Original Balabushka bumper

Some of you are getting hyperventilated over the originality of a bumper. Desirable, yes, but bumpers darken over time with use. If you want to sell something with a brand new KU bumper, I get it. But over time, they develop the same color with use. Top, or right, Here's an early Joss, original KU bumper. Then two Scruggs cues with new replacement bumpers, thanks to our own Chris Hightower. I preferred brown bumpers over black, so I changed them. Then a Richard Black with a brown bumper that has darkened so much over the years, it's darker than the KU bumper on the Joss. Interesting thing about the Black bumper is that it's a bit smaller than the standard, KU, or replacement. Not sure how Richard did that. The KU bumper darkens over time as well; it gets close to unrecognizable from its original state.

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FWIW.. My uncle had Gus install a KU Bumper in his Szamboti when he picked it up in 76 ish... When Barry refinished it in the late 90's he had Barry put a black one in. My uncle kept the brown one. Gus did not tape the bumper.

JV
 
For what it's worth I've heard two theories on the masking tape. One, from someone else, the bumper was considered replaceable, and the tape would make it easier to do so. Two, my theory, was that tape around the bumper would seal the bumper against the buttplate, and dampen the sound of the cue hit, less of a void. Other theories welcome.
I think its the latter. The bit he used for the bore was probably a little bigger than the bumper and the tape snugged it up. I do not think George liked slop or play. His machining and assembly techniques were precise. One thing I tell people if you remove the rings from lets say a Palmer, you better mark them, or tape them, because if you do not put them back the same way, they do not line up. The concentricity seems to be off. With GB that never happens.

JV
 
I think its the latter. The bit he used for the bore was probably a little bigger than the bumper and the tape snugged it up. I do not think George liked slop or play. His machining and assembly techniques were precise. One thing I tell people if you remove the rings from lets say a Palmer, you better mark them, or tape them, because if you do not put them back the same way, they do not line up. The concentricity seems to be off. With GB that never happens.

JV
Agree with that. I always thought he did the tape to snug up any void.

By the way, this works with push in bumpers, for interest. I have an 80s Meucci with the typical push-in bumper. Trouble with it was the bumper would work it's way out with play. So, I took some double-coated tape that's used to put golf club grips on. I put the tape over the bumper tenon, wetted the tape with Naptha, and eased the bumper in, and let it all dry. Not only does it keep the bumper in, but I think it dampens the hit a bit too. I think George was on to the same thing, with just regular tape. Actually, I think he used packing tape, which was stronger than regular masking tape.

All the best,
WW
 
I have thought it was a possible safeguard for the butt cap. We know if you drop the cue on the bumper, sometimes the momentary expansion of the bumper can split the butt cap. But I never felt strongly about that idea.

He could have used it for temporary fitting, to hold the bumper in with friction, then just never bothered to remove it when he ran the screw in to retain it.

And finally, he could have known we would be talking about it after he was gone, and put it there with no particular purpose except to mess with us.

I like the last one. I just feel like it would be cool of old GB was laughing at us for all the fuss over such things.

I think I even saw once a person making some kind of conversation about exactly what brand of tape he used, that he got it at the same hardware store where he got his A joint screws.

I want to picture him in the great cue shop on the sky yelling down at us "it's f'ing tape!" and "it's a f'ing screw!" "I didn't make that part! Look at what I made!" LOL!

I like to think if GB were a machinist and had a metal lathe, he would have made his own f'ing screw.

But he wasn't. And he didn't. So he used what was available.

I told a guy in a pool hall "that's a Balabushka bumper on my Joss". He was fascinated.
The tape that was on mine looked like masking tape
 
I was waiting for you to say he soaked the bumpers in rhinoceros piss to harden them.
I would have made it sound much more plausible....
Like it was 3 parts 10-40 motor oil, 2 parts lacquer thinner, and a little rubbing alcohol.
When you fish you gotta reel them in....

JV
 
that is just the reason why the value of antique things go way up when everything is original down to the smallest detail.
 
that is just the reason why the value of antique things go way up when everything is original down to the smallest detail.
That's a good generalism. But the cue world is odd and often a refinish is more valued than it is with other antiques and collectibles.
 
That's a good generalism. But the cue world is odd and often a refinish is more valued than it is with other antiques and collectibles.
I would say that is also dependent on the difference between vintage and antique.

Vintage cues like Bushkas and Szamboti that we still want to play with are not hurt by a refinish.

Where as a Albert Pick or a mid 1800's Brunswick marquetry cue do not price higher with a refinish than they would in a pristine untouched condition.

Once it becomes a rack queen, we suddenly want it virginal...
 
I would say that is also dependent on the difference between vintage and antique.

Vintage cues like Bushkas and Szamboti that we still want to play with are not hurt by a refinish.

Where as a Albert Pick or a mid 1800's Brunswick marquetry cue do not price higher with a refinish than they would in a pristine untouched condition.

Once it becomes a rack queen, we suddenly want it virginal...
Yes, it depends. And buyers are all different and different things.
 
If I were in the hunt for one of George's cues and found one, minus original bumper, I would be inclined to pounce before somebody else did.
Sure, but not if the price was too high, like in any deal.

I don't think the lack of a bumper should be a problem for anybody. Just replace it.

When these bumpers dry up more, they will just get harder to find. At a certain point they will be gone. People will take them off lesser cues, like my Joss, to put them on a GB cue. I'm sure. Heck, one like mine might even look better on a cue with patina.
 
I’d definitely get it - I’d like to get an original bumper if I was restoring an old cue but if all else failed in trying to find one why not just 3D printing a mold and figure out the hardness and pigment. It might take some trial and error but car guys do this all the time for replacement parts that are no longer available. I’m 100 percent sure different colored bumpers are coming in custom cue-making. You’d probably need a durometer.
 
I’d definitely get it - I’d like to get an original bumper if I was restoring an old cue but if all else failed in trying to find one why not just 3D printing a mold and figure out the hardness and pigment. It might take some trial and error but car guys do this all the time for replacement parts that are no longer available. I’m 100 percent sure different colored bumpers are coming in custom cue-making. You’d probably need a durometer.
Colored bumpers have been around a long time.

Just about anything can be reproduced. As you say, it's done for cars.

Knobs and switches in swirly plastics for 1940s cars, even entire steering wheels, are reproduced. There is a guy with a business doing it and he shows you how to do it if you want to DIY.

Some cue makers get bumpers custom cast, and I think a few have done it themselves.

I got a reproduction of the old Meucci/Huebler pill bumper years ago. Someone made some.

3D printed? Easier than that, you could use an NOS bumper to make a mold.
Getting the rubber and color exactly right is the part that will take work. And if you match it with an NOS bumper it will be non-original color. They all darken with age, even those stored under perfect conditions. None of the ones we have today appear exactly as they did decades ago.

Maybe if you cut an original and match the color you find inside? I don't know.
 
Colored bumpers have been around a long time.

Just about anything can be reproduced. As you say, it's done for cars.

Knobs and switches in swirly plastics for 1940s cars, even entire steering wheels, are reproduced. There is a guy with a business doing it and he shows you how to do it if you want to DIY.

Some cue makers get bumpers custom cast, and I think a few have done it themselves.

I got a reproduction of the old Meucci/Huebler pill bumper years ago. Someone made some.

3D printed? Easier than that, you could use an NOS bumper to make a mold.
Getting the rubber and color exactly right is the part that will take work. And if you match it with an NOS bumper it will be non-original color. They all darken with age, even those stored under perfect conditions. None of the ones we have today appear exactly as they did decades ago.

Maybe if you cut an original and match the color you find inside? I don't know.
If it was man made a man can always make it again.
 
On a semi-related note, I've got a Huebler with a brown bumper that needs to be replaced. Was the same KU bumper used?

The cue is plain jane and needs to be refinished anyway, so not entirely sure how much I care about an original bumper but would like to have one if possible.
 
On a semi-related note, I've got a Huebler with a brown bumper that needs to be replaced. Was the same KU bumper used?

The cue is plain jane and needs to be refinished anyway, so not entirely sure how much I care about an original bumper but would like to have one if possible.
No Huebler bumpers are a whole nother beast, they remind me of gum erasers and are flatter than the KU bumpers we're talking about in this thread.

If you go on the Huebler collectors group page on Facebook there are several folks on there that have stockpiles of old bumpers that were purchased when the shop closed down after his death.
 
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