what is a wico blank? who made them? who used them? how long were they made?
thanks,
louis
thanks,
louis
WICO blanks?
- Thread starter poolshooter74
- Start date
A Wico blank is a point blank with seamless plastic veneers in the points.
Bob Meucci made them when he worked for Wico as a side business.
I do not know who all used them. He sold them to most of the poular cuemakers of the time, but who knows how many of them just bought samples and never made a cue with them or how many they bought.
I do not know how long they were made.
I have several cues from the early 1960's thru 1970's that have the plastic WICO veneers. I have several VIKING cues with 3 and 4 point WICO veneers, and an old 1962 unknown maker cue with 4 point WICO points that someone thought Ricco Cervantes made when he was with National Cues back in the 1960's. I heard that Gus Szamboti made a couple of cues with the WICO points. Here are a couple of pics. I have more pics if needed, but I would have to load them into Photobucket. These are already there. Hope this helps.
John
John
I have several cues from the early 1960's thru 1970's that have the plastic WICO veneers. I have several VIKING cues with 3 and 4 point WICO veneers, and an old 1962 unknown maker cue with 4 point WICO points that someone thought Ricco Cervantes made when he was with National Cues back in the 1960's. I heard that Gus Szamboti made a couple of cues with the WICO points. Here are a couple of pics. I have more pics if needed, but I would have to load them into Photobucket. These are already there. Hope this helps.
John
I know this thread is old, but I really enjoyed your post John, I see you are active on the forums as well, I was curious about Wico and this was good information!
Would really like to see some of Gus's cues that had wico points, anyone ?
I have an early Gandy HC-150 with Wico veneers, as well as some other cues like Viking for example. I have seen one early McDermott with Wico veneers.
My Gandy:
Ryan of Rat Cues was working on reproducing the Wico design and was posting here about his progress, I hope to see him back at it at some point. I believe he was running into problems with adhesives when we last heard from him about it.
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Palmer Wico
I have a Palmer that Barry Szamboto told me he thought it had Wico veneers.
I have a Palmer that Barry Szamboto told me he thought it had Wico veneers.
This is the story I have, Burton Spain was the first to try to make wico type blanks and was unsuccessful. Burton then said it could not be done and offered a challenge/bet of some type for anyone who could perfect this. Bob Meucci took him up on it and won the bet with Burton and as far as I know he is the only person to ever do them. That's my story! If anyone runs in to Bob just ask him about it, he will explain the whole story. I would like to add that I did not get this story from Bob either but have spoken to him about it after the fact ( At SBE).
Great question. I don't know what color combinations there were. Any of you guys know?
My Gandy that I posted above is, IIRC: white, gray, brown, black from inside out.
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I have seen Vikings with red Wico points and matching boxes in the butt sleeve.
and an identical cue with a G logo, Guffy?
I shot balls with three cues of this type and loved all three.
and an identical cue with a G logo, Guffy?
I shot balls with three cues of this type and loved all three.
I would love to see pics.
If we contain the conversation to genuine Wico veneers then those cues are only Wico if they were very old Viking cues.
Although Viking made many vinyl veneer cues, they have not been Wico for a very long time.
Guffey did sell a line of Viking cues, but that was in the nineties, way after Wico veneers.
Of course, If I am wrong about any of that, anybody can feel free to correct me.
FYI, this is my 1980 Viking 3 point with vinyl veneers. Do we call these Wico veneers?
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No. They are Viking veneers. They might could be called Wico style veneers, but Bob gave the system to Viking when he quit the point blank business. Viking then kept making those style points until the manufacturer of the "only glue that would work" quit making the glue. At least that is how I remember hearing the story.I would love to see pics.
If we contain the conversation to genuine Wico veneers then those cues are only Wico if they were very old Viking cues.
Although Viking made many vinyl veneer cues, they have not been Wico for a very long time.
Guffey did sell a line of Viking cues, but that was in the nineties, way after Wico veneers.
Of course, If I am wrong about any of that, anybody can feel free to correct me.
FYI, this is my 1980 Viking 3 point with vinyl veneers. Do we call these Wico veneers?
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As I thought, and just as I have heard as well.
If we are talking Wico, the Viking veneers like I posted are not included.
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Thanks for the info. Now I know.
Here is the ONLY Gus Szamboti Wico cue with inlays that I have here in my shop for sale. Also an old Gandy cue with ivory butt cap with Wico veneers...
Both are for sale at www.billiardbills.com
Both are for sale at www.billiardbills.com
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Yes it was burton Spain’s idea originally I think and he made a few but bob figured out the glueing and Spain had dropped it already if I’m not mistaken
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I have a Gandy with that butt sleeve, and two original shafts, WICO blank, with the original wrap. That's a Gandy HC-150
Nice cue.
A great little part of history.