I've heard people say that chalk absorbs moisture over time. I've also heard people say that it dries out over time. Maybe it just depends on things like where the chalk was stored or how it was made. Comments?
Moisture Content of Chalk
- Thread starter Pre-Flag Master
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I quit putting the cube of Kamui I was once using back into the supplied zip-lock bag it came in and it dried out to the point that it applied to the tip differently, much more like regular chalk.
I have so-o-o-o much chalk of different brands on hand that I am about to conduct an experiment with some, such as leaving some in the garage for a while, steaming some, etc.
I'll post somewhere down the road if I get anything definitive out of it.
Maniac
I have so-o-o-o much chalk of different brands on hand that I am about to conduct an experiment with some, such as leaving some in the garage for a while, steaming some, etc.
I'll post somewhere down the road if I get anything definitive out of it.
Maniac
pool chalk is not the same thing as kids chalk board chalk. why don't you tell us what else you don't know.
I do know that they are both CHALK. Chalk absorbs moisture.
But my forum name is not named after CHALK. Perhaps you could tell us what YOU KNOW about chalk??
Perhaps you posted this thread before reading this post on your last thread by Hu
I bought a gross of masters, flag variety. I baked a few dozen pieces in the oven, they played better. I forgot two pieces on my back patio for two months in south Louisiana humidity, you can wet a rag just waving it in the air. It was damp through and through and went on like Tammy Baker's make up. It played better than the masters I hadn't done anything to also. Obviously masters doesn't know diddly and anything you do to their chalk can only make it better! Or perhaps what really matters is chalking well and when needed.
Hu
I bought a gross of masters, flag variety. I baked a few dozen pieces in the oven, they played better. I forgot two pieces on my back patio for two months in south Louisiana humidity, you can wet a rag just waving it in the air. It was damp through and through and went on like Tammy Baker's make up. It played better than the masters I hadn't done anything to also. Obviously masters doesn't know diddly and anything you do to their chalk can only make it better! Or perhaps what really matters is chalking well and when needed.
Hu
Re-read my post #1 in this thread. It clearly states basically what Hu said. I don't claim to be an expert. I am asking a question to see what other variables affect it, and if those variables affect each other.
You are entitled to your opinion, but you didn't say "here's my opinion about the question you asked". What you basically did was go off topic and say, "I think you asked a stupid question and now I'm going to be rude to you."
Congratulations, you are the first person on my ignore list.
when a plant takes up water via its roots, the plant actually has no control over this (osmotic) process. the water is naturally drawn from an area of lesser salts to an area of more salts, thru the (root) cell wall.
in a way, the same applies to blocks of 'chalk'*
if the chemical composition is such that it will naturally 'conduct' moisture, then it will.
if not, then it won't. or, at least it will release water, or 'dry out' quicker.
*this of course applies to 'water' moisture alone and not 'oils' etc.
So then does it depend on the specific ingredients and proportions of a particular company's recipe, or are all chalks pretty much in the same realm? I read a thread here once that stated corn starch was one ingredient in chalk. I have often wondered what else is in there besides sand, and what they use as a binder. Seems like the moisture absorbed/released would also depend on the hardness.
Nice website for the Chicago Billiard Museum. Is there a physical museum or just the website? I used to live near Chicago. I searched for chalk and I look forward to reading the info. I read somewhere that there is a large supply of clean sand in the Chicago area and that's why most chalk was made in that area at one time. Besides Tweeten there was Kieckhefer and National. And was Brunswick making their own chalk at one time or just hired it out?
thanks for posting
Fatz
Non salty sand is probably what they were referring to around Lake Michigan. Yeah there's a lot...still...lol.
I think it's time to start selling a humidor for chalk.
Yeah, that joke has been made around AZ before, but it's funny. I'm beginning to think it comes down to the moisture content originally in the chalk as it's manufactured, as well as the grittiness.
Today's Master is not as gritty as the pre-flag, and it's caky to boot. Baking it fixes the caky-ness, but doesn't help it grab more, so I'm on the fence about whether any post-manufacturing remedies are worth-while, but am willing to experiment.
Mr. Bond said:
That'll be great. What's the time frame? And please be sure to post an announcement on AZ when it opens.
Fatz
I just received a bunch of "Pioneer Billiard Chalk" from Ebay. I tried out a cube today. It is hard and does not want to leave chalk dust on the cue tip.
Is there anything I can do to make it softer, or have I just wasted money on cheap chalk? Thanks.
Rick
Is there anything I can do to make it softer, or have I just wasted money on cheap chalk? Thanks.
Rick
You could try to add a little moisture?
Put a cube in a baggie with a very small amount of water? Put it on a window sill on the sunny side of the house for a couple days? check it regularly to see how it "chalks"?
Just an idea, never done it, never needed to, but it is chalk, and chalk does absorb moisture, so . . .
Put a cube in a baggie with a very small amount of water? Put it on a window sill on the sunny side of the house for a couple days? check it regularly to see how it "chalks"?
Just an idea, never done it, never needed to, but it is chalk, and chalk does absorb moisture, so . . .
Well that's what this thread is about, but nothing definitive yet. Trying leaving it in a humid environment for a while like the bathroom and see if it gets any better. But I don't know how long. I'd say at least a week to get through the surface enough to try it out. If it works, then you maybe want to leave it in the humid environment much longer to penetrate the whole cube.
With that said, my recollection of Pioneer is that it's not very good. I don't believe that changing the moisture content by itself is enough to change bad chalk into good chalk - at least that's the theory I'm working from right now. If you have good chalk that's just a bit too hard, that's maybe something worth pursuing - again, just my current theory. Different people like different things and if the Pioneer works for you after moistening/softening, then great.
But I have a feeling that there's just not enough binder or not good binder and you will end up with a moist caky-ness that won't stick to the tip as opposed to a dry dusty-ness that won't stick to the tip.
Fatz