How to clean wood shaft after every use?

[Jimmy_Betmore]

The blue means friction to me. I do the magic eraser thing - several times a week if necessary just to maintain "the glide".

I get it. My process keeps my shafts slick and smooth enough for me. And you have your maintenance process that works for you. And that's a beautiful thing. We're all different people with different preferences.

But -and this is by no means aimed at you- it's just funny to me how some folks get so worked up about how things should be done. If all we ever did was stick to doing things the way one certain person does it or told us to do it, we'd never progress past that. And of course there are good, better, and best ways of doing things. But a lot of times the difference between good and best just isn't worth the trouble.

 

[philly]

The blue means friction to me. I do the magic eraser thing - several times a week if necessary just to maintain "the glide".

Stop worrying about your shaft and just play pool. Your shaft doesn't care about you or if you're stroking through the ball well.

 

[Cue Alchemist]

Why clean your shaft at all?
Paper towel up and down the shaft and then over tip and then back in the case.
What are you doing to your shaft that you need to clean it?

This is my approach too, except i use micro fibre cloth, maybe twice a week. I'm always playing.
like philly said, unless your getting something on the shaft, why would you need to clean them that much? I know some players, don't like the blue staining. I always found the more you play, the smoother they get. Especially new shafts, they will stay slick and for ages, even though, that chalk gets in to the wood, pretty quick.

 

[straightline]

I get it. My process keeps my shafts slick and smooth enough for me. And you have your maintenance process that works for you. And that's a beautiful thing. We're all different people with different preferences.

But -and this is by no means aimed at you- it's just funny to me how some folks get so worked up about how things should be done. If all we ever did was stick to doing things the way one certain person does it or told us to do it, we'd never progress past that. And of course there are good, better, and best ways of doing things. But a lot of times the difference between good and best just isn't worth the trouble.

Stop worrying about your shaft and just play pool. Your shaft doesn't care about you or if you're stroking through the ball well.

It's entirely a friction thing. Obviously speed is influenced by it. I posted elsewhere that there are discernible differences on the extremes of stroke; the break and draw shots in particular. This is how I scaled the differences among carnauba, modern synthetic based with carnauba, ceramics, and clear synthetics. The conclusion: It's the solids. The clear synthetic provided the most glide and the same synthetic, unshaken so the solids stayed at the bottom, is the new standard of glide.
Chalk clearly doesn't fit the formula.

 

[WildWing]

There's no need to clean the shaft every single day. Play the heck out of it. If you keep your hands clean, not a problem. After a few months, run a damp paper towel over it, then a dry cloth. Smooth it with the green and yellow cue papers. Your shaft will be fine without obsessing every day about it.

 

[straightline]

There's no need to clean the shaft every single day. Play the heck out of it. If you keep your hands clean, not a problem. After a few months, run a damp paper towel over it, then a dry cloth. Smooth it with the green and yellow cue papers. Your shaft will be fine without obsessing every day about it.

Gotta keep the chalk off. If you're stalling it's a natural throttle. If not, spend your pool time learning the ropes of laying down. If you're trying to improve start fresh every time.

 

[skogstokig]

There is usually a napkin/paper towel available, shirt tail if not. I just use that dry. No water (liquid) ever.

You just want to wipe off excess chalk and dirt with a dry towel. Alcohol and magic erasers are for maintenance cleaning, not out in the wild or daily cleaning. You'll strip off sealers and wax (if used) exacerbating the problem each time you do it. The shaft needs to be resealed, waxed, and burnished after alcohol and/or magic eraser.

Wash your hands periodically and dry wipe the shaft. Mine stays smooth and rarely need anything additional.

yep, with proper cleaning i mean at home once in a while cleaning. i don't lug around isopropanol or magic erasers. shirt works fine.

 

[bbb]

@cueball2010,
Any questions?

Be careful what you wish for !!!!!!!!
Just lookin out for you.

 

[straightline]

Can't help being correct. I am driven to explain.

 

[ddg45]

What can we use to clean shaft after each playing session or each day of pool?

When I google all i see are these methods where we need to burnish and reseal the shaft with conditioner or wax.

I just want to give it a wipe. Just to keep the grime from building up and making it feel sticky. or something to make sure that ive clean off the oils from hands after each use. Recommendations please.

n

What can we use to clean shaft after each playing session or each day of pool?

When I google all i see are these methods where we need to burnish and reseal the shaft with conditioner or wax.

I just want to give it a wipe. Just to keep the grime from building up and making it feel sticky. or something to make sure that ive clean off the oils from hands after each use. Recommendations please.

I never touch my cue with water. 90% alcohol with a paper towel. Water's probably OK if you wipe dry immediately, but the alcohol is always handy. Burnish with a leather pad and it's good to go.

 

[Matt_24]

Dry paper towel. Wipe the cue down after use for the day. I like my shaft(s) to get seasoned.

 

[j2pac]

I thought ur comment about solvent proofing a wood shaft was funny. I mean it would just end up feeling like CF, which defeats the purpose of having a wood shaft. Which is why I dont understand Cuetec Avid shafts. Cover a wood shaft in fiber glass so they can put the word "Wood" in the description.

The only way I think you could create a solvent barrier is by using some car body ceramic coat or ceramic spray. And I assume it would not feel like wood anymore either.

I use the Avid shafts. They are not difficult to keep clean, are very smooth, and for the $$, they are nearly impossible to beat.

 

[sbrownn]

I keep a golf towel clipped to my case and whip them down occasionally. The biggest thing that will help you keep your wood shaft clean is to clean your tip after each playing session with a dry paper towel so no chalk dust gets in the case and then ends up in the wood shaft pores...

 

[windKnott]

What can we use to clean shaft after each playing session or each day of pool?

When I google all i see are these methods where we need to burnish and reseal the shaft with conditioner or wax.

I just want to give it a wipe. Just to keep the grime from building up and making it feel sticky. or something to make sure that ive clean off the oils from hands after each use. Recommendations please.

In my case I carry an old 35mm film canister. In it I pack 3 baby wipes. I use one to wipe the table rails, one to wipe hands & the last one to wipe down the shafts. It gets rid of chalk and wax build up from hands. I also carry a few alcohol wipes. An old article in “Pool & Billiard” magazine recommended to rid wax build up from sweaty hands. It works for me.

 

[cueball2010]

In my case I carry an old 35mm film canister. In it I pack 3 baby wipes. I use one to wipe the table rails, one to wipe hands & the last one to wipe down the shafts. It gets rid of chalk and wax build up from hands. I also carry a few alcohol wipes. An old article in “Pool & Billiard” magazine recommended to rid wax build up from sweaty hands. It works for me.

wipe down table rails... Genius!