Colombian Tops

[MatiasStuntMan]

Last weekend I visited my family in Medellin, and had the chance to buy some Tops from Don Antonio, and here they are. (I know I need to do some Photoshop clean up).
The big one is 12x12 cm, then 10x10 cm, and 8x8 cm, the small one is the size a regular plastic Top.

[Pulpowsky]

The shape looks very nice. Someday I'll got one.

[MatiasStuntMan]

Some more here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliolondono/sets/72157623812213080/

[poptop]

Nice tops--thanks for the pictures!  I like the variety of sizes--seems like it would be fun to compare them.  Do you know what kind of wood/finish they are made of?

[ta0]

Great collection! How heavy is the big one?

I also want one!
I have been bugging Enrique Leal for years, but no luck. He said they needed to be made from "Palo de Sangre" and the wood had become difficult to find.

[MatiasStuntMan]

The wood's name in Spanish is Nazareno, or "Palo de Sangre" I think that in English is Purpleheart, or Christ's blood. The finish is just a simple coat of lacquer, some doesn't even have any extra finish different than fine sanding.

[Neff]

Beautiful!

[lincolnrick]

Sure looks like Purpleheart.  If so they will eventually age to a beautiful shade of brown.  Purpleheart never stays purple    Great shapes.  I've never thrown a top with that kind of crown.  Any special techniques on the toss?

[pplgrande]

Such interesting wood trompos, and very pretty too, about how much does a big trompo like that cost

[cecil]

I would like to buy a couple of these tops, how can I get them?

[cecil]

I just bought a block of Purple Heart, 4 x 6 x 6 the top will be 4 1/4 diameter - I hope. I hollowed the inside last night. The red dust went every where in the shop. What mess. I hope they let me come back to make another mess with the outside. This wood is hard and heavy. They have Colombian tops on ebay. I don't like the way they look and I know the hole for the tip is off. And I'm not going to spend that kind of money and have to bore the hole out and make another tip. How much is the 12 x 12 cm top cost?

[Jack]

I just bought a block of Purple Heart, 4 x 6 x 6 the top will be 4 1/4 diameter - I hope. I hollowed the inside last night. The red dust went every where in the shop. What mess. I hope they let me come back to make another mess with the outside. This wood is hard and heavy. They have Colombian tops on ebay. I don't like the way they look and I know the hole for the tip is off. And I'm not going to spend that kind of money and have to bore the hole out and make another tip. How much is the 12 x 12 cm top cost?

i look forward to seeing your latest beauty @-@
$99 https://www.yoyosam.com/p-2652-handmade-solid-purpleheart-wood-spin-top.aspx

[cecil]

That top on ebay looks like 6.100 long 3.543 wide and the weight is about 14.44 oz. That's a heavy top. I'm looking for a 4.0 inch top made out of blood wood, made by Don Antonio. I've been looking for a few years. I guess if you want one you have to make it. And I can't find any blood wood 4.5 x 4.5 x 6.0 long. You would have to glue blocks up. I don't want to do that on blood wood.

[cecil]

My new 4 1/8 Purple Heart Trompo. It weighs 13 oz. It's ready for field testing. I hope the balance is close.

[ta0]

My new 4 1/8 Purple Heart Trompo. It weighs 13 oz. It's ready for field testing. I hope the balance is close.

It looks very, very nice, Cecil!  I bet the balance is perfect!

In the Nagoya museum I found this trophy from Fujita's visit to Colombia en 2006, when he was sponsored by the Japanese government, together with Taka:



It says 25th Recreational Traditional Games of the Street, 2nd place male "mayores" in Trompo, where "mayores" could either mean adults or seniors.
One of the signatures below the "ivory" top I believe is from Herney García, the overall winner. How amazed we were when we first saw the video of the contest Taka posted on youtube! Herney did that whole body corkscrew that is your favorite.
I also took a photo of a poster that did not realize until now that it was from a previous year, 1994:



I am not sure if Fujita went two times to Colombia. I need to ask Enrique Leal.
It says 12th Recreational Games of the Street and 3rd National Trompo Contest.
There is a long tradition of official (government-sponsored) spinning top contests in Colombia! It would be a perfect place to have an international contest one day.