For the longest time, MC was touted as the best chalk and I still submit that all chalks are alike in purpose.
And if you apply chalk after every shot correctly, i.e., brush application vs. twisting, every chalk is the same.
The difference that becomes important is twofold……..attentiveness and cleanliness……the latter is the most
important since all chalk brands do the exact same thing. Attentiveness involves the player’s pre-shot routine.
When do you apply chalk? Do you check you tip in between chalking? Why is chalking regularly either distracting
or bothersome to some players? These are really simple questions, however, cleanliness is a entirely different matter.
One of the reasons all my pool cues have ivory ferrules is it is impervious to chalk stains. I find it a distraction and it’s
easy to keep your ferrule clean using toothpaste for a cleaning application. Then there’s the matter of cleaner pool felt.
A year ago I found a TAOM V10 chalk in one of the pockets at my pool hall. No one claimed it after 48 hrs. at the pool
hall so it defaulted to me. I’d never spend that much for a piece of chalk but I must say it really is the best chalk made.
I’ve played with the chalk for a year and I still brush apply chalk but not necessarily on every shot now. But I don’t play a rack without chalking. Every 2-3 shots I lightly brush my tip and the chalk still looks relatively new after a year with 75-80% of the chalk remaining. I could see playing a couple of years before replacing this chalk. It really does make my favorite chalk, Blue Diamond, and other popular brands like MC look relatively anemic. I have so much chalk I’ll never need to buy chalk again but I think I would actually buy a piece of TAOM V 10 chalk to replace the current one. Yup, that darn chalk is the cleanest pool chalk and leaves no mess at all. The only drawback is it might lull you into chalking less so resist that urge and chalk regularly. Make it part of your pre-shot routine but no doubt in my mind, TAOM is the 1st designer chalk that I can state is worth the price if only for its cleanliness but it also applies great. It rates #1, IMO & despite the price, it is a superior chalk.
I’m told my box of Willie Hoppe chalk is highly collectible. As you can tell, the chalk has never been used and I doubt
I ever would use it because of its rarity and scarcity. Anyway, TAOM blows away other chalks for absolute cleanliness.
That’s why I like it so much otherwise it does what all other chalks do which is to create friction. I’d buy it in the future.
