Riley Steve Davis Tournament Champion Full Size Snooker Balls Made In Belgium

[dazzel]

Hi all I hope someone can help as my internet searches keep coming up blank. I recently picked up a set of Riley Steve Davis Tournament Champion 'Made In Belgium' full size snooker balls in excellent condition to add to my collection. What I would like to know is what year were these were released roughly? With them being made in Belgium would they have been made by Saluc/Aramith for Riley or made by another maker? Are these likely to be made of phenolic resin like the current aramith tournament champion balls or something else? The weights of the set are all pretty good & very close to my 1G's but a slightly bigger tolerance. Many thanks in advance. 1000001935.jpg 1000001936.jpg 1000001934.jpg

[maryfield]

My father opened a club in 1986 with 14 brand new Riley tables. They were supplied with these balls. His other club opened in 1982 and had Super Crystalate balls. So they date somewhere in between. Saluc now own the Aramith and Super Crystalate brands. So I would say these were made by Saluc for Riley. Yes they are phenolic resin. A lot heavier than Supers.

[dazzel]

Thats brilliant information, thank you so much for the reply.

[vmax]

My father opened a club in 1986 with 14 brand new Riley tables. They were supplied with these balls. His other club opened in 1982 and had Super Crystalate balls. So they date somewhere in between. Saluc now own the Aramith and Super Crystalate brands. So I would say these were made by Saluc for Riley. Yes they are phenolic resin. A lot heavier than Supers.

They are the same weight as super crystalate balls but are a different phenolic resin material. Saluc bought the Composite Ball Company that made SC balls and closed the UK factory in 1992, moved production of balls to belgium and stopped making SC balls. The balls they market today as SC's are not genuine SC but they can market them as such because they own the patent for the material.
Genuine SC balls can be cleaned in hot soapy water, if you clean Aramith balls this way they will discolour, there's a thread on this somwhere on the forum with great info from a bloke who used to work for the Composite Ball Company before they were taken over and closed by Saluc.

[dazzel]

Great info so far but can anyone tell me would the phenolic resin of the one's I have pictured & asked about be similar to the aramith tournament champions that are made today or different again?