Chalk Preference

cuttyshark

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The PH I frequent recently began putting out Silver Cup (used to provide blue Master) and the place has started to go psycho.
Everyone is bitchin and moanin. And, I have to admit, the mis-cue'n phenom is markedly more frequent. It doesn't seem to affect me, but, that has got me wondering...

1.) Anyone else have particular opinions about chalk brand?

2.) What's the specific formulation difference between Master and Triangle? (They're both Tweeten. Is one coarser/grittier? - I cant tell. An old BD article hit on this, but wasn't specific about the actual diff.)

3.) Is National any good??
 
I definately favor Masters blue, it seems to hold to the tip better and that gives me a little more confidence. I have used Silver Cup and Triangle and although they are ok, I do tend to miscue more frequently with those chalks than Masters blue. I think it is because Masters blue is finer grain.
 
Balabushka is definitely my favorite. I have a bad tendency to forget to chalk and this by far as held on the best.
 
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Silver Cup is by far the messiest chalk I've ever seen.The place I used to play put some out and after a couple of games the rails would look like they hadn't been wiped down in weeks.The favorite of the group I play with is McDermott.

Lanny
 
Blue Masters only.

I don't trust other brands. It might be in my head, but thats good enough reason for me.
 
All you need to know is Master blue, it's better than their green or other colors. Silver cup is good chalk but it goes on too thin. In order to use it you must know how to chalk correctly and take your time applying it evently. If you dont, you will mis cue more than using Master.
 
Jerry Brice said:
All you need to know is Master blue, it's better than their green or other colors. Silver cup is good chalk but it goes on too thin. In order to use it you must know how to chalk correctly and take your time applying it evently. If you dont, you will mis cue more than using Master.

We had silver cup and I hated it but liked the blue master we had. Then we ordered master of green, brown and gold. I prefer the brown or gold, but really think the blue is fine too. And, like Jerry says, correct application. I scuff it on and do not use the recessed part. If that part gets deep, I toss it. It is afterall, only about 2.50 a dozen.

Laura
 
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Jerry & Jason are correct. Master's Blue. I have 2 professional friends who prefer it above all others. I also have 2 friends with odd colored felt (one with light grey, one with tan). The crappy Silver Cup chalk they have is basically unuseable. We miscue with any moderate deviation from center ball. I basically do not play much at their homes because it is a totally different game - you just can't ever use any kind of moderate or radical English. While center ball skills are important, it is still nice to be able to draw the ball without miscueing every third shot.

I would love to know if anyone has tried Master's tan or grey chalk, is it any better than the ridiculous Silver Cup chalk? (if yes, I'll buy some for my friends).
 
A year or two ago one of the local poolrooms got some blue Master's chaulk that was really messy. Much more chaulk fell from the cube than stayed on the tip. It was so bad that they changed brands. As I recall, it was the first batch with the flag on the side. New batches have been the same old chaulk. Did this happen anywhere else?

Are the other colors of Master's really different? I can't tell the difference. Some of them look really terrible on green cloth, but they seem to play the same to me.
 
i prefer masters gold ....but have tried the green and blue....have also tried the silver cup and have found out that silver cup does tend to be a little more messy and will not stay on the cue tip.....i had hear at one time that masters chalk contained a petroleum by product that made it a much harder chalk than silver cup......this would tend to be believable due to the fact that masters will stick to the tip.....but i have also noticed after many years of playing that when using masters chalk my tip tends to glass over and require more scuffing than with the silver cup.......guess that would have something to do with the petroleum by product hardening the leather.....i reall feel this would be a great question to pose to both makers of chalk and see what they have to say......hope everyone is hitting them good.......juston coleman
 
Master Blue is the cadillac. I have the green ones too but they are finer.
Blue's the best. The burgundy one is very good too but nobody has burgundy cloth anymore.
 
I prefer Blue Master Chalk above all. I Use Tan Master chalk at home because it doesnt show as much on my felt and i thik they play identicle. The Only chalk i absolutely hate is NTC or National. It is the absolute worst chalk on the planet. All the bars around where i live use this chalk, and everyone constantly complains. I used to use sliver Cup burgundy chalk at home because it was the only one that would leave no mark on my cloth at all, but after a while i gotsick of the constant miscues, so i chaged to the tan Master.
 
I've tried many different chalks to include green and blue Masters. I would have to rate Blue Masters #1 followed by Green Masters #2. The blue stays on longer and doesn't flake off like the green does, but the green is top quality. Overall, IMO, Blue Masters!!

Zim
 
Master blue chalk is my favorite. The master chalk in other colors would be my next choice but they don't seem to stick to the tip quite as well. Yes the Triangle brand is made by Tweeten also and is a very gritty chalk. You should try keeping a piece on hand for those days when there is a lot of moisture in the room as the master chalk will start to clump when the air is very damp. The silver cup i only use if there is absolutely nothing else available. {actually it is better than the national chalk} Sam
 
I use Masters grey chalk, have for the past year. With a properly prepared tip the grey holds very well, I don't find that excessive chalk gets on the tip as sometimes does happen with the blue. Haven't had a problem with mis-cues, unless of course I am not diligent with the use of the chalk.

The grey is less messy as well!! ;)
Chalk finds its way to get on everything - clothing, ferrules, shaft & the blue is an eyesore to me. I wash my hands so many times I think I might have an obsessive compulsive disorder. :D :D
 
teeitup said:
I use Masters grey chalk, have for the past year. With a properly prepared tip the grey holds very well, I don't find that excessive chalk gets on the tip as sometimes does happen with the blue. Haven't had a problem with mis-cues, unless of course I am not diligent with the use of the chalk.

The grey is less messy as well!! ;)
Chalk finds its way to get on everything - clothing, ferrules, shaft & the blue is an eyesore to me. I wash my hands so many times I think I might have an obsessive compulsive disorder. :D :D


If you are getting chalk all over, you do not know how to chalk. Chalk correctly and it never even gets on your fingers. You do not grind it on, you very lighty apply it. I also like the Master Blue the best and i see most of you also do here.
 
Barney said:
If you are getting chalk all over, you do not know how to chalk. Chalk correctly and it never even gets on your fingers. You do not grind it on, you very lighty apply it. I also like the Master Blue the best and i see most of you also do here.

Barney,

Where in my post did I mention that I'm getting chalk all over & during chalking the tip of my cues?

I don't "grind" the chalk on I "brush" the chalk onto the tip.

Chalk does find its way onto the felt of the table does it not? Bridge hands touch the table correct?

I may be a bit nit-picky about the cleanliness of my equipment & that's what I was eluding to & that's why I use the grey chalk.

Perhaps in the future u could try and not assume anything about anyone?
 
teeitup said:
Barney,

Where in my post did I mention that I'm getting chalk all over & during chalking the tip of my cues?


I may be a bit nit-picky about the cleanliness of my equipment & that's what I was eluding to & that's why I use the grey chalk.

Perhaps in the future u could try and not assume anything about anyone?

I know master blue is great but I found it more messy than the other colors. Green, tan and gold master I use and it works fine for me. The only time I miscue is when I do not chalk or accidentally put on too much top, which is a user error, not the chalk's error. :D

Laura
 
Personally I like the Master light blue chalk. It almost looks like a seafoam green. It wears all the way around versus just in the middle. The blue/green chalk also is soft all the way through versus just on the edges!
 
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