Max Choo throwing the Mk1 Exia with that special blend of tech and string motion. The Exia will arrive worldwide in November.
Mk1 Design Contest
When I started designing yoyos it wasn’t clear where it would take me. There was almost a year between my first tiny batch of Diffractions and the first bigger run of 60. I always enjoyed talking to the handful of other designers I knew, and one of my dreams at the time was to collaborate with one of them to make something special. The Converge with @opyoyos is the product of such a collaboration.
Now I want to know what your yoyo dreams are. For this contest, use the template in this post and draw a unique yoyo with something special to make it stand out. Then, post it and tag #mk1designcontest and @mk1yoyos.
Mk1 Tutorial: Swing Triangle
Max throwing some triangles, a tower, and a raw Diffraction 2.
Mk1 Yoyos x OPYOYOS Converge
The Converge is our new bimetal yoyo collab with OPYOYOS. Dropping Friday, July 24th, at 10AM here at mk1yoyos.com. Converges will cost $140, or $110 for b-grades.
- Width: 46mm
- Diameter: 58mm
- Weight: 62.5g
- Axle: 8mm
- Material: 7068 Al and Stainless Steel
Mk1 Yoyo Tutorial – Upside Down Triangle
Learn this yoyo trick by Max Choo, then follow him at @44.gundam.
Featuring the Converge by Mk1 Yoyos and OPYOYOS.
Mk1 Umbra Release
The Umbra is now available on the MK1 Store, at YoYoExpert, YoYoSam, and YoYoWorld.dk.
Check out these video reviews from two of our favorite yo-yo-youtubers.
Crochet your own Yoyo Bag
Back when I started yoyoing, I was inspired by this post on Throwcafe about crochet. I’ve since picked up crochet as a side hobby, and beyond making the pop-culture sensation “baby yoda”, I developed my own variant yoyo bag that was included in the Diffraction 2 release.
I recently downloaded the information about this yoyo bag from my brain to a PDF. Crochet patterns are a type of programming, including comments, loops, commands, and other syntax that should be familiar to folks who are computer-inclined. This pattern took about an hour the first time I made it, when I was new to crochet.
Umbra
Back in May I started working on an ultra-wide 55mm x 55mm design, with a 55 gram weight, a mathematical obsession with a single number that would show up repeatedly in the yoyo. I eventually scaled the weight up to 62g, refined the profile, and put it on the back burner while getting the Diffraction 2 ready to go over the summer.
In September I ordered prototypes and they went over well with the very small Mk1 team. This yoyo has a distinct feel that results from its broad rims, efficient weight placement, and low overall mass. Jack told me after trying it, “I’m loving the wide boi”, and frankly, I love it too, though it took quite a while to pick a final name. Finally we found “Umbra”, the darkest part of a shadow cast by a solid object, which ties into Mk1’s theme of light and optics.
The Umbra will be available in January in two different fade colorways. We’re all excited to see what you think of them.
| Width | 55mm |
| Height | 55mm |
| Weight | ~61 grams |
| Axle | 10mm |
| Material | 7068 Aluminum |
| Gap | ~4.5mm |
Jack Hudspath – The Diffraction
A little while ago I reached out to Jack to see if he’d like to try the Diffraction v2, which is a tuned-up version of my little yoyo project I started last year. He liked it, so we decided to work together.
OPYOYOS x MK1 YOYOS – Elliot Ding – Converge
Elliot hasn’t been throwing all that long but he’s already a monster. He’s worked so hard to get to the level he has and it really shows. Give him some love!
Jordan Blofeld
He’s using the OPYOYOS x MK1 YOYOS Converge. It’s a collaboration designed to blow your face off, and it does.
OPYOYOS Website – https://opyoyo.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/opyoyos/
MK1 Yoyos Website – https://www.mk1yoyos.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mk1yoyos/