Black grain

[culraven]

How and why do you blacken the grain of an ash cue, and would this work with other woods?

[Particle Physics]

I was told on TSF that it's filler, into the grain. What type of filler it is or the brand name etc is another question; anyone got any ideas?

[Gerry Armstrong]

How and why do you blacken the grain of an ash cue, and would this work with other woods?

It's grain filler and it's used to fill the grain to allow a super smooth finish on ash cues i.e. you don't feel the grain of the ash over your bridge hand at all. And if dark grain filler is used, it makes the grain look dark which seems to be desirable on ash shaft finishes these days.

[culraven]

So by using a lighter filler you could have a cue with less visible chevrons?
Can anyone reccomend a lighter filler, am about to renovate a cue which doesn't have the best grain, certainly not worth highlighting?

[Gerry Armstrong]

http://www.ronseal.co.uk/products/mu...se-wood-filler

Available in Natural as well as other darker colours.

[culraven]

Wow, i'm shocked, thought it would be a lot more technichal than that!
Any advice on how to apply it?

[Particle Physics]

http://www.ronseal.co.uk/products/mu...se-wood-filler

Available in Natural as well as other darker colours.

Are MW, TW, Owen, Raymo, etc really using that stuff?

[Gerry Armstrong]

Raymond uses B&Q own brand.

You would need to ask the others yourself. Perhaps one of them is using specially formulated from Yak's milk wood filler from a single breed of Yak that only lives on the slopes of Mount Everest.

[Particle Physics]

Raymond uses B&Q own brand.

You would need to ask the others yourself. Perhaps one of them is using specially formulated from Yak's milk wood filler from a single breed of Yak that only lives on the slopes of Mount Everest.

LOL! That would be fedia's cue. So fill, cut back and lightly sand then?

[raymo147]

It's really not rocket science when it comes to darkening the grain!
I use a dark ebony filler which will darken the whole shaft but I
Immediately wipe it off but it stays in the grain!
Let it dry then lightly sand to which prepares me for my final finish!

[culraven]

Great advice guys, would lighter grain alter the resale value, its an old one piece cue 11mm tip no ferule ebony and curly maple butt?

[ADR147]

the stuff is called scumble by a few of the makers i know. it's an oil based grain filler. http://www.frenchpolishes.com/acatal..._Scumbles.html

[danam1]

Years ago didn't the cue makers use ash (cigarette I think) to darken the grain?

[ADR147]

many things i imagine have been used - ebony dust etc

[bigandyg]

A friend of mine years ago used soot much to my dismay,it actually turned out not bad.