Another cue refinishing thread about linseed oils and grain fillers

[Shockerz]

Hi Marc, glad you are still selling the Halo catches! Busted one the other day so ordered some from the website yesterday. Big saving on a new case!!

Hi Cue Crafty

I still sell a few different case spares which seem to help guys out. More and more difficult to get hold of now but still have a few in stock.

[Shockerz]

That sounds like a lot of research and a lot of trial and error. Very impressive
First I also thought about waxing the butt eventually, but I think I like the feel of it now. Maybe something for the future

I use a number of different finishes depending on what players want and what I think fits the wood.

Oil, oil/wax mix, wax, sanding sealer, shellac and friction oil.

I like the feel of a sanding sealer on the butt but most that I redo seem to like a wax/oil mix on the butt for grip and an oil base on the shaft for smoothness.

[Shockerz]

Hey guys,

My BCE Heritage cue when shooting my beard gets stuck in the wood fibers (North American Ash, the dark network).
The wood is smooth, not fibrous.

What I do?
Try sandpaper? (what fineness?)
Try fill the fibers (with what?) and sandpaper?
Use razor?

If your beard is getting caught then your grain filler has probably started to come out, it is getting caught in the grain/holes.

You would need to fill that area again with a suitable grain filler to fill the grain and then redo the surface with whatever the shaft is finished in e.g. oil. Once the holes have disappeared and the grain is full then basically there's nothing to catch the hairs,

You can either choose to do the whole shaft or just the area that is annoying you.

[Met75]

If your beard is getting caught then your grain filler has probably started to come out, it is getting caught in the grain/holes.

You would need to fill that area again with a suitable grain filler to fill the grain and then redo the surface with whatever the shaft is finished in e.g. oil. Once the holes have disappeared and the grain is full then basically there's nothing to catch the hairs,

You can either choose to do the whole shaft or just the area that is annoying you.

What material fill the grains (composition)?
I living in Hungary, here's just one billiard shop in whole country (snooker not a popular sport in there:S), I see Legends Grain Filler on the internet, but they don't have them (just wax but not in stock either).
There is a simpler replacement product or better choice use the Legends Grain Filler?
I would love to order from UK but after the brexit is very expensive the clearance.

[Met75]

I have time today for search.
And I find NitorLack Waterbase Grain Filler Black in local guitar shop

[Met75]

I need some help for repairing process. Video guide not good for me, my english is very poor in talk.

Sanding
What a grain size paper?

Opening the grain
With? example this brush link?

Filling process
Rub with a soft cloth wait for it to dry and rub again sometimes?

Sanding?
What a grain size paper?

Finishing
With linseed oil (raw or diluted) or other material?

[JayRizzie]

Firstly, the cue looks great, well done.

The tenon may in fact not be fitted offset? Some ferrules like the Peradon have pretty thick wall thickness and obviously the thread itself. Once the wood is screwed into the dowel, some of the wood is at the top at one side of the ferrule but the other side (because of the thread) it is hidden as it is under the first thread so it could in fact be in the middle with a little of the wood being hidden one side which is normal.

Thank you very much, to hear it from an expert like you feels honourable

Yeah good point, I didn't really think about the threads. You might be right here

[JayRizzie]

What material fill the grains (composition)?
I living in Hungary, here's just one billiard shop in whole country (snooker not a popular sport in there:S), I see Legends Grain Filler on the internet, but they don't have them (just wax but not in stock either).
There is a simpler replacement product or better choice use the Legends Grain Filler?
I would love to order from UK but after the brexit is very expensive the clearance.

Hey, I also stumbled upon the Nitorlack Waterbased Grain Filler, I think it would be a good solution. I can state, that waterbased grain fillers (which I used as well) work fine with an oil finish.

For sanding, 320/400 for the start, 800 and even 1200 for the final finish should be good. I personally used a brass brush to open the grain, dampening the wood a little with water before grain filler application might raise it as well, so it won't afterwards.

For rubbing the grain filler in, I simply used some cotton cloth (old T-shirt), I worked it in which darkened the whole shaft, afterwards I sanded it down again until only the grain was black.

Concerning the finsihing oil, there is no right or wrong. I personally wouldn't use raw linseed oil, as it takes ages to dry. If you want to use a raw oil, I'd much prefer tung oil, otherwise I can recoomend the hotblown Boiled Linseed Oil from Mylands with no siccatives, it worked nice with my cue.

There a certainly other options, Shockerz might have more of a clue than I do. But these two above mentioned oils would be my choice.

[RogiBear]

This is how I finish my cues before I send them out to customers.

I sand through the stages to 400grit. I then apply a thixotropic spirit based grain filler. You can buy off the shelf (Luthier supplier would likely have something suitable) or make yourself with earth pigments. Apply with a soft cloth or disposable towel and rub into the grain don't let excess sit. Allow to dry overnight. Sand again with 400, wet (oil) sand 800 grit, the slurry will fill the pores and leave it smooth. Wipe excess off and sand through the grades up to 2000 grit.

Oil the cue, remember less oil, sufficient time between applications and more of them is better! Using 0000 wire wool between applications for super smooth finish. As for Oil I use my own blend but an off the self finishing or Danish oil will be ok.

[Met75]

Thanks for all the help.
Unfortunately I can only buy linseed oil like this before christmas.
The stores where I could buy tung or dainsh oil have closed this year.
I make before after pictures for you

[Met75]

Hey guys,

I finished the cue.
Sand through 400grit, twice.
Use Nitorlack Waterbased Grain Filler, twice.
After drying sand through 400grit (twice), 800grit (twice), 1200grit (twice).
After one day apply STOCKARYD oil (IKEA, mix of linseed and tung oil).
After one day sand wire wool.

Give smooth, shiny surfaces.
Make pictures, above original, in the middle after filling, belove after oil. https://imgur.com/a/PybALQd
Unfortunately the sd card died in my phone when start so I only took pictures of the important parts.
Same phone, same settings, same lights and some pictures it got too dark, corrected in Photoshop.

The big question is as I clean the cue after playing so as not to damage the oil?

[vmax]

Cleaning the cue with a damp, and I mean DAMP NOT WET towell after use is fine and will not affect the oil finish if it has been allowed to 'cure' for a few days. Just because it's dry doesn't mean it's finished, it must be given a few days to cure and that means allowing it to harden and protect the wood.
Oil should be applied in thin coats, removing any excess immediately, about a day apart, it will dry in about four hours and can be rubbed down with 0000 grade steel wool ready for the next coat the following day. After about four or five coats leave the last coat to 'cure for about three days, then give the shaft a very light rub down with 0000 grade steel wool to give it a matt finish that makes the shaft less prone to stickyness, leaving the butt gloss for a better grip.
I do this with my cue every year, take off the existing oil finish with 1200 grade paper and then re-finish it. Unlike some I don't use a specific grain filler, I add some activated charcoal to the first coat of oil and that highlights the grain as well as making the wood look antique, which is what I want.
In fact I shall be doing it this weekend.

[andycam]

Like the post above, my cue has lost some grain filler where my beard rubbed against it, im not sure i would be able to re- grain it myself in fear of ruining my cue. Im heading to Chesworth Cues in Sheffield next week so will se what they suggest.

[andycam]

I have purchased Q age and Q gel from Mike Wooldridge so will be doing it myself. Do i need to open the grain on the cue first to use this product? Or will a good wipe down with white spirit be enough. Thanks

[andycam]