How do you stop blueing on shafts

How do you stop blueing on shafts?

thegloworm said:
How do you stop blueing on shafts?
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Use non-blue chalk. :grin-square:

Seriously, the sooner you get used to a "blue" shaft, the happier you will be.
 
There really is no way to keep shafts from changing color to some extent, if you are going to use them every day. Try to wipe them down often and try to keep your hands clean. Magic Eraser works quite well, without removing wood from the shaft.
It's not only chalk that makes the shaft turn color, it's the oils in your hands and whatever else gets on them. You can avoid bluing in the way you chalk, but apparently, you already know that. I would not use tan chalk on a commercial room's tables if those tables are covered in green or blue. You really should ask if this is acceptable where you play and I would think most better places it would not be.
 
I use i fine 600 sandpaper on the shaft and the ferrule, then i take a warm damped clout and strokes it on the ferrule and the shaft. After that I take a clout with Q-Slick for removing any remnants of the chalk. For giving the shaft and the ferrule a little smooth layer so it wont be blue so fast I use another Q-Slick (Not the same. This one is blank, the first is more like a sope)

q-slick 1: http://www.seyberts.com/products/Q_Slick-14-15.html
q-slick 2: http://www.seyberts.com/products/Cue_Silk-13-15.html

Or maybe q-slick was this one instead, not quite sure. Dont have the case here atm.: http://billiardwarehouse.com/accessories/jssmcc.html

Good Luck;)
 
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I hate for my cues to be anything other than pristine. I wipe the shafts with 91% alcohol after almost every night of play, and chalk regularly but lightly. Occasionally, I'll clean the ferrule with Magic Eraser. Otherwise, I do a thorough clean and reseal with thinned shellac or sanding sealer about once a year. I do believe the sealer is what keeps chalk from imbedding itself in the wood. When I used wax or liquid shaft treatments, they required cleaning at much shorter intervals than 1 year. One more thing-let nothing coarser than 2000 grit sandpaper ever touch your cue. Normally, I just use brown paper bag material for regular polishings.
Bill
 
thegloworm said:
I do not want to blue the shafts.

I am a real stickler for dirty ferrules.
I always wipe the ferrule after I chalk each time.

Other than that and washing my hands before playing, what else can I do to have my shafts stay pristine and clear?

I see some of the older cues on here and they are still clean and clear, even after years of use.
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I switched over to Green master chalk .. and now my shaft doesn't need to be cleaned even half as often as it did when I was using blue..
 
Gorgeous cue...bet you can't wait to get your hands on it!

Blue shaft...it happens, even with chalking at an angle. Your bridge hand picks up chalk from the table, it tranfers to the shaft. Do use the chalking at an angle trick, and don't chalk with the tip of your cue over the table...

After a while, you may consider a blue tint as a mark of battle? Others have posted good cleaning techniques. Bottom line...a cue that is played with will look like it's been played with.
 
Two more suggestions:

In addition to magic eraser which works great, it is sometimes easier to find a white vinyl school eraser. You probably have one somewhere in your house now. Takes scuffs off the shaft and chalk off the ferrule very nicely.

To keep the shaft looking new, in addition to tan chalk, seriously consider using a glove. This will drastically reduce the rate at which the cue starts to get grimy. If anybody laughs, tell them what you paid for the cue and what you paid for the glove.
 
9 on the snap said:
You lose that firm sweet hit from the Blackcreek, and replace it with a dull thud. You might as well buy a production cue.
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Nicest thing I have ever hit with is a early 1980's schon and a 1st gen 314 shaft. Never got to shoot with anything as nice as a blackcreek so I wouldn't know :o (I can only afford production cues, so I don't know much about really nice custom cues). Don't really have deep pockets as a college student and when your parents don't have deep pockets custom cues are kind of out of the question.

Happy shooting! :)

Chino
 
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thegloworm said:
I have a brand new BlackCreek arriving today or tomorrow.

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I do not want to blue the shafts.

I am a real stickler for dirty ferrules.
I always wipe the ferrule after I chalk each time.

Other than that and washing my hands before playing, what else can I do to have my shafts stay pristine and clear?

I see some of the older cues on here and they are still clean and clear, even after years of use.
Click to expand...

I'm getting one of my shafts sprayed in Shaft Freeze by Mike Gulyassy.
Will report when I get it back from the Great North (Mike Bender) putting a custom collar on it.
JoeyA
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
I do not want to be a Smart Ass but Bluing is from Chalking over your SHAFT, try to find someone where you play who can show you how to apply Chalk to your Tip Properly so when you Chalk, the Chalk fall away from the Shaft because the Cue is not Straight Up , and Down POSITION, but Held at an Angle so the Chalk Falls away fro the shaft!. Also get a Hand Towel or Rag to prevent Chalk Transfer from you HANDS.




Nice Cue you having come there!
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I do the same
 
Buy a new case, then before you put your shafts in it clean the chalk off the tip.

the chalk from the tip will dirty the case tubes and your shaft will pick up chalk from sitting in it.


hope this helps.
 
Fantastic advice here.

I decided to try the Butchers wax. Got it yesterday afternoon and am testing it on my Gilbert JB shaft.

I have put a couple of layers of wax on it by hand. The shaft is pretty smooth, but I have not put it on a lathe yet.

I may contact Travis and ask for another shaft.

BTW, got the cue yesterday and it hits absolutely lights out. This cue has three firsts for me....

It is my first Blackcreek and well worth it
It is my first Radial pin, JESUS that pin is big
It is my first 1/2 joint and hits sweet
 
I also slant my cue when chalking. Try using new chalk as much as possible. I'd rather have blue on my ferrule than blisters on my ass.
 
I always use new chalk as much as possible. I always have about a dozen pieces in my case.

If the chalk at the place I am playing at is not new or is a different color, I just graze the cube across the tip to cover it. I NEVER stick my tip down in a cube of chalk.

I have been known to use some sandpaper on a house cue if I was at a bar and didn't want to bring my cue in. I used the sandpaper till the ferrule was clean and then I used the cue.

Anal or not, it is what I like.
 
The only way to avoid blueing if you're playing with a cue is..... don't use chalk or let your hands touch the table. Good luck learning chalkless jackup pool. But, man, if you get this down to runout speed? Just think. The money is endless.
 
chin0 said:
Nicest thing I have ever hit with is a early 1980's schon and a 1st gen 314 shaft. Never got to shoot with anything as nice as a blackcreek so I wouldn't know :o (I can only afford production cues, so I don't know much about really nice custom cues). Don't really have deep pockets as a college student and when your parents don't have deep pockets custom cues are kind of out of the question.

Happy shooting! :)

Chino
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I couldn't afford ANY cue when I was in college, so you are already ahead of the game. It ain't the arrow it's the indian any way. If you can shoot; you can shoot with anything as long as it has a decent tip. Study hard, and when you in your 40's like me you will be able to buy any custom you want, and maybe have a Gold Crown in your livingroom (It's really the best use of a livingroom). Good luck with school. I would never be where I am without it.:thumbup:

Keep Rollin' em straight buddy,

Joe
 
I always use my own chalk so I don't have to use the stuff that others have "drilled" a hole into and get chalk all over the ferrule and everything else. I saw a guy in a bar last week chalking and he was holding the chalk still on the cue tip with the butt on the floor and was spinning the butt with his foot to turn the cue inside the chalk. I was very impressed as he was obviously a very knowledgeable and accomplished player

Bob Jewett wrote a great article about chalk use and application. I thought I had it but can't find now.

Found it - here is link http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2002-11.pdf
 
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