, owned several during my time as a yoyoer.

Anyway..

This morning I successfully stripped my second Superstar. I have at one point owned another Superstar that came to me stripped. 3 stripped Superstars...

I've literally never heard of, or experienced a certain yoyo having this issue. The Superstars I owned were all of different runs...one still had the posts tapped out..the other two I'd say are from the  09-10 run. There are so many though I can't be sure.

Honorable mention goes out to my DMII that I also stripped.

I'm not forceful when I screw my yo-yos back together....I screw them just tight enough to ensure they don't come apart during play...

This really set me off this morning.  I now have my only two remaining Superstars sitting in my basement...one only has a stripped axle...the other needs a retap.

I think it's safe to say I'll never buy another Superstar again...I've only had one that didn't strip but it probably would have if I kept it longer..

So what gives? I thought the SS was made of 7075...it feels like cheap pot metal...they just stripped so easily.

I'd hate to think this is a common issue...who wants to pay booku bucks for a yoyo that will eventually become unusable unless you get it retapped.

[jrodriguez]

I'd strongly suggest that you contact Yoyofactory about this issue and see if they might be able to help you out.

[yoyospirit]

Did you buy them from a user on the forums?  If so, then don't blame YYF.  I've had several yoyos strip on me, even YYJ plastics.

[GunstarHero]

Thank you for the responses.

I ensure to clean and look over every yoyo I receive via a trade the ss's in question were fine for a when I received them. Ill be in touch with yyf.

Anyone else experience similar issues?

The superstars were fine for at least a month or two before they were stripped.

[yoyospirit]

What makes the threads stronger is the anodize.  After unscrewed repeatedly, the ano will wear out and the threads will become weaker.

[GunstarHero]

I've never seen a yoyo that had the inside of the axle.hole annodized.....

[yoyofactoryben]

It was 2009 we made the first prototypes, Kentaro threw the same pairs literally for a year, Ando painted some up, won worlds on them. Production wise the numbers were always pretty low, still to this day, no more than 100 pieces of any color have been produced. I can say that there have been more than 50 but less than 100 colors produced. The design was changed once, with the move to blind posts. The same machine has produced every Superstar half in that time and every Superstar is made of 7075 Aluminum.
In our log I can find 1 email enquiring about a stripped superstar (April 29 of this year). Winston Supernova. The end result was the yoyo was not stripped but its owner had switched the axle out for a shorter axle, which means the threads were not engaging in both halves. A return to the stock axle was the suggested solution, we sent them a spare axle just in case and have not heard from them since. There was another case I found on a forum in September 2010 which sounds like a yoyo may have shipped with an axle that was too short but efforts to contact the owner fell on deaf ears as they did not respond to email.

If it was a Superwide, Id say YUP, they are made of old coke cans    We have replaced a couple a month (and will not be offering that product in the future because of this). Something 6061.. it rarely happens, say less than .01% an unlucky cross thread when reassembling the yoyo may cut the threads up enough and in a manner it may strip. A couple runs of yo-yos it became evident a machining error had compounded the problem (around the era of original California's) but nothing in the last couple of years. Occasionally we get a yoyo where someone has tried to experiment threading their FAST 201 into their Genesis (which by the way would be ok until you over tighten it) or something of a similar Frankensteinish Nature but stripped 7075? I can unequivocally state we see more snapped axles (again typically caused by the wrong size axle being used).

We are happy to work with you on something to get everything spinning again and we know Lightning does strike, it may strike the same place twice even (stranger things happen) but 3, and a Dark Magic?

Good luck on your quest to find others who this may have afflicted, its all valuable feedback for us, and if you would like us to help you out, contact@yoyofactory.com will get you in contact with us.

[yoyofactoryben]

I've never seen a yoyo that had the inside of the axle.hole annodized.....

Most yoyos are anodized in the threads for cosmetic purposes, the contact point from the rack and flow of current often will lead to a light spot, but for all intents and purposes this area is still anodized (with the benefits of increased durability) and if you attempted to repeat the process no charge would flow through the threads.

[GunstarHero]

Thanks Ben for providing such an in depth, informative read! I meant to email you before you had to find it via a thread.

The first Superstar I had encountered this issue with was a B grade, pink beadblasted version. I purchased from the BST section of this forum. Once I received it I immediately noticed the axle hole was tapped through the hub stack posts. After just a few days one half of the yoyo stripped and I, in a desperate attempt to resolve the issue, tried every which way to get the axle to stay which only resulted in further damage.

Then I stripped a Blue Jensen Kimmitt SS, a main player. The axle appears to be the same dimensions as my others, but I can't be sure...I also received this yoyo from the BST.

I now own one Superstar out of the four I have had has not been stripped (I've also owned it the longest time AND purchased it new from a retailer) . The axle is not the stock axle it came with though. Its shorter, which doesn't make sense....I ordered the replacement from an online retailer. In fact there is a discrepancie between this and "another" site between the suggested axle size. From what I can recall one states 15mm and the other 20 mm. I may have this confused with the DV888 though....its difficult to check on my phone.

I will be changing its axle just in case it happens again.

Thanks for the informtion and making an excellent product Ben. I don't hold any negative feelings toward the company or you pertaining this issue; it seems as though I have just experienced some bad luck with the BST and this particular yoyo.

[yoyofactoryben]

Look forward to hearing from you and might use you to test out something new 

[GunstarHero]

 I'm up for it. I look forward to it as well. Is email the best way to contact you? Sorry I haven't been in touch sooner I'm out of town and just settled down.

[jrodriguez]

Ben posted this above:

Good luck on your quest to find others who this may have afflicted, its all valuable feedback for us, and if you would like us to help you out, contact@yoyofactory.com will get you in contact with us.

[GunstarHero]

 Ah thanks man. I missed that one.

[Graiskye]

What makes the threads stronger is the anodize.  After unscrewed repeatedly, the ano will wear out and the threads will become weaker.

So is this your own theory, or documented fact.
 I just checked 6 or 7 of my yoyos, Gen Yo, RecRev, ILYY, YYF, and aside from specs of colour here and there , there were no anodized threads ?
This would lead me to believe that some tap after ano, and or they re tap to clean the threads of any excess ano so the axle will fit properly, after they have been annoed.
 Annoed threads would have to have allowance for the annodization, and the tolerances they are working at are very tight, it is very difficult to guarantee the thickness of the anno, and that it will be the same always in every thread, so the threads would need to be cleaned to bring them into spec. That is my theory, I would love to hear how it is really done.
 But I seriously doubt any manufacturer depends on anodizing the threads of the yoyo for strength, if you know of one, please correct me.
 PS: as per Namataro post, my ILYY Enigma, threads I can see they had been anodized, but the actual thread is cut steel, IMO they run the tap into the hole after anno to assure proper fit, This could be done by hand while assembling, it involves simply screwing the tap into the hole a couple of time to clean the threads.

[Namtaro]

Checked all my yoyos, only ILYY had anodizing on the threads. Pretty sure the anno doesn't protect against a steel thread screwing in and out multiple times...

[yoyospirit]

What makes the threads stronger is the anodize.  After unscrewed repeatedly, the ano will wear out and the threads will become weaker.

So is this your own theory, or documented fact.
 I just checked 6 or 7 of my yoyos, Gen Yo, RecRev, ILYY, YYF, and aside from specs of colour here and there , there were no anodized threads ?
This would lead me to believe that some tap after ano, and or they re tap to clean the threads of any excess ano so the axle will fit properly, after they have been annoed.
 I seriously doubt any manufacturer depends on anodizing the threads of the yoyo for strength, if you know of one, please correct me.

Yoyofactory anodizes their yoyos after getting them tapped.  I've noticed that before a yoyo strips, the anodize in the hole is completely worn out.  And anodize strengthens aluminum, so this fact is quite true.  My Genesis has anodize in the hole, so does my Supernova Lite.  Although in yours, the ano might have already worn out.

[Graiskye]

 Im holding a Supernova in my hand, I can see the bare metal at the bottom of the hole ??
 Not meaning to argue like this YYS, and I can see some validity of your theory, but in the Supernova I have the holes are clean, the threads look kinda dull, but it is shiny metal at the bottom, and the yoyo isnt that old.
 I was just more curious if this is actually a practice, anodizing threads like you mention.

[yoyofactoryben]

It isn't bare... See prior post re contact point for electrical charge.

[Sekhmet]

I was the guy who had an issue with my Winston Superstar earlier this year and I can vouch for YYF providing excellent customer service. Thanks Ben and Pat!   

[GunstarHero]

Looking good Sikhmet! Thanks for all the replies. It's apparent that everyone has had different experiences when checking their yoyos.

I just checked the supertax I brought with me on my trip which was custom anodized recently and the axle hole is not done.

Not sure if that helps anyone.

I am going to say that so far I am incredibly impressed with YYFs custom service.