Anyone think these are not all official Blue Circles?
I'm guessing the new one you ordered direct from Brunswick is the middle one, which appears to be a little whiter in color than the other two. Also, the blue circle looks slightly bluer with a slightly thicker line on the middle one compared to the other two. I'm guessing that's because the other two are likely considerably older, despite appearing to be in excellent condition.Anyone think these are not all official Blue Circles?
Anyone think these are not all official Blue Circles?
The bottom one looks the most authentic to me top looks about the same middle one doesn’t look to have that opaqueness
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I'm guessing the new one you ordered direct from Brunswick is the middle one, which appears to be a little whiter in color than the other two. Also, the blue circle looks slightly bluer with a slightly thicker line on the middle one compared to the other two. I'm guessing that's because the other two are likely considerably older, despite appearing to be in excellent condition.
I would experiment playing with all three. If you use the same chalk, I'm guessing the chalk marks, and how hard they are to get completely off the cue balls, even the brand new one, is your best telltale sign of whether they are true blue circle centennial cue balls.
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I have the feeling you'll pay it back. It's good Karma to pass these things along...
My somewhat dated blue circle story....
Many years ago (early 70s?) it was the fashion to carry around your own cue ball and the blue circle was the one to have. I got myself one and used it proudly.
Then one day I was doing the simple over-the-spots drill (shoot to the far cushion and have the cue ball come straight back to your tip) and it was not going well. The cue ball would take a roll the last couple of feet and end up six inches off if the speed was just hard enough to get back to me. But the roll was not always there and not always the same way.
I marked the ball with a pencil and tried the lag with the cue ball turned in each of six ways. It turned out that my beloved blue circle was off-center -- it had a heavy side. I retired it.
Years later at a tournament in Sacramento I saw a blue circle that had broken open. It looked like the center -- about the size of a ping-pong ball? -- was not the same material. It looked more chalky. It was also off-center as you could see that the "crust" was quite a bit thicker on one part.
That was back when Albany/Hyatt was making "Brunswick" balls.
Yes, I have always experienced a problem with chalk marks even from normal play being harder to get off the blue circle than any of the other 3 premium cue balls. Red Circles clean off the easiest, the pro cup and aramith logo about the same, and the blue circle easily the hardest to get the chalk marks off. I've found denatured alcohol doused on a sponge to be the best/easiest way to remove chalk marks and even miscue marks from cue balls. I'm sure there are other products just as good, but I just happened to have that in my storage room and tried it, and it works great. Be sure to put some latex gloves on your hands, and I don't think it's recommended to contact your skin for any extended period.Chris - So, chalk sinks into the surface of real Blue Circles Centennials? I'm guessing due to being more porous?
Yes, I have always experienced a problem with chalk marks even from normal play being harder to get off the blue circle than any of the other 3 premium cue balls. Red Circles clean off the easiest, the pro cup and aramith logo about the same, and the blue circle easily the hardest to get the chalk marks off. I've found denatured alcohol doused on a sponge to be the best/easiest way to remove chalk marks and even miscue marks from cue balls. I'm sure there are other products just as good, but I just happened to have that in my storage room and tried it, and it works great. Be sure to put some latex gloves on your hands, and I don't think it's recommended to contact your skin for any extended period.
That a good idea. WW... I'll have to do that over the next few days.
WW - Here ya go. Anyone else, feel free to toss yer .02 in. The one in the middle is the one I ordered straight from Brunswick. The other two are the ones the kind gentleman was nice enough to send.
And where would someone get denatured alcohol?
Personally, I would have the most doubt in the one in the middle, as I've never seen a new blue circle cue ball with that light a shade of blue. The others look genuine.
Having said that, I'm not saying the one in the middle isn't genuine. It could be that Aramith is putting a slightly lighter, brighter shade of blue in the blue circles these days. But it does look a bit different than older Aramith blue circles, as well as the ones made by Hyatt (Albany Ball Company).
All the best,
WW
Home Depot.
All the best,
WW