How to Make a Ripcord

The ripcord is just one of many tricks you can do with a yo-yo.

Yo-yo tricks can dazzle and amaze an audience. The "ripcord" appears to completely tangle the yo-yo in its own string, ending with the sudden release of the yo-yo into the "sleeping" position. By rotating your hands in a circle, the string continues to wrap the yo-yo up -- until you make the one quick release -- that seems to work like magic, hence the name "ripcord." The ripcord is not the easiest trick in the book, but with a little bit of practice, you too can pull off this stunner.

Things You'll Need

• Yo-yo

Instructions

1. Rest the yo-yo on a table and pull about two feet of string from the spool.

2. Wrap the string over your forefinger about four inches from the yo-yo. Wrap the string back around the yo-yo. This keeps the string going in the same direction as it would if it were laying flat on the yo-yo, but you have created a gap by holding your finger in the loop.

3. Use your other forefinger to create a bend in the single string, sending the string end back down to the finger holding the loop.

4. Place the end of the yo-yo string in the same hand that is holding the loop four inches from the yo-yo. The yo-yo hangs on the string, resting on its side, almost like a hammock. Your fingers and the resting yo-yo form a triangle. The finger holding only the string is the top of the triangle and the loop finger forms the right corner of the triangle. The formation is a slightly obtuse triangle, with the longest segment between the resting yo-yo and the top of the triangle.

5. Swing the yo-yo spool in a clockwise motion, making it move towards the top of the triangle. Accomplish this action by moving both hands quickly in a clockwise, circular direction.

   Propel the momentum of the yo-yo by continuing to move your hands in the clockwise motion.

6. Move the top hand past the hand holding the two strings by stopping the two-string hand. This keeps the yo-yo from falling through the hole. Continue the single-string hand past the yo-yo as well, wrapping the string around the device for a second time.

7. Repeat the circular motion for a second round. Each rotation should find the string still moving in the natural direction of the yo-yo. While the yo-yo appears to be tangled in its own string, you are really forming a quick release mechanism.

8. Start a third rotation -- as the yo-yo moves towards the hand holding the loop and the end of the string -- pull your forefinger out of the original loop. The yo-yo will fall free, dangling from all of the wrapped string, magically untangled. You have completed the ripcord.

Tips & Warnings

• As you get better at the trick, you can do more rotations and make the trick even more impressive or add string "hops."

• Be sure the string is always moving in the same direction as it wraps around the yo-yo, otherwise you will truly tangle the string and potentially cause knots.

References

• Ripcord