Rob220 said:
Has anyone called the 800 number on the Magic Eraser box? If not I will call them to see what their take is on this and will post their reply. One thing that would help is if I knew what actually happens to a shaft when it is made. How is it treated by the cue maker? I assume it is aged wood but what actually happens to it before it leaves the shop? Are there any wood preservatives on it or is it pretty much natural? Stuff like that. Any info to tell them about shafts would help.
A few months ago I had researched this to find out they do not advise on bare wood. This was a red flag which lead to a post I made stating I'm not sure it is good on shafts. I since changed my thoughts after additional research finding out that it does not work well on rough surfaces and leaves fibers behind as the seemingly danger. Thoughts at the time were that bare woods and brushed metals are generally considered rough. (cue shafts are smooth so all should be fine) These fibers dry out and get trapped in the wood, just wash them away when done cleaning that's all..
Even though they hold tight their design/formulation the fact is other companies now have competing products, so the investigative work had been done. Mr Clean says no harmful chemicals used and no residues. No residues is due to the alcohols present and used on pool cues is only once and a while is fine. Also, this sponge is used with other liquids to activate the sponge so these alcohols are not damaging. The fibers do the work, not the ingredients.
Also, even though they state no residues it is always good practice to clean up afterwards with a solvent. The cheapest one most are familiar with is lighter fluid. Though somewhat dirty, lighter fluid will remove ALL residues without raising the grain.
Unfortunately the billiards industry is a small niche and as a result many products are not labeled properly if at all. Mr Clean Magic Erase is a general purpose cleaner that is labeled properly and I would think this is by far more important. Unfortunately, they most likely will not tell you if it is good or bad for cue shafts. They may choose to limit the answer because they most likely do not have a knowledgebase of information about shafts.
I do not criticize Rockey's response on closing pores and using waxes. Most the wax is generally gone after a short time anyways through use except were deeply seated. This is fine. Waxes are waxes and they tend to be soft. The result is that chalk particles will stick to it, or grit. Carnauba wax is a much harder wax that begins soften at around 80 deg. This makes it better than other waxes. (keep in mind that as we stroke we warm the shaft and if we burnish it get much warmer. Important to make sure the shaft and material used are clean first.)
