How do keep your cue smooth during play?

[niceday3]

Because the snooker has been on BBC2 lately i decided to go down to my club after a bit of a break and play a few frames. I surprised myself going down and found myself knocking ball after ball after ball. It makes me wish i'd been keeping track of my breaks.
I have found though that when playing for 45 mins+ the cues stops being smooth and it seems as though there is a kind of friction on it. I clean it every time with water and a few cloths before playing and keep a cloth to wipe it down with bbut it's never the same once i've been playing.
Any tips?

[jonplayer]

The cue only needs cleaning with a damp cloth once in a while. The sticky feeling you get after playing for a while is dirt on your hands. Wash your hands with soap every hour or so while playing you'l notice the difference. Also if your cue has a laquer finnish it will become sticky quickly.

[xeno7651]

Have you ever tried a cue with oil finish? I have an Omin and it never gets sticky even after a few hours. I think they use some kind of oil finish that prevents it from getting sticky after extended use.

[old school]

Smooth Not Sticky

I use an old Ashccroft with a hornbeam shaft (not easy to find) and it never "sticks".Hornbeam is similar to maple,in that it has little noticeable grain,but it is more rigid.It is not an easy timber to get used to and you can easily "overcook" your shots,ask Mike on "old cues".Over time it developes a glassy surface,smooth as silk and never sticks.All in all,if you have a problem with warm hands it is worth tracking down a hornbeam shafted cue.Hope this gives pause for thought.Regards Mick.

[Watford]

I use an old Ashccroft with a hornbeam shaft (not easy to find) and it never "sticks".Hornbeam is similar to maple,in that it has little noticeable grain,but it is more rigid.It is not an easy timber to get used to and you can easily "overcook" your shots,ask Mike on "old cues".Over time it developes a glassy surface,smooth as silk and never sticks.All in all,if you have a problem with warm hands it is worth tracking down a hornbeam shafted cue.Hope this gives pause for thought.Regards Mick.

Interesting
I once won a Hornbeam Burwat Champion but it was less than the reserve and I wasn't willing to pay what he wanted because I'd never played with hornbeam.
Why do we never see it no?
I love the look of Pearwood too.
I bought a new cue and went maple because I don't like grain.

[FOXMULDER]

Whatever you do don't do what I did - I sanded all the varnish off my cue when I got it hoping it would make it smoother, but in fact it exposed it to dampness and it's been a sticky cue ever since...

(hangs head in shame...)

[Olive]

if you sand the finish off you need to seal it after, and oil finish it by elbow grease... should make a playable cue

[old school]

I also have a pear shafted cue to go with my Ashcroft,power is immense,finish smooth but not as smooth as hornbeam.If mmmmmpie wants to try pearwood I am led to believe B & W Billiards do a pear wood option,dont know if this is still true or how much,try it and see.

[gav_sw20]

I picked up a pearwood cue at B&W - lovely looking but expensive, we're talking £450+ if i remember correctly !

[gav_sw20]

In answer to your question though I keep a small pot of talken powder in my case and whenever cue or hands get sticky I shake a bit onto my cue cloth and run it up and down the cue and also on my hands which stops them getting sticky too.

Always wash your hands before you play too with soap and water.

[deant1982]

In answer to your question though I keep a small pot of talken powder in my case and whenever cue or hands get sticky I shake a bit onto my cue cloth and run it up and down the cue and also on my hands which stops them getting sticky too.

Always wash your hands before you play too with soap and water.

I know its dragging up an old thread, but I was looking through them cos I was bored.

I always used to keep a little pot of talc in my case, and do what you mentioned, but have been advised the error of my ways...
http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board...s-tacky./page4

I have found the nipping out and washing your hands, then giving your cue a good wipe/rub with a dry towel on your return should work to keep it smooth. Give it a good oil (and leave it to cure for a few days, not like the f**k up I made!) and this should see you through. Alternatively, Mike Wooldridge actually gives away advise on his site for how to look after the cue, as does John Parris...

Failing this, buy a hornbeam or pear wood cue. (Pear is my fav, but its personal preference!)

[LukasHCFC]

If your cue has varnish on it (which I doubt, but still), sandpaper it off

I used some extremely fine sandpaper to get the varnish off my cue. It used to stick after 30 minutes, now it's more like 2-3 hours and as someone already said, that is because my hands need washing.