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| Tom Kuhn RD-1 - Function & Form (mini) |
| Exhibit #3060 |
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| Type | Production |
| Shape | Concave )-( |
| Axle | Bearing |
| Finish | Clear Coat |
| Color | Black |
| Packaging | Display Boxed |
| Construction | Composite |
| Response | Turbo Disk |
| Diameter | 40 mm |
| Gap | Fixed |
| Weight | 53 gm |
| Condition | Mint in Package |
| Date | 2003 |
| Owner | Rick Brough |
| Compare |  |
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From the original Tom Kuhn website in 2003:
"The specifications for 'Yo-Yo: All Purpose' were purely objective. It had to be responsive, predictable, perfectly balanced with extremely long spin time, weighted, easy to maintain and therefore fun to play even after nightfall. Shock-resistant, low-maintenance, and low-cost. No reference whatsoever to 'looks'."
"Given the demands of function over the past two and a half decades, the basic yo-yo has been transformed by Tom Kuhn in his quest for the perfect yo-yo. First with the take-apart and the precision machined aluminum body yo-yo, first with ball-bearing aluminum yo-yos with patented adjustable gaps, first with wooden ball-bearing adjustable gap yo-yos and high performance miniature yo-yos. First with innovative, patented Turbo Disc Technology."
"Now, true to form, the next generation of Tom Kuhn yo-yos from What’s Next and Tom’s personal favorite 'Recreational Device' (code name RD-1). "Nothing can replace a wooden yo-yo that has such awesome performance for the total yo-yo experience. This is innovative technology merged with the incomparable warm feel and aesthetic of a spinning wooden yo-yo by the masters at What’s Next", says Tom Kuhn, San Francisco Dentist, known internationally as Father of The Modern yo-yo. "This yo-yo has a 'friendly' weight, with terrific aerodynamics for ease of use". In Tom Kuhn's 25 years of making the world's finest yo-yos, he is most excited about this new model!"
"This is groundbreaking, revolutionary performance and design," states Tom! Our respectful Maplewood update to earlier models and prototypes preserves essential features while adding advanced ones that should prove useful during operation. This wooden, butterfly profiled, ball bearing yo-yo is built for the field!"
"At least as handsome in its unselfconscious way and certainly more affordable than a $40,000 Z4 or a $50,000 Boxster, the Tom Kuhn RD-1 yo-yo comes in clear storage tube with blue print / mini poster featuring parts, details, and maintenance instructions."
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Uses a size I ball bearing axle and Dr. Yos patented Turbo Disc technology for response. Notice that the model in this exhibit has a silver metal weight ring pre-installed (the opposite side also has a weight ring installed). The weight rings added about four more grams to the yo-yo's total weight. Compare with the RD-1 Natural that did not come with weight rings.
Original RD-1's came in a sealed, clear display tube. Also, originals have the year "2003" imprinted at the 6:00 position on the yo-yo's side. At the 9:00 position is imprinted "Function" as a numerator and "Form" as a denominator. At the 3:00 position is imprinted ".098" (yo-yo's gap; 2.48mm) as a numerator and "1.58" (yo-yo's width; 40.13mm) as a denominator.
Besides the RD-1, Tom Kuhn also released three different parts kits that all worked with the RD-1: the Performance Kit, Repair Kit, and the Super Kit for the ultimate in performance and customizing upgrades.
Original retail price: $30 US.
Collected March 10, 2003.
To see all mini yo-yos in this museum, in the left panel, click Exhibits.
In the right pane, in the Name/Model field, type mini, then click Browse. | |
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