55mm Zhanchi Theory

[Cuber9991]

Before I get into this I would like to say I don't know if anyone else has posted about this (Sorry to waste your time if they did). I searched the forums a little bit and couldn't find anything about it.

Hello everyone! I have an interesting theory on the 55mm Zhanchi and why it is so smooth. Everyone who has touched a 55mm zhanchi knows it is smoother than the other zhanchis. I was interested in finding out why, so I went to comparing it to the 57mm. I looked both the cubes inside and out and I couldn't find any differences between them. I got very frustrated and decided I would walk away for a while and come back later. When I came back the next day the first thing I noticed was the plastic. On the 57mm the plastic looked a little different, darker. I compared the two and realized that the 55mm had almost milky looking plastic. It looked like a really dark grey. At first I thought nothing of it, then I thought about the original plastic zhanchis. They are supposedly smoother than the zhanchis we have nowadays, I have never felt one so I can't say so myself. The plastic on the original zhanchis are supposedly softer making the cube smoother. In conclusion, I think the 55mm zhanchis might be original plastic. What do you guys think?

- Ben

 

[kunparekh18]

Everyone knows the 2 different ZCs are made of different plastics. I don't know about OPZs though.

 

[typeman5]

The 55mm zhanchi was kind of a v2.. Dont rmrmber what they improoved though

 

[guysensei1]

I heard somewhere that all 55mms are original plastic...
Not sure if its true.

 

[BaMiao]

It doesn't make any sense to me that they would use different plastic for any of their cubes. Not only that, but we see the same sort of difference between the normal/mini weilong.

My theory: The 55mm zhanchi is slightly smaller, but uses the same springs. I think the slightly different tensions we get as a result is to blame.

 

[Cuber9991]

It doesn't make any sense to me that they would use different plastic for any of their cubes. Not only that, but we see the same sort of difference between the normal/mini weilong.

My theory: The 55mm zhanchi is slightly smaller, but uses the same springs. I think the slightly different tensions we get as a result is to blame.

It doesn't make any sense to me either and I never thought about the spring size. That could be the thing making it smoother. For some reason I can tighten it to almost as tight as it can go and it will still move fast and cut corners well.

 

[mark49152]

My theory: there's less contact pressure between the tips of edges and the center stalks. 55mm feels similar to a CPM'ed 57mm.

 

[yockee]

Before I get into this I would like to say I don't know if anyone else has posted about this (Sorry to waste your time if they did). I searched the forums a little bit and couldn't find anything about it.

Hello everyone! I have an interesting theory on the 55mm Zhanchi and why it is so smooth. Everyone who has touched a 55mm zhanchi knows it is smoother than the other zhanchis. I was interested in finding out why, so I went to comparing it to the 57mm. I looked both the cubes inside and out and I couldn't find any differences between them. I got very frustrated and decided I would walk away for a while and come back later. When I came back the next day the first thing I noticed was the plastic. On the 57mm the plastic looked a little different, darker. I compared the two and realized that the 55mm had almost milky looking plastic. It looked like a really dark grey. At first I thought nothing of it, then I thought about the original plastic zhanchis. They are supposedly smoother than the zhanchis we have nowadays, I have never felt one so I can't say so myself. The plastic on the original zhanchis are supposedly softer making the cube smoother. In conclusion, I think the 55mm zhanchis might be original plastic. What do you guys think?

- Ben

The 55mm aren't the same plastic as the very first originals, however, it is similar to the plastic of the 2nd original, which was released the same month as the first. It is the same plastic used for the 2x2 and Megaminx, as well as the newest ZC they make today (yes, they have changed again). ZC's today have gotten better, however still not as nice as the originals. The originals were much lighter and faster, while the new ones seem heavier and thicker / bulkier.
Note: One way I have found to check for differences in the plastic is to use the same lube on each cube and see what it looks like after some weeks of use. Look at how the lube dries on the plastic. Some plastics, the lube will dry like a powder, sometimes it stays wet and forms clumps, etc. You can also see how the scratches differ in each plastic. The original plastic (first type) leaves deep grooves in the edges, while the second type stays smooth and just shows scratches in the light, on the surface. The newer plastic before the newest kind also left deep grooves, however the color was different and the lube dried as a powder, while on the newest kind, it dries in clumps and looks smooth and wet, with scratches again, only on the surface. Both new plastics are heavier than both originals.

 

[Cuber9991]

The 55mm aren't the same plastic as the very first originals, however, it is similar to the plastic of the 2nd original, which was released the same month as the first. It is the same plastic used for the 2x2 and Megaminx, as well as the newest ZC they make today (yes, they have changed again). ZC's today have gotten better, however still not as nice as the originals. The originals were much lighter and faster, while the new ones seem heavier and thicker / bulkier.
Note: One way I have found to check for differences in the plastic is to use the same lube on each cube and see what it looks like after some weeks of use. Look at how the lube dries on the plastic. Some plastics, the lube will dry like a powder, sometimes it stays wet and forms clumps, etc. You can also see how the scratches differ in each plastic. The original plastic (first type) leaves deep grooves in the edges, while the second type stays smooth and just shows scratches in the light, on the surface. The newer plastic before the newest kind also left deep grooves, however the color was different and the lube dried as a powder, while on the newest kind, it dries in clumps and looks smooth and wet, with scratches again, only on the surface. Both new plastics are heavier than both originals.

Thank you for clearing this up