Disguising a cue

HaroldWilson

HaroldWilson

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello

I travel quite a lot with business and like to take my Black Boar with me everywhere I go because it is my playing cue and I haven't found another cue which hits or feels like it.

However, I sometimes need to go to cities where the cue is not as safe as it could be, especially in the Far East which has lead me to think of ways to cover over the ivory inlays in the butt to make it less identifiable as an expensive cue and to look as plain as possible for peace of mind.

One idea I have is to simply get a black sticker which doesn't harm the finish to cover them over. However, I want to find something which doesn't change the feel too much.

Does anyone here have any ideas? or indeed have similar issues with expensive equipment?
 

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Assuming your cue's finish is in good shape, you may want to try gaffer's tape (the kind used by photographers and filmmakers). It is designed to adhere securely without leaving a residue. I trust it enough to stick directly onto my expensive camera and computer equipment, and have never had a problem with it. The kind I use has a matte black surface with a cloth-like texture.

However, make sure you don't get it on the wrap - it could pull some string when you try to remove it.

-Blake
 
i suggest leaving it home, i see a bad story a-brewin. just get a solid hitting less expensive cue.
 
I think I would just as worried about airport security or the like that may discover the ivory if the luggage the cues were in were ever searched as I would be about being seen in the pool room with it. Like you said, you could use a sticker or something to cover it and I do know that they have very thin plastic film sheets that stick without leaving residue (kind of like the stuff that covers the crystal on a new watch or the screen of your new tv) that would probably work pretty good.

The other idea is rubber grip sleeves like this (and there are tons of different varieties out there sold by many dealers) but it may change the feel too much for playing with it. You would have to try it and see. I would at least consider using it for going through the airport etc though in the hopes that they didn't look underneath. If you needed to you could use two to cover the whole butt and just cut one to size.
http://www.seyberts.com/products/Rubber_Pool_Cue_Grip-142-76.html

If this is your prized cue and you can't find another that hits like it, my personal opinion is no way I would be traveling to foreign countries with it where it might get confiscated by some government agency due to the ivory, or you might be mugged or strong armed and have it stolen from you. Unless you are deriving good income from your use of it you are just better off to use another cue while in other countries and if you game is lower by a ball or two because of it so what. It is better than having found the perfect cue for you (a holy grail many never even find) and then end up losing it somehow.
 
Poolplaya9 said:
I think I would just as worried about airport security or the like that may discover the ivory if the luggage the cues were in were ever searched as I would be about being seen in the pool room with it. Like you said, you could use a sticker or something to cover it and I do know that they have very thin plastic film sheets that stick without leaving residue (kind of like the stuff that covers the crystal on a new watch or the screen of your new tv) that would probably work pretty good.

The other idea is rubber grip sleeves like this (and there are tons of different varieties out there sold by many dealers) but it may change the feel too much for playing with it. You would have to try it and see. I would at least consider using it for going through the airport etc though in the hopes that they didn't look underneath. If you needed to you could use two to cover the whole butt and just cut one to size.
http://www.seyberts.com/products/Rubber_Pool_Cue_Grip-142-76.html

If this is your prized cue and you can't find another that hits like it, my personal opinion is no way I would be traveling to foreign countries with it where it might get confiscated by some government agency due to the ivory, or you might be mugged or strong armed and have it stolen from you. Unless you are deriving good income from your use of it you are just better off to use another cue while in other countries and if you game is lower by a ball or two because of it so what. It is better than having found the perfect cue for you (a holy grail many never even find) and then end up losing it somehow.
Click to expand...

Thank you wise words and food for thought.

Cheers
 
I have a Balabuska that is disguised to look like a Lucasi.
Plays great and nobody pays it any attention.
 
Odds are the shafts are the majority of the magic. Have you tried them on other less expensive cues? Possibly you only need to have Tony make you a shaft that you can put on something cheaper, but similar in specs, with no ivory. The last thing you want is an expensive cue sitting in customs due to some ivory.
 
The rubber slip on grips they use on carom cues would make an easy disguise.
 
PDX said:
Odds are the shafts are the majority of the magic. Have you tried them on other less expensive cues? Possibly you only need to have Tony make you a shaft that you can put on something cheaper, but similar in specs, with no ivory. The last thing you want is an expensive cue sitting in customs due to some ivory.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem with my Szamboti cue. It always drew attention and three times people tried to take it out of my hand. Not trying to steal it, but you don't touch a Gus without permission.

I did the same thing as Patrick suggested. I had a cue made with the same length weight and weight and had the joint sized to fit the Szamboti shafts. It's not the same, but the combination is still pretty good.
 
Red spray paint and a couple "Peace" signs on the butt would camoflauge it a bit, but that may be going a bit too far.
 
HaroldWilson said:
Hello

I travel quite a lot with business and like to take my Black Boar with me everywhere I go because it is my playing cue and I haven't found another cue which hits or feels like it.

However, I sometimes need to go to cities where the cue is not as safe as it could be, especially in the Far East which has lead me to think of ways to cover over the ivory inlays in the butt to make it less identifiable as an expensive cue and to look as plain as possible for peace of mind.

One idea I have is to simply get a black sticker which doesn't harm the finish to cover them over. However, I want to find something which doesn't change the feel too much.

Does anyone here have any ideas? or indeed have similar issues with expensive equipment?
Click to expand...
I would not suggest you do this, but I played Steve Gumphry once and he had a Ginacue spray painted black. Some may remember him he was a super player.
 
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Like others have said, I would just get myself a travel cue, maybe one that fits with one of the Boar shafts and just bring that along.
Even if it were disguised, I would still have to keep my eye on it at every single moment, not to mention having to hold my breath everytime I go through customs. Just too much unnecessary stress for me.
 
just send it to me. when i return it to you it will look just like a dufferin sneaky pete.

when you get back, just send it back to me again and i will return it in it's original form. only difference is it may look like it has been played with......alot!
 
Get some acrylic paint from an art supply store. That stuff should peel off easy, no residue.
 
just get another butt the hits in the shaft I beat a friend on free pool tues. 9 to 1 playing with a bar stick I ant no pro but we are both high 9s in VNEA
 
HaroldWilson said:
Hello

I travel quite a lot with business and like to take my Black Boar with me everywhere I go because it is my playing cue and I haven't found another cue which hits or feels like it.

However, I sometimes need to go to cities where the cue is not as safe as it could be, especially in the Far East which has lead me to think of ways to cover over the ivory inlays in the butt to make it less identifiable as an expensive cue and to look as plain as possible for peace of mind.

One idea I have is to simply get a black sticker which doesn't harm the finish to cover them over. However, I want to find something which doesn't change the feel too much.

Does anyone here have any ideas? or indeed have similar issues with expensive equipment?
Click to expand...

I have a great fn idea!!! If u wanna keep ur cue and not have customs seize it one day. Stop bringing it out if the country with you!

Mic out the specs and send those to a cue maker to build u a duplicate (no logo of course).

One day someone in customs is gonna check to see if that's ivory and then you'll have to pay a fine or lose it or take a big hard veiny Uncle Sam red white and blue c0ck
 
I wouldn't mess with Customs. They take a dim view on people trying to hide items and not declare them properly.

If you get pulled in, even for a random check and they see a pool cue with a rubber wrap on it, covering up what most people know or suspect a pool cue looks like, that will set off a red flag.

They may feel that you are hiding contraband underneath, (which you are in a way), and roll back the wrap.

They have fines for certain non declared items and you will get your items back.

Agricultural products have a short leash on them coming into both Canada and the USA.

I don't know if Ivory falls into the Ag Product but with all the controversy over banned ivory and new regs lately, you may have a tough time convincing them that you are not importing a banned item.

Even when you are returning home, if you are a frequent traveler and are returning from a known drug country, you might get flagged for a check at some point.

Better safe than sorry. Myself, if I was a frequent traveler, I would have a custom 3 piece and case made for me.
 
Lots of people who have high dollar cues or cues with certain sentimental value will play with the shafts on a cheap but relatively same spec butt when traveling. I know a guy who puts the shafts off a $7K Gina on a Meucci butt when he travels.

Here is something else to think about and I'm not saying do it but I have. I have had several cues that I used permenant marker on, specifically ebony. They were all cues I have kept and it was not to hide anything other than the fact that I didnt like the way the cue looked. All was done in the buttsleeve or joint area and it was to cover up inlays or ringwork I didn't like. Everytime I have been able to wipe it off with a low grade alcohol and it left no sign. I marked the joint area on a Meucci sneaky pete once because people would pick it up thinking it was a bar cue. It was just a 1/2 inch or so black ring with a Sharpie and I reapplied it several times over a year as it would wear off. When I quit using the cue I cleaned it and it looks perfectly fine, no permenant stain.
 
HaroldWilson said:
Hello

I travel quite a lot with business and like to take my Black Boar with me everywhere I go because it is my playing cue and I haven't found another cue which hits or feels like it.

However, I sometimes need to go to cities where the cue is not as safe as it could be, especially in the Far East which has lead me to think of ways to cover over the ivory inlays in the butt to make it less identifiable as an expensive cue and to look as plain as possible for peace of mind.

One idea I have is to simply get a black sticker which doesn't harm the finish to cover them over. However, I want to find something which doesn't change the feel too much.

Does anyone here have any ideas? or indeed have similar issues with expensive equipment?
Click to expand...

Surely someone has already mentioned this but IF you are caught at the border with a cue that has ivory in it and you have covered over the ivory then you WILL be charged as a smuggler. It is illegal to import ivory into most Asian countries but you will get off on an ignorance plea often IF you didn't try to disguise it.

Once you do that they consider you a smuggler and you are faced with all that such a charge entails.

Bottom line for me....I wouldn't bring the cue and if I brought it I certainly would not do anything to disguise the ivory.
 
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