How old is your cue really?

[vmax4steve]

Cut it in half and count the rings

[DeanH]

:biggrin: anyone know a cue-friendly dendrochronologist?

brilliant

[Big Splash!]

I wouldn't be so confident of putting a date to the wood used for "Ye Ole Ash" cues. In 1930, they were being advertised as "50 year-old wood from an English battleship." This was wood reclaimed from old wrecks when deepening harbours around the country, sold to offset the costs. So it's not clear whether the 50 years relates to the date the ship sank, or the date the ship was originally built. I suspect the former, as this would be the length of time exposed to sea water.

That's made my day:

Angel Bog Ash. Air dried, built into ships, sunk and density improved over 50yrs with a water column on top. Jeez, that stuff could be +200 years old and still maturing. Add in the growth of the tree, the air-drying before it becomes a ship and it could easily be 300yr old wood.

[DeanH]

Before BS has a fit of giddiness :biggrin:
I have found references to "H.M.Ships", "50 years' old wood from an English battleship", and "shipyard" but not found any about "sunken" ships.
100-upper can you clarify please
Andy Hunter has 1st issue YOA as using 50-80 yr timber (from old ship/ships), and 2nd issue using new sourced 50yr old.

[100-uper]

I haven't seen specific reference to "sunken" myself, but it must have been reclaimed wood from a salvaged wreck owing to the colour (deep red) of the 1st edition cue, which they couldn't reproduce in the later editions despite using wood of a similar age.

[DeanH]

very plausible
Andy Hunter talks about the salt-air environment
cheers

[Shockerz]

Shockerz - what Horace cue was it? a picture rectangle badge or a Club Cue with round disk? Any retailer badge?

My Dad's cue was an ash cue with no badge.

The cue I was trying out was a Maple cue that was a Horace Lindrum Champion Cue on a rectangular badge (Hand Made). No other badges.

[Big Splash!]

I haven't seen specific reference to "sunken" myself, but it must have been reclaimed wood from a salvaged wreck owing to the colour (deep red) of the 1st edition cue, which they couldn't reproduce in the later editions despite using wood of a similar age.

Deep red, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Keep going 100-upper, wax lyrical to my angel ash ears. Like waves lapping on the shore, your kind and soft words sooth me from the terror of kiln-dried junk but four weeks old. Hundreds of years old, dense and red. Wow, that must be the greatest ash ever used to make a cue. YOA red cue, I need you!

And to think, the cues have felt no heat and are still maturing.

Ye Old Mermaid Ash Cue - YOMAC

Mermaid Ash: I'm going to pour my self a cognac. Happy days.

[Shockerz]

According to the B&W website Ye Old Cue was made from 55 year old wood from an English battleship (HM Warships).

No more information though.

[Big Splash!]

According to the B&W website Ye Old Cue was made from 55 year old wood from an English battleship (HM Warships).

No more information though.

Keep digging, it's like Xmas. My soul is at peace.

[ADR147]

Somebody told me once that the ash was just stacked up next to the ship yard in Newcastle when B&W's bought it (for sweeties) and that at that time nobody new how long it had been there

[DeanH]

How old is your cue really?

I have heard the same, and possibly hence the Newcastle badges instead of London

[100-uper]

Somebody told me once that the ash was just stacked up next to the ship yard in Newcastle when B&W's bought it (for sweeties) and that at that time nobody new how long it had been there

I could believe that story, but would like to know the source. This is one of their earliest adverts from 1930.

[ADR147]

I could believe that story, but would like to know the source. This is one of their earliest adverts from 1930.

I have heard similar from two different sources, the first time from a guy who actually worked there who was fairly general about it but gave the impression it was pretty well known (this was 25 years ago) - I think the chaps name was Burt he was about retirement age then driving a folklift for a wine importer on the docks. The second was from Andy Gibbs who is a member on here, again this was a very long time ago maybe he can remember!

[Shockerz]

Enjoying the discussion and facts guys.