3YO3 Ti5
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
September 16, 2012

Introduction

There has been an interesting debate as of late in the yo-yo industry revolving around the metal/alloy used in the creation of a given model. In the aluminum market there is the argument of 6061 vs. 7075, but that is pretty much a nonissue. While both have their pluses and minuses they have similar enough properties that they need to be treated almost the same when machined. For example, you can’t go super thin with the walls on 7075 even though it is slightly stronger than 6061 because it will still bend just as easily as the 6061 counterpart. If you want to just go bonkers, there is a material that will give you strength while machining thicknesses that would make aluminum whimper… titanium. Several companies have made titanium yo-yos to varying degrees of success, two standouts being One Drop and Vs. Newton. Today I am looking at a brand new titanium by 3Yo3, a company known for using absolutely crazy materials for its yo-yos. Best know for his acrylic line of yo-yos, Landon has also done some absolutely brilliant work with aluminum as well as solid Teflon. Now we get to see if his machining expertise is able to handle the tougher titanium.

Specs

• Diameter: 54mm
• Width: 41.75mm
• Weight: 64.55 grams
• Bearing: C-Sized KonKave bearing.
• Gap: 4.02mm
• Response: Flowable Silicone

Construction

Ok, I have to start off talking about the box the Ti5 comes in. It comes shipped in a steel junction box kept firmly shut by two Philips head screws. Making sure that the purchaser could actually get at the yo-yo, Landon ships each Ti5 with a medium size Philips screwdriver. Yes, I am a sucker for interesting packaging… and I think this one takes the cake.

The Ti5 profile shows off a super-wide, modified V-Shape design. The rims are large, sloping in towards the catch zone step, with a concave cut that steeply curves down towards the gap. The gap has absolutely no wall to catch the string, just an ever so slight lip needed to form the outer edge of the response groove. The cup of the yo-yo shows off the true lunacy of titanium yo-yos. The outer edge of the rim is super thin, looking to be the thickness of just two credit cards. Trying to machine the same yo-yo out of aluminum would be insane; one good smack would bend that rim like an empty soda can. Halfway down the cup there is an inner wall similar to the ones seen in the Cascades and Café Racers. Past the inner wall is the small rounded dome hub in the center of the yo-yo. On the comfort side, the Ti5 feels great while being held in the hand. My middle finger rests perfectly in the catch zone allowing it to roll gracefully off my hand during a throw. Catching the yo-yo is a different story. Those rims are harsh making for a supremely hurt hand if you catch the yo-yo wrong. Overall I love the looks of the design, the feel is almost perfect but it does need a more pronounced radius on the rim edge to aid the comfort.

Weight

The Ti5 is quick and stable. The lightweight design just seems to fly around on the string. That second set of inner walls act as a stabilizing ring similar to what is employed in the G-Squared line of yo-yos. I found it quite difficult to get the Ti5 to go off kilter, which is saying a lot given my less than smooth style of play.

Response and Bearing

The flowable silicone response is exactly what you would expect, tight binds and breaks in quickly. I have found that if you don’t mind the extra time involved in pouring your own, flowable silicone give the best performance and customization of any response out there.

The bearing used is a C-Size KonKave bearing. I have outlined my dislike of the string centering bearings. Here is the one thing I have not hit on too much. I really do not like them because they cause slippy binds. I found that I slipped one out of every five binds with a string centering bearing. Once I switch out the KK with a spare, flat General-Yo AIGR bearing I didn’t slip a single bind on the Ti5.

Playability

Titanium gives so much more control over weight distribution, allowing the maker to put it exactly where it is needed with little to no bleed over into other parts of the yo-yo. Putting it in the hands of a pro like Landon Balk means that you would expect to get a masterfully playing yo-yo… and your expectations would be correct. The Ti5 is smooth and easy to maneuver; it just hops about with little to no effort at all. Eli Hops, a trick that I like but have problems hitting with major repetition just felt easier thanks to the Ti5 not moving about too much. Behind the head Eli Hops also felt smoother, with the exception of the one that I dinged off the back of my head. When I talked about catching that rim wrong, I meant it… although I don’t think there really is a correct way to catch a yo-yo with your head. Grinds were not completely out of the question even with the raw finish. Finger and palm grinds were average but that is an improvement over normal raw yo-yos that just shoot off as soon as they hit skin. There are no thumb grinds to be had due to the lack of a flat inner lip let alone a full-fledged IGR. This being titanium, there is one aspect that I so wanted to test but didn’t dare due to it being a loaner… I so badly want to spark it. While I may have been a little critical of the rims I can see them being perfect for sparking. They are thin and angled outward, focusing all of the impact to the edge. I would hypothesize that Landon designed the Ti5 to give off the maximum amount of sparks possible.

Final Thoughts

Sharp rims and KK bearing be darned… this is a brilliant yo-yo. Landon has used the material to its fullest potential giving the world a great playing titanium yo-yo. At $345, the Ti5 is not an inexpensive yo-yo. For that price you could get three of almost any other brand’s aluminum designs. Ultimately it is up to you to make the decision, for me I would probably get the Ti5 if I had the choice. It is a bit more rare than the other models and gives such a unique feel thanks to the properties of the metal it is carved from. Landon truly knows how to get the most from the materials at hand; I would love to see what he could due with magnesium. Now if you would excuse me, I am going to go try and drop off the map before Mr. Balk hunts me down asking for the return of this yo-yo.