Does anyone know how to quickly and efficiently clean the chalk stains off of a ferrule? I've tried Soft Scrub, isopropyl alcohol, and plain old water. None of these has done a good job. One of the pro's I play with continues to make fun of my blue-stained ferrule (their suggestion is "don't get any chalk on it in the first place").
Desperately need ferrule help.
- Thread starter Williebetmore
- Start date
I've heard toothpaste but I don't know for sure, as I have never tried it. 
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The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser dampened slightly works well. Q-clean works well if you have any of that.
> Does anyone know how to quickly and efficiently clean the chalk
> stains off of a ferrule? I've tried Soft Scrub, isopropyl alcohol,
> and plain old water. None of these has done a good job.
Begin with #600 sandpaper and go to #2400 finishing paper.
> One of the pro's I play with continues to make fun of my blue-stained
> ferrule (their suggestion is "don't get any chalk on it in the first place"
He's right, of course. You don't know how to chalk yet. You might consideer learning how since it's an important part of the game -- far more important than most beginners understand.
> stains off of a ferrule? I've tried Soft Scrub, isopropyl alcohol,
> and plain old water. None of these has done a good job.
Begin with #600 sandpaper and go to #2400 finishing paper.
> One of the pro's I play with continues to make fun of my blue-stained
> ferrule (their suggestion is "don't get any chalk on it in the first place"
He's right, of course. You don't know how to chalk yet. You might consideer learning how since it's an important part of the game -- far more important than most beginners understand.
Thanks for all the suggestions - I'll try Blud's first (if that is really his advice - not everything said on the internet is true), then everyone else's. In my defense, I believe I am chalking correctly, I scuff with the edges of the chalk for complete coverage as recommended by a BCA master instructor who watched me do it. I just use the chalk cubes too long, so that as I angle the cube to scuff, the other edge of the cube marks the ferrule. I personally couldn't care less what my ferrule looks like, but the weekly ridicule is starting to get to me (there is no chance that my slightly less-than-stellar pool game will be able to silence this particular critic). Thanks again - at least Drivermaker didn't recommend I use ultra-concentrated hydrochloric acid (though it would have been funny).
Williebetmore said:
Is this Earl?????? Seriously, has anyone seen Earl's ferrule? I played tournaments with him recently, and his ferrule has a dark blue ring from chalk noticeable across the room. I'm curious if anyone else has noticed it, and if anyone has asked him about it. You would think that as particular as he is about all other aspects of the equipment, that would be a major shark for him
Mike
Purdman
Banned
Williebetmore said:
My friend, check Blud's posts. He has mentioned this method several times. I also have had dealings with several AZ members and they will tell ya I am a straight up guy. No BS here. I use a lathe for my shafts, tips, and ferrules. Last week, I bought a pack of those pop up 409 rags and cleaned a ferrule with it. Never seen anything like it. Very quick and clean. Also, if you are getting a ton of chalk on your ferrule, you "are" doing something wrong. I have shafts that are 15 years old with no blueing on the ferrules. I am also a Certified BCA Instructor.
Don P.
DP,Donald A. Purdy said:My friend, check Blud's posts. He has mentioned this method several times. I also have had dealings with several AZ members and they will tell ya I am a straight up guy. No BS here. I use a lathe for my shafts, tips, and ferrules. Last week, I bought a pack of those pop up 409 rags and cleaned a ferrule with it. Never seen anything like it. Very quick and clean. Also, if you are getting a ton of chalk on your ferrule, you "are" doing something wrong. I have shafts that are 15 years old with no blueing on the ferrules. I am also a Certified BCA Instructor.
Don P.
I wasn't questioning your integrity, it just wasn't Blud's post - I definitely was going to try it. I do use a glove and play hours and hours (probably 40 a week) without cleaning my cue very often (until I started using Blud's easy method of shaft cleaning), and I use the chalk down to the bitter end. I actually have asked 2 different master instructors about my chalking technique, and they both said it was fine. If you are in Peoria for the WPBA stop this year maybe I could look you up and get some free chalking advice. I'll spring for the beverages to make up for any bad feelings.
Quote Fatty:
One of the most prophetic statements Minnesota Fats ever made was, “You chalk a pool cue like a beautiful woman puts on makeup, very carefully. The white ferrule is like the whites of the eye. It don’t get chalked and the whites of the eye don’t get made up.”
One of the most prophetic statements Minnesota Fats ever made was, “You chalk a pool cue like a beautiful woman puts on makeup, very carefully. The white ferrule is like the whites of the eye. It don’t get chalked and the whites of the eye don’t get made up.”
Purdman
Banned
Williebetmore said:
Hey Boss, no hard feelings. I just been taking care of cues for a long time. I have friends with some very high dollar cues that won't let anyone else touch them. Making them is an art, taking care of them is a skill. Chalk is cheep, stop when they get to deep. ( Rather poetic huh) I have even seen the Japanese take two worn out pieces, cut um in half and glue them together. Bingo, a new piece of chalk. Maybe it's not your method, just worn out chalk. I don't use house chalk, I carry my own in my bag.
By the way, Blud trained me. I spent a week with him last year.
Don P.
hemicudas said:
Ouch!! Good quote that unfortunately directly applies to me. I've always played with a sneaky Pete (couldn't care less about looks). I'm afraid I'm applying the chalk like a $20 hooker instead of Fat's beautiful woman. I probably won't change, but I'm looking forward to a faster, better, easier way to clean up the mess I'm making. Thanks.
drivermaker
Banned
Williebetmore said:
I would NEVER do something like that...however, I would recommend the hydrochloric acid on a stray zit that might pop up on your face every once in a while. It really works wonders.....
My recommendation is that you quit being such a cheap bastard and carry some new chalk cubes in your case at all times and quit using those carved out ones that come with a rack in your pool room. And don't imitate Cory Deuel in his screw motion with the chalk.
Williebetmore said:
Well, you might want to consider this: Go to a tournament with top-100 players, and check out the used chalk. Then go to a pool hall where the rail-beaters play and check out the chalk. You will see different wear patterns. If your technique drills a hole into the chalk, it is more like the rail-beaters' than the champions' style.
The Correct Chalking Technique...
So...What is the correct chalking technique?
I chalk my cue by either holding the chalk in my left hand with the cue horizontal and brush the chalk from ouside in while turning the cue to get good tip coverage or holding the cue virtically with the chalk in my right hand going inside out.
The first way is utilized mainy after shots while moving around the table and the second mainly before the break or after a miscue. I try not to use the bored out cubes but is there anything wrong with my chalking techniques? Any help would be sincerely appreciated as I would certainly like to avoid the dreaded blue ferrule!
Zack
So...What is the correct chalking technique?
I chalk my cue by either holding the chalk in my left hand with the cue horizontal and brush the chalk from ouside in while turning the cue to get good tip coverage or holding the cue virtically with the chalk in my right hand going inside out.
The first way is utilized mainy after shots while moving around the table and the second mainly before the break or after a miscue
. I try not to use the bored out cubes but is there anything wrong with my chalking techniques? Any help would be sincerely appreciated as I would certainly like to avoid the dreaded blue ferrule!Zack
Bob Jewett said:
Very good advice. On my very first lesson with my current instructor, he showed me his chalk cube and the correct way to chalk. My cubes all look like his (no drilling here), I believe I'm just sloppy. By the way, I did get some drills from the sfbilliards site that are excellent (it sounds like you are involved in that site) - thanks for the assistance.
Thanks to Don Purdy and Blud
Many thanks to Don Purdy and Blud. I finally broke down and got some Pearl Drops, tried it on my 2 dirtiest house cues (3 years of collected grime from players that really don't chalk correctly). Voila!!, absolutely clean ferrules in less than 30 seconds. On my own playing cue (different ferrule composition), it did take 2 applications, but still a fraction of the time compared to using Soft Scrub, and much better results than Soft Scrub. I did feel that the Pearl Drops left a little residue, so I wiped it with a damp cloth after cleaning it.
Now that Blud has gotten me a quick easy way to clean my shaft (damp rag, towel off, and burnish) and ferrule (Pearl Drops); I'll certainly have more time to practice. Blud, what I need now is a quick easy way to run more than 3 freakin' balls.
Many thanks to Don Purdy and Blud. I finally broke down and got some Pearl Drops, tried it on my 2 dirtiest house cues (3 years of collected grime from players that really don't chalk correctly). Voila!!, absolutely clean ferrules in less than 30 seconds. On my own playing cue (different ferrule composition), it did take 2 applications, but still a fraction of the time compared to using Soft Scrub, and much better results than Soft Scrub. I did feel that the Pearl Drops left a little residue, so I wiped it with a damp cloth after cleaning it.
Now that Blud has gotten me a quick easy way to clean my shaft (damp rag, towel off, and burnish) and ferrule (Pearl Drops); I'll certainly have more time to practice. Blud, what I need now is a quick easy way to run more than 3 freakin' balls.
