Linseed oiled my cue, now it's tacky.

[deant1982]

After owning my cue for over 10 years, it finally got to the point where it was constantly sticky (especially in the warm weather) when I was playing, to the point it was rubbing on my bridge, and making it pretty sore. I did my research and have applied several coats of linseed oil (raw) to the cue, and have left it at least 24 hours between coats. After coat 3, it had approx 36 hours, so I wiped it smooth with a dry cloth and went for a knock. Whilst the cue was a lot better on the bridge, it still feels tacky to touch, and even though it is running smoothly over my bridge, on the "pause" it was almost sticking to the bridge. As long as it was moving there was no problem, it was only when it stopped for a second.
Does anyone have any advise for how to get the "tacky" feeling off the cue an get it back to it's former glory? The guy who I brought it off used to oil it about eery 6 months or so (it was like his baby). I never saw the point as it has always been smooth but has got worse the last couple of years.
It was an oil finish originally, so no varnish or lacquer to sand off....
Any help appreciated!

[DeanH]

I had the same problem about a year ago, I will own up and I had oiled the shaft as I had some dry-looking areas, and in my haste had done too much too close together and the "dry" areas did not go away
Anyway, someone told me a trick...
Toiletpaper, yep bog-standard lavoratory wipes (pardon the pun ), get a pad of some of your favourite and vigourously buff the cue, I did this once and the change was great, the second time did the trick and not look back
Hope it works for you.

[sunny3909]

use 1200 grit sandpaper it will smoothen the shaft considerably without affecting the protective oil layer.

[andy carson]

dont sandpaper the shaft.......


use kitchen roll or bog roll, its the best and cheapest to use to get it silky smooth.

[Terry Davidson]

I just had the same problem with a cue I just got from ADR147. After wiping it down a few times with a damp then dry soft cloth with no success I took some paper towel (kitchen roll in UK) and put a dab of liquid soap on it then soaked it and worked the soap into the paper and then wiped down the shaft and butt really well.

After that I took another paper towel soaked in water and used that to remove the soap film and then wiped the cue down with a damp then dry cloth as I normally do. Really worked the soft dry cloth until the shaft got a little warm.

Problem solved and the stickiness hasn't come back yet

Terry

[eaoin11]

I think Mike Wooldridges' site says that it takes a lot longer for the finish to cure properly. I'd leave it for about a week then burnish with light cardboard, the back of a piece of sandpaper works well. Then you should get a nice dry, smooth finish.

[deant1982]

Thanks for the advice guys. The majority is what I thought or have read elsewhere, just leave it to really soak in and cure properly, then get it smooth by polishing it with kitchen roll vigorously, buffing up with a soft cloth. I've also heard (not believed, but heard) of people using furniture polish to get a shine and keep it smooth. I've always taken this with a pinch of salt, as it sounds a little ridiculous, but thought I would ask if anyone else here uses this method, or has in the past, and what the results are like?

Regarding whoever it was that suggested sandpaper, A cue should only ever see sandpaper when its being made, or being modified. No other times, as there is always an alternative that doesn't remove some of the shaft wood (no matter how fine a grade you use or how gentle you rub). Rest assured, I appreciate the input, but my cue will NEVER see sandpaper used on it unless I have a major accident with super glue or something similar. (even then, I would go a lot finer than 1200).
Thanks again,
Dean

[poolqjunkie]

I see, so kitchen roll is paper towel, thank you Terry. :-)
What is a bog roll?

[LWB]

I see, so kitchen roll is paper towel, thank you Terry. :-)
What is a bog roll?

It is toilet paper my good Sir. One wipes Ones bottom with it.

[jaffa.johnson]

I see, so kitchen roll is paper towel, thank you Terry. :-)
What is a bog roll?

I would actually say these are different things.

Kitchen Roll for us tends be softer and used in the kitchen.

Paper towels are used in toilets to dry your hands with and come in all sorts of softer to hard. Often joked that drying your hands it like drying them on sandpaper.

Bog roll is toilet roll we use to wipe our bums with. This also can come cheaply and often joked than its like wiping your bum with sandpaper.

[andy carson]

I would actually say these are different things.

Kitchen Roll for us tends be softer and used in the kitchen.

Paper towels are used in toilets to dry your hands with and come in all sorts of softer to hard. Often joked that drying your hands it like drying them on sandpaper.

Bog roll is toilet roll we use to wipe our bums with. This also can come cheaply and often joked than its like wiping your bum with sandpaper.

yes forgot to mention get the higher end stuff not the school stuff like tracing paper they used to make us use in the olden days......

[damienlch]

...Bog roll is toilet roll we use to wipe our bums with. This also can come cheaply and often joked than its like wiping your bum with sandpaper...

I will never use sandpaper on my bum no matter how tacky it becomes!!

Can't find any kitchen rolls in my kitchen... I eat out mostly... Is it somewhat like the serviette in a fast food restaurant?

[jrc750]

......Can't find any kitchen rolls in my kitchen... I eat out mostly... .....

Good answer, just like my house

[poolqjunkie]

Thank you everyone, learnt so much regarding tissue paper today. :-)
Now I know bog roll is not a new kind of sushi roll. :-)

[Soty94]

I've used lemon oil in the past. Aside from the pleasant lemony scent, no adverse affects on the cue itself and worked fine for me. As far as the sticky issue, go with elbow grease.....buff the **** out of the cue with whatever variety of cloths ending with bog roll/tp until you don't see any oil residue (or very, very little) on the cloth.