SINCE I WAS THE CAUSE FOR THIS THREAD, I WILL SPEAK UP AND MAKE A POST HERE.........
THE MATERIAL THAT WAS SENT TO ME BY "KNIFEMAKER" LOOKS TO BE THE MICARTA THAT WAS USED BY SCHON IN THE 1980'S. IT IS A GREAT PLAYING MATERIAL, AND IS A PAPER BASED PRODUCT THAT WAS MADE BY WESTINGHOUSE UNDER THE NAME MICARTA.
IMO, IT IS NOT THE ORIGINAL ASBESTOS BASED MATERIAL THAT WAS USED BY SOUTHWEST AND KERSENBROCK, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER CUEMAKERS.
I HAVE PIECES OF EACH HERE, AS WELL AS OTHER "MICARTA" MATERIALS AND CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
LIKE I HAD SAID IN MY PM'S TO "KNIFEMAKER", I AM NOT CLAIMING THAT HE SOLD THIS MATERIAL WITH BAD INTENTIONS, JUST THAT THERE WAS MISCOMMUNICATION TO THE BUYERS OF THE PRODUCT.
WHEN "KNIFEMAKER" ORIGINALLY LISTED HERE MATERIAL FOR SALE HERE ON AZ BILLIARDS, HE CLEARLY LISTED IT AS "old yellow paper base micarta" AS SEEN HERE IN THIS THREAD
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=184473
WHEN THE MATERIAL WAS LISTED AT A LATER DATE IT WAS LISTED AS "old yellow micarta ferrules" AS SEEN HERE
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=185924
THE FIRST LISTING IS ACCURATE. IT IS OLD PAPER BASED MICARTA THAT WILL YELLOW SOME OVER TIME. PROBLEM IS, IT ISN'T THE "OLD YELLOW" ASBESTOS BASED MICARTA THAT CUE GUYS ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR. THE ASBESTOS BASED MATERIAL IS THE STUFF THAT BRINGS $75-100 PER FERRULE BECAUSE OF IT'S SCARCITY.
I HAVE FERRULES HERE THAT ARRIVED TODAY FROM "KNIFEMAKER" AND THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AS THE ASBESTOS BASED MATERIAL THAT I HAVE HERE.
I TRIED TO KEEP THIS VIA PM, BUT AFTER SEEING ANOTHER POST SAYING THAT IT WAS THE ORIGINAL STUFF, I FELT I HAD TO GO PUBLIC WITH MY THOUGHTS.
I WOULD BE WILLING TO SEND A PIECE THAT I GOT FROM "KNIFEMAKER" AND ONE OF MY ASBESTOS BASED PIECES TO AN INDEPENDANT PARTY TO EXAMINE. I AM NOT WILL THOUGH TO HAVE MY ASBESTOS STUFF CUT UP AND WASTED. IT IS CLEAR TO SEE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERNCE IN THE MATERIALS.
HERE ARE PICTURES I TOOK THIS AFTERNOON, OF THE ASBESTOS STUFF ON THE RIGHT, AND THE STUFF FROM "KNIFEMAKER" ON THE LEFT.
LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THIS PUBLICLY, NOR AM I LOOKING TO GIVE "KNIFEMAKER" A HARD TIME, I AM SIMPLY LOOKING OUT FOR THE AZ MEMBERS THAT BOUGHT THIS MATERIAL THINKING THAT IT WAS THE ORIGINAL ASBESTOS BASED MICARTA.
I WOULD HAVE TO THINK THAT PETE TASCARELLA WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL IF I SENT HIM PIECES OF EACH, AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO ASK HIM TO TAKE A LOOK AS A THIRD PARTY.
Marcus
P.S. I WILL BE OUT THE REST OF THE NIGHT, SO I WON'T BE ABLE TO REPLY UNTIL MUCH LATER TONIGHT, OR UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING. IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS, GIVE ME A CALL.