Throwing tops
18th century toys? Help me, Internet
Several years ago I got an old-fashioned wooden throwing top for Christmas. Unfortunately no one in my family knew what do with it. We couldn’t figure out how to get it to spin, so it went into the back of the closet. TR’s post about yo-yo videos finally made the light go on: The Internet knows…
Sure enough, there are sites with video tutorials showing how to throw tops.
I never would have figured it out on my own…you wrap the string around a different part of the top than I was trying, and you throw it upside down (it flips over in the air). This is the kind of thing that makes the Internet more valuable than a library to me. Sure, I probably could have researched these tops at a library and gotten an instructional video through interlibrary loan. But not in 15 minutes.
July 14th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Its my guess that half the fun of playing with these toys is figuring ‘em out in the first place. This post seriously made me chortle! Cute story worth a whole barrel o’ chuckles. Rock On !
June 29th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
tops are quite entertaining toys if you ask me. Skill toys can be enjoyed by all walks of life, from kids to adults. And the fact that they make modern versions of these toys is proof to me that these toys are entering the modern age with a lot of background and reputation. My fancy however is battling tops. me and my friends battle all the time. And when you battle for one another’s tops, it makes it all the more interesting.
April 18th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
can i find out the age of my tops? and can you help me?
April 25th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Roy, I’m afraid I have no idea how to determine the age of tops. Do you think you have some antique ones?
December 11th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Personally, I’m curious to know if there’s any secret to turning them on a lathe, besides just “going for it”? ‘Course, practice makes perfect, but some guidance sure helps avoid “re-inventing the wheel”.
Any guidance out there is definitely most appreciated!