Clunky Rubik's Cube

[Mik]

Hey,
I have a few questions. My current Rubik's Cube was bought at a Target for about $5. At first it was fine, when I was learning. But now, while I'm trying to speed up my times, I find it frustrating. The cube is rather difficult to rotate and gets stuck often. I have purchased new stickers from Cubesmith that work extremely well. But does anybody have any suggestions as to my problem with an un-smooth cube? Should I try and lube my current one up? If so, how would I go about doing this? Do I take it apart? How? Or maybe I should buy a new cube. If so, which brand do you recommend? What can I do to get a very smooth, quality cube?

 

[aznfury]

Take apart the cube and clean the dust out and lube the cube. I recommend buying a type a diy cube from cube4you. You should also sand the cube or let it wear itself out.

 

[ExoCorsair]

Take it apart, clean it out, lube it.

Turn the top layer 45°, pop the edge cubie, and just take apart pieces.
Clean pieces as needed.
For lubing, I suggest assemble all the pieces but one edge cubie, and then spraying the inside with silicone or Teflon spray. Pop the final cubie back in, and then solve it maybe a couple times, then leave to dry for like a day.

If it is still like that, just buy a new one. If you want, a DIY works, but ones you can get like at Wal-mart work too (my current speedcube is a store-bought, not a DIY).

 

[TimMc]

WARNING!
Is it an authentic "Rubik's Cube" or is it a cheap version?

If it's a cheap version you may NOT be able to pop the pieces out. Some mechanism are built upon a core without screws or springs (the centre pieces are merely clipped on to the core). So if you tried to pop a piece with one of these you may end up cracking the "clip" which is very difficult to repair. It's probably cheaper to buy a new cube instead of spending money on glue

 

[ExoCorsair]

Is it an authentic "Rubik's Cube" or is it a cheap version?

I highly doubt that Target would sell a 'cheap version'... Although the price seems iffy.

 

[Mik]

Alright. I was able to pop everything out without problems. I dusted everything off, but I didn't sand it or anything, as I've been using the Rubik's cube for a good month or more. Plus, I didn't have sand paper... anyway, I put all the pieces back until I had one edge and it's adjacent corners left, and I got my dad to spray a bit of silicon lubricant. I popped the remaining three pieces back in and then proceeded to mix up and solve the cube twice. By the end of my second solve, certain turns felt very smooth, but maybe one or two felt a bit odd. I'm not sure if it was quite at the point where I could simply push with one finger, though I've never used that method anyway. Now, it is currently sitting on a napkin, I'll leave it there for the night, maybe more. So what do you guys think? Sound good? I'd rather not have to go thru that process again as it was extremely frustrating popping the pieces back in, though I do seem to have the technique down...

 

[deKeijzer]

Well after lubing your cube the cube can get 'sticky', then it requires a little bit more power to start turning a side, but the slide itself is a lot easier.

 

[h3ndrik]

does that stickiness come from the kind of lube you are using? i have a silicone spray here at home, but i don't use it, because the cube is too sticky after i've applied it. so should i buy another kind of lube, maybe graphite spray?