I found the following posted on another forum and thought the information was likely interesting enough to open a discussion on what people think of the idea.....
As pertinent information I would like to point out that the abrasives used in billiard chalk are fractile which means they break and expose new sharp surfaces just like sandpaper does... The tip and ball are not enough to cause fracturing but in a layer of chalk you have the abrasives layered on top of other abrasives so the contact between tip and ball is enough to cause the rupture from the pressure and the abrasives acting on each other...
I have to assume they have enlarged the micron size of the abrasives to allow the chalk to last thru 5 shots before the rupturing/fracturing reduces the chalk to just blue dust...
How many of you that chalk every shot would like a chalk that only needed applied every 5 shots and doing so more often might cause misscues??
Chris
"Balabushka Chalk was formulated to require less chalking between shots which makes it last at least five times longer than the standard brands and produces five times less dust - making your table, balls and hands cleaner. After hearing several comments about miscues, it occurred to me that these players are most likely over-chalking; either chalking to often or using too much pressure while chalking.
If you chalk after every shot, with Balabushka chalk, you will create a loose chalk barrier between the leather tip and the ball causing tip skid. If there is too much chalk on the tip, you must go through that barrier before making contact with the leather tip – and that can create a miscue.
The purpose of chalk is to cover the leather after scuffing the tip so chalk gets on top and underneath the leather, embedding in the leather. Since Balabushka chalk sticks better, you do not need to chalk after every shot. Most players report they have the ability to shoot three to five times before re-chalking. Even then, you only need to re-cover the areas of your tip that have lost chalk, not the entire tip. When striking the cue ball, other chalks fall off the entire tip – not with Balabushka chalk. The only part that loses chalk is the area of the tip that makes direct contact with the ball. Therefore, if you are re-chalking the entire tip, you are most likely over-chalking some parts of the tip and creating an inconsistency on the tip surface that could most definitely cause miscues.
The correct method of applying chalk is to use a “brush stoke” using the perimeter of the chalk. Grinding the chalk into the tip is not necessary with Balabushka chalk and is discouraged because you will put too much chalk on the tip. If you blow on the tip after chalking, there should only be a small amount of dust. If there is a lot, you have over-chalked."
As pertinent information I would like to point out that the abrasives used in billiard chalk are fractile which means they break and expose new sharp surfaces just like sandpaper does... The tip and ball are not enough to cause fracturing but in a layer of chalk you have the abrasives layered on top of other abrasives so the contact between tip and ball is enough to cause the rupture from the pressure and the abrasives acting on each other...
I have to assume they have enlarged the micron size of the abrasives to allow the chalk to last thru 5 shots before the rupturing/fracturing reduces the chalk to just blue dust...
How many of you that chalk every shot would like a chalk that only needed applied every 5 shots and doing so more often might cause misscues??
Chris
"Balabushka Chalk was formulated to require less chalking between shots which makes it last at least five times longer than the standard brands and produces five times less dust - making your table, balls and hands cleaner. After hearing several comments about miscues, it occurred to me that these players are most likely over-chalking; either chalking to often or using too much pressure while chalking.
If you chalk after every shot, with Balabushka chalk, you will create a loose chalk barrier between the leather tip and the ball causing tip skid. If there is too much chalk on the tip, you must go through that barrier before making contact with the leather tip – and that can create a miscue.
The purpose of chalk is to cover the leather after scuffing the tip so chalk gets on top and underneath the leather, embedding in the leather. Since Balabushka chalk sticks better, you do not need to chalk after every shot. Most players report they have the ability to shoot three to five times before re-chalking. Even then, you only need to re-cover the areas of your tip that have lost chalk, not the entire tip. When striking the cue ball, other chalks fall off the entire tip – not with Balabushka chalk. The only part that loses chalk is the area of the tip that makes direct contact with the ball. Therefore, if you are re-chalking the entire tip, you are most likely over-chalking some parts of the tip and creating an inconsistency on the tip surface that could most definitely cause miscues.
The correct method of applying chalk is to use a “brush stoke” using the perimeter of the chalk. Grinding the chalk into the tip is not necessary with Balabushka chalk and is discouraged because you will put too much chalk on the tip. If you blow on the tip after chalking, there should only be a small amount of dust. If there is a lot, you have over-chalked."
