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[ta0]

We have discussed before the German spinning top shop Kreiselparadies (Paradise of Tops) . I got an email saying that they reached their goal of having 1000 different tops for sale. The vast majority are finger tops. I was browsing it and some of the interesting things I found were:

Top Spin game:

With the finger top you need to move the three rings into the goals

Top with training wheels:

 

DVD storage metal top:

Useful? 

A giant (10") top made with a car disk brake :

 

What I find most interesting about this site (and the rival German site http://www.kreisel-einkauf.de) is that it is proof that there must be a substantial group of people that collects finger tops out there. 

[jim in paris]

great find

the disk brake top is impressive

jim

[poptop]

I'm adding training wheels to all my tops.

 

[the Earl of Whirl]

Yes, it is interesting how many people enjoy finger tops.

I am with poptop.  That top with training wheels is hilarious!

Maybe I can direct some family to this site......with Christmas looming.  Thanks, ta0!!!

[ta0]

Of course, Tim has the top with training wheels in this collection and shows it working at the beginning of this video:

[Jeremy McCreary]

Now, that's my kind of shop!

Tops on wheels are fun. Two favorites with retracting landing gears come in at 6:28 below. (Not my best-planned video.)



Wheels can actually be useful in tops. For example, they make for much smoother landings in heavy tops that aren't bounded by surfaces of revolution.

[ta0]

Two favorites with retracting landing gears come in at 6:28 below.

I love them! 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Thanks!

Fun to scroll through the catalog. They apparently sell both new and vintage tops. Even found a pair of brightly decorated Toycrafters disk tops from 1994 or so!

The tops generally aren't as clever as the ones I saw on that French site we discussed months ago. But still found some interesting designs.

[Mermouy]

A giant (10") top made with a car disk brake :

 

What I find most interesting about this site (and the rival German site http://www.kreisel-einkauf.de) is that it is proof that there must be a substantial group of people that collects finger tops out there.

Wow! Need to try to make one someday...

[Joah]

We have discussed before the German spinning top shop Kreiselparadies (Paradise of Tops) . I got an email saying that they reached their goal of having 1000 different tops for sale. The vast majority are finger tops. I was browsing it and some of the interesting things I found were:

Top Spin game:

With the finger top you need to move the three rings into the goals

Top with training wheels:

 

DVD storage metal top:

Useful? 

A giant (10") top made with a car disk brake :

 

What I find most interesting about this site (and the rival German site http://www.kreisel-einkauf.de) is that it is proof that there must be a substantial group of people that collects finger tops out there.

So many tops my mind is literally spinning with excitement!!! I was looking for a place that still made twist line tops! Hmmm....maybe the next generations of beyblade will have tops with customizable wheels

[Jeremy McCreary]

@Joah, I like this French online top store even more...

toupie-shop.com

Smaller selection, but some very clever designs I've not seen elsewhere.

[Joah]

@Joah, I like this French online top store even more...

toupie-shop.com

Smaller selection, but some very clever designs I've not seen elsewhere.

When I thought it couldn't get any better!!! This shop is sweet! Their Olive Combat Top looks vicious I think my Koma would get a run for its money. I love how there are so many unique designs of tops from around the world! Thank you for sharing this.

[Jeremy McCreary]

When I thought it couldn't get any better!!! This shop is sweet! Their Olive Combat Top looks vicious I think my Koma would get a run for its money. I love how there are so many unique designs of tops from around the world! Thank you for sharing this.

My pleasure! (Had a feeling you'd like that one.)

The Toupie Shop, Grand Illusions, and Kreiselparadies are all good places to prowl -- especially if your tastes in tops are on the eclectic side.

The olive is very nice. If memory serves, the fighting throwing tops usually seen on this forum tend to have much sharper tips. But a LEGO battle top needs a ball tip to be a good fighter-- on both offense and defense.

[ta0]

I met Marion Olivier, "Miss Toupie", the owner of Toupie-Shop, this year at the Marines Festival (I cannot believe it was this year, just before covid: it feels like ages ago!). On her site she says her passion for tops started in adolescence when she had skirts that turned (?). She also says that she feels she was "born a living top"

Toupie-Shop is only about six years old while Kreiselparadies has been going for about 2 decades. The German site was also started by a woman, Monika Scharmann from the city of Esens.
There used to be another very good French shop, Les Trésors d'Agui, but unfortunately seems to have disappeared. There also used to be a similar but smaller site in the US, The Color of Life. I bought several unusual tops from there, but the owner had a progressive health issue and finally had to close.

[Joah]

When I thought it couldn't get any better!!! This shop is sweet! Their Olive Combat Top looks vicious I think my Koma would get a run for its money. I love how there are so many unique designs of tops from around the world! Thank you for sharing this.

My pleasure! (Had a feeling you'd like that one.)

The Toupie Shop, Grand Illusions, and Kreiselparadies are all good places to prowl -- especially if your tastes in tops are on the eclectic side.

The olive is very nice. If memory serves, the fighting throwing tops usually seen on this forum tend to have much sharper tips. But a LEGO battle top needs a ball tip to be a good fighter-- on both offense and defense.

I am huge fan of Grand Illusions YT channel. Interesting with the ball tip for LEGO tops. I've noticed with the 3D Beigomas the ball tip seems to win the most too. Working on a set of LEGO compatible parts to make simple flick top fighters. Found your YT channel today excellent content can't wait to watch more.

[Joah]

I met Marion Olivier, "Miss Toupie", the owner of Toupie-Shop, this year at the Marines Festival (I cannot believe it was this year, just before covid: it feels like ages ago!). On her site she says her passion for tops started in adolescence when she had skirts that turned (?). She also says that she feels she was "born a living top"

Toupie-Shop is only about six years old while Kreiselparadies has been going for about 2 decades. The German site was also started by a woman, Monika Scharmann from the city of Esens.
There used to be another very good French shop, Les Trésors d'Agui, but unfortunately seems to have disappeared. There also used to be a similar but smaller site in the US, The Color of Life. I bought several unusual tops from there, but the owner had a progressive health issue and finally had to close.

That so cool you got to meet the owner! Interesting thought of humans and tops...quite a striking allegory. 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Working on a set of LEGO compatible parts to make simple flick top fighters.

Eager to see what you come up with!

Found your YT channel today excellent content can't wait to watch more.

Too kind. Please let me know which tops caught your eye.

Interesting with the ball tip for LEGO tops. I've noticed with the 3D Beigomas the ball tip seems to win the most too.

Seems to  be a consistent observation. Don't fully understand it, but ball tips definitely promote the conversion of spin angular momentum to travel, thus increasing the top's linear momentum (taken at its CM).

In a head-on elastic collision of two identical balls (think billiards), the one approaching with the lesser closing speed ends up leaving at the greater speed. Could figure into ejections.

[Joah]

Working on a set of LEGO compatible parts to make simple flick top fighters.

Eager to see what you come up with!

Found your YT channel today excellent content can't wait to watch more.

Too kind. Please let me know which tops caught your eye.

Interesting with the ball tip for LEGO tops. I've noticed with the 3D Beigomas the ball tip seems to win the most too.

Seems to  be a consistent observation. Don't fully understand it, but ball tips definitely promote the conversion of spin angular momentum to travel, thus increasing the top's linear momentum (taken at its CM).

In a head-on elastic collision of two identical balls (think billiards), the one approaching with the lesser closing speed ends up leaving at the greater speed. Could figure into ejections.

Nice, I like your billiard description it makes sense! I'm very inspired by your top shooter and boomerang top!