| Duncan Freehand Zero | |
|---|---|
| |
| Manufacturer | Duncan |
| Release date | July 2004 |
| Shape | Butterfly |
| Color | Blue with Green Caps Yellow with Blue Caps Green with Yellow Caps Black with Black Caps White with White Caps Red with Blue Caps and several other limited edition Freehand Zeroes, all in various color combinations. |
| Weight | 65-67 grams |
| Dimensions | Diameter: 57.15mm Width: 38.1mm Gap Width: 2.85mm |
| Material | Plastic |
| Bearing size | Size A Duncan |
| Response system | Friction Stickers |
The Freehand Zero (commonly called the FH Zero or just Zero, also abbreviated as FHZ for short) is a yo-yo produced by Duncan Toys as part of the Hardcore series. After the original Freehand mold broke, the FHZ was introduced in July 2004. In the interim, Duncan released the vastly different Freehand 2, and the Hyper Freehand was also produced by Bandai, serving as a suitable (though rare) replacement for the Freehand. Originally, Steve Brown intended to name the Freehand Zero the "Freehand X," however the name was changed to avoid confusion with the Element X from Buzz-On, which debuted before the FHZ had been finalized.
The FHZ was first available in Hong Kong, but was quickly made available worldwide. Upon release, the FHZ was only available in six opaque colors, but now a large number of editions have been released in a wide range of colors. Despite its low price compared to contemporary metal yo-yos, Tyler Severance used an FHZ in 2007 to win the 5A World Title.
The FHZ also features a modular, interchangeable side cap system that allows the user to customize the look of his yo-yo however he/she pleases. This type of side cap has also seen use in other yo-yos by Duncan, even up to the high-end Screaming Eagle series.
Modding
The FHZ is very popular for modding, due to it being easily modifiable, leading to a certain versatility. As a matter of fact, Luke Vader specializes in modding FHZs with a special finish and/or recessed silicone repsonse. Along with that, Frank Difeo, the founder of Dif-e-Yo, had also machined a clear FHZ to have Brake Pad response. Some FHZs are modified to have metal weight rings on them, or even hubstacks.
Set-up
The first few production runs of Freehand Zeroes came with o-ring spacer/shim spacer set-ups. However, after Worlds 2005, the newer-model Freehand Zeroes all come with a set of either thick bronze spacers (full gap) or thin aluminum spacers (same gap as with the o-ring/spacer set-up). This new set-up eliminates the hassle of an ever-changing string gap width. Despite this change, some people still prefer the older o-ring/spacer configuration.
Colors/Variations/Etc.
- 2004 Worlds edition
- 2004 MER edition
- 2004 Nationals edition
- 2005 Worlds edition
- 2005 Nationals edition
- 75th Anniversary "Glow" edition
- 75th Anniversary "Duncan boy" edition
- 5A Star edition
- AnY Yo-Yo edition
- Asia Pacific 2010 edition
- Chico yo-yo club edition
- Duncan Crew edition
- Duncan Equals Love edition 1
- Duncan Equals Love edition 2
- ExtremeSpin edition
- "For the ladies" edition
- Higby edition
- Higby "Worlds" edition
- Higby "Nationals" edition
- Infinite Illusions edition
- Mitchell's yo-yo club edition
- National yo-yo league edition
- National yo-yo museum edition
- Skilltoys edition
- Standard white body white caps
- Standard black body black caps
- Standard blue body green caps
- Standard green body yellow caps
- Standard red body blue caps
- Standard yellow body blue caps
- Standard translucent blue
- Standard translucent red
- Standard translucent yellow
- Standard Clear
- Steve Brown "broken-hearted" edition
- YoYoNation.com Edition(version 1)
Photos
