I really don't have an opinion either way, but people crack me up. I get a kick out of some of the people who are talking about the outrageous price of things. If you look at some of these same people's signature line, they have 10+ custom cues and 3 cases with 37 shafts. It's just funny to me what people will argue about.
Is it expensive, sure. So is a Scruggs or a Schick cue, a Barton or a Justis case. You can hit balls just as well with a Cuetec or even a house cue. I bought a 1x1 case at walmart for $8. Hell, I could even carry my 2 piece cue to the pool room.
I have a nice case and a few four figure cues so I am not saying anything is wrong with that.
I guess my question is why are the people who are complaining about the price of Kamui chalk choosing to complain about this one specific topic?
I'm guessing your house is bigger than you need, your car is probably nicer than what is necessary to get you around. I'm sure you have a custom cue. If not, you have a custom thimble or tea set, a big ass tv, or some other crap that you pile up and don't need, or could have spent less on.
You can buy a little television at walmart for $75, why did you spend $1000 on yours?
I'm not taking sides, just something to think about. Everyone spends money on stuff they don't need. The only persons that have a leg to stand on is someone who walks to the poolroom from their small house and uses a house cue with whatever chalk the room provides.
What is it about Kamui chalk that has everyone up in arms?
<--- Haven't tried it, but really wants to know either way
Brandon:
Great post. And a great comparative cost analysis with things we already own. You make several good points.
If you'll allow me, I'd like to take the other side of your devil's advocate debate. I think the root of this issue, the root-cause of why people seem to be up in arms about the price tag that Kamui attached to a single piece of chalk, is because chalk is considered a
consumable item. The other items you mentioned are not consumables at all; they're either tools (cues, tip/shaft maintenance tools, your/my collection of Snap-On tools in that huge wheeled toolbox in the garage, etc.), vehicles (your/my car), residence (your/my house), heirloom (your/my furniture inherited from our grandparents), etc. None of those possibly-high-priced items you listed are items you consume in a rapid manner, like, say, soap, toilet paper, cleaners, 3-in-1 oil, firewood, etc.
Chalk is essential, yes. You can't get through a game (or would have extreme difficulty doing so) without chalking. It is a very crucial consumable in our sport. But it is not a tool (like a tip maintenance tool is), it is not an implement (like a cue is), etc. The difference between chalk and the other items is that at some point you will use the cube up -- given enough time and usage. Unless you abuse the heck out of your cues (i.e. treating them like throw-away items), your cues will be with your the rest of your life. If you take care of your tip maintenance tools (cleaning them often, replacing any refills [e.g. with Ultimate Tip Tool], etc.), theoretically, you should have them the rest of your life.
I don't mind spending more for tools, heirlooms, vehicles, residences, etc., because they are a one-time purchase. (In essence, anyway -- I can always trade-in stuff for new models, move to a new house, etc. -- but I trade the value of that older item in to get the newer item.)
However, I have a problem with spending $25.00 for a single roll of Charmin, no matter *how* convincing those cartoon bears say that it won't leave lint on my bum-bum, and that I need to only use four sheets for each wipe vs. twice that. Those Charmin bears will have to do a better job than that to convince me of the $25.00 value affixed to a single roll of that consumable.
For example, you may've seen my
open letter to the Kamuitipsdotcom guy in another thread, to please answer the question about the correct usage of their product, the post of which went unanswered? That evasiveness is the kind of stuff that doesn't help the vendor's case at all.
I personally would give the product a try, if only the vendor would answer some BASIC questions.
Hope this helps,
-Sean