RELEASE INFORMATION
26 OCTOBER 2024
349.99 USD
ANODIZED MAGNESIUM
65 MADE
Diameter 52mm, Width 38MM, Gap 4.4mM
63.5G
M4 x 10mm AXLE
CONCAVE D bearinG
D SIZED TYPE 50 LANDING PADS RESPONSE
A SERENDIPITOUS DISCOVERY
Once upon a time, in the aggressively ordinary town of Gigglesworth, lived a fully grown yo-yo enthusiast named Spencer. Spencer had a remarkable talent for stringing people along. His parents still held onto the faintest hope that he might one day become a doctor - or at least develop a hobby that required less explaining at family gatherings. One afternoon, while visiting his parents and searching their attic for something that might make him more interesting, Spencer discovered a dusty box marked TOP SECRET.
Naturally, he opened it. Following instructions had never been one of his strongest tricks. Inside was an impressive collection of tastefully questionable magazines - the sort people insist they bought for the articles. Spencer did not bother with the articles. But beneath all that fine literature, something creamy white caught his eye. For the first time that afternoon, Spencer had found an object with genuine depth.
It was Derty Mag.
The accompanying magazine explained its lineage. Russell Andert - the brilliantly unconventional designer behind the original Dert - had created his yo-yos using a CNC mill. While most yo-yos were turned on lathes, Russell chose the significantly more difficult route and somehow produced a series of wonderfully playable designs. The mid-sized original Dert was then given a titanium makeover. RSO modernized its response, thinned its walls and called it derti, because adding an "i" apparently makes everything sound more expensive. Derty Mag was its magnesium follow-up.
First Derty Mag CAD.
RIBBED FOR EXTRA STIMULATION
Derty Mag measured 52mm in diameter - approximately 1mm smaller than derti - but widened slightly to 38mm. Less girth. A wider stance. Considerably more editorial coverage. Machined from anodized magnesium and weighing 63.5g, Derty Mag retained the familiar rounded curves and minimalist design language of the Dert family. Only 65 were made, making this a very limited print run. The rim profile underwent several revisions before grooves were added to the final design. Beyond giving Derty Mag its distinctive ribbed appearance, the grooves increased friction and introduced a more tactile surface. Spencer examined the grooves closely and nodded with great authority, as people often do when they intend to explain something incorrectly later.
“D”
Most modern yo-yos use a C bearing. C is perfectly adequate for most people. Derty Mag was not designed to be merely adequate. Inside was a smaller concave D bearing, supported by a custom D-sized response system and an M4 × 10mm axle. The reduced dimensions were precisely suited to Derty Mag's compact proportions. Size matters less than achieving the correct fit. Spencer placed the C and D bearings beside each other and confidently announced that he could tell the difference blindfolded. Nobody asked him to demonstrate.
C bearing (left) and D bearing (right) Derty Mag prototypes.
Derty Mag (right) is 1mm smaller in girth compared to derti (left).
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Spencer attached the included creamy white string, wound it with more confidence than care and gave Derty Mag its first throw. Within three minutes, he considered himself an authority on it. Soon, he was inventing a series of highly questionable tricks: The Page Turner, Top-Shelf Trapeze, The Centre Spread, Under-the-Cover Mount, The Full-Width Bind and the always crowd-pleasing Double Entendre Loop. Some of the tricks were performed more smoothly than others. Spencer nevertheless insisted that technique was less important than confidence.
The commotion eventually attracted his nosy neighbour, Mrs Kathy. Just as Spencer attempted an especially ambitious Centre Spread, Derty Mag escaped and landed neatly in her lap. Mrs Kathy examined its rounded profile and ran her thumb across the grooved rim. She then looked at Spencer. "Well," she said. "At least one of you has personality." Spencer mistook this for encouragement. Before long, he was performing at the local yo-yo club. His confidence increased much faster than his ability, and he began offering unsolicited masterclasses to anyone unfortunate enough to make eye contact. The crowd was frequently in stitches, although not always for the reasons Spencer assumed.
POPEYE THE YO-YO MAN
After several weeks, Spencer's throwing arm became the talk of Gigglesworth - partly from playing Derty Mag and partly from all the pointing he did while explaining things to other people. The townsfolk began calling him Popeye the Yo-Yo Man. Spencer believed it was a compliment. Nobody corrected him.
To commemorate his remarkable lack of self-awareness, every Derty Mag includes a Popeye the Yo-Yo Man enamel pin. The pin, unlike Spencer, fits neatly inside the box.
Spencer eventually returned the other magazines to the attic. Derty Mag remained within reach. It was, after all, the only issue in the box that improved with repeated handling. Some magazines are meant to be read. Derty Mag was made to be thrown.
