[MFB] Mold Variations Reference List


Hello all! This thread is intended to be a reference and findings about differences of Molds within the Metal Fight Beyblade series. It's intention is to allow users to identify and validate differences between each piece, find out origins of each piece, and to yield for the highest performing parts. I will be collecting information from the forum and posting all of the findings here, if you have any of your own findings please post it in here. In the end I plan to have a google doc spreadsheet available with all of the collected data and to have a visual reference of the differences in each piece.





Vocabulary of Terms:

What is a Mold? It's complicated because it isn't limited to any single thing. A Mold is a difference of a piece that can fundamentally change its: Weight, Shape, or Appearance and often has no bearing on their Product Code (the Letters/Numbers on the piece itself). They are generally mass produced and thus one-of's aren't considered a mold. Often times molds can be intentional such as to prevent a breaking problem (see Libra), sometimes it can be unintentional due to manufacturing (see Wyvang), other times it makes no sense (see Phantom), and sometimes it changes from brand to brand. It is imperative that we classify them in their three types of Molds: Weight, Shape, and Appearance. Let's define them:

Weight: a change in it's weight that deviates from the average.
Shape: a change of the shape that affects it's performance or durability.
Appearance: a change of it's look aesthetically.

The changes aren't limited to one or the other and often times multiple different molds can occur for a single piece.

An important to note is the difference between Manufacturing Tolerance and a Mold. Manufacturing Tolerance is the Variation between each piece as it's being made while using the same mold. We can refer to these changes as Variants. These are more minor than actual molds and can naturally, but drastically, affect the quality of performance between part to part. Due to tolerances of manufacturing you may experience certain pieces spinning longer, more freely, or have better balance. These are not considered molds. An actual Mold is a physical difference between piece to piece due to using a different mold/process/part to create the final piece.

The best way to explain how a mold works, is to imagine an ice cube tray. The ice cube tray is the Mold, every ice cube made from the tray creates a replica of what the tray is shaped like. So if you had ice cube trays that were shaped like bananas, then you would get banana shaped ice cubes and the same it would be for if the ice cube tray was shaped like oranges, it would only create oranges. If you were making bananas and you suddenly decided that you wanted to make bigger bananas, you would have to physically create a new ice cube tray with a bigger banana shape to then be able to create bigger banana ice cubes. The change is intentional and considered a new Mold.

The tolerance results when every ice cube isn't made the same as a result of the ice cube tray. A tiny bubble inside, a crack, how much water was used, or even if someone sneezed in the water. These are tolerances that cannot be controlled and is similar to what happens when a Beyblade part is made. There are variants created from these imperfections. These changes are unintentional and considered Variants.

Another important thing to note is that part wear, while it has impact on performance, does not create a new Mold... it's simply worn down.





THE LIST:

These are the mold differences. I will be listing everything in alphabetical order in order to make sorting easier.

Dragooon
Varying Weights (Semi-confirmed)
It has noted before that there are three different weights of Dragooon 29g, 30g, and 31g. Hasbro released only the 29g mold, while Takara Tomy in addition has released 30g and 31g mold. I am not sure if Sonokong has released a 30g or 31g mold of it. There is no definite way to get one mold or the other.
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Killerken/Kraken
Hasbro Weight (Semi-confirmed)[1]
Angry Face has noted that there is a difference in weight from the Hasbro Kraken to the Takara Tomy Killerken with a difference of +2g however there is no obvious visible location for where the weight is missing.



Phantom 
Sonokong Appearance (Semi-confirmed)[1]
The appearance of the Phantom Orion for Sonokong is very crooked compared to the Takara Tomy version.



Wyvang
Takara Tomy Shape (Semi-confirmed)[1]
[)ragon has noted that there are two different versions of Wyvang, one with a 3mm feather and one with a 4mm feather. The 3mm feather protrudes slightly more while the 4mm feather is flatter.
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