The Chalking Sound

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DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ok, i know this is a dumb question, but sometimes i notice when people chalk it makes that "screeching sound", like nails on chalkboard. other times its about like the sound of shaking sugar around in a container.

what accounts for the sound difference? assume its the hardness of the tip? the newness? new chalk?

DCP
 
The hardness of the tip, pressure applied, and the atmosphere. If it's really dry then the chalk will be dryer than normal making the screeching sound. If it's in a humid environment then the chalk will be not so dry and more smooth.
 
I think it can hve to do with the newness of the tip, new chalk, etc.. But in almost all cases, it is usually the humidity. In really dry areas, you will get that horrible squeaking all the time.

While raining, you are not going to get it as much. It's a real problem over here in Iraq. I have to be real careful chalking my cue, to get full coverage. The low humidity seems to cause my tip to harden and "glass over" quickly, so if I am not careful, I miscue more often.

For a prime example, check out the the old Sands Regency tournaments on Accu-Stats videos. Very dry conditions, lots of squeak-squeak, more miscues in one tournament than I have seen in all the US Opens put together.

Russ
 
IMO, in addition to the other things mentioned above, it may have to do with the chalking technique. I was going to use the word "improper" but I'd like to avoid getting torn a new one, and who am I to say what is proper, especially if it goes against what pros are doing.

I've seen people quote Mosconi as saying something to the effect that you should chalk your tip the way a women applies lipstick. The way many people chalk would be like if the lipstick had a 4 inch diameter and she put it up to her mouth and twisted or swiveled until eventually her lips were covered. She would probably end up with the clown look, and an uneven clown look at that. LOL.

Since I started carrying and using my own cube I also noticed that my wear pattern is different from the house chalks. Instead of a bored out hole, the wear pattern on my chalk looks like an "X". I don't mean to claim that what I am doing is correct, nor that another way is incorrect. I don't even know if I'm doing it the way Mosconi meant.

All I know is that after trying to do it that way I believe I am miscuing less, squeaking less (or never) and it sure is nice not to have to stick my ferrule down into a deep hole to get some chalk. :)
 
Tv

The noise is often far worse on TV because people are miked up and by coincidence the place they hold a stick to chalk the tip leaves the tip almost against the mike.

Hu
 
ANother thing is I laugh at how some people are like SHOVELING A CRATER or trying into the chalk and think its the right way...

YOu can at least tell who knows a little bit about who knows what just by watching them chalk....I cant help but laught about some guys that think they are the greatest after one shot, then go on to bury a black hole. :D
 
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