Snooker cues with or without lacquer

[bartito]

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.

Hi pooljunkie,

You mentioned that sealing burr or snakewood require some special method.
Can you explain it to me please what you mean by that?

[DeanH]

Hi pooljunkie,

You mentioned that sealing burr or snakewood require some special method.
Can you explain it to me please what you mean by that?

poolqjunkie has not been on TSF since 2012, he was/is the cue maker of Aurora cues in Canada.
I say was and is because one story is that he passed away and another he was a fictional person by another.
Good luck in your query :biggrin:

[ADR147]

poolqjunkie has not been on TSF since 2012, he was/is the cue maker of Aurora cues in Canada.
I say was and is because one story is that he passed away and another he was a fictional person by another.
Good luck in your query :biggrin:

always funny when the dead reply.

[DeanH]

always funny when the dead reply.

I believe that Montrealer(?) tried to find a death notice but could not...
some people said they met him, others believes it was his partner Richard they actually met....
It was hilarious at the time
is his facebook /website still closed?

[ADR147]

I checked all the death records at the time so if he did die they buried him in the garden.

[Terry Davidson]

I checked all the death records at the time so if he did die they buried him in the garden.

Yes, I checked them all too but didn't find anything