Lint picking is a time-honored tradition. So is cleaning the cue ball when it is in hand. If the bridge head is loose, I will attempt to fix it.The issue with this rule, what if you brush the cloth to change the nap or get dirt off? I see lots of players do just that near a pocket to try to help make sure the ball does not hang. Don't think I have ever seen that cushion thing enforced or table brushing. Dirt does not belong on the cloth, and the side pocket points should not stick out to prevent a shot down the rail both are fixing imperfections.
Lint picking is a time-honored tradition. So is cleaning the cue ball when it is in hand. If the bridge head is loose, I will attempt to fix it.
More than just lint or chalk particles, I meant players brushing down the cloth at the pocket opening to make the nap and smoothness go in the direction of the pocket. If we can do that, I don't see why adjusting the rails a bit, especially if not even, is not allowed. Now if they took a wrench and went to move the rails by unbolting them, I can see an issue.
I've actually wanted to fix a broken pocket at a table, it was a furniture table where the pocket was hanging so low that if you shot at past rolling speed the ball would just hop over the pocket to the floor. I got yelled at by a few players "don't you go around fixing broken things" LOL, that was pretty much exactly what was said.