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[Hydrona]

Hello folks,

I've been in awe of my grandfather's wooden tops.
Today I practiced 'target' on a disk,  and I was suprised with how smooth it was spinning!
It looked like it was standing stil  while spinning.
Those very old tops had great owners and even greater builders.
The people who make tops are true artists.  A top is not an easy toy to make and to let it spin.
how did they do it in the old days?
So I been thinking. . A top that old .. how can it be compared to modern tops?
If you look at these old wooden tops,  they have survived that long. My grandfather's tops at least 30 to 40 years.
He told me that these tops were his , back in the days when he was a child.
My grandfather is almost 80. 
Sorry , math is not my thing. .

My point is, are old wooden tops as durable and smooth spinning as modern tops?

Many warm greets,
Hydrona

[Kirk]

It is pretty hard to make general statements on this topic. I have some old wood tops that are as smooth spinning as anything.  Similarly I have some that are the same brand and same model that are terrible.  I remember a story by Bob Rule. He was a Duncan demonstrator.  He said the demonstrators would have access to hundreds of tops.  They would pick out the best few to travel with.
Similarly I have seen plastic tops from the same mold that were better than others.  Still there is something visceral about the feel of a wood top in the hand.
 

[cecil]

Simple - More is Better. Get a lathe and a string maker - and make more = More Fun.

[Jeremy McCreary]

True artists indeed.

I've been lucky enough to visit 2 large collections of vintage tops of all kinds. Between them, they go back centuries and cover the globe. Video tours of similar collections have been posted here as well.

The craftsmanship and geometric perfection on display are often truly astounding. Also struck by the sheer effort put into some of these works of art. The motivation to produce nice tops was clearly very strong.

So, though I've seen few examples in action, it's hard to imagine artisans of that caliber and commitment tolerating much wobble in intended play. Which makes me think that the practical knowledge and fabrication tools and skills needed to make wobble-free tops have probably been around for centuries -- especially in places like Japan and Europe.

Modern computer-controlled high-precision machining equipment might make it easier to mass-produce geometrically perfect wobble-free tops, but they appeared long before that.

[cecil]

The whole world should make tops.

Long video - but I would like to see more people having the fun I’ve had.

[JODA9395]

Hello folks,

I've been in awe of my grandfather's wooden tops.
Today I practiced 'target' on a disk,  and I was suprised with how smooth it was spinning!
It looked like it was standing stil  while spinning.
Those very old tops had great owners and even greater builders.
The people who make tops are true artists.  A top is not an easy toy to make and to let it spin.
how did they do it in the old days?
So I been thinking. . A top that old .. how can it be compared to modern tops?
If you look at these old wooden tops,  they have survived that long. My grandfather's tops at least 30 to 40 years.
He told me that these tops were his , back in the days when he was a child.
My grandfather is almost 80. 
Sorry , math is not my thing. .

My point is, are old wooden tops as durable and smooth spinning as modern tops?

Many warm greets,
Hydrona

I suppose that would depend on the wood used and how well you take care of them. It would seem that you're grandfather takes great pride in his tops and is careful with them, and whoever made them must have really loved making them. Mesquite wood is known to take a punch, so it would appear that most tops can endure some wear and tear, keeping in mind there were more dirt roads back in the day than now. I do everything I can to avoid using my tops on cement, especially the more expensive ones.

But getting back to the topic you brought up, some of the newer tops have a stronger durability due to being made from artificial materials (i.e. solid plastic and shells). However, I have a personal attachment to old tops. The craftsmanship deserves praise.