How To Make an Eastsheen 2x2 Amazing!

1.) Do an AVG of 12 or 50 to break in the puzzle, no matter how badly it turns.
2.) Take it apart (Use pestvic's tutorial) and lubricate ONLY the internal pieces (NOT THE SHELLS) with a CRC type lube.
2a.) That should increase speed and corner cutting greatly.
3.) Re-assemble the cube and do an AVG again. (youre trying to break in the freshly lubed plastics.
4.) Now, lube with some sort of shock oil. Lubix cube works great, and so does most shock oils.
5.) Break in some more.
OPTIONAL: Throw at a wall. (hehe, Rowe) Im not kidding. I threw mine at the wall, it got better and I could feel it.
WARNING: Some of the newer ES 2x2's will BREAK if you do this, so do at your own risk. Mine happens to be quite old. I got my ES in May of 2009, off of Twistypuzzles. If yours came with a logo, chances are that its a "newer" one. Dont throw at any wall/person/cuber/food item/animal.
6.) If you want, replace stickers with CubeSmiths or cubetwist stickers.
7.) Just break in... A LOT.

--
Katie

Cube Review: Alpha 2

Alpha 2 Cube Review:

Pieces:

Corners: Standard Corners

Edge: A standard edge with a a giant rail going through the center. No cap.

Core/Centers: A rail on the center piece. Standard type A core.

Feeling: It feels tight, although its loose already. It has a smooth feeling, but bumpy at the same time.

Corner Cutting: On a moderate tension: About 2/3 of a piece. Reverse corner cutting is 1 mm.

Pops: Because this cube feels tight, you turn a bit harder to turn through it. This pops if you go too fast. 2/7 solves.

Size: This cube is actually a TINY bit smaller than a regular cube. For some reason, its noticiable as well. With stickers on this cube, it leaves a small ring of the color of the plastic around it.

Overall: Since this is my first type A cube, I have no others to compare it to. Overall, its a great cube, except for the popping.

Links!:

Stickers (CubeSmith)

Cube: Black

Cube: White

Lubix Lube-Speed Up Your Cube

Lubix: This is a newer lube that has just come out. It is a 100% silicon liquid.

Dispenser: It comes in an easy-to-use syringe. You take off the sotrage cap (twist) and put on the pointed application tip. You insert it into the cube and push the plunger.

Amount: Dont use too much! You need 1-2 drops on 2 opposite sides at most. Any more than that will make your cube sticky. You know you've applied the perfect amount when there isnt any sticky stuff left on the inside of the cubies.

Preformance: This stuff reminds me of a very thick version of Shock Oil. To me, it functions as it as well. It doesnt really "speed up your cube", it makes it smoother and gives you a more controlled feeling.

Cubes It Works In: Ghost Hand II, Eastsheen 2x2, Cube4You cube, Rubiks UFO. (I have only tested these puzzles so far.)

What It Comes With: The Lubix in a syringe, a center Logo for a 3x3 cube, the dispensing tip, the storage tip.

Final Impressions: A very nice lube, espcially for Eastsheen 2x2's. Mine now cuts corners better than my LanLan. My GhostHand II now feels almost like an FII! Amazing Lube. I highly recommend it!

Links:

Lubix! (Website is currently under construction!)

Mirror Blocks (XM) Review- Lightake.com

Stickers: This puzzle comes with chrome stickers that will smudge after lots of use, but overall, very nice quality in the stickers. (There are other variations of this puzzle which the stickers will be a different color. Ex. Red or Gold)

Size: This puzzle is the EXACT same size as a standard Rubiks Cube.

Turning: Turning is very smooth and it has a bit of friction in it. I would compare the turning to a type C1 cube. Very nice turning though, unlike the Rubiks one.

Cutting Corners: On average, 3/4 of a piece. But this cube is considered to be a DIY, which means you can adjust the tension on it.

Lock-Ups: Due to the nature of the pieces, this cube deos lock up a bit. When you push on a tall piece that sticks up, it will bend a bit before turning. You have to be careful with the cube.

Solving: When you scramble this cube, it shape shifts. On a regular Rubiks Cube, you solve each side by it's color. No 2 pieces have the same stickers on it. Its the same here. Instead of color, you solve by shape of the cubies. No 2 cubies are the same shape, which gives this cube a new challange. Overall though, you still solve it the same way, but certain cases of PLL and OLL may be tricky.

Overall: This cube is a great addition to any collection. Its very fun to solve and its als0 easy after you get the hang of it. I could sub 45 it on the first day. And if your friends think that its cool you can solve a Rubiks Cube, pull the Mirror Blocks out and watch their reaction as you solve it.

Links:

Stickers: http://cubesmith.com/mirrorbumpcube.htm

Cube:

Black with Chrome Stickers

White with Gold Stickers

White with Red Stickers

White with Blue Stickers

Black with Blue Stickers

White 6-Colored

Rubik's Brand Cubes: Short Review (2-5)

These cubes are really not meant for speedsolving. They are good beginner's cubes though.

2x2's

Rubiks 2x2: It comes with the old color scheme, which makes it harder to get used to. It has no corner cutting ability, but after lube, will glide very well. The center piece notches break easily, which makes it pop every 3 turns. $7

Rubiks Ice 2x2: Its the same as the Rubiks 2x2, but the cube is transparent with transparent stickers. Still has the old color scheme. These cubes are speculated to have better gliding than the Rubiks, but that hasn't been tested much. $8

Rubiks Jr. 2x2: It is has the same turning as the Rubiks 2x2, but this one has different stickers oriented to newer cubers. It has a green, pink, and a monkey side. (There are 4 pink sides) This cube actually hasn't proven to be "easier" than the regular 2x2 though... $7

3x3's

Rubiks StoreBought: This cube is decent after break in. It has the standard corners and capless edges. There is no springs, which makes the corner cutting ability low and the lock-up rate high. Over time, and after alot of breaking in, this cube can actually be good. I could get a sub 25 second average on mine. The only issue with breaking it in is that too much of it will make the cube loose, and you can't tighten it. $10-$15

Rubiks 25th Anniversary: It's said to be better in turning than the Rubiks StoreBought, but that's only a few opinions. It has the regular American Color scheme, with Chrome replacing white. It also has a cool new logo for the 25 years its been out. $20

Rubiks 30th Anniversary: This cube is 95% made of wood. Why 95% you may ask? The internal pieces (The ones that go into the mechanism) are made of the standard black plastic. This cube has transparent sticker, like the ones that come on the Ice Cube, to let the user see the wood grain on the cubies. This cube looks great on a shelf, not so good turning. It actually turns bad, but this isn't a cube to go around speedsolving. $30

Rubiks Studio: Very rare puzzle indeed. These are the original 3x3's produced in Hungary. These are considered to be the "Ultimate Collector's Item" in some people's terms. The cube turns bad (from what I've seen) and has the old color scheme. These can go from $30 - $100 depending on the condition of the cube.

Rubiks KeyChain Cube: It is what they say it is. A mini Rubiks Cube. Same turning and stickers as the regular cube, but they still have the old Rubiks Logo. These cubes happen to break easily and have OK turning. (Maru is better...) Nice to keep on a backpack or keyring. Not suitable for speedsolving, but just fun to have. They're also quite cheap compared to the other cubes. $5

4x4's

Rubiks StoreBought: A locky and poppy cube. That's it. Even after the Thrawst mod, it still locks and pops quite a bit. The new ones have ridges on the underside of the edges to "prevent" popping. It makes the cube rougher and it still pops the same amount. It just makes the piece stay in the cube when it pops. $15-$20

5x5:

Rubiks 5x5: This cube is actually OK. Its really bulky in weight and size. It comes stiff out of the box, but loosens up over time. After lube, this cube turns good, but the center corners twist out of alignment every turn, which makes handling this cube a big pain in the you know what... A whopping $30! (V-Cubes are only a little more expensive)

All these cubes have the standard Rubiks Stickers. (Excluding the 30th Anniversary, Ice Cube, Studio, Rubiks JR, and Rubiks 2x2) have the standard American color scheme with Orange o. Red, Blue o. Green, White o. Yellow. They have the clear film over the sticker that tends to peel with use.

Short Reviews on My Main SpeedCubes!

LanLan 2x2: It is basically an Eastsheen 2x2 with screw-spring structure. The springs are too stiff though, so I've replaced them with pen springs. Unlubed and is best that way. Its a very smooth puzzle, not wobbly and loose like a broken in Eastsheen.

GhostHand II: A very smooth 3x3. On it's best side, it can cut corners 45 degrees with barely any effort. Has a "washboard" design on the edges and ridges on the center pieces to minimize the friction between the piece. Its my quitest cube and has a "fluffy" feeling. (:p if that makes any sense) It does like to overshoot though.

QJ 4x4: A corner has broken, so I have to order a new corner. I've de-tiled it and stickered with CubeSmith. A nice 4x4, but I REALLY want a Maru, but they're very expensive.

QJ 5x5: It came super fast out of the box. Very large and heavy, which is annoying for me who has small hands. It has the thick QJ tiles which makes it too big for me to handle with ease. I'm hoping to get a YJ or V-Cube of course. I can sub-4 it, which is good, because I never practice 5x5. It makes my hands very tired from holding it.

GhostHand Magic: Mine is quite broken in, it is much looser than the Rubiks Brand. I can get a sub 1.5 average. The strings are much stronger than the Rubiks as well.

QJ Pyraminx: Very loose and a bit hard to fingertrick. I know OKA for the pyraminx. But the QJ locks up like crazy, and for some reason, mine pops quite alot.

Mini Diansheng (OH): I got this cube a long time ago. Ive stickered it with Rubiks 4x4 stickers and lubed with CRC. Its amazing for one-hand since I have small hands. I still want a mini A5, but this is really good.

3x3x1 and PMM Review: Lightake.com

Ok, I received my Lightake order today and got a LanLan Super Floppy Cube and a Pillowed MasterMorphinx. (ZZ Brand)

3x3x1 Super Floppy Cube:

Solving: Very easy, my 6 year old sister can do it. Although it shape shifts, you only need 3-4 moves to get it back to the origanal shape.
Stickers:The typical LanLan color scheme. Light Blue and Light green on top and bottom, dark grey and light grey, and red and yellow. They are the dot stickers and the ones on the inside chip after 1-2 solves.
Turning:Very smooth and it glides very well. Because this doesn't use the typical Floppy Cube mech, it turns extremely well right out of the box.
Cons: May be too easy for some people. .The stickers are terrible and you should replace them. The puzzle comes pre-lubed and thus, makes the whole puzzle feel greasy and slimy. The stickers on the inside are also covered in the lube. But, on a side note, this makes the puzzle feel like a BEAUTY!

Pillowed MasterMorphinx:

Solving: Essentially, this is just a 3x3 cube in a different form. But, it is much more confusing that most puzzles. You have to hold it at an angle to solve it. You cant hold a face in front of you or it wont turn the way you want it to.
Stickers: My version has the 1 color, grey, as it's stickers. The stickers are textured and look like they have thread running through it. (Thats the texture) Very nice quality so far.
Turning: The turning is much better than I anticipated it to be. Its a bit rough at certain points, but it still turns very nice. There are also "center" caps and you can adjust the tension from there. Very good turning and it even cuts corners a bit.
Cons: Mine is 1 colored, and most people wish to have the 4-colored one. But stickers can easily be bought at CubeSmith.com.

Links:

Stickers:

Pillowed MasterMorphinx: http://www.cubesmith.com/MasterPyramorphinx.htm
Floppy Cube: http://www.cubesmith.com/3x3x3.htm

Cubes:

PMM (4-Colored): http://www.lightake.com/detail.do/sku.LL_Triangle_Pyramid_Magic_Intelligence_Test_Cube_Black-22358
PMM (1-Colored): http://www.lightake.com/detail.do/sku.ZS_Gray_Triangle_Pyramid_Magic_Intelligence_Test_Cube_Gray-22817
Floppy Cube: http://www.lightake.com/detail.do/sku.1x3x3_LL_Speed_Puzzles_Smooth_Magic_Cube_Black-23962