Blog Page 4 - LUFTVERK

How to Package a $500+ Yoyo

by Jeffrey Pang July 02, 2016

I love unboxing new things. Now a days though, its pretty rare that I go out and buy something new in package. And its even more rare that it is something over $500. If you really think about it, products that can be held in your palm at a 500$ usually fall under two categories - electronics or jewelry. Both of which normally have superb unboxing experiences. So I kind of knew what I was up against.

Ultimate Rim Weight Experiment - The Fulvia Series

by Jeffrey Pang May 25, 2016

I flew into Hong Kong to visit with my parents just over a month ago. It was their first time back since they left Canada almost 40 years ago. This place has changed so much so, they couldn't even recognize most of it. And although it was amazing experiencing their home town with them, I was focused on a new goal after they left - to attempt to create a yoyo that has been a "what if" thought for a very long time.

Do I Need a Titanium Yoyo?

by Jeffrey Pang February 25, 2016 2 Comments

Do I need to buy a titanium yoyo? I see this question all the time. And although there are many people who fanboy over the *ting* sound they make, me included - my short honest answer, as a manufacture of titanium yoyos: No, you don't.

Its interesting when I see this question. I usually see it from people who maybe are newer to the hobby, but has noticed the excitement over the titanium yoyos recently released. So this isn't a surprising question to someone who might not be that deep into it yet. But let me explain.

Crafting the Ultimate Unboxing Experience - With a Camera

by Jeffrey Pang February 07, 2016

When my anodizers sent me the color samples of the gorgeous finishes, I knew I needed to do something insane for the last release of 2015. I had finished a Skype call with my sister later that day and somehow I proposed one of my most foolish ideas ever. I wanted to take pictures in three different countries, each corresponding to the Navy, Bronze and AMS2488 of the Octavia release. The issue was that I only had one week before I needed to assemble, release, and ship to customers.

The Steep Learning Curve - Octavia After Thoughts

by Jeffrey Pang December 15, 2015

The first minute was an insane rush of 20 orders. 90% of Octavias were sold within the first 3 days. And in just over a week, they were all gone. A few incredible milestones were achieved last week - I blew through 500 likes on both Instagram and Facebook which I was so preoccupied I didn't even notice. And as well as the biggest achievement - crossing the 100th order mark. Im just one dude doing literally almost everything with this project so it is very, very humbling that I have the support and understanding that I do from the community.

OCTAVIA UP CLOSE PART 3/3: Navy, Bronze, and AMS2488

by Jeffrey Pang November 29, 2015 1 Comment

So here we are - what you, and I have been waiting for for a long time. All the pictures, all the flights. The shipping delays and hours spent on the details. It all comes together with the final and arguably the most important aspect of any high end product. The finish - the visual eye candy that draws you closer. I often ask myself what a product would look like if money was not a deciding factor. And the Octavia demands the highest of quality.

Octavia Up Close Part 2/3: HS Response Pad

by Jeffrey Pang November 23, 2015

The past few days I have been spending some time to work on the packaging of the up coming Octavia. Also, my anodizer in USA has sent me pictures of the beautiful yoyo halves and are on route to Prague as you read this. There are a few more pieces of the puzzle to assemble though, and one of them comes in the form of an adhesive-less Hungarian made response system dubbed the Honey String Pad. Lets rewind back a few months.

Octavia Up Close Part 1/3: NSK Micro Platinum DS

by Jeffrey Pang November 17, 2015 1 Comment

Sometimes there comes a product in the yoyo world that really blows me away. Its pretty rare that this happens - because its all been done. I watched as yoyos moved from plastic to aluminum. Then came the O-ring response, and silicone response. And as manufacturing standards got higher and prices got lower - it hit a plateau. There was no better or worse anymore. There was just different. Almost every aspect had been covered - Almost.

Why Titanium

by Jeffrey Pang October 28, 2015 1 Comment

I think one of the most commonly asked question I get is why titanium is so great. And as they say - pictures are worth 1000 words. Because aluminum only takes a few minutes to machine, the shop always does aluminum proofs first before commiting to the hour long process of crafting the titanium prototypes. This way you can see the machine marks, where the tool will hit - everything without wasting expensive titanium barstock.

The Camera That Did It All

by Jeffrey Pang September 30, 2015

3 years ago, I got a Canon 550D. It was my first DSLR camera that shot video, and I was traveling around the states to shoot yoyo contests. I actually didnt even shoot any pictures with it at the time. With that camera I shot one of the most popular videos on my channel - NER2013 with around 35k views. I was using a lot of Nikon lenses before - so I had these complicated adapters that meant I could only shoot in manual. I got rid of that thing, and traded it for a Nikon body - the D5100. I traveled central Europe for 4 months with that camera - but I didn't fall in love with it like I did with the 550D.

Retail Pangs

by Jeffrey Pang September 11, 2015 1 Comment

One of my closer friends in the yoyo community is Andre Boulay. I first met him at Worlds years ago, when I was just a kid. We kept in contact after I met him again in 2013 MA States when I was all grown up. The yoyo community is strange like that. Sometimes you won't see someone for 3 or 4 years and suddenly you see them at a random contest and hit it off again. Sometimes they change completely. Especially the young ones. Its one of the top reasons why I love traveling to contests.

Evora R-SP

by Jeffrey Pang August 26, 2015 4 Comments

I am writing this to you in my grandfathers apartment located in Hong Kong. Unfortunately he isn't here today, he passed away about 7 months ago. He flew back and fourth from Canada to Hong Kong pretty frequently. He was kind enough to leave this apartment behind - a place to stay free of charge for any family members who want to visit HK. Its been a crazy up and down (no pun intended) of traveling and trying to get this new run of yoyos done. Somehow I convince myself this is actually sustainable.