Ash Shaft - sunken dark grain

[kgene]

My ash shaft does not feel smooth when I'm feathering on my bridge hand. I noticed that the darker part of the grain is sunken and the light part of the wood is higher (either from settling or my lack of cue maintenance). It is treated with raw linseed oil. Was planning to add more lays of linseed oil to the point where it "skins" or forms a layer to fill the grain. Then I would sand it flush. Does this sound right?

Also, the directions for applying raw linseed oil is to dilute it with 30% turpentine which helps it absorb better (for the first couple of layers). I've never heard anyone mention diluting it. Any comments on this?

[eaoin11]

I've refinished a maple cue with 50% diluted linseed oil and for some reason it just didn't play the same later. I don't know if it was the turpentine but you never know, the alcohol might have an effect on the spring of the wood. On websites I've seen they recommend raw linseed oil so I think that's the go, or you could try MW's cue oil.

[kgene]

Thanks for the reply. Other past threads say that the boiled linseed oil has driers that can cause it to go sticky from the heat of your hand and therefore recommend the raw linseed oil. The bottle directions also said to heat up the raw linseed oil in a hot water bath to help absorption instead of diluting with turpentine. Probably should have done this instead of adding turpentine.

[Watford]

Boiled is very different to raw. Much thicker darker.
Are you not just used to maple? The feel of the grain of ash is just different. I play with maple now and ash feels really bumpy to me now. I'd never noticed that before really. If you want it super smooth just have maple.

[kgene]

My newer ash cue I don't feel the grain and is smooth as a maple shaft. Does the bumpy grain happen to all ash shafts at some point and is fact of settling / aging? Does this happen to the better more espensive cues?