This post is originally from the YoyoExpert Forums, and is republished here with permission from Cody (Pun1sh3R.)
It is posted here in its original format, with no editing from The Yoyo Archive Team.
As memtioned above, I purchased the ‘Merica Edition. I also opted for the “Delivery In Person”.
“The author will take a paperback copy of the book to the gun range, shoot a hole in, then take it to a burger joint where he will eat the largest burger on the menu with fries and get ketchup stains on the book to prove it happened.”
So after I purchased the book, Mr. Mark @popartmogul sent me a email asking for scheduling a meeting time for the delivery.
I purposed that I could “Aid” in ‘Mericanizing my order. He told me that that was a special edition and that he had not sold one. Then he realized he had, and I was the buyer.
After several emails, we set a meet up at a undisclossed Ranch in Southern California that is pro 2nd Ammendment.
Mr. Mark met my kids and we had some fun yoyo chat and trick sharing before the Shenanigans began.
We decided to also ‘Mericaize some yoyos.
This red one is my Son’s.
My daughters purple yoyo literally vaporized. We only found splinters of one half, the axel and some string. Mr. Bullseye Mark Mcbride hit dead center.
My kids and I signed a Yoyo for Mr. Mark also, prior to ‘Mericaization.
So neither of us really “Knew” what would happen with shooting a book. Neither of us had previous experience with this. But Mr. Mark came prepared with a ream of paper.
Once we completed our “For Science” experimentation, we chose our tool, made some practice shots, then Mr. Mark ‘Mericaed the Book.
One Shot – Bullseye into the center of the yoyo!
First stage of the special edition – Complete!
Next step – Burgers.
I had originally picked out a favorite burger joint, but on the way there, realized it was closed.
We shifted gears, found a new place and headed there.
We had an amazing dinner. Great conversation about yoyo and life.
Mr. Mark is amazing! Humble, Funny! It was an honor to meet and hang out with him!
So here is the final pictures of the ‘Merica Edition book and yoyos.
Here are some takeaways;
Dont hit in the center (Purple).
There were a total of 4 yoyos today that faced the firing squad.
Maybe Mr. Mark will share a picture of his Mericaized yoyo, we just barely grazed the edge. Precision Marksmanship!
On the last yoyo, the yoyo itself remained intact. Targeted only the cardstock.
@GnarlyCharlie Was Mark already a precision shooter or did you coach him a bit?
Mr. Mark had previous shooting experience, but we had to knock some rust off.
I would say I gave him a few tips and suggestions. “Coaching” seems excessive. This implies that I am qualified to do so…
I will say the equipment we used had a lot to do with it too.
I am still trying to rationalize this!
My kids and I got to hang out with a Yoyo Hall of Fame Legend and have an amazing experience.
In todays social climate; Mr. Mark said “Lets do it!” To a total stranger!
Sure, I’ll meet you in the middle of nowhere, no cell service and go shooting.
Sometimes you come across a yo-yo that feels right. It may not be your favorite throw, most powerful, longest spinning; it’s just so comfortable. For me, that’s the Turner Return Tops Buoy.
I first encountered the Buoy when participating in a Pay if Forward box for the Alchemik Tyrant. When the yo-yo arrived, I found a Buoy in the box. Eager to play the Tyrant, I immediately took it out and spent a ton of time with it. Eventually, I got to the Buoy. Something clicked. I found that throughout my time with the Alchemik I was picking up the Buoy more and more. It wasn’t a conscious thing. I just kept gravitating back to it. It was smooth, and comfortable, and lent itself very well to my style of play.
I was disappointed to see it go when I had to move the box on to the next person, but that’s the way of these things. I don’t purchase very many throws throughout the year, so I put the Buoy on a wishlist and went on with my life. Then, shortly after taking over the Archive, I started reaching out to companies to get their information and to see if I could try out some of their products. Turner Return Tops sent me their entire catalog to try out, and in there was a Buoy. It was a joyous reunion.
Out of all the throws TRT sent, the Bathysphere and Scrub stood out to me. In the end, no matter how much I played with each of the yo-yos that came in the box, I still gravitated toward the Buoy. It’s comfortable in the hand, has a smooth bind, and seems to just flow on the string, handling my limited set of tricks with ease. Its 57mm diameter didn’t feel overly large to me and combined with the 63.3g weight, it feels very floaty when thrown.
The Buoy isn’t super powerful. Its spin times aren’t as long as other throws out there. It’s just a fun yo-yo to play with. Once again, I was sad to see it go when I sent the box back to Turner Return Tops, but now I’m more certain than ever that this is a yo-yo that I need to have in my collection.
I’m by no means an expert or competitive player. I enjoy unique yo-yos that feel good to play. So far, the Buoy is one of my favorite yo-yos in terms of overall playability. I may enjoy throwing others more for a time, but I feel like in the back of my mind I’m always thinking about when I’ll get to throw the Buoy again.
The production release of the Dreamcraft Asora is coming this Friday, October 11, 2024 @ 7p.m. PST. Those looking to snag one will be able to do so for $120 in the Dreamcraft Shop.
The production Asora is machined from 7068 Aluminum, with the following specs:
Brandon Vu recently announced that Offset Yoyo will be dropping titanium versions of the Outlier and Deviant yo-yos on October 7, 2024. The Outlier TITAN and Deviant TItan. Both of these throws are based off the recent “+” releases of each.
There is currently no information on the actual specs, or prices yet.
Dressel Design’s latest yo-yo, the Nimbus, will be pre-releasing at the New York Yo-Yo Contest on October 5, 2024.
From Dressel:
“Nimbus: Shinnosuke Ishizuka signature yoyo.
‘Like playing with a cloud’
Shinnosuke has been a valuable part of our team for years, and embodies the style, creativity, and uniqueness that we put into our brand and our yoyos. It was obvious he was the perfect team member archetype and super deserving of a signature.
Nimbus has a nostalgic feel in the hand and during play that’s reminiscent of higher-end models from 2009-2011, offering a nimble, soft handling that feels both easy-going and controllable.. this combined with its modern performance lends itself to effortless movement during your tricks. Nimbus encourages a relaxed approach to yoyo play, allowing for a more enjoyable experience. The bimetal rings and weight distribution lends itself to Shinnosuke’s swift changes in direction and speed during his combos.
To foster even more creativity, four stickers are being included with each design to make each yoyo unique in its own right. Unfortunately these do cause vibe when applied, so use at your own risk.
This is also our first throw featuring our new ‘Cloud Blast’; a new lower grit, fluffy blast that will be featured on our main line throws from now on.
We hope that this yoyo brings you peace and joy whenever you throw it!
Available at @nystatesyoyo with a full release coming in the next few weeks”