Need Some Tips for Maintaining a Pool Cue

J

Jun Hao

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Hi guys! I'm new to this forum and I just got my first personal cue! Its a Predator Ikon 2.

I was told that I have to wipe my cue after play. Can I use any kind of cloth? Or do I have to use those microfiber cloth?

I hope I can learn more on how I can maintain my pool cue here!

Thanks guys!
 
My own preference is simply to use a barely damp cotton cloth after play and then dry it thoroughly, make sure it is absolutely dry then I keep it in my rack at home. With the ferrule and the joints I simply wipe them down well with a dry cloth. If you do this after every session you shouldn't need to do much else. Thats what works for me, I am absolutely certain you will get a multitude of answers and different opinions here and most will be good advice.

What I will never do is use anything at all abrasive on any cue of mine.
 
Wash your hands often. The oil from your hands gets into the grain of the shaft wood and the chalk sticks to it causing the shaft to turn blue (or whatever color the chalk is). This also causes the shaft to get tacky and stick to your hand during your stroke. Some people use a glove which also helps keep the cue clean.

I use a magic eraser to clean the shaft and then a piece of 2500 grit sandpaper to smooth the shaft. Be careful using any liquids to clean your shaft and use caution when using sand paper. The idea is not to remove any wood when sanding but to smooth and burnish the shaft. Hope that helps.
 
Jun Hao said:
Hi guys! I'm new to this forum and I just got my first personal cue! Its a Predator Ikon 2.

I was told that I have to wipe my cue after play. Can I use any kind of cloth? Or do I have to use those microfiber cloth?

I hope I can learn more on how I can maintain my pool cue here!

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

Just use a terry cloth rag to lightly wipe the shaft down after play...try to remove most of the chalk from your tip. A large part of the blue staining of a shaft comes from chalk dust that is deposited in your case after play.

Pick up something like a Q-Wiz to burnish your shaft to keep it smooth. Every so often, clean your shaft with some shaft cleaner and recondition it with a product like Q-Slik, and wax it with a good cue wax. A Magic Eraser was mentioned for cleaning the shaft. They do work great, but must be used with care...very damp only, shaft dried immediately afterward, and the shaft must be burnished/conditioned right after, too, as the wood pores will be raised and open, and more chalk dust will get into the wood.

Many people play with a glove to keep the oils from their hands from getting on the shaft, but that is not necessary. I use a glove due to the unavailability and messiness of powder.

Joe
 
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Don't let anyone use it.

Wipe it down with a cloth after using or before putting into your case.

Wipe off the tip before putting into your case.

With a good tip you shouldn't need to constantly shape or pick at it, just apply chalk.

When applying chalk hold the cue at an angle and not over the table so the residue chalk will fall to the floor instead on down the shaft.

Dont bang the shaft against the table after applying chalk.

Hold the chalk with the ends of you fingers and palm above the chalk so the residue chalk don't get into the palm of your hand.

You can use a micro fiber cloth or if you are in a place that has hand towels in the bathroom use the towel after drying your hands that will make it damp enough. A paper napkin will do just as well.

Don't eat pizza, chicken wings and etc when playing.

If you get a dent you can usually pop it out with a drop of water or steam . Don't use a glass or the magic wand it just makes a flat spot and don't sand it out.

When time to have a new tip put on use have it done by a professional cue repair person.
 
Polish

Don't use any polish on the butt that has silicon in it. If you must polish the butt I recommend Petros Guitar Polish. It has no silicon and Petros guitars uses it to polish $30,000+ custom guitars. WWW.PETROSGUITARS.COM
 
Cdryden said:
Wash your hands often. The oil from your hands gets into the grain of the shaft wood and the chalk sticks to it causing the shaft to turn blue (or whatever color the chalk is). This also causes the shaft to get tacky and stick to your hand during your stroke. Some people use a glove which also helps keep the cue clean.

I use a magic eraser to clean the shaft and then a piece of 2500 grit sandpaper to smooth the shaft. Be careful using any liquids to clean your shaft and use caution when using sand paper. The idea is not to remove any wood when sanding but to smooth and burnish the shaft. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with the washing your hands tip. Also I use alcohol instead of water to dampen my cleaning cloth because it evaporates quickly.
 
Maintaining cues

KEEP THE BLUE OFF YOUR CUE! Use tan or light grey Master chalk
 
I use a cue wiz while i'm playing and rubbing alcohol to really clean it. just make sure you burnish the shaft to seal it if you get any liquid on it, otherwise it can warp.

also general maintenance:

Never leave your cues in the car. They're made of wood, and wood warps.

Pick up the cue from the joint, never the shaft.

Don't break. (hard) some people bend the shaft on the table when they follow through on their breaks and that's bad for..well everything.

Don't eat while playing and just keep your hands clean.


Few things I have in my case:

Tip Pik, my own chalk (good if you shoot different places), Cue Wiz, Kamui tip tool, willard tool, and predator/poison makes a microfiber towel that clips on to the d-ring

Happy shooting man
 
Cdryden said:
Wash your hands often. The oil from your hands gets into the grain of the shaft wood and the chalk sticks to it causing the shaft to turn blue (or whatever color the chalk is). This also causes the shaft to get tacky and stick to your hand during your stroke. Some people use a glove which also helps keep the cue clean.

I use a magic eraser to clean the shaft and then a piece of 2500 grit sandpaper to smooth the shaft. Be careful using any liquids to clean your shaft and use caution when using sand paper. The idea is not to remove any wood when sanding but to smooth and burnish the shaft. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Magic eraser is abrasive and so is the sandpaper. I think it's risky to be cleaning cues this way, trying to be careful to only remove any gunk on the outside, but... to each their own...
 
dlao02 said:
Magic eraser is abrasive and so is the sandpaper. I think it's risky to be cleaning cues this way, trying to be careful to only remove any gunk on the outside, but... to each their own...
Click to expand...
Do you realize this is a TEN year old thread!!!!
And the poster you are replying to has not been on the site since January?
Asking for a friend 😏😱
 
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