About
The Silver Bullet (sometimes called SB-1) is recognized as the first full-metal yo-yo ever produced. Released in 1984 by Dr. Tom Kuhn, it uses the same take-apart construction as the No Jive but in aircraft-grade aluminum, with the characteristic bullet-shaped hub nubs on each half that give the line its name. A fixed wooden axle sleeve is retained from the No Jive design.
Production ran from 1984 to 1991, with the first run reaching only approximately 60 units before quality review. Optional weight rings were available. A rare anodized variant (50 units, clear anodize) exists. In 2012, 50 standalone Silver Bullets were produced as part of a collector’s Silver Bullet Series Set.
The Silver Bullet is considered an artifact of yoyo history: every full-metal yo-yo that followed owes something to this design. The SB-1 is held at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
