Cleaning billiard balls (seem hazy) ??

Rackattach

Banned
Just soaked a set of balls in warm water and dawn soap for about 10 minutes. They look hazy? Do they just need a polish?
 

Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I built a ball polisher with a 5 gallon bucket and a car polisher for mine. I use Aramith ball cleaner to clean them and the Mothers California Gold Brazilian Carnauba Wax to polish them. They always come out very nice.
 

K2Kraze

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just soaked a set of balls in warm water and dawn soap for about 10 minutes. They look hazy? Do they just need a polish?



I won't ask where you heard that was the way to clean or polish or care for what I'm assuming is a set of phenolic pool balls, but let's get past that real fast. Just don't do that ever again

Yes, they are hazy for a few reasons, but for sake of brevity, borrow or order a cheap bottle of the Aramith Billiard Ball Cleaner. Use it sparingly and polish the balls by hand with a clean microfiber towel (or whatever soft cotton washcloth won't be missed). The balls don't need or like water and the only thing dish-soap is good for is greasy dishes. Oh - one other thing.....car wax is for cars. Not pool balls.

6285ef9259321981f4debc9b87469bdc.jpg


If you want any more details or suggestion that can't be found by browsing or searching this forum, PM me and I'll share whatever you need. I'll even make a house call and restore and polish them for you if you're within an hour of Fort Worth

K.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
.....car wax is for cars. Not pool balls.

I don't wax my cars,,,,,,,,,,

I bought it for my pool cues, but it also works well on my pool balls.

Auto Clear is made for cars also,,,,,,, what do you suggest I clearcoat my pool cues with?
 

WildWing

Super Gun Mod
Silver Member
I don't wax my cars,,,,,,,,,,

I bought it for my pool cues, but it also works well on my pool balls.

Auto Clear is made for cars also,,,,,,, what do you suggest I clearcoat my pool cues with?

Don't clearcoat your cues with anything. A cuemaker is the one for that. Takes a spray booth for the two part finish, complete refinish. That's not a do it yourself project.

As for the billiard balls, follow the advice of K2Kraze. Use the Aramith ball cleaner now and then.

I might add, wipe then down with a damp paper towel after each use, whether at home, or the pool room you take them to.

No soap baths...
No dishwasher cycles...
No ammonia...
No paint thinner...
No acetone...
No olive oil...
No Crisco...
No rosemary and thyme...

Aramith ball cleaner, and you'll be fine.

All the best,
WW
 

Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Don't clearcoat your cues with anything. A cuemaker is the one for that. Takes a spray booth for the two part finish, complete refinish. That's not a do it yourself project.

As for the billiard balls, follow the advice of K2Kraze. Use the Aramith ball cleaner now and then.

I might add, wipe then down with a damp paper towel after each use, whether at home, or the pool room you take them to.

No soap baths...
No dishwasher cycles...
No ammonia...
No paint thinner...
No acetone...
No olive oil...
No Crisco...
No rosemary and thyme...

Aramith ball cleaner, and you'll be fine.

All the best,
WW

hmmm,,, well I have a spray booth, and 2 part auto clear, and I normally don't refinish cues when I build them, but thanks for the advise.

I do use Aramith ball cleaner, as I stated.

Do you think the auto wax will damage my Brunswick centenials somehow? I've only had them since 1996 and they still look new, so I'm now concerned.
 

captainjko

Kirk
Silver Member
hmmm,,, well I have a spray booth, and 2 part auto clear, and I normally don't refinish cues when I build them, but thanks for the advise.

I do use Aramith ball cleaner, as I stated.

Do you think the auto wax will damage my Brunswick centenials somehow? I've only had them since 1996 and they still look new, so I'm now concerned.

lol......... Love it.....................
 

K2Kraze

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Of course auto wax won't "hurt" them....but neither will sunscreen, Vaseline, silicone, olive oil or Rain-x but why use any of those if you can just do things "properly"?

There's usually 3 ways to do anything...an acceptable way, the wrong way, and the best (proper/best) way.

My advice anyway. Hope some of it helps

K.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

AtLarge

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Of course auto wax won't "hurt" them....but neither will sunscreen, Vaseline, silicone, olive oil or Rain-x but why use any of those if you can just do things "properly"? ...

And if one happens to like to follow WPA equipment specs, wax isn't allowed:

"Balls should be unpolished, and should also not be waxed. Balls should be cleaned with a towel or cloth free of dirt and dust, and may also be washed with soap and water. Balls contaminated with any slippery substance – treated with a polishing or rubbing compound and/or waxed – must be cleansed and dewaxed with a clean cloth moistened with diluted alcohol before play."

[Edit -- I wonder how many WPA-sanctioned events actually follow this.]
 
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Gunn_Slinger

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I won't ask where you heard that was the way to clean or polish or care for what I'm assuming is a set of phenolic pool balls, but let's get past that real fast. Just don't do that ever again

Yes, they are hazy for a few reasons, but for sake of brevity, borrow or order a cheap bottle of the Aramith Billiard Ball Cleaner. Use it sparingly and polish the balls by hand with a clean microfiber towel (or whatever soft cotton washcloth won't be missed). The balls don't need or like water and the only thing dish-soap is good for is greasy dishes. Oh - one other thing.....car wax is for cars. Not pool balls.

6285ef9259321981f4debc9b87469bdc.jpg


If you want any more details or suggestion that can't be found by browsing or searching this forum, PM me and I'll share whatever you need. I'll even make a house call and restore and polish them for you if you're within an hour of Fort Worth

K.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow...talk down to people much???? What an AZZ!!
 

K2Kraze

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Trying to please everyone is a surely a wasted goal, Gunn. I can assure you I'm only after the other 99% .

In my efforts to toss in a touch of (sarcastic) humor with sincere recommendations and even an offer to help polish/restore a ball set for a fellow AZB'er, you feel it necessary to offer up your critique. Fair enough, _Slinger.
 
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jtompilot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Trying to please everyone is a surely a wasted goal, Gunn. I can assure you I'm only after the other 99% .

In my efforts to toss in a touch of (sarcastic) humor with sincere recommendations and even an offer to help polish/restore a ball set for a fellow AZB'er, you feel it necessary to offer up your critique. Fair enough, _Slinger.

I thought your humor was just right and thanks for the info:)
 

Ģüśţāṿ

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
They will need to be polished as dawn strips away the existing finish on pool ball just as it would do you your vehicle (Please never wash your car with it unless your refinishing the paint!!). As was previously stated, turning a 5 gallon bucket and an orbital buffer into a ball polisher works well and is pretty simple. :thumbup:
 

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just soaked a set of balls in warm water and dawn soap for about 10 minutes. They look hazy? Do they just need a polish?


About two years ago Dan White did a follow up experiment to Dr. Dave's experiment on how different cleaning/polishing/waxing products affect the consistency of OB throw. It's quite illuminating:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=388405

For the lazy out there, the conclusion was: use Aramith Ball Cleaner.

Lou Figueroa
 

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
hmmm,,, well I have a spray booth, and 2 part auto clear, and I normally don't refinish cues when I build them, but thanks for the advise.

I do use Aramith ball cleaner, as I stated.

Do you think the auto wax will damage my Brunswick centenials somehow? I've only had them since 1996 and they still look new, so I'm now concerned.

The problem isnt with hurting them, rather they will play in an unrealistic fashion. All you need to test this is 2 cue balls. Clean one with Aramith ball cleaner and wax the other and notice how different they react.
 

WildWing

Super Gun Mod
Silver Member
Agree, car wax is not the ideal for billiard balls, though some seem to like it.

As K2, myself, and others have said, the Aramith cleaner, and restorer, for that matter, are formulated for billiard balls. I recommend them over auto products, which are designed for paint and clearcoat surfaces, with sun protection.

If, however, you absolutely must use an auto product, I would use a combination cleaner/polish, such as Klasse, which does work on products other than auto paint. I doubt seriously it would be better than Aramith, but if your craving is auto products, I suspect it's better than wax.

Stick to Aramith. But, I'll give it a little footnote. If you can get your hands on some Keickhefer's Billiard Ball Polish, it is also very good. Considering it's been out of production, I believe, since the 1970s, I don't think many will come across it.

Yours for better polishing,
WW
 
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Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The problem isnt with hurting them, rather they will play in an unrealistic fashion. All you need to test this is 2 cue balls. Clean one with Aramith ball cleaner and wax the other and notice how different they react.

I said I use wax on my Brunswick Centenials, and I have for a very long time. I never said I use it on my Cueball, which is a measel ball by Aramith.
 

Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Agree, car wax is not the ideal for billiard balls, though some seem to like it.

As K2, myself, and others have said, the Aramith cleaner, and restorer, for that matter, are formulated for billiard balls. I recommend them over auto products, which are designed for paint and clearcoat surfaces, with sun protection.

If, however, you absolutely must use an auto product, I would use a combination cleaner/polish, such as Klasse, which does work on products other than auto paint. I doubt seriously it would be better than Aramith, but if your craving is auto products, I suspect it's better than wax.

Stick to Aramith. But, I'll give it a little footnote. If you can get your hands on some Keickhefer's Billiard Ball Polish, it is also very good. Considering it's been out of production, I believe, since the 1970s, I don't think many will come across it.

Yours for better polishing,
WW

Now I'm curious what you recommend for pool cues,,,,,,,
 
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