Cancer causing cues??

meopilite

Registered
So I bought a Balance Right 48" pool cue for when my grandson wants to come over and play.

On it, there is a sticker that says "cancer & reproductive problems causing".

Serious? Like I'm gonna let my grandson use this thing.....

Anyone seen such a thing??
 

pwd72s

recreational banger
Silver Member
Buy the cue out of California? That sticker is placed on nearly everything sold there as a cover your ass from liability move.
 

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
Trader Joes is a California base grocery store, a lot of their customers are health nuts. Must eat healthy, must eat organic.

The companies main office is in Monrovia right Next to Duarte, and Arcadia, CA. Right in the San Gabriel Valley Smog belt.

My joke was go shop at Trader Joes, but don't breathe the California air were most of the stores are located, killer air.
 

WildWing

Super Gun Mod
Silver Member
I've heard some good ones, this one may be one of the best.

The only thing I can think of, with a cue causing cancer, would be an early micarta ferrule, suddenly leaching its asbestos out, directly into your lungs.

None of that is possible, and with your low post count, I suspect this is a bit of a game...
 

Snooker Theory

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've heard some good ones, this one may be one of the best.

The only thing I can think of, with a cue causing cancer, would be an early micarta ferrule, suddenly leaching its asbestos out, directly into your lungs.

None of that is possible, and with your low post count, I suspect this is a bit of a game...

I've bought a couple of cues that came with that warning sticker attached, 25oz rage heavy hitter comes to mind.
 

RunoutJJ

Professional Banger
Silver Member
Brazilian Rosewood is suppose to be cancerous but only when making the cue. Im assuming the wood dust is the problem. I mean.... What doesnt give you cancer nowadays??
 

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
I've heard some good ones, this one may be one of the best.

The only thing I can think of, with a cue causing cancer, would be an early micarta ferrule, suddenly leaching its asbestos out, directly into your lungs.

None of that is possible, and with your low post count, I suspect this is a bit of a game...

Bleh, they don't have asbestos. Never have, urban legend. Paper and glue and heat
 

Snooker Theory

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bleh, they don't have asbestos. Never have, urban legend. Paper and glue and heat

I saw you in the thread Buster was discussing it, did you disagree with what he stated?
Wanted to bump this old thread, as I've recently been in a "discussion" on Facebook regarding this material and have since performed my due diligence of research. I have spoken to some of my resources new and old, including knife makers and plastics guys; and also performed chemical research with some sites I used in obtaining my undergrad chemistry degree.

The topic of Asbestos keeps surfacing when it comes to micarta and cue people. I can say, micarta was made with a substrate of asbestos, and was used in many industrial capacities. From the research I've performed, color played no roll in its industrial use. It was added as a fire/heat inhibitor. It would have looked like what asbestos pipe insulation looks like, today - dull grey, white, fibrous, and pliable. The micarta used in pool cues was part of the decorative lines. Color was a major roll of the decoratives. Green, brown, yellow, ivory, blue, red made with substrates of linen, paper, canvas, cotton, burlap, wood pulp etc.

Micarta, in as simplest terms as possible, is resin, substrate, pressure, & heat. In the early days the resin was Phenol Formaldehyde based - hence Phenolic. Many different formulations were used/made in the decorative lines and scooped up by cue guys as an alternative to ivory. As an alternative to ivory one did not want the heavy substrates of linen, canvas, or cotton, as the substrates were clearly visible. So, paper decoratives were chosen. BTW, wood pulp micarta is Bakelite, made by Marbelite (Palmer ferrules). Paper decoratives came in ivory, antique ivory, and ivorite. Ivorite being the highest grade, taking the highest polish & luster when finished.

Now, back to Phenol Formaldehyde. In chemistry, phenol cannot completely convert when condensed with formaldehyde. Finished condensates always contain some amount of free phenol. When free phenol interacts with UV light and/or heat, oxidation occurs causing the yellowing effect over time.

Lastly, the only micarta could have been used by pool guys and that could have contained asbestos would be FR2/3/4. "FR" denoting the fire rating. "FR-2 (Flame Resistant 2) is a NEMA designation for synthetic resin bonded paper, a composite material made of paper impregnated with a plasticized phenol formaldehyde resin, used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards. Its main properties are similar to NEMA grade XXXP (MIL-P-3115) material, and can be substituted for the latter in many applications." It's still paper micarta, but MAY have contained asbestos as a fire inhibitor. FR-2 was also made without asbestos.
A cue maker would have to find or order a piece of FR big enough, prior to the mid 1970s, and HOPE is came in an uniform off-white color. This was not a decorative, and color never mattered.

If you're still with me, thank you for reading. South West, Schon, Schrager, JW and any other cue maker using micarta in the good 'ol days, was using ivory paper micarta. Period.

Josh
 

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm thinking it's probably the glue they used, leaching out over time.
I am pretty sure that sawdust is cancer causing also .
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The reason: Proposition 65. It's a California state law that requires businesses with 10 or more employees to provide reasonable warning about the use of any chemicals the state has decided could cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.Apr 4, 2018
 

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
I saw you in the thread Buster was discussing it, did you disagree with what he stated?

He said that a micarta existed that had asbestos. It was flat sheets and they didn't use it long. I'm saying no ferrule that I have ever tested, and I've checked at least 50 shafts from different makers and eras, has tested positive for asbestos

I was really paranoid about that when I first heard it and checked before every ferrule I ever touched. A family member had a remediation business and had the equipment to check, I only needed the smallest little scratch off of the facing before a tip job to check.

So I'll edit my previous post and clarify my strong statement

"The likelihood that a shaft has a ferrule with asbestos is incredibly slim. Ferrule material came from blocks and rods, not sheets"
 
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