staining cocobolo black

[spliced]

I'm looking at buying a cue that has a maple butt sleeve with coco windows and ivory diamonds in the coco. I love the way the cue hits but don't like the butt sleeve design much.

I'm thinking about buying the cue and sending it to a cue maker to have the maple and coco in the butt sleeve stained/dyed black. I like the ivory inlays and would want them to remain visible. Is it possible to have the cocobolo and maple dyed black and look good while keeping the ivory inlays nice and white? The main reason I'm asking is that I know coco is an oily wood so I don't know how it takes stain.

Thanks for your help

 

[GBCues]

I'm looking at buying a cue that has a maple butt sleeve with coco windows and ivory diamonds in the coco. I love the way the cue hits but don't like the butt sleeve design much.

I'm thinking about buying the cue and sending it to a cue maker to have the maple and coco in the butt sleeve stained/dyed black. I like the ivory inlays and would want them to remain visible. Is it possible to have the cocobolo and maple dyed black and look good while keeping the ivory inlays nice and white? The main reason I'm asking is that I know coco is an oily wood so I don't know how it takes stain.

Thanks for your help

Ivory? Sending? That is or will soon be illegal, I believe. Yes, I think the law reads "selling across state lines", but if challenged, how would you prove that it was a repair and not a sale? In the meantime, you cue would be confiscated.
Yes, I believe you can stain cocobolo, certainly the maple, BEFORE they are finished. Staining after the fact would require sanding the cue down to the wood and even then, stain might not take evenly.
My 2 cents,
Gary

 

[spliced]

I would be driving the cue over to Scot at proficient billiards to have him do the work, so no worries about confiscation. And yes I am aware that the finish would need to be removed before staining, and a new finish would be applied after.

I'm more concerned with how well cocobolo would take a black stain and how it would look next to maple that had also been stained black.

Thanks

 

[galipeau]

I would be driving the cue over to Scot at proficient billiards to have him do the work, so no worries about confiscation. And yes I am aware that the finish would need to be removed before staining, and a new finish would be applied after.

I'm more concerned with how well cocobolo would take a black stain and how it would look next to maple that had also been stained black.

Thanks

You will likely still see the differences in the grain. I haven't done a lot of staining work, but from what i have seen, this is the case. Also, it may kill the resale of the cue. If I know something has been covered up in a cue, it bugs the heck out of me. Even if the cue hits great and looks decent.

Also, not sure how you will keep the ivory inlays from being stained... Pics might help too.

Keep in mind that there are some really experienced repair guys out there, and I'm blown away sometimes with what they can do. You never know!


It might be a good idea to simply replace the butt sleeve altogether with a design that you like.

 

[cueman]

You will probably be able to see the windows outline if you look close. But it will stain and the Ivory should be fine.

 

[Paul Dayton]

I've started three answers to this thread and they all boil down to the fact that I think you're trying to do something that isn't going to work and will end up with a cue that has an ugly, screwed up butt sleeve.

 

[pescadoman]

Paint and not stain. Works just fine. You won't be able to see any difference in the woods. You wouldn't even have to sand through the old finish unless it is yellow...

 

[KJ Cues]

I'd replace the butt-sleeve with one that suits you.
The current sleeve does not need to be destroyed to be removed.
Save it for another build or until you like it better.

KJ

 

[pescadoman]

I'd replace the butt-sleeve with one that suits you.
The current sleeve does not need to be destroyed to be removed.
Save it for another build or until you like it better.

KJ

You can do that, or rough up the current finish so it takes some paint, paint what you want black and if you ever want to go back simply remove the clear and the black. Painting different woods black is done MUCH more than you think in the pool world. The above is the most benign, and best IMO, solution I can think of. If you ever decide to sell the cue, and you are honest, all you will have to disclose is that you had it refinished(if you return it to it's original state).

I'm also going to say that I would personally find another cue before I messed with another one in such a manner. With windows and ivory diamonds AND the fact you are willing to spend a couple hundred buck having it modified, I have to assume it isn't a very cheap cue to begin with. If you stain or cut it apart, I'm going to make a wild assumption and say that you will kill the value.Even if you decide to try and return it to original, lord knows how many thous. deep the stain will penetrate and it all has to be removed to get the original colors of the wood back.


KJ has forgotten more about cue building than I will most likely ever learn, so I don't take his advice lightly either. I don't think there are any other options that can be offered that haven't been expressed.

Good luck.

 

[pdcue]

I'm looking at buying a cue that has a maple butt sleeve with coco windows and ivory diamonds in the coco. I love the way the cue hits but don't like the butt sleeve design much.

I'm thinking about buying the cue and sending it to a cue maker to have the maple and coco in the butt sleeve stained/dyed black. I like the ivory inlays and would want them to remain visible. Is it possible to have the cocobolo and maple dyed black and look good while keeping the ivory inlays nice and white? The main reason I'm asking is that I know coco is an oily wood so I don't know how it takes stain.

Thanks for your help

IMHO - The only way to end up with what you want would be to mill channels in the
sleeve and replace with strips of Black Ebony. Not hard to do with CNC equipment.
Cost might be prohibitive tho.

Dale

 

[pescadoman]

IMHO - The only way to end up with what you want would be to mill channels in the
sleeve and replace with strips of Black Ebony. Not hard to do with CNC equipment.
Cost might be prohibitive tho.

Dale

Are you saying make the whole buttsleeve, with the exception of the diamonds square, and then glue four pieces of ebony with the diamond female parts somehow matched up?

Forgive me...it's late and maybe I misunderstand. However, in what way is that better or easier than making a new buttsleeve? I don't understand how it's practical in any way, but I have an open mind and I'm certainly the first to admit cnc is still foreign to me. Like I said, maybe I don't get what you are saying....

 

[spliced]

Lol thanks for the replies everyone. Like I said, just something I'm considering doing. Haven't bought the cue yet.

 

[pdcue]

Are you saying make the whole buttsleeve, with the exception of the diamonds square, and then glue four pieces of ebony with the diamond female parts somehow matched up?

Forgive me...it's late and maybe I misunderstand. However, in what way is that better or easier than making a new buttsleeve? I don't understand how it's practical in any way, but I have an open mind and I'm certainly the first to admit cnc is still foreign to me. Like I said, maybe I don't get what you are saying....

Perhaps my post lacked clarity. A replacement butt sleeve would most certainly be the
easiest and most practical way to go, but it was my understanding the OP did not want
a different butt sleeve, and, wanted the original inlays.

But black.

Black Ebony can be added piecemeal and still look like one solid piece.

Dale

 

[Lexicologist71]

Are you saying make the whole buttsleeve, with the exception of the diamonds square, and then glue four pieces of ebony with the diamond female parts somehow matched up?

Forgive me...it's late and maybe I misunderstand. However, in what way is that better or easier than making a new buttsleeve? I don't understand how it's practical in any way, but I have an open mind and I'm certainly the first to admit cnc is still foreign to me. Like I said, maybe I don't get what you are saying....

I'm thinking Mr. Perry thinks the whole project is silly and is pulling a leg. He has done that before. I kinda agree with him. I think the most practical fix is just buy a new cue.