Shaft Wax ( Discussing methods of shaft maintenace )

[Agent 99]

Great thread ... just got done reading it in it's entirety.

I have never allowed anything liquid to touch my shafts because of fear that exposure to moisture of any kind would warp the shafts.

So, I just got a new shaft and will treat it with Renaissance Wax, thinking that now after playing I will wipe it down with a damp cloth, and then wipe it clean with a dry cloth and not have to worry about the moisture ever penetrating the wax to reach the shaft.

I plan on retreating with additional waxing as needed - My other shafts look like hell but they play great. Very smooth, but they are between the colors of black, blue and green.

Thanks for all the info -- Great job Mike!

Good rolls.

 

[speedy5963]

Great thread Mike! Enjoyed reading and hearing what others are doing. I've been using my yellow carnuba wax for the most part, sometimes some Mothers products.

I've also worked with restoring old cars, building model cars, using automotive products for painting , color sanding and finishing products so I've taken what has worked there and tried various things on the shafts. In doing repair work I've ran across people that do not want wax on their shafts, I generally clean them and polish them with various (fine to very fine sand paper) and burnish the shafts. Most people cringe when we talk about sand paper in general but do not realize that at a certain point you are actually cleaning the surface and polishing more than you would be removing wood/ferrule/tip material.

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

wax

Great thread Mike! Enjoyed reading and hearing what others are doing. I've been using my yellow carnuba wax for the most part, sometimes some Mothers products.

I've also worked with restoring old cars, building model cars, using automotive products for painting , color sanding and finishing products so I've taken what has worked there and tried various things on the shafts. In doing repair work I've ran across people that do not want wax on their shafts, I generally clean them and polish them with various (fine to very fine sand paper) and burnish the shafts. Most people cringe when we talk about sand paper in general but do not realize that at a certain point you are actually cleaning the surface and polishing more than you would be removing wood/ferrule/tip material.

Hey Paul
I still have the can of carnauba yellow wax you gave me when I got the lathe from you.
Good wax ... Really I think almost any paste wax will work good, I do like using lighter fluid ..then wax .


I am thinking of buying another 4 ft lathe bed, if I do, I am going to sale one maybe two of the lathe bed extensions.
I don't know if you are interested or not .

How is Richard ?
If you see Al tell him I said hi ..
Say hi to your wife and kids too..

 

[9Ballr]

-Lastly, I'm a big fan for friction fit cases such as a Ron Thomas case. I believe they do a better job of sealing out environmental moisture.

I love the Ron Thomas cases. Possibly my favorite cases, I've had a lot.
I have a 1x2 and a 2x4. Superb stuff.

 

[9Ballr]

I haven't tried the Longoni wax but it looks interesting.

https://youtu.be/EhT7ruvoMJc

I have shafts that date back to the mid 1970's (others from the 80's, 90's 00's) and I've never waxed any of them.
They're all in perfect shape, no warping, and work as well as they did when they were new.
I also never do any maintenance on them....as in zero!
They're dirty and some are very blue from chalk. No problems.
Maybe shafts don't need as much maintenance as some may think, but I'm sure it also depends on how much a person sweats.
I don't sweat much but on humid days if it gets out of hand I use a glove, usually a Joseph.

 

[HawaiianEye]

Has anyone tried the lighter fluid on a Predator yet?

I've used it years ago on a regular maple shaft with good results.

 

[greyghost]

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.

lol its no secret.....once you seal a shaft....as long as the owner cleans his or her dam hands, and uses the paper towel they dried their hands with to BUFF it, then a dry one to buff hot....an BOOM DONE

my everyday player of 8 years......never not a got dam thing other than what i just said was ever done to it....smoother than a babies ass.....now its like super burnished or something......like the handrails offshore out of steel that are 40 years old, ad just from passing hands on it walking down stairs....its shiny like glass.....

any decent cue maker or repair guy thats not full retard can do this......fact

waxes and all that crap are just that....crap. putting more layers of crap on top of crap on top of crap.....then your dirty arse hands....the gymnyst chalk some act like they are tony montana with....talbes that are far from clean.....its just oil and chalk residue that make a shaft gunk....and usin sandpaper and got dam scotch brite is not the way......thats for sucker know nothings and is just ruining equipment.

maybe its ok thought since most people who do that have cheaper production cues and didn't spend high dollar on a fine percussion instrument made tastefully carefully artfully and patiently. Nope....still not ok. just buy a house cue if your gonna do that and donate your player to my school program....ill teach the kids how to properly take care of equipment.....and just because something is cheap....doesn't mean we should treat it cheap

for a better game,
-Greyghost

 

[greyghost]

Has anyone tried the lighter fluid on a Predator yet?

I've used it years ago on a regular maple shaft with good results.

lighter fluid works just fine for cleaning too....solvents the gunk, wont damage a seal and is cheap and will only clean and help to burnish even better....thats the one exception.

 

[greyghost]

I love the Ron Thomas cases. Possibly my favorite cases, I've had a lot.
I have a 1x2 and a 2x4. Superb stuff.

guess where Ron Thomas is from.......lol


Lafayette Louisiana.....ever wonder why he does so much gator compared to others....because my area supplies the world with it.

strong,
G.G.

 

[greyghost]

Great thread ... just got done reading it in it's entirety.

I have never allowed anything liquid to touch my shafts because of fear that exposure to moisture of any kind would warp the shafts.

So, I just got a new shaft and will treat it with Renaissance Wax, thinking that now after playing I will wipe it down with a damp cloth, and then wipe it clean with a dry cloth and not have to worry about the moisture ever penetrating the wax to reach the shaft.

I plan on retreating with additional waxing as needed - My other shafts look like hell but they play great. Very smooth, but they are between the colors of black, blue and green. you did perfect with them then.....ask Dave Gross (member 12squared about that color/z he has a very old shaft that the top third i swear in my memory looks like a predator revo lol...and its butter!)

Thanks for all the info -- Great job Mike!

Good rolls.

if you dont want it to color.....clean with what i mentioned before and after play every day....takes 30 seconds...you got time homie. lol it will age still but just look antiqued not like its chalk impregnated, which can still happen over a seal, the surface is never 100% perfect flat doesnt matter searing or boar either....no such thing as perfect much less a true impermeable barrier to a degree....think about it like drug dogs sniffing out drugs welded in pipes in tanks of deisel.....used to work with a k9 unit next to where i grew up.....your not ever fooling that dog, they smell in layers, and are proof that given time even metal can be permeated by particles.....isn't that neat? or sucky depending on your line of work lol!

 

[greyghost]

Great thread Mike! Enjoyed reading and hearing what others are doing. I've been using my yellow carnuba wax for the most part, sometimes some Mothers products.

I've also worked with restoring old cars, building model cars, using automotive products for painting , color sanding and finishing products so I've taken what has worked there and tried various things on the shafts. In doing repair work I've ran across people that do not want wax on their shafts, I generally clean them and polish them with various (fine to very fine sand paper) and burnish the shafts. Most people cringe when we talk about sand paper in general but do not realize that at a certain point you are actually cleaning the surface and polishing more than you would be removing wood/ferrule/tip material.

use micro grit cloth....not sand paper.....much better if your having to do that for a cleaning than sandpaper....the micro grit is as perfect an even grit texture as could be, really great stuff, its washable and lasts long time believe it or not....small precuts are about 40 for a double set....cheaper if you spend more and buy full sheets, more up front but savings because of bulk

 

[EddieBme]

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.

Do you wet or dampen the sandpaper first?

 

[greyghost]

Do you wet or dampen the sandpaper first?

magic 8 ball says doubtful

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

Wax

Has anyone tried the lighter fluid on a Predator yet?

I've used it years ago on a regular maple shaft with good results.

I really like the lighter fluid on solid maple shafts then wax with that wax I sent you.
The synthetic stuff .
I get great results .....

I think Lighter fluid would void the warranty, I have no idea if it would make the shaft delaminate or not.

 

[greyghost]

I really like the lighter fluid on solid maple shafts then wax with that wax I sent you.
The synthetic stuff .
I get great results .....

I think Lighter fluid would void the warranty, I have no idea if it would make the shaft delaminate or not.

ohhhhhhh DAM GOOD POINT BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!

i dont use laminate and havent done the lighter fluid thing in years, but yes depending on the adhesive they use for that.....its more than possible.

i will say that the offbrand laminated shafts....that glue starts to show breakdown after not even a decade.....havent seen that in the other top brands but i dont mess with it that much anyways or keep track of when and how long some reg joe has had his lmainate shaft

 

[commswatch]

I've been using HUT wood wax for 20 years. I'll clean them up every 3 months or so, throw it on the lathe and throw a couple coats of the hut wax on... Then burnish and buff it out. Every hour or so of play, I'll wash my hands and use the napkins I dried my hands with to reburnish.....works great.

 

[Tony_in_MD]

No I use it dry.

Do you wet or dampen the sandpaper first?

 

[john coloccia]

FWIW, I never do anything to my shafts except wipe them with a towel and play pool. Once it's sealed, I think if you just keep it clean and dry, and otherwise just leave it alone and play, the shaft will just take care of itself.

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

Shaft sealer

FWIW, I never do anything to my shafts except wipe them with a towel and play pool. Once it's sealed, I think if you just keep it clean and dry, and otherwise just leave it alone and play, the shaft will just take care of itself.

What shaft sealer that doesn't set up like glass that is a one time shaft sealer that doesn't dissolve from the oils in our hands ?
Everyone does understand that dry wood become brittle ...
And the wood does need to retain certain amounts of moisture and oils to remain flexible so it doesn't dry up crack or just keep on shrinking or become brittle.

 

[john coloccia]

What shaft sealer that doesn't set up like glass that is a one time shaft sealer that doesn't dissolve from the oils in our hands ?

Whatever is on my 30 year old McDermotts and 20 year old Lucasis seems to do the trick.