RELEASE INFORMATION

6 AUGUST 2021

459.99 USD

CRACKED COAT RAW TITANIUM

30 MADE

63.1g WITH ONE DROP BRASS ULTRALIGHT SIDE EFFECTS

Diameter 54mm, Width 40mm, Gap 4.4mm

YOYORECREATION NSK PLATINUM DOUBLE STRAIGHT C bearing

19MM TYPE 40 LANDING PADS RESPONSE

Gravity remains my most popular original design to date. It was also one of RSO's most ambitious undertakings: a modular yo-yo comprising multiple interchangeable components, each of which introduced its own engineering challenges.

Considerable trial and error was required to perfect the fit of the polycarbonate caps. A dedicated Side Effects removal tool was also machined, allowing the caps to be removed cleanly and elegantly without compromising their secure fit. Gravity demonstrates what is possible with an independently developed Side Effects platform, and I hope it serves as a stepping stone for other companies exploring modular yo-yo design.

Shortly after Gravity was released, I returned to the drawing board with a new question: how else could the weight and character of a yo-yo be transformed?

The Duncan Freehand provided the original inspiration for Gravity. Players traditionally altered the weight of their Freehands by installing removable weight rings, most commonly made from aluminium or Delrin. Both materials were well suited to the Freehand because they could be paired with its injection-moulded plastic body without creating damaging metal-on-metal contact. The same approach could not simply be transferred to Gravity. A removable aluminium ring risked scratching its titanium body, while an earlier attempt to produce the caps in Delrin had already proved unsuccessful.

Polycarbonate offered another route. After experimenting with several profiles, two new CNC-machined weight rings were developed for Gravity, weighing 0.9g and 1.9g respectively. How my machinist manages to produce the remarkably slender 0.9g ring continues to baffle me. The heavier ring bears a resemblance to the CLYW Bear Trap, whose aluminium rings are, to my knowledge, press-fitted into its aluminium body. Gravity interprets the idea differently: its polycarbonate rings remain fully removable, allowing the yo-yo’s weight distribution and play character to be altered without leaving a permanent mark.

Despite having released two runs of yo-yos with this cracked finish, I still have no idea how it is produced. The anodizer continues to guard the process closely. Turning Point has helped popularize similar finishes in recent years, typically with the cracked pattern applied over a layer of coloured anodization. The Lunar Edition is treated differently: its pattern is applied directly over raw titanium. The cracks are visually pronounced yet remarkably subtle to the touch, with a texture that can barely be felt beneath the fingertips.

The result is a beautiful fractured surface that evokes the rugged terrain of the Moon - a fitting finish for the Lunar Edition. The Lunar Edition will include every component supplied with the first-run Gravity, along with two new sets of weight rings and a pair of stickers featuring new artwork.

Gravity’s CAD remains unchanged for the Lunar Edition. The new weight rings are therefore fully compatible with the first-run Gravity and will also be available for existing owners to purchase separately.