Making your cue smoother

[chip167]

Hi,

I recently bought a new cue and was reasonably happy with it, but I wanted to make the shaft a bit smoother as it became sticky quite quickly despite regular cleaning.

I read some advice on here about using raw linseed oil to preserve the cue and give it a nice smooth finish so I tried that, applying it and leaving it overnight to soak in as suggested, before buffing it up the next day.

However this made the problem worse - now the cue is constantly tacky as if it has a cheap varnish finish.
Are there any suggestions as to how I can give it a smoother feel without damaging the cue?

Any advice much appreciated!
Thanks

[bongo]

I'd advise that you make sure that your hands are always dry and clean. Sometimes if you pick up your pint or whatever, the outside of the glass is a little wet, always make sure your hands are dry and clean. If you use a cue towel, make sure that it is dry and clean.

Make sure that no dirt is on the cue and you can also get a damp cloth, wipe the cue with it, the damp cloth should be cold water, then after using the damp cloth and wiping the cue with it, dry it with a clean and dry cloth.

You can use Linseed Oil and Cue Oils, I am sure that you can use fine sandpaper, but trevs1 or mikewooldridge, our cue makers and experts on this forum(two of the best cue makers in the world and two of our many experts!), can answer your question about Linseed Oils or Cue Oils.

[chip167]

I have always made sure to wash my hands before playing so this is not the problem. I also use the method you suggested before I play to clean the cue, but since applying the linseed oil it doesn't seem to make any real difference. I'm worried that if i use sandpaper it will ruin the cue if i dont do it perfectly evenly.
I read somewhere else that furniture polish spray works well to smoothen the cue - is this true or does it harm the wood?

[bongo]

Sorry, I meant to say fine sandpaper, I would think that the polish spray would be alright and not harm the cue, but i'd be sure if I asked a cue expert!

[Cyril]

I know a guy who puts talcum powder on his bridge hand!

[The Doctor]

sounds to me like you have some varnish or similar products on the cue before you applied oil. try sanding cue down again and you will see the grain if it is ash or the wood colour will be on the sandpaper. after this, clean cue with damp cloth and dry immediately. give light sand with very fine sandpaper and apply oil again.

[chip167]

OK thanks for all your help guys, I have tried what the doctor suggested and I'll see how it is tomorrow...

[MikeWooldridge]

I know a guy who puts talcum powder on his bridge hand!

shoot him...

(joke, don't panic)

[davyp26uk]

shoot him...

(joke, don't panic)

No, I agree shoot him, lol. I played over in India for a year and everyone used talc or white chalk on their hands. What a bloody mess it makes of the table.

[klaus_HW]

I had my sanpapered at my club once or twice and it's very smooth - what grade of paper is recommended? I know I'll be at the club on Saturday but would be interested to know beforehand.
Thanks,
Klaus

[cacabunjas]

someone i know uses 1200 grit papper and "panelwipe" to clean his cue !
he owns a body repair garrage and says that the panel wipe is not oil based and evaporates 100% ! the cue experts should be best to advise !
but i have to say that ive never seen a cue as smooth as his !

[keith auld]

Hi Chip - if you like the cue and it's any good get it to a cue maker or cue doctor asap - you'll never get the sort of finish and feel yourself - in the same way you don't make your own clothes but still wear them - let a cue professional do what's needed and save yourself a lot of aggravation

[Wity]

"in the same way you don't make your own clothes but still wear them "

Well I'm a shortarse i've always had to turn up my own jeans.

Oh and a tight arsed git at that which explains why i prefer to apply the finish myself.

[trevs1]

Your point about the trousers has some meaning here Wity.

You know what you like, and, you know how to get the result you want, so I don't see the issue with doing something yourself if you have a decent enough idea of what you're doing.

I totally and completely disagree with Keiths view above, that you cannot get an outstanding finish on a cue unless you are a cue professional.

As many of us well know, there are 'cue professionals' and cue professionals.

[Wity]

Keith does have a point in there though Trevor but he's said it back to front iI think. It's knowing what to do with what materials that is the skill. doing it is dead easy.
I actually think it can be overdone, for instance I bought a Cuecraft cue off ebay thinking it was ebony and handspliced but it turned out to be all ash painted but with a nice front splice supposedly snakewood but more a burl methinks. Rough as hell it was so out came the sandpaper then I went to town on it using them micro-papers which go to a 12,000 grit. The splice is now like glass but so it the ash. In the parts where there is no grain it too shines, burnished so much oil wont penetrate it but as the grain in much of the cue is raised it'll need sanding again and a grain filler applied to be smooth so when the micro papers next come out I doubt I'll go so low a 4000 grit tops maybe as it smoothes but does not burnish + shine.

Simlar has happened with another cue I bought a couple of weeks ago, a Burroughs and Watts cues ltd Georgian Special. The ash shaft on this one piece handspliced all ebony butt once sanded and oiled has come up great but the ebony... yuk! You know how you get a smokey looking gaboon ebony that usually looks damn nice well this one looked aweful so I applied ebony spirit stain, loads of it actually as it needed it to take. Not happy with the final look I sanded it and stained it again and again and again. Each time I thought it was super smooth only to find once oiled when I look at it in the sunlight it's covered with fine scatches or is it grain? I really dont know I'm just hoping the grain filler i have coming today will be fine enough to fill it in. If it is grain then fair enough my sanding was not at fault but if it is scratches I cocked up by using too coarse a sandpaper originally.