The “eh” has returned to Yoyoexpert.com as a surprise release! More of a story than a yoyo model, the “eh” started out as a handful of drill-pressed throws that Ed Haponik and SPYY’s Steve Buffel cranked out in Steve’s Calgary garage. Fixed axle aficionado that he is, Ed evidently liked playing it so much that he asked Steve to make him a special one to use for a year straight, which Ed documented in videos and on 365yoyotricks.com. At the end of 2012 (and again in 2013), Yoyoexpert celebrated Ed’s commitment and Steve’s classic design by releasing a production version made by Portland-based woodcraft-powerhouse TMBR. One of the coolest aspects of the “eh” is that it represents the collaboration of four people, each of whom is respected within yoyoing for his own distinct contribution.

With each release, the “eh” has seen subtle changes in material and engraving, but this is clearly the most significant change so far. Over the past year, TMBR’s “wood-thread” axle system has become increasingly popular among fixed axle players. This innovative and craft-intensive process allows for all-wood construction (no metal axle, no glue) AND take-apart design. Actually, it goes a step further as you can actually reconstruct the “eh” in butterfly, classic/imperial, or “pagoda” setups. The axle cap in the middle of the “eh” is a design necessity, but it changes the look substantially. The engraving is smaller and moved off the center, featuring the original “eh” logo on one side and the logos of the 3 companies responsible for it on the reverse. The body is also made from white oak (previous versions were red) which offers the smoothest surface and most uniform weight distribution of any “eh” so far.

In terms of play, it’s a pretty awesome fixed axle yoyo. Its smooth walnut axle sleeps well enough and it comes back easily, maybe a little more aggressively than previous versions. In recent years, fixed axle has become its own distinct species. Where just a few years back, playing fixed axle meant you did regular 1a tricks as kind of a dare, these days fixed tricks have become marked by shorter sleepers and integrated stalls, kickflips, weird balances, and constant regenerations. The new “eh” really caters to these adaptations. The oak body is easy to control in a stall, the gap holds loops open on kickflips very well, and the flat rims make Ed’s backhand catches quite a bit easier.

Bear in mind that it’s completely different from playing a modern unresponsive metal yo-yo. That may seem obvious, but it can’t be overstated. Playing wood is a different kind of challenge; one of the hardest and most rewarding in yo-yoing.

The “eh” also comes with a typed note from Ed and one of his signed Yoyoexpert trading cards. Limited to 120 pieces total. Available now exclusively from Yoyoexpert.

SPYY x TMBR x Yoyoexpert “eh” SPECS:

Diameter: 57.15mm
Width: 34.92mm
Gap Width: Two Pennies (seriously)
Weight: 58 grams
Axle: Take-Apart All Wood Axle

Buy the SPYY x TMBR x YoYoExpert eh

This post sponsored by YoYoExpert