finish on grip area causing havoc on feel

Kid Dynomite

Kid Dynomite

Dennis (Michael) Wilson
Silver Member
I am having trouble with the finish on my wrapless cue. It gets really sticky! Any suggestions! Its almost gummy the finish feels.

It looks awesome like glass but the grip is messing with my head! I dont want to refinish it. Looking for other ideas or suggestions.

It is a TED HARRIS cue and you all know his work around here. His finish is visually awesome but not sure how well it works on the wrap area!

I was thinking about using Q slick on the grip area?????

I am just fishing for suggestions or possible solutions.

Thanks in Advance!!!

Kid Dynomite

Finish=Acrylic urethane 2-part
 
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Why don't you call the cuemaker and ask him if he has any ideas?

Nobody's going to know the finish like he will.

Best of luck,
Beau
 
Finish=Acrylic urethane 2-part

This is what I know about the finish!!!!!

I was able to receive a kind suggestion from a member through PM and I hope others would chime in if they have suggestions.

I am relieved that someone else experienced this same sensation and I am not losing my mind! My worst fear is that I start losing it mentally coming up with stuff in my head!

Thanks Again!!
Kid Dynomite
 
QSlick is primarily a sealer, and since the handle is finished, it's already sealed. Won't help. I second contacting Ted.
 
Here's a rather unusual idea for you.

Since the finish is totally slick, and completely sealed, it is feeling exactly like whatever you put on it (sweat, chalk dust, beer etc.). Applying wax or anything else over it won't do much for you.

I might suggest making it less slick in the grip area. To do that, I'd mask above and below the 'grip' area and then spin it in the lathe and 'polish' the grip area with 000 or 0000 steel wool. This will cut the shine, but it should still be translucent. This will give you a tiny bit of grip while still preserving the original 'wrapless' look to some extent. This area will appear 'lighter' in color and have some 'grip'; however not much.

If the cue was designed from the ground up this way, I personally might have cut a shallow wrap groove and filled it with epoxy, turned it smooth and then grit blasted it. It would be more opaque this way, but solve the problems and be rather unique as well (I don't know of any other maker that has tried this).

Now you understand why wraps were put on cues!

Last idea (and least 'cool' in my opinion) is to go to the sporting goods store and get a roll of tennis racket grip tape and wrap that on there per the instructions. Works great, feels great. Down sides is you may not find a color you like and the grip area will be 'fatter' with the wrap on it.
 
I'm wondering if the finish didn't cure properly. Is the butt sticky all over, or just in the wrap area. If it's just in the wrap area, then this is probably not the issue. Just speculating...
 
Good point...

Old material or hardener, or incorrect ratios or application temperatures can cause problems with these finishes (these are what I use as well).
 
I was advised to try using Denatured Alcohol !

I decided to get some Qslick from the beauty supply store while I was out and remember an AZB poster listing which products had the same formula as Qslick for much cheaper. While looking that up I read about alcohol content and water in drug store rubbing alcohol with 70% alcohol 30% water! I was advised that water makes wood expand and it is best to avoid water content.

So, while at the store I noticed the Delon named product there with 100% Isopropyl Alcohol content and gave it a shot! It worked and worked very WELL!!!!

I was wondering why this worked? Is it removing something from the finish? Is it bonding with the finish? or is it some combination of the two? Maybe the lack of water in the alcohol mixture extracts water from the finish?

I did a search on this topic for alcohol and acrylic urethane! Alcohol ends with the molecular structure -OH and we all know H2O. So, the alcohol must be stripping the finish of its water and bonding to the -OH some how. I guess thats why in air with moisture the alcohol evaporates rather quickly?

I came across this video from a painter that used alcohol on his acrylic paint projects for some funky effects. He tried high water content alcohol and then high alcohol content version. You will not BELIEVE your eyes when you see this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUgNm5VVQMU

Please check out this youtube video on acrylic and alcohol mixing!!!!

This should bring everyone up to speed on the topic and may peak the interest of our local chemist on the forum.

I am not a chemist or expert on the topic just a pool player with an interest in why things work and how they happen!!!!

PS. The qslick did not work like Mr. Hoppe said it wouldn't!!!!!

Sincerely
kid dynomite

One more video found!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8MEhbH6DK4&NR=1
 
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