Hi, I don't post often, but I've been here a long time. Recently there was a thread asking the best way to clean your shaft. It's been a long time since I'd cleaned mine and thought it was about time, so I took some of the advice and cleaned my shaft with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. It worked great! However...I've applied 3 coats of carnauba wax and my shaft still feels like rough, raw wood. There is no glossy, silky smooth finish. Did I over do it with the Magic Eraser, or am I a few coats shy with the wax or is my shaft toast?
Did cleaning ruin my shaft?
- Thread starter Hobbes
- Start date
Burnish with leather pad and it should be smooth as glass.
stillrolling
Registered
Get some of the micro burnishing papers from McDermott or Nick Varner, then use Cue Silk as the final touch and your shaft will be smoother than you ever thought possible.
I used to be the only game in town for repairs.. it was a small town so I can't crow real loud but the best thing I found was fast orange from AutoZone WITH Lanolin.... The fast orange had enough grit to clean without sanding... Was geared to removing oils like the ones from burgers, fries and humans even.. and the lanolin seemed to make the burnishing in easy with a leather scrap... It even left a nice citrus smell... The magic eraser may use harsher chemicals... Not tried em yet because I still have a large supply of fast orange...
Before you burnish with leather, go to a hardware store.....a big one...and buy some Croakus Cloth.
It's more fine than even 2000 grit sandpaper.....it's so fine that jewelers use Croakus Cloth to polish
gold jewelry. Then use a great cue wax and lastly, follow-up with burnishing the shaft after several
coatings of wax........that will do the job.
Matt B.
It's more fine than even 2000 grit sandpaper.....it's so fine that jewelers use Croakus Cloth to polish
gold jewelry. Then use a great cue wax and lastly, follow-up with burnishing the shaft after several
coatings of wax........that will do the job.
Matt B.
When shafts are turned down or sanded with heavy grits, small fibers (like beard stubble) get cut and lay down flat when burnished. The water or alcohol on the Magic Eraser cause these fibers to swell and raise back up.
Just use 1000 grit sandpaper after they dry completely followed by a burnishing with leather or the back side of the sand paper or even a paper towel and you're all set.
Sometimes it helps to raise the grain a few times before final sanding/burnishing. This prevents the sweat from your hands from raising the fibers by removing them.
What Chris said. But, did someone forget to mention that when you bare the shaft wood with sand paper, or even your ME, one should use a wood sealer on it before you do anything else.
There is a reason why someone invented that stuff and then named it, "Wood Sealer".
Otherwise, you're just going to load up the pores in the wood with what ever you apply next.
Chris Hightower recommends a light sand after you apply his Sealer. I find that it is absolutely so smooth that you don't have to if not wanted.
It just gets better after a couple of coats of wax.
I have no idea in what order you did anything Buddy, but you did take a wrong turn at some point. There is nothing wrong with using Magic Eraser.
I believe that a large percent of repairmen use it, just because of how well it works along with the ease.
Next time, try using Alcohol instead of water as Alcohol will evaporate much quicker than water and tend not to raise the grain of the wood.
Sounds like a TV Commercial. It would be cool if your shaft were made from porcelain. Lets let all that Creamy Unknown substance soak into your shaft.
Varsol and gasoline work great for stains but I wouldn't put it on wood either.
There is a reason why someone invented that stuff and then named it, "Wood Sealer".
Otherwise, you're just going to load up the pores in the wood with what ever you apply next.
Chris Hightower recommends a light sand after you apply his Sealer. I find that it is absolutely so smooth that you don't have to if not wanted.
It just gets better after a couple of coats of wax.
I have no idea in what order you did anything Buddy, but you did take a wrong turn at some point. There is nothing wrong with using Magic Eraser.
I believe that a large percent of repairmen use it, just because of how well it works along with the ease.
Next time, try using Alcohol instead of water as Alcohol will evaporate much quicker than water and tend not to raise the grain of the wood.
Sounds like a TV Commercial. It would be cool if your shaft were made from porcelain. Lets let all that Creamy Unknown substance soak into your shaft.
Varsol and gasoline work great for stains but I wouldn't put it on wood either.
Last edited:
I sail a bit and use a product that is not silicone based after the clean eraser. It is McLube Sailkote Dry lubricant. It is a spray-on and dries in about 20 seconds then buff out slightly. It is marketed to sailing as a dirt and water repellant. If you spray a few times it lasts a good long time. No silicone and no mess.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Magic eraser is for cleaning. It is the equivalent of 1700 grit, but it breaks down easier than the wood will sand. It is also designed to break down easier when using something like denatured alcohol. The breaking down helps create little fingers that help with the cleaning.
Magic eraser is the first step in shaft "cleaning", not the last.
1. Magic eraser + denatured alcohol.
2. 1200 grit paper (or 1000 if really necessary...you know what grit is necessary with experience)
3. 1500 grit paper
4. 2000 grit paper
5. Leather burnishing
You can throw your favorite sealer or shaft treatment concoction in there somewhere amongst numbers 3 through 5...just depends on what works for you. A little compressed air and/or paper towel wipe down between sanding grits doesn't hurt. Lots of guys do different things and use different products.
Late edit: The grit to start with after cleaning should be dictated by what is the lowest number needed to get the job done, ie how raised the grain is after cleaning and how bad off the shaft is. Minimal amount necessary between 1 and 5 is my personal feeling about the subject. And, it should only takes a few seconds with each grit.
Magic eraser is the first step in shaft "cleaning", not the last.
1. Magic eraser + denatured alcohol.
2. 1200 grit paper (or 1000 if really necessary...you know what grit is necessary with experience)
3. 1500 grit paper
4. 2000 grit paper
5. Leather burnishing
You can throw your favorite sealer or shaft treatment concoction in there somewhere amongst numbers 3 through 5...just depends on what works for you. A little compressed air and/or paper towel wipe down between sanding grits doesn't hurt. Lots of guys do different things and use different products.
Late edit: The grit to start with after cleaning should be dictated by what is the lowest number needed to get the job done, ie how raised the grain is after cleaning and how bad off the shaft is. Minimal amount necessary between 1 and 5 is my personal feeling about the subject. And, it should only takes a few seconds with each grit.
Last edited:
I told ya blue is the way to go...and there is no effort required.
What did you use with Magic Eraser ?
Carnauba wax is designed to polish finishes. Not bare wood.
*QUOTE=JoeyInCali;4800901]What did you use with Magic Eraser ?
Carnauba wax is designed to polish finishes. Not bare wood.[/QUOTE]
Carnauba is an excellent wood conditioner. Its hypoallergenic. It is insoluble in water. Carnauba wax can produce a glossy finish and as such is used inautomobile*waxes,*shoe polishes,*dental floss, food products such as sweets, instrument*polishes, and floor and furniture waxes and polishes, especially when mixed with*beeswax*and with*turpentine.
Carnauba wax is designed to polish finishes. Not bare wood.[/QUOTE]
Carnauba is an excellent wood conditioner. Its hypoallergenic. It is insoluble in water. Carnauba wax can produce a glossy finish and as such is used inautomobile*waxes,*shoe polishes,*dental floss, food products such as sweets, instrument*polishes, and floor and furniture waxes and polishes, especially when mixed with*beeswax*and with*turpentine.
This makes no sense? You're saying that using chemicals is easier on your shaft than not using any chemicals? Please no one take advise from this guy on shaft cleaning.
I have used the magic eraser pads several times in combination with the sanding sheets that are sold through pool retailers. It works like a charm.
So many different ways!
On my shafts that are sealed I clean
with any good automotive
scratch remover. Like the Fast
Orange it has a small amount of
abrasive which cleans but does not
harm the sealed shaft. A little wax and
burnishing finishes the job.
Joe
On my shafts that are sealed I clean
with any good automotive
scratch remover. Like the Fast
Orange it has a small amount of
abrasive which cleans but does not
harm the sealed shaft. A little wax and
burnishing finishes the job.
Joe
This. Particularly the first part. Magic Eraser is for cleaning only. A solid burnishing after will produce that glass-like finish you're looking for.
Just for the record a magic erasure is absolutely using chemicals. It is a melamine foam created to be a sanding agent.This makes no sense? You're saying that using chemicals is easier on your shaft than not using any chemicals? Please no one take advise from this guy on shaft cleaning.
I have used the magic eraser pads several times in combination with the sanding sheets that are sold through pool retailers. It works like a charm.
To each their own but a repairman is not going to use sanding paper on a cleaning even the marketed burnishing films, unless there is some real issues with the shaft.
We use chemicals specifically made to clean AND to protect the wood. Using denatured alcohol with magic erasure is better than water but denatured alcohol by itself does a darned good job and cleaning without the abrasives.
Just for the record the burnishing films are meant for making the shaft clean during play. Nick Varner himself doesn't have the most abrasive grit in his nick's edge that Qsmooth offers because he wouldn't even use that on his shaft. He told me that face to face.
Go check out the products at atlas, uniqueinc, cue components, etc where cue makers buy their materials and you will see they all sell a chemical cleaner.