Sir Eatsalot
Registered
Hi guys, I'm a big fan of the really pressed, smooth and shiny Irish linen wrap. Is there a way I can achieve that look and feel at home?
Can "I" improve my linen wrap?
- Thread starter Sir Eatsalot
- Start date
Do you have the tools. Lathe, linen press, etc, etc, etc
Take a wet (moist) towel, a dried washcloth will work best, and rub up and down, against the spiral. Then take some 500 grit sand paper and rub with the spiral. Then have someone who knows how to do a wrap replace it for you.
Or you could just go directly to the last part.
-pigu
Or you could just go directly to the last part.
-pigu
Sir Eatsalot
Registered
Michael Webb said:
Nah, I don't have none of that stuff. I guess that means that you're gonna tell me no, huh?
I have no cuemaker ambitions, I was just hoping that maybe it was something I could accomplish at home without the hassle of shipping my cues off.Once, I did apply a combination of starch and, I believe, polyurethane or something similar to a cue's wrap using a clothing iron. ( I can sense the snickers and the shaking of heads ) While I wouldn't experiment like that now, the results of that particular attempt were a success. After 7 or 8 years, that wrap is still shiny, but not hard or uncomfortable, and shows no attempts, whatsoever, to unravel or become frayed. As it's a white with green flecks wrap, it doesn't even really show any grimy buildup from where my hand position is on it. Wish I could remember the formula and technique I used.
By the way; Kids, you should not try this at home. If you do, I, and any subsidiary family members, cannot be held responsible for any unsatisfactory results or damage to you cue.
Sir Eatsalot
Registered
Okay, there might have been a little blending of the colors. I can't remember what the wrap looked like before. I do like the look as it seems to go with age of the cue and, like I said, it has been very durable.
I wish I could tell you some thing positive. A local cabinet maker who thinks what cue makers do is pretty easy. He sanded his wrap, thought it was great for a month then had me change it. Once the fibers of the linen raise it's pretty tough to correct with out the right tools.
Clothing iron on linen
> I used to do this on my own cue,and as long as you use MAXIMUM caution,you should be ok. Take a small strip of that new clear duct tape by 3M,and wrap around the finish on both ends of the wrap,careful to get the tape laid on tight and flat,covering the finish,and the first 2-3 full threads on the wrap,this way you don't get too close to the finish. Take a solid white rag and spray liberally with a good brand of spray starch,and wipe the wrap down,really getting it good and damp to the touch,and let it sit for 5 minutes or so. Using the linen setting on your iron,roll the butt back and forth nice and slow with your opposite hand while the butt is laying on a towel laid out flat on your ironing board,and don't stay in one place long,this can leave waxy streaks on the wrap or possibly burn it,so be careful. You can do a 2,3,maybe 4 inch wide strip at a time,then move down a little. You will be able to see the wrap get shinier,check every once in a while to determine your progress,and take your time. I did this 20 times or so before I ever put my cue in a lathe to do it properly,and never harmed it. As a finishing touch,you can rub the wrap down with a small piece of wax paper,turning the butt with the direction of the wrap,sometimes making it feel better than it did new. Whatever you do,be careful. Tommy D.
> I used to do this on my own cue,and as long as you use MAXIMUM caution,you should be ok. Take a small strip of that new clear duct tape by 3M,and wrap around the finish on both ends of the wrap,careful to get the tape laid on tight and flat,covering the finish,and the first 2-3 full threads on the wrap,this way you don't get too close to the finish. Take a solid white rag and spray liberally with a good brand of spray starch,and wipe the wrap down,really getting it good and damp to the touch,and let it sit for 5 minutes or so. Using the linen setting on your iron,roll the butt back and forth nice and slow with your opposite hand while the butt is laying on a towel laid out flat on your ironing board,and don't stay in one place long,this can leave waxy streaks on the wrap or possibly burn it,so be careful. You can do a 2,3,maybe 4 inch wide strip at a time,then move down a little. You will be able to see the wrap get shinier,check every once in a while to determine your progress,and take your time. I did this 20 times or so before I ever put my cue in a lathe to do it properly,and never harmed it. As a finishing touch,you can rub the wrap down with a small piece of wax paper,turning the butt with the direction of the wrap,sometimes making it feel better than it did new. Whatever you do,be careful. Tommy D.