Author Archives: ILYY

2WEI thousand 19

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You can never truly know if a yoyo will become a hit. Especially, if the base design or premise of the yoyo is not laid out to be highly popular.
We followed this philosophy of crazy yoyo designs throughout the 10+ years of ILYY. This led to all kinds of weird shapes with sharp curves (Noctu) or flat can-like appearance (PYBIT). With one yoyo however, we did not incorporate craziness by adding weird curves but by supersizing it. And what other yoyo to chose for giantification than our prime specimen – the E1NS.

Back in 2010 we introduced this yoyo and it was called 2WEI, not really regarded as a successor to the E1NS, more like a different approach. When planning the order at that time, we did not have high demand. People were not sure what to think of it. It was very wide and chunky, almost the exact opposite of what competition-driven yoyos should look like. For this reason, there weren’t many 2WEI produced.

When people got their hands on the one and only production batch, this perception changed. The fear of playing a brick with a string faded and folks recognized the amazing feel of the 2WEI – the ultimate bubblegum funday yoyo. The unique and fun playability paired with the highly limited numbers led to a 2WEI cult in the BST-boards we would have never imagined. As soon as one popped up, it was gone immediately. They were that sought after by players and collectors.

So now, to kick off 2019, we will bring it back. Better than ever with amazing smoothness, silky finish and a new never-been-done color for ILYY in azure blue. These came out insanely nice, we are blown away by the end result. We received great feedback from you about our approach of the Solid, namely C-sized bearing and 19mm response pads, so we decided to add them to the 2WEI as well.

When throwing it, you immediately feel the 2WEI’s powerful spin. It weighs in at 67g that are carefully distributed to allow for the mentioned super spin times while keeping the floatiness alive. While 67g are definitely more on the heavier side, the large dimensions of the 2WEI make good use of the mass. It does not feel chunky and slow, it feels powerful and chilled. It will put a smile on your face from the moment you land your first trapeze.
Looking at the inertia of the yoyo, the 2WEI ranges among the top monometal yoyos in our line up only surpassed by the Fury, which of course dominates thanks to its extreme H-shape.

Specs:
Diameter: 56.15mm
Width: 46.30mm
Weight: 67g
Response: 19mm Pads
Bearing: ILYY KMKct C-Size
Coating: Anodized Azure Blue
Material: 6061 Aluminum
Limitation: 20

To get yours of 20 pieces of the new 2WEI send us an email to info@ilyy.de
Price will 70€ plus shipping. All gone!

Due to high demand for these, we are currently looking into releasing a second small batch (same specs & maybe a different colour) in the coming months. Send us an email to info@ilyy.de to get on the waiting list.

New dotE1NS batch!

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We received amazing feedback and demand for the dotE1NS so we decided to have another batch of 18 pieces made.
This time we went for a blasted finish and more subtle vintage colours.

We have 6 of these available right now.
Price: 100 EUR + shipping
Sent us an e-mail to snatch yours: info@ilyy.de

All gone.

In the footsteps of a legend

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It has been over a decade since we cooked up the crazy idea of making our own little yoyo to enjoy. Back in the day, the amount of different shapes, sizes, weight, construction types etc. was limited and we felt there was a void regarding small but powerful aluminum yoyos. So we stuck our heads together and after many discussions came up with basic shape of our first yoyo – the legendary E1NS.

We went through many iterations throughout the years following its initial release with different weight distributions, colours, finishes, sizes (2WEI), guts and so forth. But each and every of these versions came with the distinct E1NS-feel.

Letting it shine once more after its 10th birthday was only a matter of ‘when’. Since we had projects running that we wanted to complete beforehand (DR3I, 3145, Solid) this project got a little pushed behind, but not for the worse. Had we had the time back then, it would only have been a normal E1NS. But if you know us by now, you realize that this not ILYY-like at all.

From this extra time to think about the new E1NS we came up with the strong desire to combine old and new. We used our old sketches and blueprints to achieve an overall shape as close as possible to the OG from 2007. But then we turned the madness-dial all the way to superundersize and shrank the yoyo to a mere 45.6mm in diameter. To compensate the weight reduction we then replaced a part of the rim with steel inserts that retain the exact overall shape. For such a small yoyo to feel right, its weight needs to come down as well. The 59g are just right for the small guy.

Let’s all welcome our latest creation: dotE1NS

Specs:
Diameter: 45.6mm
Width: 37.3mm
Weight: 59g
Response: 19mm Pads
Bearing: ILYY KMKct C-Size
Coating: Anodized Orange & Black
Material: 6061 Aluminum
Limitation: 12

Price: 100 EUR + shipping

As always, get them directly from us: info@ilyy.de

All gone.

A solid yoyo

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From the first second I threw our DR3I titanium prototype I fell in love with its dimensions. The slightly undersized diameter combined with the slim profile and light weight is such a nice combination. It feels sturdy, reliable and isn’t prone to tilt, it just feels solid. This inspired us to delve deeper into this and create a yoyo which oozes these values. What is more down-to-earth than a good ol’ mono-metal aluminum yoyo?

No fancy shape experiments – just a robust and slick organic shape. No dimples, plateaus, grooves, lips – Just material where it’s needed. No super short axles that get lost in the infinity of space time. No special bearing or pad sizes, the industry standard shall do. No matter where you live, you can get bearings, axles and pads that fit in case you need them. No splash, dots, spray, sparkle, wash, fade with rainbow colours – Straight up grey.

This is our new yoyo: Solid.
It doesn’t fuck around.

Specs:
Diameter: 53.7mm
Width: 37.9mm
Weight: 62.6g
Response: 19mm Pads
Bearing: ILYY KMKct C-Size
Coating: CeramicBlast (Stealth Grey)
Material: 6061 Aluminum
Limitation: 20

We have 15 pieces available for purchase.
Contact us at info at info@ilyy.de to grab yours.

Sold out. Thanks all!

A second DR3I

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The concept of the DR3I to incorporate 3 materials into the body construction (namely titanium, steel and aluminum) resulted in a great and unique yoyo that ranges amongst our greatest creations to date. However, since the machining and fitting these parts with respect to our tight tolerances results in a very complicated and expensive process, we are currently not able to provide more DR3Is to all those who were interested. We are very sad about this and will keep on trying to find a way to machine them in sufficient numbers.

However, we tried something else in this concept area. Replacing the titanium body with machined polycarbonate. To accommodate the lesser density of PC, we increased the overall width of the body which allows for a greater curve in the cup for even easier centering during finger spins.

Specs:
Diameter: 54.00mm
Width: 44.00mm
Weight: 62.70g
Response: ILYY Pads
Bearing: ILYY KMKct C-Size
Coating (Cup): CeramicBlast (stealth grey)
Material: Tri-material construction (Polycarbonate Body, Stainless Steel Rings, Aluminum Cup)
Limitation: 7

Those of you who inquired about a titanium DR3I last year will have an exclusive option to buy before anyone else. We will contact you via e-mail. Should there be some left, it will be announced here then.

Sold out. Thank you.

3145

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Being a brand founded over ten years ago, our urge for nostalgia is a strong pillar of our doing. We cured these itches with our renditions of the AnY Air Rider and the SPYY Radian (Thunder & Lightning). Another great yoyo of the past was The Cut by hspin. It featured a radical design twist where only linear contours were used to create the overall shape. We still love this idea to this day so we thought ‘why not make a fun yoyo with this concept’. Said and done.

We give you the 3145 (BIAS) – a mid-sized, lightweight yoyo with lots of edges. No fancy weight rings, grooves, cups, splashes etc. Just a fun throw for some quality time.

Here’s a CAD image of the profile. All straight lines, no curves aside from deburring radii. :)

Specs:
Diameter: 54.00mm
Width: 43.00mm
Weight: 63.30g
Response: Hot Red SILYYcone
Bearing: ILYY KMKg C-Size
Coating: Candodize (silver grey)
Material: AlMGSi1
Limitation: 20

We have 18 pieces available for purchase right now for 65€ a piece. There will not a be a second batch, this is a one time project. Shipping will be around end of next week.Order via email: info (at) ilyy (dot) de

Sold out.

DR3I

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When we started making yoyos 11 years ago, we came up with the idea to call our first yoyo E1NS. ‘Eins’ being the German word for ‘one’. After the outcome, its impact and success exceeded our wildest expectations, we naturally began thinking about a successor. It just had to be called 2WEI, the German word for ‘two’, even though it wasn’t our second yoyo at that time. It was just fitting into the scheme.

With the 2WEI we didn’t create an entirely new yoyo, but supersized the E1NS for those who are more into large wide throws. It was not as successful as its little brother was, but it is far more limited and thus highly sought after with collectors.

After these two yoyos saw the light of day and went through several iterations it became silent about our iconic numbered series. It was in June 2016, when we came up with the idea to make it a trilogy. But we knew, it must be something special, something totally bonkers. The DR3I would have to be on the “never been done” level. The topic is number three, so it was clear to us where we need to go: tri-metal

The first question that arose was how to implement three metals into a yoyo design. Just two weight rings? We found that this doesn’t make that much sense. So it had to be a base body, weight rings and something else. Then we remembered the fabulous Pure by SPYY. With the Pure, the cup was closed by fitting a thin disc inside. That gave the yoyo a unique look and feel. Then we remembered our entry into bi-metal/fingerspin yoyos with the Abyss and our struggle with the convex cup profile. The problem with a convex cup that is suitable for self-centering fingerspins in a mono body design is the overall wall thickness that is needed. So what if you circumvent this by using a thin body in combination with a fitted concave cup? We knew, this is the solution to the problem. By this, we also knew how the three metals should be distributed:

Titanium for the body: Titanium can be machined to very thin thickness and still remains its strength properties. Ideal for a yoyo body.

Steel weight rings: With its high density, steel allows for a nice rimweight when used as weight rings.

Aluminum cup: Aluminum is very light and can be anodized with great effects giving the final yoyo great looks.

This inserted cup design finally allowed us to use a dimple in the cup center to improve the spin stability and the self-centering properties, which we could not achieve with the Abyss design.

The next challenge was to find a partner willing to make this vision a reality with us. After many inquiries, we realized we had to look internationally. We finally found a brave machining shop near Hong Kong, that was ready for the challenge. We were impressed by their dedication and attention to detail. Nevertheless, it took us an entire year to finalize the design and production.

Now we can finally show you the finished product. So here it is, the ILYY DR3I!

Specs (Prototype):
Diameter: 54mm
Width: 39mm
Weight: 62.5g
Response: Hot Red SILYYcone
Bearing: ILYY KMKct C-Size
Coating (Cup): CeramicBlast (Siver, green, yellow acid wash, red splash)
Material: Tri-Metal construction (Titanium Body, Stainless Steel Rings, Aluminum Cup)
Limitation: 3

The aluminum cup is fitted into the steel ring from the backside and the assembly is then fitted into the titanium cup. This allows for a seamless transition between the metals.

On the backside of the aluminum cup, we lasered the meaning of two of our up until now undisclosed acronyms: KMK and PYBIT. So the solution will be out there but still kept safe, unless….

We are still exploring anodization on titanium to achieve better contrast to the weight rings. This will be addressed in the planned release.

We rely on our custom Hot Red sILYYcone response and a custom KMKct c-size bearing.

Let us know by email (info at ilyy dot de), if you are interested in getting one from the run. We have to test the waters here and check the demand beforehand. The run will nevertheless be very limited (10 max.).

We plan to sell these for 350€ a piece. So let us know, if you want to call a piece of ILYY history your own.

The bimetals are ready!

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Now that we delved into the titanium world, there was another thing we haven’t done in our 10+ year journey into yoyos yet: bimetal construction!
Said and done. Double release again.

First up: Frank’s entry, a full-size mid-weight powerhouse: The Prometheus

Diameter: 56mm
Width: 42mm
Weight: 65.5g
Response: Hot Red SILYYcone
Bearing: ILYY KMK C-Size
Coating: CeramicBlast (red)
Material: 6082 AlMgSi1 Aluminum,  AISI 303 Stainless Steel Rings
Limitation: 10

The second: Dominik’s view into The Abyss

 Diameter: 57mm
Width: 43.5mm
Weight: 63.5g
Response: Hot Red SILYYcone
Bearing: ILYY KMK C-Size
Coating: CeramicBlast (black)
Material: 7075 Aluminum Body, AISI 303 Stainless Steel Rings
Limitation: 10

Both yoyos are available directly from us (email). Price is 100€ each.

Heavy Metal Thunder & Ride The Lightning!

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It’s been a while since we pumped out some pieces but here we are again. This time with something very special (at least for us).
Back in day in in 2006/07, when the high-end metal market was born, we got our hands on two yoyos we still treasure to this day. The Radian MKII by SPYY and the Air Rider by AnY. Both yoyos were way ahead of their time and blew us out of the water. Sadly, these models haven’t been in production for many years.

The Nostalgia
Frank remembers fondly what a thrill it was to purchase a high-end yoyo back then. It felt like there was only one or two big yoyo releases per month and everybody talked about just a hand full of models. Some of you might remember the Eetsit or Bapezilla for instance. The Air Rider was incredible expensive compared to what the marked had to offer at this time and a lot of thought went into the purchasing process for him – it was way over the budget. Frank thought day and night if it would be reasonable to put such a great amount of money on the table – it’s still just a toy, right? The final conclusion was: “Ah, whatever!” That’s usually not the sign of a rational decision, it was about passion. After the decision was made and the order had been placed the long wait for the overseas shipment with customs and all the hassle was quite nerve wrecking. He remembers tracking the package at least once a day and getting worried that the shipment might get lost in transit (what never happened once in all these years).
Finally throwing the Air Rider was thus even more exciting and Frank was quite afraid of damaging such a precious yoyo. The buying and playing experience is still memorable and vivid to this day and hasn’t been matched by any other yoyo – it was just special. Looking at the yoyo today still invokes all these memories and emotions.

When Dominik met Frank for the first time, his Radian was currently being shipped to Germany. However, Frank brought his Radian and Dominik was immediately hooked when he held it in his hands for the first time. Even though, Dominik got a Pyro a few months earlier (his first modern metal yoyo), the Radian put its spell on him. It’s still one of his favourite yoyos and thus it was only reasonable to pick the MK2 when the idea to recreate classics arose.

The Decision
Compared with to flooded market today with too many models from too many manufacturers that get released over a short time span, the increased price of high-end models and the consistent high quality of lower priced yoyos, it just does not feel as special anymore to purchase and receive a high-end metal yoyo. Most yoyos feel and look the same these days. With Shapes dialling in on competition style with straight v-profiles, finger-spin friendly hub areas and high RPM centre weight focused designs, we miss these classics even more. Naturally, nostalgia was a great factor that went into the decision of creating yoyos that are directly inspired by beloved classics. Because of this and the fact that both manufacturers are out of business by now, we decided to bring them back with ILYY flavour. On a side note: Frank always wanted an Air Rider with o-rings (Dominik still has one but is not willing to part with it), what was kind of hard to get back then.

Models & Specs
The Lightning is an homage to the AnY Air Rider with even more power and stability. The pads are gone and have been replaced by our trusted Hot Red sILYYcone response system and the typical metric bearing.

Diameter: 53.50mm
Width: 37.10mm
Weight: 67.80g
Response: Hot Red SILYYcone
Bearing: ILYY KMK 6x13x5mm
Coating: ILYY Candodize (Titanium Grey)
Material: 6082 AlMgSi1 Aluminium
Limitation: 10

The Thunder features a similar profile as the Radian does but has “edgier” contours and sports a large KMK bearing als well a our Hot Red sILYYcone response system.

Diameter: 53.90mm
Width: 40.00mm
Weight: 66.30g
Response: Hot Red SILYYcone
Bearing: ILYY KMK 6x13x5mm
Coating: ILYY Candodize (Titanium Grey)
Material: 6082 AlMgSi1 Aluminium
Limitation: 10

For the engravings, we’ve used a font called Sunbather from the Artist Nick Steinhardt that was used on the identically named album Sunbather by Deafhaeven.

Purchase & Production
These are just prototypes for now. We have not yet decided if we will follow up with a production run. These colours are only for the prototype batch, they might change for a release (if there will be one). The chances are slim, since we don’t expect any demand for yoyos with this “outdated” style as some testers called them. For now, there are 5 prototypes of each model available for sale. If you are interested, just send us an email.