Hello i need some help here.

[galious]

I presume i got a varnished cue. There is alot of friction between my cue and my bridge hand after a few shots. Even if i wipe it with a cloth. Is there anyway to remove the varnish? if so can i know what can i do to remove it? Thanks in advance!

[snookerdad]

Use wire wool or sandpaper until you get to bare wood.

Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)

[Ginger Freak]

Yeah varnished cues can be a nightmare, especially in humid conditions. I would take it to a cue-maker to get it stripped if at all possible. If not, very fine sandpaper will do the trick but be careful to make it even and not create any splinters.

[vmax4steve]

Go to B & Q and buy some furniture/paint stripper and follow the instructions on the tin/bottle.

[submarine]

I would just go with the fine sandpaper, paint strippers can sometimes raise the grain on wood and you would still need to scrape it off.

[amt]

First, carefully remove the varnish with a medium-fine sandpaper, something like 180/240 grit, you'll probably want to use masking tape to protect the ferrule. Second, smooth the cue with a very fine sandpaper, around 1200 grit. Finally, apply a coat of pure raw linseed oil and leave it over night to soak in. Wipe the excess off and its ready to play.

I've done this to all our 28 rack cues and they all play wonderfully. I get an offer a week to buy one!

Thanks
Anthony

[galious]

So just by sanding with fine sandpaper, the varnish will be gone?

[galious]

wouldnt 180/240 grit hurt the cue shaft?

[amt]

It could hurt the shaft, but won't if you take your time and sand and rotate the cue evenly. Obviously the aim is to remove as little of the wood as possible, but it should be quite obvious when you stop sanding the varnish and hit wood, just stop at that point. Maybe you could practice on a broken old cue at your local club, they probably have some lying around. I would suggest starting at the butt end and working towards the tip, the butt usually has thicker varnish so you'll get the feel of what you're doing by the time you come to the important end!

The magic comes with the 1200 grit final sanding, that's when the cue becomes as smooth as glass like an expensive handmade cue, very satisfying

Thanks
Anthony

[prince07799]

wouldnt 180/240 grit hurt the cue shaft?

i would start with 400 grit thats more than you need

[DandyA]

I am really terrible with anything to do with DIY but even I found this easy, it only took about 10 minutes when I did it to one of my cues ...

Start with 200 grit (or 400 if you're nervous) ... after a couple of minutes, look down the length of the cue from butt to tip and you'll see matt areas where the varnish has gone and shiny areas where it still is ...

When there's only a few shiny areas left, change to 400 or 600 grit to remove them without damaging the bare wood ...

When the shaft is all matt, it will feel so much nicer and not get so sticky (see note 1) ... if you want to, sand with a really fine paper and linseed oil the cue as mentioned by others ... that's optional but everyone (including cues) like a bit of tlc ...

note 1 ... all cues do get sticky but after you've removed the varnish, a quick wipe down with a slightly damp cloth followed by a dry cloth should be all that's needed every few frames ...

[amt]

Well you're less likely to do damage with a higher grit, so give 400 a try if it's your first attempt. The thickness of the varnish can vary greatly between cues though, and if I used 400 on some of the cues I've done recently I'd be there for hours.

If you're really worried about doing it, why not just ask someone with experience to do it for you? Its only 20 minutes work. I've done the job free for many friends in a mission to rid the world of badly varnished cues, it's not exactly ending world hunger or curing cancer, but we all have to do what we can.

Thanks
Anthony

[tommygunner1309]

Well you're less likely to do damage with a higher grit, so give 400 a try if it's your first attempt. The thickness of the varnish can vary greatly between cues though, and if I used 400 on some of the cues I've done recently I'd be there for hours.

If you're really worried about doing it, why not just ask someone with experience to do it for you? Its only 20 minutes work. I've done the job free for many friends in a mission to rid the world of badly varnished cues, it's not exactly ending world hunger or curing cancer, but we all have to do what we can.

Thanks


Anthony

Anthony, will you do my cue the next time I bring it up ? lol

[mooneyy]

you don't have to do the entire length of the cue. Do only the front 15-20 inches or so if you feel it's going to be too much work...

[amt]

Certainly will Tom, I think I did Brian's cue a few months ago didn't I?

Thanks,
Anthony