Snooker cues with or without lacquer

[GabrielOng]

Hello Bros. I got some question that's quite confusing. Actually i would like to know whether a decent snooker cues is with or without lacquer. Because most of the snooker cues when i see at the shop is with lacquer. I got O'Min and Mastercue before and both also having lacquer. The question is, is there any need to remove the lacquer or just leave it as in original state ? If let say the lacquer is still intact to the cues, is there any point we use the linseed oil ? I don't think it can penetrate through the lacquer. Or if we remove the lacquer, will it giving any effect to the cues ? In terms of stiffness of the shaft ? Btw, i'm refering to the ash wood shaft. Thank you...

[White147]

Trevor White,Mike Wooldrdige , Robin Cook, Tony Wilshaw , Tony Glover , Stamford Cuemakers

[unclevit]

cosmetics Some like it, some don't.

[poolqjunkie]

The finish you saw on those Omin cues was probably polyurethane finish applied with a spray gun or something similiar. I dont believe it was lacquer.
Could unclevit please confirm?

[unclevit]

i believe it's some kind of wood finishing oil, buff for extra shine. but not sure. can't pass through his special forces, guarding his lab room. killing fields, sort of. but i am sure his men use guns

[poolqjunkie]

i believe it's some kind of wood finishing oil, buff for extra shine. but not sure. can't pass through his special forces, guarding his lab room. killing fields, sort of. but i am sure his men use guns

You mean real gun or spray gun...or both.LOL

[ADR147]

neither o'min nor mastercue cues are lacquered.

[pearce]

Oiled cues are the only way to go because they're oiled from the original and planed down over a period of time to get the warps out. I've known a number of players who've sanded and oiled lacquared cues to get rid of the stickiness and they're never a patch on an originally oiled cue.

[GabrielOng]

OK. But it seems like either lacquer or varnish as it quite sticky on the bride hand. So, that's why i can't confirm whether we need to remove it by using sandpaper or any other product available. But for maple cues, i can't really notice it. Only ash cues that i can see it.

[GabrielOng]

For other brand of cues other than O'min & Mastercues, is this thingy( lacquer or varnish) can be seen ?

[poolqjunkie]

If you are talking about some stickness on the shaft, it could be many different things. May not be varnish/lacquer at all. May be too much oil built up, may be they applied some kind of wax on the shaft and the wax has gotten really dirty, may be it is just really humid in your club, may be they have put a special sealant on the shaft, may be whatever was put on has dissolved and is coming off the shaft (e.g. shellac product)...
The glossy "thingy" you see on the butt also can be just a kind of oil finish, may not be varnish at all.
It also depends on the wood splices on the butt. With some wood special method is required to seal and protect the wood (e.g. burr, snakewood)so that could be what you are feeling. There are many ways to finish wood. With the technology today, there are many products on the market and most likely something other than lacquer was used on your cue. Sometimes the finish can be removed by simply wiping it down with alcohol, acetone, paint thinner, or even just water--without sanding. It really depends on what was used.
The Omin cues I have seen all had very nice smooth finish on the shaft. Thailand is quite humid and I believe they are quite experienced in dealing with shaft stickness.
I would suggest that you contact them and ask them what should be done. The solution could eb quite simple.
I suspect (just a guess) it is excess oil and/or wax that you are feeling on the shaft. But it is also possible they have applied a sealant on the shaft. For example, I have tried using shellac/wax to seal my shafts many moons ago and although it gave the shaft a very nice smooth sheen it became sticky very shorty after. Needless to say I am not using that anymore. LOL.
With regard to your other question, some people like a more glossy finish on their cues and some like it very plain and matte. It should be noted that just because a finish is glossy does not mean it is necessarily sticky; on the other hand, just because it feels like bare wood does not mean it will stay smooth. e.g. I have seen a lot of very smooth cues with a very nice glossy finish (e.g. Mike Wooldridge)and a lot of old cues that feel really sticky with the "bare wood" look.
I have come across players who like a more tacky feel in their hands believe it or not. So, in my opinion, it is really hard to generalize.

[sunny3909]

Linseed Oil alone is a poor protector of the wood all the cuemakers use some wax or some other finish alongwith the linseed oil to protect the cue.
Probably Trevor white or Mike Woolridge would enlighten us.

[GabrielOng]

Thank you everyone out there for all the comments as i'm not sure bout how or what a snooker cues using by the pros.

[damienlch]

...I got O'Min and Mastercue before and both also having lacquer...Or if we remove the lacquer, will it giving any effect to the cues ? In terms of stiffness of the shaft ?

Hi Gabriel... I have handled quite a few O'mins and Mastercues before and the finish on their cues always felt very smooth. So, I am rather surprised that you are trying to remove the finish. Try this if you find them getting sticky... wet a soft towel and wring it almost dry, give the cue a few good wipes and quickly buff it with a soft, dry cloth.

I would not recommend removing the finish to any cue unless you know what you are doing... you may end up damaging the wood... and no, I don't think removing the finish will affect how the cue plays.

Some people sand their cue shaft () when it gets a bit tacky but that's a definite no no. It may feel smooth immediately after sanding but it gets rough in no time. Sand again? You'll end up playing with a needle of a shaft eventually... Also, the wood gets exposed and all sorts of bad things can happen.

[GabrielOng]

Bro Damien, i get what you mean. Haha..thanks a lot. Actually it's the glossy look on the shaft and that it's quite sticky as well. So, before doing any thing, i must ask and understanding better.