One Drop YoYos - Artifact

The Artifact is the first D-bearing yoyo from One Drop, released in collaboration between a good friend of the Toronto community, Alex Whitney, and One Drop Yoyos.

Alex Whitney originally introduced the Artifact in 2013 as a collaboration with Yoyocommunity, drawing inspiration from Japanese yo-yo designs of the late 2000s and early 2010s. At the time, small-bearing yoyos were rare, making the Artifact stand out—though it also faced challenges due to the lack of standardized components and less advanced manufacturing quality. Alex always believed the design had more potential, and the project felt unfinished for over a decade.

Highlighting the distinct feel of small-bearing yoyos—particularly their faster spin and unique bind response—Alex sought to revive the Artifact in a modern form. He approached One Drop, a company located near his hometown that had witnessed his growth in the yo-yo community. With their support, the design was reimagined using an unreleased prototype from before Yoyocommunity closed.

The updated Artifact retains its original V-shape profile, mid-step rim, and Size D bearing, while incorporating improvements like a revised hub, a slightly larger diameter, lighter weight, a switch to 7075 aluminum, and new response pads from Freshly Dirty.

For Alex, the result is one of his favorite yoyos to date—a modernized yet faithful tribute to the original that he hopes will reignite curiosity and showcase the potential of small-bearing designs.

Spec:
Weight: 64.3 grams
Width: 41.9 mm
Diameter: 55.1 mm
Stock Response: Freshly Dirty Pads for D Size Bearing
Gap Width: 4.47 mm
Bearing Size: One Drop Small (D) stainless steel flat
Alloy: 7075 Aluminum
Finish: Pyramatte (tm)
Axle System: Tapped, 6-32 x 3/8