Cue advice to fix

[Maverick01]

Hi up until recently I've been pottering around with an old warped jimmy white cheap signature 2 piece with vanish, it started warping really bad after I wet and dried the varnish off.

I decided a few weeks ago I wanted to build up my game a little so I got hold if a 3/4 slightly more expensive ken Doherty ash cue with smart extender.

The cue itself is very nice but it's already starting to get sticky, there is no varnish applied near the bridge area and I wipe it with a towel after each use. Also the tip is either already starting to warp or it had a slight warp when I got it, I can notice it a little when playing but I'm still inconsistent enough that it makes little difference to my game, one minute I can hit a shot into the heart of the pocket from length of the table and then miss one right infront of the pocket, lol.

[deant1982]

Try to make sure your hands are clean and dry whilst playing. If it starts getting sticky, wipe with the cloth, then go and wash your hands. This should hopefully make it a bit easier. If the cue is still getting sticky and you're certain there is no varnish or lacquer on it, by some raw linseed oil, and put that on it, or get some cue oil from mike wooldridge or Airin (poolqjunkie on here). Apply one coat at a time, and allow to cure properly between coats. If there is varnish or lacquer on it, you need to get this off before you do, so get some very fine wet and dry (300 or 600) ond very lightly get the coating off. Then apply the oil as above. I don't know about mw or pqj's oils, but raw linseed oil you will need to leave the cue out stood up (not leaning against the tip) for a few days to let it set.
Regarding the warping, these "cheap" cues that are endorsed by players are normally mass produced Chinese cues, so are made as quick as possible. This doesn't allow the wood to settle and move a little (this happens when you make a cue properly). A good cue maker leaves the wood to do this, then can plane and sand the cue to straight anyway. As this isn't done, when the cue is a few weeks/months old, it will start to move anyway, and you end up with a warped cue. These can be straightened (there is a few threads on here that advise ways to do this). When you get it straight, make sure you look after it. On mike's site there is a section that tells you how to look after it properly. (www.handmadecues.com I think). The other alternative is to send it to a cuemaker and they can straighten it for you.
I've never heard of a tip warping, but the tips that normally come on a shop/web brought mass produced cue are shyte anyway so best thing do there is take it off and put a good one on, like an elkmaster, or if your feeling flush, a pro granite, mike wooldridge supertip, a kamui, or a talisman. (adr147 on here is a tip specialist....)
Good luck, and let us know how you get on.
Dean

[Maverick01]

Sorry when I said tip warp, I meant near the tip as apposed to the middle of the shaft. I would have got a nice cue but I'm new and still very inconsistent so I didn't see much point in spending alot of money yet, all the cue makers on here charge alot of money for their cues (I've no doubt to a good player it's worth it) but for someone who is still pretty rubbish, I didn't see much point, I could have had a good deal and bought a dragoncue from bob in wales but again I'm still a newbie, how much is it normally for a cue maker to give your cue a looking over and straighten out?

[jim evans]

prob more than cue worth and prob more than buying a half decent cue

[Maverick01]

This cue was given to me as a favour for designing a website for a shop. I didn't pay for it and the guy said he would take it back and swap it if its warped but i sounds like I'm likely to get warping whatever I do, I could maybe go with a Riley burwat cue instead? If I asked nicely? Or put a bit in myself