Butt care

[Met75]

I would like to ask for advice on maintaining the butt, as I'm a bit confused.

The butt is natural wood, treated with STOCKARYD oil (from IKEA, a mix of linseed and tung oil).
This gave me a matte surface that sometimes becomes slightly sticky during use, despite drying for days.

I tried car wax, which made the surface silky and pleasant to touch.
However, after some time, it seemed like the wood dried out, became matte again, and faded.
I sanded it down and reapplied oil, and now the color is beautiful once more.

How should I properly treat it?

Should I use only oil? Is the current oil fine, or would raw linseed oil be better?

After waiting for the drying time after oiling, should I also use wax? Is carnauba wax-containing wax good, or should I use pure beeswax?

Picture from my cue
https://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/bo...85&type=medium

[theplough]

I use a light coat of raw linseed every couple of weeks and give it a good wipe off before leaving it upright overnight, then another wipe. Personally I`d only ever wax the bridging part of the shaft, but that`s just me. I occasionally use Lynch`s Cue wax on shaft, but it takes loads and loads of buffing to a good slick shine of sorts. Nice to the touch tho.

[theplough]

Lynch`s Cue Balm, sorry

[vmax]

Tung oil is the base oil for all blended wood oils but don't use raw linseed because it doesn't cure, use boiled linseed (dries naturally) or danish oils as they contain dryers and once cured (takes about three days) finish with wax and buff to a shine.
You can find tutorials on applying Tru oil on youtube, a lengthy process but the results are great and Scherrel's 'Schaftol' gun stock oil works well too.
The thing is that the butt of a cue is handled a lot and a light coat of oil will easily wear off, cheaper cues are laquered and as long as it's only the butt then that's a good finish that will last.

[Met75]

Thank you.

Yes, I noticed that the relatively cheap oil peels off quickly.
Is it enough to sand with 300-grit sandpaper before using Danish oil?

[vmax]

Thank you.

Yes, I noticed that the relatively cheap oil peels off quickly.
Is it enough to sand with 300-grit sandpaper before using Danish oil?

Yes, that will remove the old finish, then go over it again lightly with 0000 grade steel wool and then wipe it down with a rag dampened (not wet) in IPA or white spirit to remove all the dust, leave to dry for five minutes and then apply the oil liberally with a lint free cloth. Wait ten minutes and remove all the excess oil with a clean lint free cloth, leave to dry overnight, do the 0000 grade steel wool thing and repeat this over three days but don't rub the last coat down with steel wool, then leave for three days to allow the oil to cure.
Then you can apply a wax finish and buff to a shine, I use renaissance wax which dries very quickly (about five minutes) applying about five thin coats before buffing but any wood wax will do but let it dry between coats.

[Met75]

Yes, that will remove the old finish, then go over it again lightly with 0000 grade steel wool and then wipe it down with a rag dampened (not wet) in IPA or white spirit to remove all the dust, leave to dry for five minutes and then apply the oil liberally with a lint free cloth. Wait ten minutes and remove all the excess oil with a clean lint free cloth, leave to dry overnight, do the 0000 grade steel wool thing and repeat this over three days but don't rub the last coat down with steel wool, then leave for three days to allow the oil to cure.
Then you can apply a wax finish and buff to a shine, I use renaissance wax which dries very quickly (about five minutes) applying about five thin coats before buffing but any wood wax will do but let it dry between coats.

Thanks for the detailed description.
I will do it soon and upload before/after pictures, If it goes well

[Met75]

Note for me:

With Rustins Danish oil the ten minutes waiting time too much, it will start to dry out and become sticky.
In the directions for use write few minutes, I try waiting 3 minutes and remove all the excess oil, but still too much.

[mikeyd100]

Tung oil is the base oil for all blended wood oils but don't use raw linseed because it doesn't cure, use boiled linseed (dries naturally) or danish oils as they contain dryers and once cured (takes about three days) finish with wax and buff to a shine.
You can find tutorials on applying Tru oil on youtube, a lengthy process but the results are great and Scherrel's 'Schaftol' gun stock oil works well too.
The thing is that the butt of a cue is handled a lot and a light coat of oil will easily wear off, cheaper cues are laquered and as long as it's only the butt then that's a good finish that will last.

In regards to putting Tru Oil on the butt ..... how does one deal with doing the splices, trying not to get any on the shaft ?

[vmax]

In regards to putting Tru Oil on the butt ..... how does one deal with doing the splices, trying not to get any on the shaft ?

I guess that's up to you, you can apply carefully over the tip of the splices by masking off the shaftwood with thin strips of masking tape, but this will have to be done with every coat after polishing.
It can take weeks and many coats and polishing to get a really good Tru oil finish (see tutorials on youtube), the result is worth it if you can be away from snooker and your cue for that amount of time, otherwise I'd laquer it for a quick job that gives the same lasting result or simply linseed or danish oil the whole cue every year which only takes a few days.

[mikeyd100]

I guess that's up to you, you can apply carefully over the tip of the splices by masking off the shaftwood with thin strips of masking tape, but this will have to be done with every coat after polishing.
It can take weeks and many coats and polishing to get a really good Tru oil finish (see tutorials on youtube), the result is worth it if you can be away from snooker and your cue for that amount of time, otherwise I'd laquer it for a quick job that gives the same lasting result or simply linseed or danish oil the whole cue every year which only takes a few days.

Nice one thanks. I was thinking of maybe doing a coat in between sessions, so like 4 or 5 days apart.
Once started though it's got to be seen through to the end I guess. Gotta weigh it up a bit more.
Thanks for the tips.