Your Opinion on Hand Powder Use
- Thread starter highrun55
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Use of Hand Talc
Clearly, when misused by unconcerned players, powder or talc can become rather messy on the table and the balls...!!! With that said, however, you'll see many of the top professionals, e.g., Jeremy Jones, Johnny Archer, SVB, and many others going regular to their chair for a touch of talc...and, over the course of the tourney, you can visibly see (even on TV) the residue of it on the table...!!! I think it's as much a part of the game as chalking the cue...but, that's simply an opinion.
However, slinging it around in the poolroom like "flour in a bakery" is totally UNACCEPTABLE...!!!
But, if your room were hosting the "pros", would you tell THEM that talc was banned...????????????
Clearly, when misused by unconcerned players, powder or talc can become rather messy on the table and the balls...!!! With that said, however, you'll see many of the top professionals, e.g., Jeremy Jones, Johnny Archer, SVB, and many others going regular to their chair for a touch of talc...and, over the course of the tourney, you can visibly see (even on TV) the residue of it on the table...!!! I think it's as much a part of the game as chalking the cue...but, that's simply an opinion.
However, slinging it around in the poolroom like "flour in a bakery" is totally UNACCEPTABLE...!!!
But, if your room were hosting the "pros", would you tell THEM that talc was banned...????????????
Yes I would, they are a customer like everyone else, and they don`t normally come around and support the room any other time.
Yes, thats the first thing they are asked after I tell them no powder
I'm not a room owner, but let me butt in.
I sense a little of the women's temperance movement attitude here - because some people abuse alcohol we should ban it for everybody. Talc serves a useful purpose, and any good player knows how to use it without messing up the table. You should try educating those customers who don't know how to use it, rather than get in their face over the issue. And snatching the talc from Johnny Archer ..... well, that's something I just have to see.
If a room has an old-fashioned talc dispenser, or a baby powder shaker, that's asking for a mess because you can't use either without first piling it up in your palm. But the little talc bags can be used without making a mess. You could sell those, accompanied by a little instruction, along with the hand panties.
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I also do not allow anyone to use the stuff, but I do provide gloves for those who complain, outside of that it is to bad and so sad!!!
As a player, I must say be careful. Sure now we are talking about powder/talc. . .That is a key part of the equipment for some. Yes, people making a mess should be asked to leave, whether it rubbing chalk on the walls, spilling drinks, etc. Just be careful the rules don't get the best of you. I know a room which has a dress code, requires a break cloth and has kind of high table rates. IT IS ALWAYS EMPTY!
I would suggest instead of banning it, just do not sell or provide it. That way only serious chalk users will have it. Serious chalk users are not making the mess. It is Joe Cool I need to chalk my entirre body which is creaating your issues. He will never remember to bring chalk. He is succh a slob he would forget his cue if it weren't rolling around, uncased, in the trunk of his Ford Festiva! :thumbup:
BTW. . .I like the despenser Jasmine Ouchon has on the What's in the case video.
I would suggest instead of banning it, just do not sell or provide it. That way only serious chalk users will have it. Serious chalk users are not making the mess. It is Joe Cool I need to chalk my entirre body which is creaating your issues. He will never remember to bring chalk. He is succh a slob he would forget his cue if it weren't rolling around, uncased, in the trunk of his Ford Festiva! :thumbup:
BTW. . .I like the despenser Jasmine Ouchon has on the What's in the case video.
The problem starts with the little kid in some players, example being , how come he can use powder and I can`t ? then im in the middle again.
And these guys think they are to good to use a glove.
I dont sell or provide it either.
Let me just say I can't stand seeing talc all over the place. I walk into a pool room and it looks like sombody was changing a baby on the tables! I have seen so many "players" go to the talc and prepare as if they are about to do a gymnastics routine! I always wonder what the thinking is there. I mean the concept is to dry your hands and reduce the friction between your hand and the cue, so why would you put in on youy GRIP hand that has a nice wrap to give some grip surface! Most of these people are not using the talc for its function, they just saw it in a movie or saw sombody else do it, so they do it too. They see the talc there feel some sort of social pressure to use it too.
On the rare ocassion that I feel that my hands or cue is feeling a bit "tacky", I find that washing and drying my hands and wiping the cue shaft solves the problem completely.
One more thing I would like to suggest. You should obviously offer gloves for sale, but there is a better product in my opinion. I forget the exact name of it, but I think it was called pro glide. Steve Mizerak used to endorse it. Anyway, it is a really good and inexpensive solution that should make everyone happy. It is a liquid that dries clear in a matter of seconds, and works better than talc. It makes NO mess, and lasts longer than talc.
You should have this for sale, and also have one behind the counter to let people have a trial use of it.
I used to work in pool rooms. I was very careful about the powder use. I kept one container of it behind the counter. If a "player" asked for it, I would give them a small amount and give them a quick tutorial on its use, and why it was not to be used in any manner as to get on the table and the balls, etc. I never let one of them take it to the table.
I think you are on the right track, but make sure your customers have a reasonable option ( gloves, pro glide, etc) to make their playing experience enjoyable.
Jw
On the rare ocassion that I feel that my hands or cue is feeling a bit "tacky", I find that washing and drying my hands and wiping the cue shaft solves the problem completely.
One more thing I would like to suggest. You should obviously offer gloves for sale, but there is a better product in my opinion. I forget the exact name of it, but I think it was called pro glide. Steve Mizerak used to endorse it. Anyway, it is a really good and inexpensive solution that should make everyone happy. It is a liquid that dries clear in a matter of seconds, and works better than talc. It makes NO mess, and lasts longer than talc.
You should have this for sale, and also have one behind the counter to let people have a trial use of it.
I used to work in pool rooms. I was very careful about the powder use. I kept one container of it behind the counter. If a "player" asked for it, I would give them a small amount and give them a quick tutorial on its use, and why it was not to be used in any manner as to get on the table and the balls, etc. I never let one of them take it to the table.
I think you are on the right track, but make sure your customers have a reasonable option ( gloves, pro glide, etc) to make their playing experience enjoyable.
Jw
Penny wise and dollar foolish, IMO.
Rather than have your houseman, or maintenance person, brush or vacuum a 9 x 41/2 foot table for five minutes after two, respectful, careful, and considerate, "players" spend $50 on table time, plus another $20 -$30 in refreshments, plus a ten dollar tip to the server, you'd dissuade them from patronizing your establishment by barring their use of a commonly used piece of equiptment.
Stranger yet, many of these same rooms will welcome a tablefull of noisy bangers who usually distract the serious players, and are also much more likely to disrespect the room and equiptment by placing food/drinks on the table beds or rails, or placing lit cigarettes on rails, and dropping cigarette ashs on tables. Is talc the worse room enemy?
Certainly, everyone is entitled to run their room as they please, but in this economy especially, some may find it beneficial to rethink their management & PR policies.
Jim
Rather than have your houseman, or maintenance person, brush or vacuum a 9 x 41/2 foot table for five minutes after two, respectful, careful, and considerate, "players" spend $50 on table time, plus another $20 -$30 in refreshments, plus a ten dollar tip to the server, you'd dissuade them from patronizing your establishment by barring their use of a commonly used piece of equiptment.
Stranger yet, many of these same rooms will welcome a tablefull of noisy bangers who usually distract the serious players, and are also much more likely to disrespect the room and equiptment by placing food/drinks on the table beds or rails, or placing lit cigarettes on rails, and dropping cigarette ashs on tables. Is talc the worse room enemy?
Certainly, everyone is entitled to run their room as they please, but in this economy especially, some may find it beneficial to rethink their management & PR policies.
Jim
Mickey
I hated powder and I would not allow it. As has always been said, its not the folks that know how to use it, its the folks that over use it.
Some of the powder that people bring has oil in it, and affects the play of the cloth.
Once I took all of the powder out of the room, I would have scores of people wanting to know where it went. These are the people that create the large clouds of dust all over and around the table. After hearing every argument from every side, I started providing gloves for people that requested them.
The gloves would get stolen, or drenched in beer, but what the hell, it was a lot less expensive to replace the gloves than it was to replace the cloth.
I got a pretty good deal on some gloves from Mueller's - and it ended all the powder arguments.
In the end the tables are your investment. Protect them wisely.
I hated powder and I would not allow it. As has always been said, its not the folks that know how to use it, its the folks that over use it.
Some of the powder that people bring has oil in it, and affects the play of the cloth.
Once I took all of the powder out of the room, I would have scores of people wanting to know where it went. These are the people that create the large clouds of dust all over and around the table. After hearing every argument from every side, I started providing gloves for people that requested them.
The gloves would get stolen, or drenched in beer, but what the hell, it was a lot less expensive to replace the gloves than it was to replace the cloth.
I got a pretty good deal on some gloves from Mueller's - and it ended all the powder arguments.
In the end the tables are your investment. Protect them wisely.
Thank you David, you are so right and I havent lost a soul because of the powder deal, I tell them and they use it anyways
Its a shame I probably wont have to worry about it much longer, the economy has hit me read hard and then summer came. Might not be here by Sept. But I am here everyday all day trying until the man throws me out.
Where is my small business bail-out ? LOL
Mickey
Its a shame I probably wont have to worry about it much longer, the economy has hit me read hard and then summer came. Might not be here by Sept. But I am here everyday all day trying until the man throws me out.
Where is my small business bail-out ? LOL
Mickey
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All powders are messy but if have to use one make sure it has no fillers or corn starch in it. What happens is it works it way under the cloth to cut the cloth from the bottom up through the cloth, premature wear out. Use only baby powder with no oils or fillers in it if you must use it at all.
All that pwder lewads to slow tables with fast spots and more brushing and vacumming.
Craig
All that pwder lewads to slow tables with fast spots and more brushing and vacumming.
Craig
I personally do not use powder or a glove and am not a fan of rooms that allow it. Obviously its okay for the players that know how to use it correctly but most of the time that is not the case and you end up with very messy equipment.
I like the idea of offering gloves to players that want to use it.
I like the idea of offering gloves to players that want to use it.
Soap water dry....repeat
Does anyone ever tell their customers to WASH their hands? With soap? This eliminates 95% of the problem. Very few people have such a sweaty hand problem they really need that much chalk. I let regulars use chalk bags and let them know its a $25 cleaning fee if they get it all over the tables. It also sells lots of chalk bags. We used to have cone chalk but people broke it into pieces so that they would not have to walk 20 feet to use it. So then I had 40 big chunks or cone chalk laying all over the room. Whenever I see people bringing in Johnsons baby powder I cringe. With the perfume in that stuff it really sticks to the cloth. I cant believe how many people are clueless about what screws up a table. I usually drag the vacuum cleaner over to the table and tell them to get all the powder up before they pay their bill. When people have to clean up their own messes they usually tone it down dramatically. Yeah...I can be a jerk sometimes to get a point across. Dont remind me.
I say put out a bottle of Dawn dish soap by the sink and tell people to use it. It will dry out their hands and most people wont need the talc.
Does anyone ever tell their customers to WASH their hands? With soap? This eliminates 95% of the problem. Very few people have such a sweaty hand problem they really need that much chalk. I let regulars use chalk bags and let them know its a $25 cleaning fee if they get it all over the tables. It also sells lots of chalk bags. We used to have cone chalk but people broke it into pieces so that they would not have to walk 20 feet to use it. So then I had 40 big chunks or cone chalk laying all over the room. Whenever I see people bringing in Johnsons baby powder I cringe. With the perfume in that stuff it really sticks to the cloth. I cant believe how many people are clueless about what screws up a table. I usually drag the vacuum cleaner over to the table and tell them to get all the powder up before they pay their bill. When people have to clean up their own messes they usually tone it down dramatically. Yeah...I can be a jerk sometimes to get a point across. Dont remind me.
I say put out a bottle of Dawn dish soap by the sink and tell people to use it. It will dry out their hands and most people wont need the talc.