How do you chalk up?

CaptainJR

CaptainJR

Shiver me timbers.
Silver Member
What brought this up? I was reading a thread on tips here in the forum. Someone in there claims to have worn out a tip in less than a month. I was going to bring it up right there in that thread, but I started thinking maybe he just likes new tips or whatever. Maybe worn out to him is only slightly worn to me. I've been using the same Elk master for 4 months now and I expect to get at least another 4 months out of it. At least!

You folks that are using the tips up, how are you chalking? I've seen people chalk with a vengeance. Does that really make it better? When I chalk up I lay the chalk lightly on top of the tip. Then give the stick a little spin. As it is spinning I move the chalk down to the edge. This method can miss the very top middle so I'll give a very light swipe or two to the middle of the tip and I'm done.

How do you chalk up?
 
I sort of cup the chalk in my hand and just brush it across my tip a few times. I turn the cue, but I wouldn't say I spin it. The problem I have is that the way I hold it I get a lot of chalk on my hand and it looks like I've been jerking a smurf. I use blue master chalk.

:D
 
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I hold the cube with my right hand fingers. Brush upwards, then use left hand to rotate the cue. Probably 4-5 brushes on the side of the tip and then one more brush on the top.
 
Chalking ....

For all you 'Squeakers' out there - STOP IT! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!
You know you are doing it, we know you are doing it, and quit
trying to shark someone by squeaking the DAMN CHALK... You know
why you are doing it, we know too, and it is irritating as hell... get a
damn life ... and quit being so damn obvious ...

There, I feel better. I guess I chalk left handed (even though
I am right handed) because I do it opposite of other right handed
players. I hold my stick with right hand, chalk in left hand, I brush
across the top, rotating the cue as I do, tilt the chalk, and continue
brushing the angled sides of the tip, rotating my cue as I do, and then
I give 3 or 4 brushes across the top again, still rotating my cue as I do.

It is not as complicated as it sounds, and when I finish, I can just put
the chalk down, and get ready to shoot. The other right handers usually
have to transfer the cue back to their right hand before they are ready
to shoot again.

ALSO, I want to note that the way I chalk is almost identical to how
you would shape a tip with sandpaper. My method, I believe, is good
because you cover all areas of the tip, top and sides, evenly, which
the rotating of the cue while chalking facilitates.

Also, I like nearly new chalk, not half or 2/3 worn down chalk. It helps
to keep the 'blue rings' off of your ferrule. And dirty ferrules are a
no-no to me.
 
I personally use MASTER Green, work the Chalk from the Outside of the Tip toward the Crown in very deliberate Slow Strokes. Until the Entire Tip has a good Coat of Green Chalk over it, covering 100 % of the Tip.

I use a lot of Chalk, but at $0.12/Cube it is Really CHEAP when you buy a Gross. Think my Gross is about 18 months old, and should last 3 more years.....
 
Bruce S. de Lis said:
I personally use MASTER Green, work the Chalk from the Outside of the Tip toward the Crown in very deliberate Slow Strokes. Until the Entire Tip has a good Coat of Green Chalk over it, covering 100 % of the Tip.

I use a lot of Chalk, but at $0.12/Cube it is Really CHEAP when you buy a Gross. Think my Gross is about 18 months old, and should last 3 more years.....
Click to expand...

Do you wear out tips fast?
 
CaptainJR said:
Do you wear out tips fast?
Click to expand...

Lets see, I play 2-4 hour daily. Have almost Retired my Willard in favor of Chalk. Tips last about a year if i was playing with only 1 Cue with Two Shafts.

I Chalk, but don't CHALK like I was using a RASP, or File. Chalk with a Light Touch to get Chank on the Tip, weith just enough pressure to move Chalk from the Chalk Block to the TIP..... ;)
 
I was taught a very simple tip when I was 19 by the "Professor"...Paint the tip with the chalk and always put it down on the rail chalk side up. Very simply, rotate the tip slowly and make sure you have chalk sufficiently lightly coated on all sides, mainly the edges of the tip.

Simple as pie!

Now all you squeakers and blue ferrule people...PLEASE TAKE NOTE!

Shorty
 
Roll-Off said:
I rub the chalk on the tip until it turns blue. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Another proud grad of

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I have the same tip on my cue that I bought at last year's U.S. Open, a Moori. I don't play a whole lot, obviously, and having the same tip for a year is proof of that statement. I play left-handed, but I chalk with my right and I get so much chalk on my bridge-hand, it drives me nuts! I noticed that Parica chalks with his bridge-hand also, anyone else out there have this problem, if you can call it a problem? Peace, John.
 
the way I chalk is hard to explain...chalk starts out with a hole, mind ends up flat I will have to take a picture of it to show everyone...Im kind of curious if this thread was started because of me. I dont think I chalk too hard as my tips stay in shape not flatten out. the shaft gets wrapped around by my pinky and ring fingers, then the chalk is helb by my thumb, index, and middle fingers. I kind of just move my wrist so the chalk is applied, sometimes spinning the cue. Dont know if Im wrong, all the dust falls into my palm though...FWIW thats how I do it.
 
seiyaryu55 said:
I hold the cube with my right hand fingers. Brush upwards, then use left hand to rotate the cue. Probably 4-5 brushes on the side of the tip and then one more brush on the top.
Click to expand...
Unless I am misunderstanding what you are saying, you should change to always "brush" downwards; i.e. from the middle of the tip to the edge. Going the other way can cause layered tips to delaminate slightly.
 
Rude Dog said:
I have the same tip on my cue that I bought at last year's U.S. Open, a Moori. I don't play a whole lot, obviously, and having the same tip for a year is proof of that statement. I play left-handed, but I chalk with my right and I get so much chalk on my bridge-hand, it drives me nuts! I noticed that Parica chalks with his bridge-hand also, anyone else out there have this problem, if you can call it a problem? Peace, John.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing Dog! I chalk whith my left hand (bridge hand) most of the time with my hand cupped under which catches all the chalk. I've tried to move my hand out of the way and change the way I chalk, but it's part of my pre-shot routine and I've yet to change it successfully.
 
zeeder said:
I do the same thing Dog! I chalk whith my left hand (bridge hand) most of the time with my hand cupped under which catches all the chalk. I've tried to move my hand out of the way and change the way I chalk, but it's part of my pre-shot routine and I've yet to change it successfully.
Click to expand...
This same thing happens to me. I can't seem to break this habit.
 
tip wear

I play about 10 hours per week, and if I have a really good tip on my cue, it will last years. I may have to maintain it due to mushrooming (almost non-existant with layered tips nowadays). When I miscue more than once in the span of an hour, I will take either a tip pik or a rough scuffer and press it firmly against the tip and rock it side to side as I slowly turn the cue. This will break up the compressed chalk that is invariably compressed into the tip after playing awhile, and conditions the tip for receiving chalk. I chalk up almost after every shot. I have had old Champion tips last 3 years, and have been playing with a Moori since they came out a several years ago. When I get a new cue, I have a Moori put on, and will normally sell/trade the cue before I wear out the tip.
 
No, you didnt misunderstand. I brush upwards. Im not exactly worried about delamination since I use a solid cue tip, not a layered. I do plan to try a few layered tips soon though, so i'll keep that in mind. I dont chalk hard at all, just soft strokes to thinly coat the tip. My last cube of chalk has lasted me 4 months now. Its caking now, but luckly my new boxes came in today.
 
zeeder said:
I do the same thing Dog! I chalk whith my left hand (bridge hand) most of the time with my hand cupped under which catches all the chalk. I've tried to move my hand out of the way and change the way I chalk, but it's part of my pre-shot routine and I've yet to change it successfully.
Click to expand...

Me three. I shoot left handed and chalk up the same way as Rude Dog. Also like you Zeeder it's my preshot routine, but I'm not going to fix anything that 's really not broken.
 
I shoot right-handed and apply chalk with my bridge hand pretty much not looking at the tip at all. But, it took me 15 years to learn how to wear the chalk down evenly without creating a hole... :rolleyes:
 
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