Keeping your Shaft SMOOTH as GLASS

[AuntyDan]

It is not Zardoz. Different formula. We liked the Zardoz packaging and worked out a deal with them. Do not mistaking use Zardoz on your cue shaft for two reasons. 1. It WILL harm your cue shaft 2. Contains chemicals that are harmful to your eyes. (keep in mind that occasionally people rub their eyes and the stuff will get on your hands from stroking the cue.) Also no Teflon used in SlipStic. Looking back we should have come up with different packaging altogether so not to confuse anyone.

Thanks for the details Pete. Yes, the identical packaging certainly is a little confusing, although I appreciate the benefits of not having to come up with original packaging yourself. Perhaps you might want to put a little note on your product details site mentioning the differences to avoid consumer confusion. The idea of the stuff getting in your eyes from your hands is not something I had thought of and worth considering.

Some questions if you don't mind:
1) How do you know Zardoz (Or other Teflon-based products) will harm you shaft? (Other than it not being designed for cues) Have you tested this?
2) How do you know prolonged use of Slipstic will not harm you shaft? Have you tested this, and if so for how long, or is this an assumption based on what it is made of?

 

[LWW]

Try this:

I bought the kit a month ago and was AMAZED at the difference.

BTW it includes that blue 3M paper, as well as the white, the green, and the yellow!

LWW

 

[pete lafond]

Thanks for the details Pete. Yes, the identical packaging certainly is a little confusing, although I appreciate the benefits of not having to come up with original packaging yourself. Perhaps you might want to put a little note on your product details site mentioning the differences to avoid consumer confusion. The idea of the stuff getting in your eyes from your hands is not something I had thought of and worth considering.

Some questions if you don't mind:
1) How do you know Zardoz (Or other Teflon-based products) will harm you shaft? (Other than it not being designed for cues) Have you tested this?

I started out looking at Zardoz and its properties. Coincidentally DuPont makes this product. After explaining what I planned to use it for the chemists cautioned me stating it's chemical makeup will break down natural wood with prolonged use. I did not want that liability. FYI Teflon is a broad range of products and not just one product. The stuff does work better than wax for skis though. I have used it and nothing is better.

2) How do you know prolonged use of Slipstic will not harm you shaft? Have you tested this, and if so for how long, or is this an assumption based on what it is made of?

It has been lab tested. Also, I used it in large quantities for over 1.5 years (now over 2 years). The nice feature is that it allows the natural oils from your hands to penetrate the shaft which is very important to strengthening the shaft. It does not remain permanent and will dissolve. The nice feature is that it does not mix with moisture or anything so as it breaks down it collects nothing so you never feel it dissolving.

Hand oils are very important for a long durable life of the cue shaft, you do not want to remove them. I know that some people like the nice clean and new shaft look and use wet or dry chemical cleaners to achieve this. This is not good because they cause the wood to break down resulting in unwanted flex points (everybody talks about shaft deflection, but could you imagine a shaft that is now inconsistent based on how you happen to have the shaft rotated when you strike the ball?).
If you buy new shaft often, then none of this matters. Just keeping the shaft conditioned is fine.

 

[AuntyDan]

Thanks again for more detailed information.

Hand oils are very important for a long durable life of the cue shaft, you do not want to remove them.

This would suggest that the last thing you want to be doing is regularly washing your hands with hot water and soap to remove the oils, which is what a lot of us do to deal with sticky shaft situations. If you use Slipstic would this not be necessary for the duration of the application?

 

[pete lafond]

Thanks again for more detailed information.


This would suggest that the last thing you want to be doing is regularly washing your hands with hot water and soap to remove the oils, which is what a lot of us do to deal with sticky shaft situations. If you use Slipstic would this not be necessary for the duration of the application?

Even though you wash your hands, there are still oils that secrete during play. Most of the sticky stuff is not the oils alone, rather the stuff your hands pick up off of the tables and everything else you touch that mix with hand oils. Don't forget that people put lots of stuff on their cue shafts including waxes, polishers and fillers. These all break down and fall on the table.

Here is something to try. Take any cue product and wipe it all over your hands (not the stick) and walk around with it for about an hour or two. See how your hands feel, they are most probably sticky. Now when players put the stuff on their stick, they buff it giving it a temporary feel of smooth. What do you think happens over an hour or two of play? Same as your hands.

SlipStic's duration is much longer lasting and does not get sticky at all. A single application of this product will last from 4 to 6 weeks of lots of play. No screwing around burnishing, sanding or re-applying between applications.

Also, with SlipStic Conditioner on your cue shaft you no longer have problems of stuff picked up from the table, SlipStic repels them.

 

[Tommy-D]

> I plan to try a bottle of the Slip-Stic the very first time I see any for sale. I normally use a thin coat of sealer,then wax. The sealer I've been using for about a year now is an alcohol based sanding sealer called Turner's Magic. This is a similar product to the "French polish" type finishes used on violins,high quality furniture,and exotic wood ink pens. It drys so fast you can't believe it,it was formulated to dry with friction from the rag or applicator. I then sand with 2000,then reapply as needed. I then polish the shafts in the lathe with 3600 Micro-Mesh,then smear on a good bit of yellow Carnauba wax,and let dry for a while on my own shafts. I take off the excess,and reburnish. I rarely have a problem hanging up,unless the humidity is really bad,in these cases I either use 3600 or a fresh piece of 2000,and take all the finish off. For routine maintenance,I have a corner of my shaft rag that I rubbed white polishing compound into,then followed with wax. My shafts never fail to impress people that play with my cue,which brings me business from customers that have never had their shafts maintained properly. Tommy D.

 

[pete lafond]

> I plan to try a bottle of the Slip-Stic the very first time I see any for sale. ..... Tommy D.

There are many retail outlets that sell SlipStic, but as I found out many have not started displaying them yet on their internet site. Next time you need to buy supplies, ask them if they have any in stock.