Who was the cuemaker that put a piece of Ivory on the end of his pin?
Ivory on Pin
- Thread starter Terry Aeschliman
- Start date
Bill Schick. Andy Gilbert.
Just a head up, Bill didn't typically put that on his hustlers/sneakies. There might be some out there. But those would be exceptions.
I should have asked for this feature when my cue was ordered, even if it was just decorative. Andy did ask if I wanted to upgrade to and ivory join and butt cap, but I chose SS and delrin since I wanted materials that could withstand some mishaps.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Just my opinion, but ivory is nothing more than an overpriced novelty these days. There are so many synthetics that look just as nice and are exponentially more durable. I didn't always feel that way. But as I've gotten older I tend to like ivory on elephants more than on cues. And even though the ivory used in cues these days is supposed to be pre-ban, it's still pushing the demand for it. Again, just my opinion and I'd never knock anyone for wanting it. It's just not my thing anymore.
My AG cue inlays are all pre-ban scrimmed elephant ivory that would be protected under clear coat, so I did go that route since it did not cost anything extra back in 2005. Now it's more of a liability since the cue could be confiscated by customs if it crosses state lines for any repair work. This means that I baby the cue at all times, even while playing at work. At some point I'll probably store it for good and use the Schon CX61 as my main player.
I just checked out your cues in your signature link. Both very nice. But that Gilbert is a stunner.
Stop it….absolute nonsense….your cues cannot be confiscated in the United States merely because you possess them.
The reg is lucidly clear……possession is not against the law. Only 13 states restrict the sale of ivory and interstate
commerce has a de minimis exemption allowing it to be legal. I have posted the documentation on this 1/2 dozen times.
OMG, stop being ignorant, do your own research, takes about 45 secs., instead of spreading falsehoods. BTW, customs
only deals with international traffic not domestic. Besides, domestic is still legal. Just read the below explanation.
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Thx for clearing that up, though I only read posts here every so often, so I missed the first 6+ times you commented on this. At least I know that when the time comes, I can actually get my cues repaired. My actual worst fear is taking cues with me on a flight... has to be checked luggage, and screeners have been caught pilfering valuables this way. I still remember when my wife's ring box vanished from her luggage on a flight back from Hawaii during our honeymoon. Fortunately all the culprit(s) got was an empty box. A few months later, an organized theft ring was busted at the same airport we returned from. My apologies for the thread derail.
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Traveling with a pool cue, especially an expensive one, is different from carrying the cue on your person (accompanying you). When you surrender it and the cue gets inspected as it goes through the circus handling with airport baggage personnel and TSA inspections, what do you do if it doesn’t show up at your final airport destination? It’s not in your luggage where you packed it or in a separate package you included with your luggage surrender. How many different times was your luggage handled and where and when did it disappear during your travels? You are screwed and then there is always the risk of dealing with some TSA idiot that creates unnecessary problems questioning you about your cue(s). There is no way to plan if and when that would ever occur but possessing your cue and traveling anywhere in the USA is perfectly legal with an ivory laden pool cue. The ivory ban is clear and simple but most folks are uninformed. Take comfort in that you are not alone
I've never had any doubts that I could play with my cue anywhere in the US. What was unclear were the rules of shipping an ivory inlayed cue for repair purposes from an ivory-ban state... how do I prove that this is a repair job as opposed to an illicit sale? I've even seen posts recommending against declaring the item as a pool cue when shipping or insuring. I have lost pretty expensive collectibles over USPS mail before, so I won't be making that mistake again.
So, I read your post about your dealings with USPS. And, yes. They can be garbage at times. And every time I've had anything shipped through them I hold my breath until I get it or the recipient does. Having said that, the best way I've heard to travel with your cue is to ship it to wherever you're going via FedEx. It's far from perfect. But either way your cue is going to be out of your possession either with the baggage handlers or with FedEx. At least FedEx has some skin in the game because their business relies on safely handling your packages. The baggage handlers... Not so much.
Elephants do eventually die from causes other than poachers, don't they?