Shaft Wax ( Discussing methods of shaft maintenace )

[mortuarymike-nv]

I have been testing out different car waxes on some of my cue shafts.

A friend of mine made commercial car wax for years, he owned the business and was a major supplier of car waxes to all the detail shops in southern California.

He would mix up about 300 gallons of wax at a time.
he also said some of the stuff he put in his car wax was a major heath hazards and protective gear was a must.

To be 100% honest I know very little about car waxes and how to make them.
'Also I don't care for the scent of most car waxes made with natural waxes.


My understanding is there are three different natural waxes that are used to make car wax or wood waxes and they all are petro based.
From what I gather all natural waxes used on cars or wood have some kind of petroleum in them.

The three known natural waxes on cars and wood are carnauba, bee's wax and paraffin wax.

Carnauba has the highest melting point and dries the hardest over bees and paraffin waxes.
But in car waxes it seems that bees wax and paraffin wax is all used in allot of carnauba car waxes too, it is some what of a blend of the 3 waxes.
My guess is paraffin is used because its the cheapest of all three of the waxes.
By the way carnauba wax melting point is right around 170 degrees F.
bees wax is about 120 degree.

Pool cues and musical instruments kind of stand alone, I do not know of any other exotic wooden products that are made to such a high standard and have to with stand us handling it on a weekly or daily bases.

I think melting points, how hard the wax dries, how does the wax smell, how long does the wax last. and do we need to strip the old wax off before applying more wax on, and does the wax keep the shaft nice and slippery are important factors in order for us to come up with the best and most inexpensive way to maintain and protect our cue shafts.

The test
I am going to do is to use 6 different waxes on 6 different shafts and see which waxes hold up the best.
here is the brand names of the wax I plan on using.

Pro Yellow wax ( carnauba ) 14 ounce can, solid wax price is about 10 bucks
and it is petro based. And its combustible
Strong petro scent

Meguiar's synthetic paste wax , pure synthetic polymer 11 oz can solid wax , costs about 18 bucks , I have no idea if its made with any petro but it is combustible too.
pleasant scent or perfumed.

Howards Feed -N- Wax . 16 OZ its bees wax and orange oil, it is more of a liquid wax and it too is combustible.
strong orange but pleasant scent.

Cue wax is a carnauba wax it is a paste 2 ounces , 7 bucks and it is also combustible, and petro based .
Pleasant scent or perfumed .

Renaissance micro-crystalline wax polish , it is a paste wax petro based and combustible. 7 ounce can is 20 bucks , I have no idea what natural wax is used in Renaissance wax. strong petro scent and it is combustible.

I am going to mix some waxes together and I have some carnauba flakes.
I will be petro base and combustible cost and scent is unknown.....


Here is a link to wiki carnauba wax, carnauba is used from car waxes to wax used on explosives to MM's candy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnauba_wax

For anyone wanting to add what waxes the use or. if there are any wax experts out there please chime in.

I also would like to publicly say thank you to the member who sent me a can of Renaissance wax. It was a extremely generous act.

 

[RAMIII]

Tascarella shafts

I recently bought a Tasc and have been shocked by the finish on the shafts. I don't know what Pete uses, but they stay amazingly smooth and can just be wiped down with a damp towel afterwards to regain the same smooth finish. I've been looking far and wide to find out what Pete uses, but no luck, so I welcome your test and your results as additional guidance. But if you can, I would try to find out what Pete uses and incorporate his wax into your test as well.
Look forward to your results.

 

[2strong4u]

I'm no expert but can attest the carnauba based cue waxes are the best way to maintain shafts. I apply it perhaps every 15 hours of play. Cue feels like new every time.

To lightly clean the shaft I use a isopropyl alcohol pad which removes chalk dust and hand oils without raising wood grain.

For more intense occasional cleaning I use an Atlas product with silica abrasive, similar to soft scrub. Then burnish, reseal wood , very light sand with 2000 grit to knock down sealer and wax. This is the best way to maintain shafts without chalk staining or loss of diameter.

 

[pwd72s]

A carnuba fan here as well. NOT a "cleaner wax". I use "Harley Wax"...have used it on cars for years, so when I decided to wax a cue shaft, there is was on the garage shelf. Kinda $pendy, but one can would last a lifetime if used only on cue shafts.

http://badgersharlywax.com/

 

[SilverCue]

I use a mixture of Johnson Paste Wax and Dupont Teflon Spray Wax
I apply it with a paper towel, then I burnish the shaft with a clean paper towel.

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

Wax

I know some cuemakers use butchers bowling alley lane wax on there shafts.
I had forgotten about that and I have some brand new shafts that have been done using it.
So I can add another wax to the list, only problem is I do not have any butchers bowling ally wax to do any further tests with it.

So far it does seem like the natural body oils and acids that our hands produce when the sweat dissolves most or all the waxes and some of the sealers used on shafts.

I seal my shafts with Shellac it is a natural product ( its shit from the Lac bug ).
It helps preserve the wood and helps keeping the dirt grime and chalk out f the pours in the shaft.

I cannot help to think some or even allot the waxes used and sold just for pool cues
is really wax from another car wax manufacturer. put in another bottle or can.

 

[Celophanewrap]

I use bowling alley wax normally, sometimes mother's, both are excellent. I apply a couple of coats. I also made a blend of caranuba, bees, and parafin that I have made into a cake. With the shaft on my lathe I'll run the cake up and down the shaft and then polish with a paper towel or other soft cloth to a hard shine and until any tackiness is gone. Between I simply wipe with a damp cloth or chamois. I have found the hard wax to be an excellent protectant and keeps the shaft clean and smooth

 

[Albatross Cues]

MM,

I sent you a PM.

Aloha

 

[Dr_CollieCue]

Collinite Fleet Wax (the paste version) is widely regarded as the longest-lasting marine wax. It is probably worth adding to your test.

 

[Tony_in_MD]

A different view

I don't use any products on my shafts. I make an effort to keep my hands clean while playing, and I wipe down my playing shaft with a slightly damp paper or cloth towel.

If my shaft needs it I will use a very fine grit wet-dry sandpaper (1200-1600) grit, then burnish with the back side of the sandpaper or small section of simonis cloth I have in my case.

 

[Dr_CollieCue]

I use bowling alley wax normally, sometimes mother's, both are excellent. I apply a couple of coats. I also made a blend of caranuba, bees, and parafin that I have made into a cake. With the shaft on my lathe I'll run the cake up and down the shaft and then polish with a paper towel or other soft cloth to a hard shine and until any tackiness is gone. Between I simply wipe with a damp cloth or chamois. I have found the hard wax to be an excellent protectant and keeps the shaft clean and smooth

This might be the best choice given that the wax will be formulated to withstand the friction of bowling balls.

 

[fjk]

I have never used wax on a shaft. After every use I always clean off the chalk dust (I'm always surprised how much chalk I clean off) and burnish with a piece of leather.

My shafts are always clean and smooth. Also, maybe I've just gotten lucky, but all my shafts are dead straight...I don't believe I have ever had a shaft warp on me.

What are the advantages of waxing? Are there any disadvantages or risks? Do I have to remove old wax before applying more? How do I remove the old wax? What happens if I keep applying layers without removing the old wax? Does the moisture in wax create an opportunity to warp the shaft?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Albatross Cues]

Or maybe this will help, says it's the best for your stick.

 

[robertod]

What are the advantages of waxing? Are there any disadvantages or risks? Do I have to remove old wax before applying more? How do I remove the old wax? What happens if I keep applying layers without removing the old wax? Does the moisture in wax create an opportunity to warp the shaft?

I am with you on these very same questions. If anyone has real knowledge of the advantages and/or care of using/removing wax. I also would love to know.

 

[Str8PoolPlayer]

I know some cuemakers use butchers bowling alley lane wax on there shafts.
I had forgotten about that and I have some brand new shafts that have been done using it.
So I can add another wax to the list, only problem is I do not have any butchers bowling ally wax to do any further tests with it.

Mike,
Butcher's Bowling Alley Wax is readily available from True Value
or Ace Hardware. I've been using it for years and turned Tom
Coker onto it also. Be results are achieved when spun on a lathe.

For hand application, you need to apply with pressure and stroke
back and forth fast as possible to generate heat (kind off like when
you were 8 yrs. old and discovered what your wee-wee was for).
Let dry until tackiness is gone, then stroke fast and hard to achieve
a perfectly smooth shaft.

If I'm in a hurry, I'll use Mother' Wax instead. Goes on fast, dries fast,
and buffs shiny and smooth in no time at all.

Those tiny cans of Cue Wax are a rip-off, but would be handy if needed
while away from home.

 

[Darkridder]

On my new sneaky Pete i am using eagle one spray on nano wax, i apply two coats with my microfiber cloth...and it's smooth. To clean it i use a very lightly damp magic easer then spray on two coats and it's good to go!

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

wax

What are the advantages of waxing? Are there any disadvantages or risks? Do I have to remove old wax before applying more? How do I remove the old wax? What happens if I keep applying layers without removing the old wax? Does the moisture in wax create an opportunity to warp the shaft?

Thanks in advance for the help.[/QUOTE]

I am a pretty good sized person and my hands sweat allot:embarrassed2:
Gloves , cotton towels and a smooth slick shaft helps me allot.

All chalk is a abrasive, and will create friction and it adsorbs moisture oils and acids from our hands.
I really don't want any kind of that type of grim and dirt in the pours of my cue shaft.
So I would clean off all the old wax with denatured alcohol just to remove what dirt and grim that is suspended in the wax.

What moisture that is in what seems is in all waxes seems to be petroleum based.
And wood seems to like certain oils to help preserve the wood.
I have seen a few older cues from the 70s era that the shafts cracked because they dried out.

Shafts warping because we do or do not maintain them ?
I am not qualified to really give you a correct answer because I Don't know it all.
I have had some shafts warp and I didn't think of shaft warpage when I made this thread so maybe some of the experts can jump in and save me.

I am a local cue repairman and I am starting to make my own cues
I have had more laminated shafts warp then solid maple or non laminated shafts.
The solid maple shafts that i have warped on me happened fast.
Its like they warped over night, and the were very new cues.
Take this info for what ever its worth but from what I have been told almost all production shafts are made from the wood being delivered to the factory to the time the shaft is completed is 90 days or less.
Straight grained maple seems to stay straighter them maple with not straight grained maple or a wavy growth rings.
Some or allot of my shaft wood was turned round in 2004 and if I was to try to make a shaft with it in 90 days or less I think I would have some warping issues.
Takes me about 18 months to turn a shaft , but I am not using a Stabilizer to dip my shafts in.
I had one solid maple shaft that was pinch in a door, the cue was leaning against the hinge side of the door and someone opened the door to inter the garage where the pool table was.
When the door was tried to be closed the cue had slipped in between the door and the door jam frame on the hinge side of the door.
It damn near pinched the shaft into.
I put wet band aids where the shaft had been pinched for 2 weeks, the shaft didn't warp and after I was done you couldn't even see where the shaft had ever been pinched.

I would also like to say to all the players who don't have there own cue lathe is you don't have to have a lathe to clean and wax your cue shaft...

 

[cueman]

I have tried a lot of waxes in my time and have only found two of the popular ones good enough for cue shafts. That is the Cue Wax and the Renaissance Wax made for protecting paintings. Those are the only two I have found that give the smooth silky feel. Butchers, Bowling Alley and Car wax all create a little friction drag instead of that silky smooth stroke. Cue Wax smells better than Renaissance Wax so the Cue Wax is best for me.

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

scent

I have tried a lot of waxes in my time and have only found two of the popular ones good enough for cue shafts. That is the Cue Wax and the Renaissance Wax made for protecting paintings. Those are the only two I have found that give the smooth silky feel. Butchers, Bowling Alley and Car wax all create a little friction drag instead of that silky smooth stroke. Cue Wax smells better than Renaissance Wax so the Cue Wax is best for me.

I worked with my hands in solvents for years and the some of the petro based car waxes really have a strong scent.
Renaissance wax does have a strong scent but it doesn't linger.

Thanks for chiming in Chris.

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

Spell check

A carnuba fan here as well. NOT a "cleaner wax". I use "Harley Wax"...have used it on cars for years, so when I decided to wax a cue shaft, there is was on the garage shelf. Kinda $pendy, but one can would last a lifetime if used only on cue shafts.

http://badgersharlywax.com/

Its spelled kind of funny CARNAUBA, I missed spelled it for years