FS: Old Westinghouse Micarta Ferrules

[Tommy-D]

> It was said that a spokesman for the cuemakers contacted someone about getting some of the old-school stuff and they were told there wasn't enough money in New York STATE to make even one more stick of it. I'm almost certain there is a large stash of it somewhere,either in rod or slab form,and none of us knows where. Tommy D.

 

[JoeyInCali]

There are some cuemakers who will not work with the old yellow micarta material precisely because of the asbestos issue....they like their lungs.

Lisa

Phenolic is nasty too.
G10 and G11 are really nasty too.
Carbide can kill you too.
But the worst is boise de rose acidic dust.
You a get a stiff one then just pass out dead.

 

[WilleeCue]

Were there any cue balls made from that stuff.
I cut up a cueball into ferrule blanks years ago and that material would turn yellow with time.
Here is a photo of the one I have left.
It is next to a white ferrule to show color difference.
Does this look like what you are talking about?

How about someone that has one post up a good photo of it.

 

[ridewiththewind]

Phenolic is nasty too.
G10 and G11 are really nasty too.
Carbide can kill you too.
But the worst is boise de rose acidic dust.
You a get a stiff one then just pass out dead.

ROTFLMAO!!!

 

[FAST_N_LOOSE]

Were there any cue balls made from that stuff.
I cut up a cueball into ferrule blanks years ago and that material would turn yellow with time.
Here is a photo of the one I have left.
It is next to a white ferrule to show color difference.
Does this look like what you are talking about?

How about someone that has one post up a good photo of it.

THAT LOOKS LIKE THE OLD YELLOW MICARTA. I CAN'T SAY IF THEY MADE CUE BALLS OUT OF IT, OR IF THE FERRULE IS OLD YELLOW, BUT IT SURE LOOKS TO BE IT. IT WOULD HAVE A PAPER BASED GRAIN LINE IN IT. IT WAS ALSO A VERY LIGHT MATERIAL SO I DOUBT I WAS USED FOR CUE BALLS.

 

[JoeyInCali]

Were there any cue balls made from that stuff.
I cut up a cueball into ferrule blanks years ago and that material would turn yellow with time.
Here is a photo of the one I have left.
It is next to a white ferrule to show color difference.
Does this look like what you are talking about?

How about someone that has one post up a good photo of it.

Willee cheap cueballs turn yellow after a while.
Efren's infamous $14 Jessie cue which he used in winning the 1994 US Open had a cueball ferrule. It even made that funny sound whenever he drew the cueball.
The old yellow micarta was a paper based micarta with asbestos and epoxy in the mix.

 

[FAST_N_LOOSE]

The Old Yellow Micarta Was Used As An Elictrical Insulator By Ge Westinghouse For Circuit Boards. It's Production Was Stopped Because Of The Asbestos Content, And For No Other Reason. It Was One Of The Best Insulators They Had Come Up With, And Was Very Expensive To Replace. The Production Being Stopped Had Nothing To Do With Cuemakers, Or Cues. It Was Actually More Widely Used In Other Crafts Than It Ever Was For Cues. I Have Found Large Supplies Of It, In Some Very Odd Locations, And Through Some Very Odd Avenues. I Will Not Disclose The Other Things That It Was Used For Because I Am Still Slowly Buying All I Can Find Through These Avenues. I Have Bought Nearly Fifty Pounds Of The Material Over The Last 2 Years Or So. That May Be Greedy, But I Did A Lot Of Research To Find The Materials. I Hope My Information Helps.

P.s. Yes I Do Have Inside Information Regarding Westinghouse, And The Production/non-production Of The Material. The Largest Plant That Was Used To Make It Was Very Local To Me. The Production Shop, At The Time It Was Discontinued Was Run By Someone Very Close To Me.

 

[JoeyInCali]

The Old Yellow Micarta Was Used As An Elictrical Insulator By Ge Westinghouse For Circuit Boards. It's Production Was Stopped Because Of The Asbestos Content, And For No Other Reason. It Was One Of The Best Insulators They Had Come Up With, And Was Very Expensive To Replace. The Production Being Stopped Had Nothing To Do With Cuemakers, Or Cues. It Was Actually More Widely Used In Other Crafts Than It Ever Was For Cues. I Have Found Large Supplies Of It, In Some Very Odd Locations, And Through Some Very Odd Avenues. I Will Not Disclose The Other Things That It Was Used For Because I Am Still Slowly Buying All I Can Find Through These Avenues. I Have Bought Nearly Fifty Pounds Of The Material Over The Last 2 Years Or So. That May Be Greedy, But I Did A Lot Of Research To Find The Materials. I Hope My Information Helps.

P.s. Yes I Do Have Inside Information Regarding Westinghouse, And The Production/non-production Of The Material. The Largest Plant That Was Used To Make It Was Very Local To Me. The Production Shop, At The Time It Was Discontinued Was Run By Someone Very Close To Me.

Knife makers actually miss them as much as cuemakers though.
They were popular knife handles. They were light and virtually indestructible.
Now they have to settle for the fake micarta.

 

[FAST_N_LOOSE]

Knife makers actually miss them as much as cuemakers though.
They were popular knife handles. They were light and virtually indestructible.
Now they have to settle for the fake micarta.

THERE IS STILL A PAPER MASED MICARTA THAT IS BEING MADE THAT IS SIMILAR IN HOLR AND PROPERTIES, MINUS THE ASBESTOS. IT WAS USED BY SCHON FOR AWHILE, AND HAS BEEN IMPROPERLY SOLD TO UNKNOWING PEOPLE AS THE OLD ASBESTOS STUFF. AFTER TIME IT LOOKS VERY SIMILAR, BUT THE HIT IS NOWHERE NEAR THE SAME.

YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE KNIFE GUYS, THAT WAS ANOTHER AREA THAT USED ALOT OF THE MATERIAL, EVEN MORE THAN THE CUEMAKERS USED.


P.S. IF ANYONE COMES ACROSS, OLD LARGE POWER CABINETS (USED TO CONTROL LARGE MACHINES) THERE ARE USUALLY PIECES IN THOSE LARGE ENOUGH TO USE AS FERRULES. JUST A HINT FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR IT.

 

[shotmaker]

I've always tried to get hold of these westinghouse micarta but first I'll ask if they are sustainable cuz there're many of them cracked easily after doing some test hits , only the real old ones will do.....there're various kinds of westinghouse micarta but the new ones are not so good as the old times.

The key element in the old Micarta ferrule that gave them the machining and playing qualities that we as pool players and cuemakers like.

That element being Asbestos

The new ones do not exhibit any of the same qualities.
When westinghouse was stopped by the EPA, they were happy to make the newer Micarta out of a cheaper material and it saved them quite a bit.

The newer stuff does not work for ferrules.

 

[Michael Webb]

The Old Yellow Micarta Was Used As An Elictrical Insulator By Ge Westinghouse For Circuit Boards. It's Production Was Stopped Because Of The Asbestos Content, And For No Other Reason. It Was One Of The Best Insulators They Had Come Up With, And Was Very Expensive To Replace. The Production Being Stopped Had Nothing To Do With Cuemakers, Or Cues. It Was Actually More Widely Used In Other Crafts Than It Ever Was For Cues. I Have Found Large Supplies Of It, In Some Very Odd Locations, And Through Some Very Odd Avenues. I Will Not Disclose The Other Things That It Was Used For Because I Am Still Slowly Buying All I Can Find Through These Avenues. I Have Bought Nearly Fifty Pounds Of The Material Over The Last 2 Years Or So. That May Be Greedy, But I Did A Lot Of Research To Find The Materials. I Hope My Information Helps.

P.s. Yes I Do Have Inside Information Regarding Westinghouse, And The Production/non-production Of The Material. The Largest Plant That Was Used To Make It Was Very Local To Me. The Production Shop, At The Time It Was Discontinued Was Run By Someone Very Close To Me.

Don't forget to share!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FAST_N_LOOSE]

Don't forget to share!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU GOT ENOUGH FROM MY LAST SOURCE. I'M KEEPING THIS TO MYSELF. I HAVE THE EQUIPTMENT NOW TO TURN THEM. THAT WAY I CAN'T GET CUT OUT LIKE LAST TIME.

I'M KEEPING IT ALL IN BLOCK FORM FOR NOW ANYWAY. I ALSO FOUND SOME 11/16" ROD, WHICH THEY HARDLY EVER MADE.

 

[Michael Webb]

YOU GOT ENOUGH FROM MY LAST SOURCE. I'M KEEPING THIS TO MYSELF. I HAVE THE EQUIPTMENT NOW TO TURN THEM. THAT WAY I CAN'T GET CUT OUT LIKE LAST TIME.

I'M KEEPING IT ALL IN BLOCK FORM FOR NOW ANYWAY. I ALSO FOUND SOME 11/16" ROD, WHICH THEY HARDLY EVER MADE.

That's nice, I'm surprised, (NOT)

 

[vinniebabarooch]

THERE IS STILL A PAPER MASED MICARTA THAT IS BEING MADE THAT IS SIMILAR IN HOLR AND PROPERTIES, MINUS THE ASBESTOS. IT WAS USED BY SCHON FOR AWHILE, AND HAS BEEN IMPROPERLY SOLD TO UNKNOWING PEOPLE AS THE OLD ASBESTOS STUFF. AFTER TIME IT LOOKS VERY SIMILAR, BUT THE HIT IS NOWHERE NEAR THE SAME.

YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE KNIFE GUYS, THAT WAS ANOTHER AREA THAT USED ALOT OF THE MATERIAL, EVEN MORE THAN THE CUEMAKERS USED.


P.S. IF ANYONE COMES ACROSS, OLD LARGE POWER CABINETS (USED TO CONTROL LARGE MACHINES) THERE ARE USUALLY PIECES IN THOSE LARGE ENOUGH TO USE AS FERRULES. JUST A HINT FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR IT.

Marcus,
Is the material used by Runde or Bluegrass today the original (good) micarta?

 

[masonh]

people think that Bluegrass uses it,but i have been told by more than one that it is not the same stuff.

 

[Varney Cues]

people think that Bluegrass uses it,but i have been told by more than one that it is not the same stuff.

The only Bluegrass cues with Micarta ferrules I've seen were tan Micarta not the old yellow....maybe I just haven't seen one yet. I have seen the yellow stuff on old SW's & old Schon's. Famous roadie Jaybird from NC plays with an old Schon that has a ferrule about school bus color..thats the real deal Micarta.

 

[Koop]

YOU GOT ENOUGH FROM MY LAST SOURCE. I'M KEEPING THIS TO MYSELF. I HAVE THE EQUIPTMENT NOW TO TURN THEM. THAT WAY I CAN'T GET CUT OUT LIKE LAST TIME.

I'M KEEPING IT ALL IN BLOCK FORM FOR NOW ANYWAY. I ALSO FOUND SOME 11/16" ROD, WHICH THEY HARDLY EVER MADE.

Cut out? I asked Mike if he had any to put on my cue and he said his LAST one he gave back to you. This ain't my conversation and maybe I am reading it wrong, but I think you got a pretty good deal last time.

Regards,
Koop

 

[nick serdula]

Hay buddy

The Old Yellow Micarta Was Used As An Elictrical Insulator By Ge Westinghouse For Circuit Boards. It's Production Was Stopped Because Of The Asbestos Content, And For No Other Reason. It Was One Of The Best Insulators They Had Come Up With, And Was Very Expensive To Replace. The Production Being Stopped Had Nothing To Do With Cuemakers, Or Cues. It Was Actually More Widely Used In Other Crafts Than It Ever Was For Cues. I Have Found Large Supplies Of It, In Some Very Odd Locations, And Through Some Very Odd Avenues. I Will Not Disclose The Other Things That It Was Used For Because I Am Still Slowly Buying All I Can Find Through These Avenues. I Have Bought Nearly Fifty Pounds Of The Material Over The Last 2 Years Or So. That May Be Greedy, But I Did A Lot Of Research To Find The Materials. I Hope My Information Helps.

P.s. Yes I Do Have Inside Information Regarding Westinghouse, And The Production/non-production Of The Material. The Largest Plant That Was Used To Make It Was Very Local To Me. The Production Shop, At The Time It Was Discontinued Was Run By Someone Very Close To Me.

What I said was it would never be made again for cue makers. Not that is why it was no longer produced. And yes it was a insulator. You are right as always Marus! I can't believe your workers can't believe that!
Nick

 

[gutshot]

Richard Harris no longer has any old yellow micarta to use. The last cue I had him make for me (last year) I gave Richard two old yellow micarta ferrules to use. If you buy a new Blue Grass these days that has the old yellow micarta ferrules on it, it was a cue that he made for himself and decided to sell it. If you can find a cue that he made with the old yellow micarta you better hand onto it (or sell it to me )! He has used some orangish micarta that he said was older than the old yellow micarta, but I don't think he has any of that left either. The picture below shows what the orangish micarta looks like. I think they play as good or better than the old yellow micarta.

 

[FAST_N_LOOSE]

Cut out? I asked Mike if he had any to put on my cue and he said his LAST one he gave back to you. This ain't my conversation and maybe I am reading it wrong, but I think you got a pretty good deal last time.

Regards,
Koop

I WAS CUT OUT, AND MIKE I'M SURE KNOWS THAT........WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED, YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND. I'M NOT TRYING TO BE A DICK, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING DONE THAT WAS NOT APPRECIATED BY ME. MR. WEBB AND MYSELF KNOW THE STORY. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT ANY FARTHER THAN THIS.