derti

RELEASE INFORMATION

11 JULY 2021

329.99 USD

RAW TITANIUM

65 MADE

Diameter 53mm, Width 37mm, Gap 4.4mM

63.1G

M4 x 8mm axle

CONCAVE C bearinG

19MM TYPE 40 LANDING PADS RESPONSE

THE ELUSIVE GENIUS

I first spoke to Russell Andert in November 2020. Reaching him required some assistance. Russell had deliberately remained outside the usual social-media ecosystem and maintained almost no online presence. With help from André Boulay of YoYoExpert, an email introduction was made and a Zoom conversation followed.

Russell is both a machinist and an unusually inventive yo-yo designer. Many early derts were machined from leftover metal bars on a CNC mill rather than a lathe. In a mill, the cutting tool moves around the material; in a lathe, the material rotates against the cutting tool. The latter makes producing a concentric round object considerably easier. Creating a playable yo-yo on a mill requires exceptional care. One Drop encountered the same challenge when producing the Project. The dependence on leftover material also meant that many dert runs were extremely small. They became difficult to find and remain highly valued among collectors.

Russell agreed to collaborate during our first Zoom call after seeing RSO’s previous projects and hearing the proposal for derti. He later revealed that he had declined several earlier collaboration requests. The project was completed at the beginning of 2021, although RSO’s existing release schedule delayed its arrival until July.

BEAUTY IN SIMPLICITY

The dert family has always been defined by restraint. Beginning with the 6061 aluminium dert in 2006, continuing through smaller interpretations such as baby, eli and KC, and culminating in the celebrated 7075 version of 2008, the designs remained organic and straightforward.

Many drew inspiration from the Duncan Freehand, one of Russell’s favourite yo-yos. The familiar dert profile can be reduced to a few elements: an arc through the catch zone, another within the cup, a straight rim connecting them and a simple cylindrical nipple at the centre. Even the engraved dert logo uses RomanS, a standard AutoCAD font familiar to both Russell and me.

Russell produced numerous variations of the original design - more than even he can reliably remember.

The first 6061 version measured 52mm and weighed approximately 58.5g. Subsequent refinements led to the 53mm 7075 aluminium model of 2008, which weighed 68g. Russell considered that edition the strongest expression of the design. It was also the largest dert production run completed at the time.

That 7075 model became the foundation for derti. The objective was not to redesign it. The objective was to translate its simplicity into titanium.

FIVE MINUTES OF CAD

A titanium version had been agreed upon from the beginning. The response system was modernized, while the mass was reduced to approximately 63g to give the design a more contemporary movement signature. Once Russell supplied the 7075 CAD, the required wall reduction took roughly five minutes. That was essentially the derti design.

Russell had previously produced four titanium derts weighing approximately 72g each. They remain remarkable historical pieces, but their mass reflects a very different era of yo-yo design. Derti brings the same idea to 63.1g.

Only three prototypes were required, and no geometry changes were made before production. Sometimes the cleanest designs leave very little to correct.

Derti occupies a rare middle ground between floaty and solid. Its compact 53mm diameter gives it presence, while the reduced titanium wall thickness prevents that presence from becoming cumbersome. The organic catch zone remains comfortable in the hand, and the restrained distribution allows the yo-yo to move naturally rather than forcing its way through tricks.

THE ART OF EUPHEMISM

The engineering remains exceptionally clean. The artwork allows itself to be slightly less innocent.

Russell and I wanted the presentation to play on the derti name through suggestion, double meanings and visual euphemisms. The simplicity of the yo-yo made the contrast especially appealing. Jason Week was the natural artist for the project. Several weeks were spent developing the illustrations and concealing small jokes throughout the composition.

Each derti includes a look-and-find certificate inviting owners to identify the words, visual references and hidden details embedded in the box art.

Derti carries fifteen years of dert history, a lifetime of machining experience and approximately five minutes of CAD refinement.

Its design is simple because it knows exactly what it needs to be - clean in form, derti in the details.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX

BOX ART LOOK-N-FIND Certificate of authenticity

DERTI ENAMEL PIN

A PAIR OF 19MM CYAN TYPE 50 LANDING PADS RESPONSE

BLUE STRING