Shaft cleaning questions

jed1894

jed1894

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I know this subject has been beat to death, but I have a couple specific questions if someone can help me.

First off, I am not going to use alcohol, water, wax, low grit sand paper (below 2500 grit) on my shaft because it does not get that dirty. I keep it wiped down and I have very dry hands. I'm looking for information on minor conditioning. Here are my questions:

1. Does anyone know the grit number of Magic eraser pads? It feels like 2000 but I'm not sure. The dry form of Magic eraser could answer my question but I'm concerned how the shaft will feel after I use it.

2. What alternate source is the equilavant of 4000 grit sand paper? Paper bag maybe? 4000 grit should get the light stuff off, but I cannot find any.

3. Last one....after using something (above maybe), which of the following would make it the slickest? paper bag, micro mesh wrag of some kind, dollar bill or leave it alone after the 4000 grit and/or magic eraser?

Thanks in advance........and I know that wax and other methods are probably better but my shafts are all in good shape and I do not want to change them.

thanks, jed
 
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I would leave it alone. Over the course of time, your shafts will build up a nice shiny coat of yummy dirt and hand oils. The best solution for getting a superb feel on your playing shaft.

If you wipe it down every now and then you don't really need to to much. When cleaning it, just rub the wet magic eraser on it and work your way up to 2000 grit and that will be enough. When I make a shaft, I use micro mesh to finish it up, and that goes all the way up to 12000 grit. An occasional wipe and a bi-annual cleaning will suffice depending on usage.

The best coating you can put on your shaft is the natural dirt and oils that are inevitably going to compound anyway, so don't fight nature. Let it be.

jed1894 said:
I know this subject has been beat to death, but I have a couple specific questions if someone can help me.

First off, I am not going to use alcohol, water, wax, low grit sand paper (below 2500 grit) on my shaft because it does not get that dirty. I keep it wiped down and I have very dry hands. I'm looking for information on minor conditioning. Here are my questions:

1. Does anyone know the grit number of Majic eraser pads? It feels like 2000 but I'm not sure. The dry form of Majic eraser could answer my question but I'm concerned how the shaft will feel after I use it.

2. What alternate source is the equilavant of 4000 grit sand paper? Paper bag maybe? 4000 grit should get the light stuff off, but I cannot find any.

3. Last one....after using something (above maybe), which of the following would make it the slickest? paper bag, micro mesh wrag of some kind, dollar bill or leave it alone after the 4000 grit and/or majic eraser?

Thanks in advance........and I know that wax and other methods are probably better but my shafts are all in good shape and I do not want to change them.

thanks, jed
Click to expand...
 
I have a bit of a different approach from SK. I'm a bit more fastideous about the appearance of my shafts and ferrules, so I clean them fairly often .... maybe once a month or so. And I play at least 3 times a week, at least 4 hours per time.

Just FYI: I clean with moistened Magic Eraser (I cut my Magic Eraser into little 'mini' pads), dry with a paper towel as quickly as I can. Repeat until shaft and ferrule are cleaned to my liking, then burnish with 1500/2000 grit sandpaper (very lightly, of course). Oh, I'll let the shafts sit and dry thoroughly BEFORE the burnishing, sometimes overnight! I apply NOTHING after the burnishing. My shafts are good to go.

Then to try to answer some of your questions: I don't think Magic Eraser has an equivalent grit. I dont' think it has any 'grit' per se. It cleans with some kind of 'magic' chemical.

Use Magic Eraser wet or damp to activate the 'magic'!

You'd need to get a scientist or 3M professional to answer the grits question. I'd be interested to hear the answer. Maybe there's some kind of experiment you could set up, but .....

The Micro Mesh stuff that SK mentioned might be a reasonable alternative to the various grits and other stuff you mentioned. At least they are labeled as to the amount of 'cutting' they contain.


jed1894 said:
I know this subject has been beat to death, but I have a couple specific questions if someone can help me.

First off, I am not going to use alcohol, water, wax, low grit sand paper (below 2500 grit) on my shaft because it does not get that dirty. I keep it wiped down and I have very dry hands. I'm looking for information on minor conditioning. Here are my questions:

1. Does anyone know the grit number of Majic eraser pads? It feels like 2000 but I'm not sure. The dry form of Majic eraser could answer my question but I'm concerned how the shaft will feel after I use it.

2. What alternate source is the equilavant of 4000 grit sand paper? Paper bag maybe? 4000 grit should get the light stuff off, but I cannot find any.

3. Last one....after using something (above maybe), which of the following would make it the slickest? paper bag, micro mesh wrag of some kind, dollar bill or leave it alone after the 4000 grit and/or majic eraser?

Thanks in advance........and I know that wax and other methods are probably better but my shafts are all in good shape and I do not want to change them.

thanks, jed
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If your going to use 2500 grit Then you may as well use nothing.2000 you can get at autozone but it is next to nothing also.
 
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=9930

And 3m imperial lapping film.

If you want glass smooth, try lapping film 8000, but that is overkill. That stuff is for sanding microchips. Imo, the micromesh equivalent grit # is coarser than it's lapping film counterpart.

Beyond that you just want to burnish. I've always found the burnish of leather to be different than that of a dollar bill. Not better, just different feel. But lapping film gets the shaft glassy and shiny
 
Talking about grits can quickly get confusing since there are several grit scales in fairly widespread usage. For example, 3M has their own scale for their products such as Micro Mesh; the 12000 grit that SK refers to is actually equivalent to around 3500 in the more commonly used CAMI scale. Here is a conversion chart that I've found helpful, though it may be more info than many of you are interested in.

This doesn't help with the OP's question of equating the abrasive of products like Magic Eraser but it may at least help compare Micro Mesh with automotive type abrasives.

By the way, I disagree with the poster who stated that 2500 grit paper is like using nothing. 2500 grit in the CAMI scale is equivalent to 8000 grit in the Micro Mesh scale. 8000 grit Micro Mesh is in fact a very effective low-impact shaft conditioner--it'll take off dirt and chalk dust, but little to no wood, and leave the shaft clean and smooth. Try it if you don't believe me.
 
8Ball48043 said:
I have a bit of a different approach from SK. I'm a bit more fastideous about the appearance of my shafts and ferrules, so I clean them fairly often .... maybe once a month or so. And I play at least 3 times a week, at least 4 hours per time.

Just FYI: I clean with moistened Magic Eraser (I cut my Magic Eraser into little 'mini' pads), dry with a paper towel as quickly as I can. Repeat until shaft and ferrule are cleaned to my liking, then burnish with 1500/2000 grit sandpaper (very lightly, of course). Oh, I'll let the shafts sit and dry thoroughly BEFORE the burnishing, sometimes overnight! I apply NOTHING after the burnishing. My shafts are good to go.
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I use a very similar approach. I use the process 8Ball outlined above once a month or so, and every couple of months I'll condition my shaft with Q Slick and Q Glide (after the cleaning and burnishing) for an extra smooth finish.

I am pretty particular about the appearance and feel of my cue shaft, and I am not among those who feel that a blue shaft full of dirt and oil and grime is okay. I can't stand it. Therefore, the process I have developed over the years is one that is tried and true and meets my (almost unrealistic) expectations.
 
I know the OP said he didnt want to use wax, but I have became a believer in the Butchers wax, and now I dont even use Magix Eraser. I just take a bearly, bearly damp cloth OCCASSIONALLY on the shaft.

If you do use anything abrasive, reapply the wax.

Maybe not be the right way, but its my way.

Ken
 
Man, you guys are on the ball! Thanks for all the responses. While waiting on some responses I did a little experiment with one of my Players shafts that gets some pretty bad treatment. It was stained with red chalk and has not been cleaned in a while. (this is the shaft I take to my buddies house when we're all drinking and passing around cues. So, it gets beer and other stuff on it).

I tried the Magic eraser dry (no water or alcohol). It worked really well. Most of the red chalk came off of the shaft and ferrule. Didn't do too good on the tip though when I hit it by accident. I then burnished with a brown paper bag. Shaft feels like new.

So, my only concern is: how much abrasive action does the dry Magic Eraser have? I did not see any dust flying so I'm guessing no wood was removed. Hopefully, the burnishing sealed it back up. I don't see how a dry pad could damage the shaft if the rubbing is light.

So, this may be a good technique for me to do once a month or so.

jed
 
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Shaft cleaning

Magic eraser is the best thing out there however, you must wipe the shaft down with a dry cloth immediately after using the eraser. (I use a black cue cloth I bought in Muellers) The eraser can also be used damp to clean your linen wrap. It does an amazing job. Try it before you decide to pay for a re-wrap. Many people also have made the mistake of using those green scouring pads...BIG MISTAKE PEOPLE!!!!. After a while you will notice that your ferrule is no longer flush with the wood of your shaft. That's because the pads do the same damage sandpaper does when you use it on wood. Stick to the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, you cannot go wrong.
 
jed1894 said:
Man, you guys are on the ball! Thanks for all the responses. While waiting on some responses I did a little experiment with one of my Players shafts that gets some pretty bad treatment. It was stained with red chalk and has not been cleaned in a while. (this is the shaft I take to my buddies house when we're all drinking and passing around cues. So, it gets beer and other stuff on it).

I tried the Majic eraser dry (no water or alcohol). It worked really well. Most of the red chalk came off of the shaft and ferrule. Didn't do too good on the tip though when I hit it by accident. I then burnished with a brown paper bag. Shaft feels like new.

So, my only concern is: how much abrasive action does the dry Majic Eraser have? I did not see any dust flying so I'm guessing no wood was removed. Hopefully, the burnishing sealed it back up. I don't see how a dry pad could damage the shaft if the rubbing is light.

So, this may be a good technique for me to do once a month or so.

jed
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Two things for you, Jed.

First, the Magic Eraser does not take anything off the diameter of the shaft. It's a cleaner, not an abrasive. As long as you burnish after your cleaning to seal the shaft, you'll be fine.

Second, the word "magic" does not have a J in it. (Sorry, I had to, it was killing me).
 
jed1894 said:
I know this subject has been beat to death, but I have a couple specific questions if someone can help me.

First off, I am not going to use alcohol, water, wax, low grit sand paper (below 2500 grit) on my shaft because it does not get that dirty. I keep it wiped down and I have very dry hands. I'm looking for information on minor conditioning. Here are my questions:

1. Does anyone know the grit number of Majic eraser pads? It feels like 2000 but I'm not sure. The dry form of Majic eraser could answer my question but I'm concerned how the shaft will feel after I use it.

2. What alternate source is the equilavant of 4000 grit sand paper? Paper bag maybe? 4000 grit should get the light stuff off, but I cannot find any.

3. Last one....after using something (above maybe), which of the following would make it the slickest? paper bag, micro mesh wrag of some kind, dollar bill or leave it alone after the 4000 grit and/or majic eraser?

Thanks in advance........and I know that wax and other methods are probably better but my shafts are all in good shape and I do not want to change them.

thanks, jed
Click to expand...



From what I've read, Magic Eraser is the equivalent of about 1500 grit - which is fine.

The reason why it works so well is because it is melamine resin foam, a substance that has a unique cellular structure. When wet, it cleans deep into fibrous pores that other abrasives don't reach - this is why it works so well. Basically, it cleans out dirt at a cellular level.

You will not wear out your shaft using the Magic Eraser. The dampness of Magic Eraser will raise the grain of the shaft. You can use a 1500 - 2000 (dry) grit paper to sand it. I use paper shopping bags afterward to seal and burnish the shaft, rubbing the shaft until the friction heats it up. I also have a drill attachment to spin shafts which is great for burnishing them with paper afterwards.

Chris
 
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9BallMarksman said:
Two things for you, Jed.

First, the Magic Eraser does not take anything off the diameter of the shaft. It's a cleaner, not an abrasive. As long as you burnish after your cleaning to seal the shaft, you'll be fine.

Second, the word "magic" does not have a J in it. (Sorry, I had to, it was killing me).
Click to expand...

That's funny. I didn't notice that until you pointed that out. Thanks for correcting me. Funny thing, I was looking at the maGic Eraser box when I typed the orginal post and still screwed it up. Sorry about that.

jed
 
anyone use soft scrub. for sinks tubs ect.
a friend uses it and it seems to work well.
is there any draw backs from soft scrub
 
Fundamentally, the process of cleaning a shaft needs to go from removing oils, etc, to opening pores(sanding) to closing pores(resealing) to keep out future guck.

Stopping at cleaning with a product like Qclean will leave you unsealed and kind of rough feeling like a new cue.

Stopping after sanding will leave you rough(unless sanding to a very high grit) and more importantly with open pores to quickly fill with grit.

Closing pores with a wax, or the oils from a leather pad will give you a longer lasting good condition.

Last, magic eraser. . .I don't know the grit, but I'm guessing it works by chemically breaking down into a cleaner as you heat it when rubbing. . .just my guess as I don't have it right now.
 
Long ago, in my efforts to attain the most smooth shaft ever, i decided to try linseed oil. Don't ask me what led me to using linseed, I do not remember. What happened eventually was the oil dried and gave the shaft a seal almost like tung oil.

To get to my point, one of the things applying linseed did was that it clean off all the blue chalk that had accumulated over the years. So if you're willing to risk the chance, rub linseed oil into the shaft, get the red chalk off, and wipe off the oil immediately after. Either that or go to a woodworker who knows his craft and ask him, or maybe some place like Garrett Wade Woodworking. There must be a wood cleaner out there that leaves no film no residue. The first place I'd go is to ask these guys, and the last thing I'd do is use a product made by some pool guy. I was using lapping film years before the red/white/blue stuff came out.
 
LAlouie said:
Long ago, in my efforts to attain the most smooth shaft ever, i decided to try linseed oil. Don't ask me what led me to using linseed, I do not remember. What happened eventually was the oil dried and gave the shaft a seal almost like tung oil.

To get to my point, one of the things applying linseed did was that it clean off all the blue chalk that had accumulated over the years. So if you're willing to risk the chance, rub linseed oil into the shaft, get the red chalk off, and wipe off the oil immediately after. Either that or go to a woodworker who knows his craft and ask him, or maybe some place like Garrett Wade Woodworking
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Weird. Linseed oil, according to Wikipedia, "does not cover the surface as varnish does, but soaks into the (visible and microscopic) pores, leaving a shiny but not glossy surface that shows off the grain of the wood. Wood treated with linseed oil is resistant to denting and scratches and is easily repaired, but the surface is not as hard as a modern varnish, and the wood will slowly absorb moisture if allowed to stay wet."

So basically, it can be beneficial, if done right. I had no idea.
 
9BallMarksman said:
Weird. Linseed oil, according to Wikipedia, "does not cover the surface as varnish does, but soaks into the (visible and microscopic) pores, leaving a shiny but not glossy surface

So basically, it can be beneficial, if done right. I had no idea.
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Which I think is what tung oil does, it soaks into the wood not lay on top of it like varnish. BTW, I repeated this process with 4 layers of linseed, and let me tell you, it didn't look like something I could ever take off ;);)
 
Pumice hand cleaner, the stuff you can buy at an automotive store, works great to clean all the chalk and other crap that accumulates in your shaft. Also, using green chalk instead of blue will help keep your shaft a lot cleaner to begin with. That blue chalk is filthy stuff.

jed1894 said:
I know this subject has been beat to death, but I have a couple specific questions if someone can help me.

First off, I am not going to use alcohol, water, wax, low grit sand paper (below 2500 grit) on my shaft because it does not get that dirty. I keep it wiped down and I have very dry hands. I'm looking for information on minor conditioning. Here are my questions:

1. Does anyone know the grit number of Magic eraser pads? It feels like 2000 but I'm not sure. The dry form of Magic eraser could answer my question but I'm concerned how the shaft will feel after I use it.

2. What alternate source is the equilavant of 4000 grit sand paper? Paper bag maybe? 4000 grit should get the light stuff off, but I cannot find any.

3. Last one....after using something (above maybe), which of the following would make it the slickest? paper bag, micro mesh wrag of some kind, dollar bill or leave it alone after the 4000 grit and/or magic eraser?

Thanks in advance........and I know that wax and other methods are probably better but my shafts are all in good shape and I do not want to change them.

thanks, jed
Click to expand...
 
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