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How to Make a Yo-Yo Unresponsive With Shims

An unresponsive yo-yo is perfect for executing slack-string tricks. A yo-yo's responsiveness is the rate at which it returns to you based on how much friction exists on the string inside the yo-yo. Make your yo-yo unresponsive with shims. Yo-yo shims, or spacers, are essentially washers made of metal, plastic or thick card board, that fit over the axel. They widen the gap within which the string winds to prevent snagging and/or slipping of the string or to create a desired amount of snag or slip for specific tricks. Tricks requiring a completely slack string need an O-ring and a shim or shims to create unresponsiveness in the yo-yo so the string does not grab or snag.

Things You'll Need

Shims, metal or plastic
Rubber O-ring

Instructions

- 1
  Unscrew the two halves of the yo-yo to expose the axle between the two halves over which the string winds.
- 2
  Remove any factory-installed shims by turning over the yo-yo half to which the axel is attached and allowing any existing shims to slide off the axel.
- 3
  Examine the inside of both halves of the yo-yo for the existence of rubber O-rings. If manufacturer-installed O-rings are present, leave them. If there are none, install one by pressing a rubber O-ring into the groove that rings the axel.
- 4
  Slide a shim over the axel.
- 5
  Screw the yo-yo back together and test the spacing. If the gap in which the string winds is still not wide enough to execute the desired tricks smoothly, unscrew the yo-yo again and slide an additional shim over the axel to rest against the first shim.
- 6
  Reassemble the yo-yo.

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