Rubbing the cue ball on the rail

[The_JV]

I have always rubbed the cue ball on the rail to remove chalk, it seems like an opponent could take offense if I used a towel, shirt, pants pocket, etc without asking first.

Never thought of that. Whenever I retrieve the CB for a player that is in a pocket due to my mistake. I generally wipe the ball off for them on my shirt. Always thought of it as a polite gesture to want clean the ball after potentially picking something up from the bottom of the pocket.

Why would someone take offense to an opponent cleaning the ball...? ...if it wasn't in play already

 

[fastone371]

Never thought of that. Whenever I retrieve the CB for a player that is in a pocket due to my mistake. I generally wipe the ball off for them on my shirt. Always thought of it as a polite gesture to want clean the ball after potentially picking something up from the bottom of the pocket.

Why would someone take offense to an opponent cleaning the ball...? ...if it wasn't in play already

Its possible they would appreciate you cleaning the ball off for them but then there are some people out there that can get real weird about stuff too, I prefer not getting them started.

 

[The_JV]

there are some people out there that can get real weird about stuff too,

No doubt.... Fair amount lingering in here as well...lol

 

[ChrisinNC]

Its possible they would appreciate you cleaning the ball off for them but then there are some people out there that can get real weird about stuff too, I prefer not getting them started.

Yeah, I used to never think twice about licking my index fingertip to rub off a miscue scratch mark on the cue ball, before wiping the ball off with my towel, when the cue ball is out of play like before breaking, when I know one of us has miscued in the previous game or two. Now I try to do it a little more conspicuously.

 

[DynoDan]

Do commercial rooms that must recover the tables frequently alway do the rails also? Chalk imbedded in the rail cloth might be harder to clean than the table surface. Seems like ‘abuse’ of equipment.

 

[pw98]

You want to get the cue ball clean fast, moisten it with hand sanitizer and rub it in your hands for a few seconds. All the spots will be gone. Just dry it off and continue playing.

There is moisturizer in most hand sanitizer that will leave a residue.

 

[pw98]

Do commercial rooms that must recover the tables frequently alway do the rails also? Chalk imbedded in the rail cloth might be harder to clean than the table surface. Seems like ‘abuse’ of equipment.

I dont think there are many rooms that recover frequently left in the US.

 

[Saturated Fats]

I think it's a terrible idea to clean the cue ball on the table's cushion. I don't like seeing it in a pool room or tournament and I would intervene quickly if it were my table.

 

[jimmyco]

Its possible they would appreciate you cleaning the ball off for them but then there are some people out there that can get real weird about stuff too, I prefer not getting them started.

Los of weirdos.
Licking it is my line in the sand.

 

[HNTFSH]

Los of weirdos.
Licking it is my line in the sand.

If only my old hound would feel the same.

 

[8cree]

I think it's a terrible idea to clean the cue ball on the table's cushion. I don't like seeing it in a pool room or tournament and I would intervene quickly if it were my table.

Why though? Just cause?

 

[fastone371]

I think it's a terrible idea to clean the cue ball on the table's cushion. I don't like seeing it in a pool room or tournament and I would intervene quickly if it were my table.

One is going to leave a much greater mess by chalking over the table which is something almost everyone does unless they have a table at home that is well used and cared for. You can actually see the chalk powder falling to the ground (table) if you watch someone chalk, by comparison there is very little actual chalk stuck to the cue ball causing the blue marks that one cleans off. Any chalk on the cue ball is most likely going to end up on the table and cushions anyways.

 

[David in FL]

One is going to leave a much greater mess by chalking over the table which is something almost everyone does unless they have a table at home that is well used and cared for. You can actually see the chalk powder falling to the ground (table) if you watch someone chalk, by comparison there is very little actual chalk stuck to the cue ball causing the blue marks that one cleans off.

Huh?

How the heck do you “chalk over the table“? I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a thing. Even by those who chalk their cue by drilling it into the cube…

 

[fastone371]

Huh?

How the heck do you “chalk over the table“? I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a thing. Even by those who chalk their cue by drilling it into the cube…

Really?? You never noticed someone holding the end of their cue over the table while chalking?? Where do you suppose those little broken bits of chalk on the playing field come from if someone isnt chalking over the table??

 

[David in FL]

Really?? You never noticed someone holding the end of their cue over the table while chalking?? Where do you suppose those little broken bits of chalk on the playing field come from if someone isnt chalking over the table??

Nope.

 

[fastone371]

Nope.

I bet you if watch some people shooting pool now or even some videos you will see it happen. Once again did you never wonder how those chips of chalk get on the table? I find it highly unlikely that they would adhere to the tip and then fall of in the process of shooting. Its kinda like the arrow and the spoon on the side of a Fed Ex truck, and once you see them you cant un-see them.

 

[chefjeff]

Again, use a pocket.

When chalking on a gulley table chalk up over the side pocket and all the dust falls into the table to be cleaned out on cloth-changing day.

When cleaning the cueball, use the cloth inside the pocket to do that. No harm, no foul.


Jeff Livingston

 

[alstl]

I keep a paper towel in a couple pockets on my home table and wipe down whatever balls are in those pockets after each rack. I also wipe down the cue ball in the same.

Using the rail just transfers chalk to the rail and could impact a ball contacting that spot.

 

[James F]

Thank you. Cleaning the cue seems to be it. I never did this and watched so many spin the ball on the table like they were getting friction from it. Then I saw a pro doing it, and thought there must be something more to it than just wrong it off, they were working so hard at spinning it! Thank you all.

 

[skogstokig]

i do it before breaking. if possible i do it quickly before the opponent's break. i used to never care about it, but when the kamui chalks came i started doing it as a routine. hate that chalk.