Pagulayan brand chalk - TAOM formula

[Poolmanis]

I’ve adjusted to the round shape. Chasing a cube that occasionally gets away seems worth the V-10’s more even wear factor. BUT, I have noticed it doesn’t seem to last as long as the blue Taom (?). Same with the square version?
Square or round, it still requires your attention to set/place upright on the rail. Lack of attention is how it gets dropped, and either goes rolling (or bouncing ‘helter-skelter’) under the table. Sold on the green color too.

Yes. V10 is not so super long lasting than Pyro. Still last a long time. Difference is notable.

 

[soyale]

i’ve always used masters, and although intrigued by the cleanliness of v10, the circular shape has been enough to put me off of buying a piece.

now that there is finally a cube available i may just give it a try. hopefully it will reduce the frequency with which i clean my shaft.

bought a cube of the green today. $28 shipped compared to $20 for taom. i figured the square shape was worth the extra $8 to me. i also figure alex has provided me with well more than $28 worth of free entertainment and if all it does is keep the chalk off my hands then its worth it for that alone. I couldn’t find a photo of a cube of the pag next to a cube of masters so i will be posting one when it arrives.


I originally wanted the blue, but I recently stumbled across this post https://www.reddit.com/r/billiards/s/Hg3mMKsFtb where a co-runner of the brand cleared up a couple things.

“Hi, my name is Greg DeBora. I run Pagulayan brand with Alex Pagulayan. I was directed to this post about our chalk and wanted to comment.

Great to hear that you like the chalk Rambo. It is indeed very similar to Taom chalk as they manufacture it for us. But our formulas are very slightly different to Alex’s specs.

All the Pros you listed for the chalk are well noted and appreciated. And as for the chalk box, we spent a lot of time on that box and glad you noticed that.

You listed 3 cons that I wanted to address:

Indeed, the extra $3 + paying $7 for shipping for 1 piece is not ideal, but there are bundle options on the chalk which reduce both the price and shipping cost quite a bit per piece. But I totally get that people want to try just one piece at first. Our next order will be bigger than this first one and so our costs and price will come down more

The chalk may be slightly shorter but it is the exact same weight as Taom so you are getting the same amount of chalk.

Your last con was that it doesn't last as long as Taom because you had to unwrap the top layer much quicker than your Taom. The reason for that is that our chalk is wrapped higher than the Taom chalk. You are unwrapping it earlier because the paper is higher up. Pagulayan chalk lasts the same as Taom.

I look forward to participate more in this sub reddit and will bring Alex on to engage with the community as well. And will also make sure to follow the self promotion guidelines.”

“green version is similar to v10 and blue is similar to pyro”

“Pagulayan green and blue chalk are different formulas. Green is more creamy and blue is more gritty.”

 

[Bavafongoul]

I posted about this chalk in the products review section. Let me be clear……I do not like the shape of TAOM chalk.
Now I play with it because it literally blows away every other designer chalk. Remember when Magic Chalk was being
hyped and I was not a big fan. All chalk does the exact same thing, especially if you chalk after every shot which has
been my pre-shot routine more than 60 years. Well, now it’s every other shot with TAOM and I could chalk even less
but it still seems a little odd not to chalk every shot. I played for 5 1/2 hrs at my friend’s house and the cue ball was
spotless, nary a chalk mark anywhere on the measle cue ball. He pays with Blue Pyro while I now play with Pagulayan.

TAOM and Pagulayan are essentially the same but the cube shape of Pagulayan chalk blows away the circular shape.
It is the same price, the same chalk albeit slight differences in composition based on the above post that are not at all
discernible to the player. It is the best chalk for billiards just for cleanliness alone but the truth is any chalk will do the
same thing which is creating friction. And chalk is free at any pool hall. But the other chalks are much more inferior for
cleanliness. If you play with TAOM now, get some Pagulayan chalk because the cube is a much better shape to use.

I got a 4 pack for $87.00 shipped. It didn’t last long because a box (2 chalks) was mooched away by a friend the day I first used it. FYI, soyale…….I responded to the email solicitation and gave the contact information for Sierra Billiards,
an upscale pool hall in Fresno that is the most popular pool room in Fresno. And last week it just got its full bar license and I was the first customer ever served a hard alcohol drink at Sierra as the owners and I toasted their future success.

I converted my monthly membership to an annual membership in February. It is the best decision I’ve made with my pool related activities in decades. Local players are fortunate Sierra Billiards opened right after COVID because things were
really looking bleak. But the clouds parted and we now have the newest and best pool room in the Central Valley.

 

[Flakeandrun]

bought a cube of the green today. $28 shipped compared to $20 for taom. i figured the square shape was worth the extra $8 to me. i also figure alex has provided me with well more than $28 worth of free entertainment and if all it does is keep the chalk off my hands then its worth it for that alone. I couldn’t find a photo of a cube of the pag next to a cube of masters so i will be posting one when it arrives.


I originally wanted the blue, but I recently stumbled across this post https://www.reddit.com/r/billiards/s/Hg3mMKsFtb where a co-runner of the brand cleared up a couple things.

“Hi, my name is Greg DeBora. I run Pagulayan brand with Alex Pagulayan. I was directed to this post about our chalk and wanted to comment.

Great to hear that you like the chalk Rambo. It is indeed very similar to Taom chalk as they manufacture it for us. But our formulas are very slightly different to Alex’s specs.

All the Pros you listed for the chalk are well noted and appreciated. And as for the chalk box, we spent a lot of time on that box and glad you noticed that.

You listed 3 cons that I wanted to address:

Indeed, the extra $3 + paying $7 for shipping for 1 piece is not ideal, but there are bundle options on the chalk which reduce both the price and shipping cost quite a bit per piece. But I totally get that people want to try just one piece at first. Our next order will be bigger than this first one and so our costs and price will come down more

The chalk may be slightly shorter but it is the exact same weight as Taom so you are getting the same amount of chalk.

Your last con was that it doesn't last as long as Taom because you had to unwrap the top layer much quicker than your Taom. The reason for that is that our chalk is wrapped higher than the Taom chalk. You are unwrapping it earlier because the paper is higher up. Pagulayan chalk lasts the same as Taom.

I look forward to participate more in this sub reddit and will bring Alex on to engage with the community as well. And will also make sure to follow the self promotion guidelines.”

“green version is similar to v10 and blue is similar to pyro”

“Pagulayan green and blue chalk are different formulas. Green is more creamy and blue is more gritty.”

It's not a super special formula, carefully blended by Alex in a lab lol it is exactly the same as the Ding Jun Hui chalk I have posted about before. It's the same height and dimensions, and comes in the same colour ways.

 

[soyale]

It's not a super special formula, carefully blended by Alex in a lab lol it is exactly the same as the Ding Jun Hui chalk I have posted about before. It's the same height and dimensions, and comes in the same colour ways.

i didnt say it was special. I just quoted the guy

 

[Flakeandrun]

i didnt say it was special. I just quoted the guy

Sorry bud, wasn't meaning it to seem as if it was directed at you. I was more replying to the quoted content in the post (that and the vast amounts of people who froth over it lol)
I'm sure it's good chalk, but the more they try and tell me it's special, the less likely I am to buy it.
I have a couple blocks of the DJH chalk (green and blue), as I posted before, it's the same chalk. I also posted about my Taom experience before. V10 is great for snooker. Like pyro for pool (though held poorly to break tips I'd used).
I am quite enjoying the TP grey chalk that I was given recently. Played three sessions with it, and can't find a fault with it.

Chalk is chalk. As long as it doesn't get everywhere, and sticks to a tip. It works.

 

[soyale]

Sorry bud, wasn't meaning it to seem as if it was directed at you. I was more replying to the quoted content in the post (that and the vast amounts of people who froth over it lol)
I'm sure it's good chalk, but the more they try and tell me it's special, the less likely I am to buy it.
I have a couple blocks of the DJH chalk (green and blue), as I posted before, it's the same chalk. I also posted about my Taom experience before. V10 is great for snooker. Like pyro for pool (though held poorly to break tips I'd used).
I am quite enjoying the TP grey chalk that I was given recently. Played three sessions with it, and can't find a fault with it.

Chalk is chalk. As long as it doesn't get everywhere, and sticks to a tip. It works.

i agree. chalk doesn’t affect performance at all. masters does get everywhere though and taom is a goofy circle, so regardless of how special the “formula” is or the existence of DJH chalk (that i cannot acquire), they obviously supplied a product with ample demand.

Why do you think taom is better suited to snooker and pyro to pool?

 

[Flakeandrun]

i agree. chalk doesn’t affect performance at all. masters does get everywhere though and taom is a goofy circle, so regardless of how special the “formula” is or the existence of DJH chalk (that i cannot acquire), they obviously supplied a product with ample demand.

Why do you think taom is better suited to snooker and pyro to pool?

I thought the DJH chalk would be available? it certainly is in UK, and goes without saying really that it is here in China.

V10 for snooker... It's green for one, and also snooker is a game of top and bottom, not often are you striking multiple points on the cue ball, so for this reason I prefer the softer nature of it. It feels like it gives me more grip on the smaller tip (9.5mm). I am also not hitting the ball hard enough for it to transfer and result in kicks, so the softer nature of it is no draw back etc.

I liked using pyro and used the same piece since I started playing pool, it makes little mess, and it covers the tip well, with not too little or too much grip. I disliked that it was too hard for application on the sonic tip of my break shaft.

I have really taken to this Turning Point (grey 7500) chalk since I've started using it, which I posted in another thread. Will post pics of it in that when I have time later. Given it four decent sessions and I am pretty impressed with it.

 

[soyale]

I thought the DJH chalk would be available? it certainly is in UK, and goes without saying really that it is here in China.

V10 for snooker... It's green for one, and also snooker is a game of top and bottom, not often are you striking multiple points on the cue ball, so for this reason I prefer the softer nature of it. It feels like it gives me more grip on the smaller tip (9.5mm). I am also not hitting the ball hard enough for it to transfer and result in kicks, so the softer nature of it is no draw back etc.

I liked using pyro and used the same piece since I started playing pool, it makes little mess, and it covers the tip well, with not too little or too much grip. I disliked that it was too hard for application on the sonic tip of my break shaft.

I have really taken to this Turning Point (grey 7500) chalk since I've started using it, which I posted in another thread. Will post pics of it in that when I have time later. Given it four decent sessions and I am pretty impressed with it.

hold on…. you’re saying the different chalks give you different performance? i’m a bit surprised to hear that you can tell the difference between them other than the feel on application.

I’m curious how the pag chak will go on a phenolic tip, now that you mention your break cue issue. some days i dont even chalk my breaker though so i doubt it will be a big problem for me.

also, you’re saying that the DJH chalk (which ive never heard of) is the same as taom, which is the same as pagulayan, and yet somehow the pagulayan chalk puts you off because they tout a special formula? it sounds like you have plenty of fancy chalk and so if i were you i wouldn’t buy the pag either, but i don’t quite understand your aversion to it. sorry if i’m misreading you. thanks for the feedback!

 

[Flakeandrun]

hold on…. you’re saying the different chalks give you different performance? i’m a bit surprised to hear that you can tell the difference between them other than the feel on application.

I had been using Taom v10 since I moved to china on my snooker cue. It is noticeably softer. I chalk every shot, but feel it therefore coats thicker, and gives me some peace of mind when it comes to heavy draw shots (placebo or not, feels right to me).
I only used pyro for playing pool, as my GF at the time I started playing bought me a piece of the pink chalk as a gift, as I'd switched to playing pool more regularly and kept moaning about getting blue over everything (that and I have a habit of sticking chalk in my pockets between shots, even when it is the halls chalk...guess it's one reason I couldn't care less about the shape of the thing)

I’m curious how the pag chak will go on a phenolic tip, now that you mention your break cue issue. some days i dont even chalk my breaker though so i doubt it will be a big problem for me.

I chalk it everytime I use it. Multiple reasons. PSR, peace of mind and I knew I was not so accurate when adding power into my break when I first started playing. I did spend a lot of sessions working on this, and the issue is kind of null and void now, but back to peace of mind/placebo or whatever. So, I was using a piece of HeddaRo a friend had given me (also a very nice chalk for what it's worth)

also, you’re saying that the DJH chalk (which ive never heard of) is the same as taom, which is the same as pagulayan, and yet somehow the pagulayan chalk puts you off because they tout a special formula?

I got given the Ding Jun Hui Chalk (DJH) by a distributor here. It's in my case, and I haven't used it for more than 10 minutes or so testing a shaft I got from the same guy. Did put some pics of it in another thread. Made in Finland, and confirmed as made by Taom. Identical spec to Pagulayan (with an additional lighter blue colour, along with the Green and Darker Blue)

I'm not adverse to the Pagulayan chalk, simply put off by the fact it still cost an arm and a leg, and all that's changed is the logo and shape. It's just chalk. Not saying it's bad product, just saying it embodies one of the things I dislike most about pool since I have started playing. Tech talk, nonsense percentages and $$$$$$$$ on that nonsense. If it didn't come with all the jargon, and internet nonsense arguing about why it's got some secret formula, I'd be less of a bitch for sure

it sounds like you have plenty of fancy chalk and so if i were you i wouldn’t buy the pag either, but i don’t quite understand your aversion to it. sorry if i’m misreading you. thanks for the feedback!

It's not an aversion to the chalk, I think it is probably good stuff. I am just constantly curious by how people think of new things to sell, or all the chatter about products that are basically the same but with a new logo attached. It's solved your problem, and you're happy to pay the price. So it works for you. You also don't seem like the type to give a flying fuck about secret formulas and such

Also, here is the TP after 4 x 3 or 4-hour sessions. I crumbled the side part dropping it. It actually creates very little mess on application, and sticks to the tips nicely without getting 'cakey'. Don't need to chalk every shot, but still do, as I mentioned. I was surprised by how it looks vs. how it actually applies and plays. It's nice being able to use one piece for both cues.

 

[soyale]

I had been using Taom v10 since I moved to china on my snooker cue. It is noticeably softer. I chalk every shot, but feel it therefore coats thicker, and gives me some peace of mind when it comes to heavy draw shots (placebo or not, feels right to me).
I only used pyro for playing pool, as my GF at the time I started playing bought me a piece of the pink chalk as a gift, as I'd switched to playing pool more regularly and kept moaning about getting blue over everything (that and I have a habit of sticking chalk in my pockets between shots, even when it is the halls chalk...guess it's one reason I couldn't care less about the shape of the thing)

I chalk it everytime I use it. Multiple reasons. PSR, peace of mind and I knew I was not so accurate when adding power into my break when I first started playing. I did spend a lot of sessions working on this, and the issue is kind of null and void now, but back to peace of mind/placebo or whatever. So, I was using a piece of HeddaRo a friend had given me (also a very nice chalk for what it's worth)

I got given the Ding Jun Hui Chalk (DJH) by a distributor here. It's in my case, and I haven't used it for more than 10 minutes or so testing a shaft I got from the same guy. Did put some pics of it in another thread. Made in Finland, and confirmed as made by Taom.

I'm not adverse to the Pagulayan chalk, simply put off by the fact it still cost an arm and a leg, and all that's changed is the logo and shape. It's just chalk. Not saying it's bad product, just saying it embodies one of the things I dislike most about pool since I have started playing. Tech talk, nonsense percentages and $$$$$$$$ on nonsense. If it didn't come with all the jargon, and internet nonsense arguing about why it's got some secret formula, I'd be less of a bitch for sure

It's not an aversion to the chalk, I think it is probably good stuff. I am just constantly curious by how people think of new things to sell, or all the chatter about products that are basically the same but with a logo attached. It's solved your problem, and you're happy to pay the price. So it works for you. You also don't seem like the type to give a flying fuck about secret formulas and such

View attachment 759886View attachment 759887

Also, here is the TP after 4 x 3 or 4-hour sessions. I crumbled the side part dropping it. It actually creates very little mess on application, and sticks to the tips nicely without getting 'cakey'. Don't need to chalk every shot, but still do, as I mentioned. I was surprised by how it looks vs. how it actually applies and plays. It's nice being able to use one piece for both cues.

i understand your position now. and you are correct, i dont care how secret or different the formula is. I just care that its clean, which my current chalk is not, and square, which my current chalk is.

i’ve 34 but i’ve been playing pool long enough to not want to change things up. I dont want a glove, carbon fiber anything, a layered tip, and i certainly don't want round chalk.

As you mentioned the placebo/mental effect is huge. If you believe your cue gives you super powers, then it does. If putting your glove on makes you happy, that’s an advantage. People are always going to chase the latest and greatest but sometimes the new tech can be helpful. in this case its gonna help keep my hands clean and thats really all there is to it.

edit: if $28 is too much to pay for a toy that brings you happiness, it might be time to reprioritize things. Life is too short

 

[Flakeandrun]

i’ve 34 but i’ve been playing pool long enough to not want to change things up. I dont want a glove, carbon fiber anything, a layered tip, and i certainly don't want round chalk.

I have started using a glove unintentionally and it was a point of much contention amongst my friends, as I would always shit talk them for it it was to nullify a problematic coating on a shaft, which I have since removed, but actually have just got used to using it. Used layered tips on both snooker and pool cues. Started when I came to China, as a snooker friend (domestic pro here) told me the Elkmasters here were fake/not good quality. Asked me to bring him dozens next time I went back to the UK lol It's why I started using the MW super tips which are nice.
I guess my point is, we are all creatures of habit, and we feel safe and most productive with things which we are familiar with, this brings us positivity and all the associated placebos that come with it. I guess that's where my aversion to the tech mumbo jumbo comes into it, as someone who figured out what I liked in the limited product market of snooker. Entering the abyss of consumerism that is pool. Where our familiar habits are regularly encroached upon in attempts to bend them into new shapes is bewildering.

As you mentioned the placebo/mental effect is huge. If you believe your cue gives you super powers, then it does.

It's strange the things that we can convince ourselves help us. I guess we are pretty easily led creatures. Hence why pro endorsement deals, other such advertising tools and the opinion of strangers on the internet can so easily sway our opinions

edit: if $28 is too much to pay for a toy that brings you happiness, it might be time to reprioritize things. Life is too short

Slowly learning that. I am not from a background that experienced the level of disposable income I have been afforded the last few years, and in reality, it's a false perception of such income. Which I would not have if I were to travel home. I am lucky enough to have fallen into good circles and have the opportunity to try lots of new things.

It's Taom, after all, under that lion logo, so it's going to last a couple of years at least I reckon. So you're right about value being relative. I play a couple of hours, 5+ times a week for the last year, and I am not a quarter of my way through the Pyro (granted I didn't use it on the break cue)

I am actually laughing at the in-depth nature of this chalk talk and what's morphed into

TLDR: Now you have square, clean chalk, that you can put in your pocket or on a side without worry. That chalks well, and doesn't break your perceived price limit for a piece of chalk. Enjoy