The truth about Micarta

Buster8001

Buster8001

Did you say shrubberies?
Silver Member
Ok. So, there are multiple threads, by multiple members, in this forum (all over AZB to be completely correct) selling Micarta. There are also countless questions as to "what is what" regarding this mysterious material. I, myself, have participated in some of the more long and drawn out threads. Well, today, the clouds were finally parted:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=238799

Enjoy.

Josh
 
Buster8001 said:
Ok. So, there are multiple threads, by multiple members, in this forum (all over AZB to be completely correct) selling Micarta. There are also countless questions as to "what is what" regarding this mysterious material. I, myself, have participated in some of the more long and drawn out threads. Well, today, the clouds were finally parted:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=238799

Enjoy.

Josh
Click to expand...


have to say that I didn't find much of anything new.

And I have to ask why does it matter. The older yellowish micarta isn't available other than in small amounts.

Its a ferrule material for goodness sake, there are alot of good to great ferrule materials out there that are still being made.

I've never understood the big fuss over micarta ferrules. I like Mason's new ones, but not as much as say a nice clean LBM.
 
Hcep

cubswin said:
have to say that I didn't find much of anything new.

And I have to ask why does it matter. The older yellowish micarta isn't available other than in small amounts.

Its a ferrule material for goodness sake, there are alot of good to great ferrule materials out there that are still being made.

I've never understood the big fuss over micarta ferrules. I like Mason's new ones, but not as much as say a nice clean LBM.
Click to expand...

I agree.....WHO F-ING CARES? Why do all of you get on here and act like ferrule material experts?

I work for Westinghouse (ABB). We use Micarta still today for electrical insulation purposes. I can get you all the micarta you can eat. But Hydrophobic Cycloaliphatic Epoxy gives Micarta the 6 out and the breaks for ferrules.

HCEP has much, much better electrical insulation characteristics and a lower porosity modulus. Plus, it's impervious to chalk, dust, water, salt, electrical tracking and flash-overs. And all of this is extremely important when it comes to cue stick ferrules.

If you are willing to pay extreme premium dollars for this stuff, you are a sucker and I am a seller.

Let me know in the main thread. No dealers. One ferrule per transaction. No PM's please.
 
I appreciate the info, thanks, good stuff:thumbup: I LOVE paper based micarta ferrules, and can definately see why there's alot of fuss about it. You guys can keep your lbm, and melamine crap:thumbup: I do want to try the new Masonh micarta sometime soon. if it plays near as good as the yeller stuff, i'm sold.
 
Obviously some people care; I, for one, care. Others must too. If not, then why is it constantly being talked about and sold.

I'm just trying to shed light on the subject, and stop the price gouging. Seeing PDCue and others sell this material for almost $100 a pop irritates me. Just as my thread irritated you. You are free to post, as am I.

Josh
 
Unless you are going to post an actual review of the Micarta ferrule material, and not a link to another non-review thread, this thread does not belong in the review section. Moved.
 
Hungarian Nut said:
I agree.....WHO F-ING CARES? Why do all of you get on here and act like ferrule material experts?

I work for Westinghouse (ABB). We use Micarta still today for electrical insulation purposes. I can get you all the micarta you can eat. But Hydrophobic Cycloaliphatic Epoxy gives Micarta the 6 out and the breaks for ferrules.

HCEP has much, much better electrical insulation characteristics and a lower porosity modulus. Plus, it's impervious to chalk, dust, water, salt, electrical tracking and flash-overs. And all of this is extremely important when it comes to cue stick ferrules.

If you are willing to pay extreme premium dollars for this stuff, you are a sucker and I am a seller.

Let me know in the main thread. No dealers. One ferrule per transaction. No PM's please.
Click to expand...

People who value transparency care. Your post is also enlightening and wouldn't have been made were it not for the discussion surrounding this mythical material. Often people find "caches" of old parts and they try to cash in on that by hyping the mythical properties or the nostalgic nature. In one instance I saw someone selling metal parts for $75 each which are available for $2 each if one knows where to look. It's a free market however and people can charge what they want. Others are equally free to challenge any justification given for the pricing. If one wants to claim scarcity then others are free to look for other sources. If one wants to claim that a particular method is no longer in use then one has the freedom to verify that claim and find suitable alternatives.
 
Roadie said:
People who value transparency care. Your post is also enlightening and wouldn't have been made were it not for the discussion surrounding this mythical material. Often people find "caches" of old parts and they try to cash in on that by hyping the mythical properties or the nostalgic nature. In one instance I saw someone selling metal parts for $75 each which are available for $2 each if one knows where to look. It's a free market however and people can charge what they want. Others are equally free to challenge any justification given for the pricing. If one wants to claim scarcity then others are free to look for other sources. If one wants to claim that a particular method is no longer in use then one has the freedom to verify that claim and find suitable alternatives.
Click to expand...

That made way to much sense.
 
Buster8001 said:
Obviously some people care; I, for one, care. Others must too. If not, then why is it constantly being talked about and sold.

I'm just trying to shed light on the subject, and stop the price gouging. Seeing PDCue and others sell this material for almost $100 a pop irritates me. Just as my thread irritated you. You are free to post, as am I.

Josh
Click to expand...

Well pal, since you chose to make it personal,
your calling me a price gouger MORE than irritatates me.

Most of my customers apreciate my willingness to sell to them.
Many thank me, and, so far, not one has been nit enough to complain about the price.

For that matter, two of the more knowledgeable ones told me I was
being very foolish charging only $50 apiece.

As for relative quality - anyone who knows anything knows "hit" is a highly
subjective evaluation.

The genuine "old" Westinghouse material has a hit like no other.
Nothing else available is even similar, not other paper Micartas,
certainly not the new yellow stuff.

Here is a fact to keep in mind - the original material
is not a phenolic...

That being said, any of the other offerings may well make the
absolutely best ferrules in the history of Western Civilization. but
quite a few of us like the "old yellow..." better.

Dale
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top