Tip & Shaft Maintenance?

feedtheworm

feedtheworm

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm just returning to pool after a 15+ year break and I need some advice.
I've got a nice old, restored Palmer PB-6 and a brand new Pechauer break cue & I'd like to take very good care of them.

I need advice on good tip tools and something to keep the shafts clean and smooth. I would prefer not to use anything abrasive on the shafts and an all in one tip tool would be ideal but I'm up for suggestions.


Thanks,
Johnny
 
Send your shaft to baby'sproshop and get mike to freeze it! Get a new tip Kamui brown Med! And then get a mezz tip tool or a ultimate tip tool ad you should be good to go. Then if your shaft is a wee bit dirty just wipe it down...
 
gwjackal said:
Send your shaft to baby'sproshop and get mike to freeze it! Get a new tip Kamui brown Med! And then get a mezz tip tool or a ultimate tip tool ad you should be good to go. Then if your shaft is a wee bit dirty just wipe it down...
Click to expand...

I'm happy with my shafts and tips as they are currently. I just want to keep them that way.

What do you suggest wiping the shafts with? Any specific product?
 
I personally like a qwiz for my case but I also do full repairs and such so I cheat. Mikes coating is the best I have felt and it lasts a super long time.
 
For the tip i use a *handmade tool*- with 3 different type of diameters and one *straight plane* side. cheap and has the shape like i want it. But the "Ultimate Tool* is is nice-even so the Willard. I would recommend a Willard plus a *Tip Pik Tool* at least.

For cleaning a shaft i have usualy just a cloth. If a shaft is really *dirty* i use a (sry, do not know the special word in english, so i try to describe it, lol) sponge to clean it- this sponge works like a rubber. After workin with this *rubber-sponge* i take the cloth ( a piece of clean anti-static cloth) and after this i use a piece of leather and burnish the shaft until it gets really warm.
Then the shaft is like new and perfect :-)
Hope my low english was good enough to explain what kind of sponge i meant- it doesn t take affect to the wood or would take wood from it neither-it s just a cleaning-sponge which is just takin off the dirt.

lg from overseas
Ingo

and welcome back in buisness of course :) have fun with your *old Palmer*
 
I think Ingo is referring to magic cleaning cloth or the miracal cloth.They are white and are available in most US super markets.
 
Mr. Clean Magic Ereaser

Micro Mesh abrasive cloth in 4000 and 6000 (equivilant to 800 and 1500 grit sandpaper)

3x5 piece of undyed leather to burnish.

Denatured alcohol. No other chemicals needed. All of them leave a chemical residue that will become sticky and attract dirt.

Small piece of towel to wipe shaft.

Larger towel to wipe hands.

BD chalk.

I have yet to find the tip tool I want. It would be a metal file about 3" to 4" long with permanent abrasive and shaped in a dime curvature. I found such an item but it is not shaped to provide a dime shaped tip.
 
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Two years ago, I started sealing all my shafts with shellac-based sanding sealer. Now, maintenance is easy. After every night of play I wipe down the shaft with 91% rubbing alcohol, and polish with brown bag paper. My shafts all stay clean and smooth. A Willard shaper and tip-pik are in my case, but are never used. I made my own shapers made by gluing 120 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper to pieces of aluminum tubing. Spend a few minutes after every night of play and your shafts will stay in great shape for years.

Bill
 
I don't really worry about the shaft that much as long as it is smooth. Qwhiz works great for shaft, and only use a tip-pick on the tip. I never use a shaper just the pick.
 
I use Butchers Bowling alley wax on my shafts. Works great and I only apply it about every six months or so. Keeps all of the chalk out.

If your shafts have bluing on them use a magic eraser dampened with rubbing alcohol and it will remove all of the chalk dust on the shaft and ferrule.
 
In a pinch if you are out just reach into your pocket and grab your:( paper money to clean and smooth the shaft. The paper money is like a 2000 grit sandpaper.
 
Wash your hand frequently!!!

I stumbled onto something that is working very well for me. My wife has (or I should say had......) a special microfiber towell that was made for polishing wine glasses to a high luster. It is a much different texture than other "microfiber" cloths and towels that I have seen. I have found that if my shaft is nice and clean to start with, if I wipe agressively with this towell ocassionally during play....and always after play....my shaft stays AMAZINGLY clean for a very long time!!!

Eventually, (now after several months with the towell) I will wipe with rubbing alcohol and re-burnish with leather.

A q-whiz is handy in the case if you are playing away from home.

I also have some 2000 grit papers that I never seem to need.

You can always pony up and send your shaft to a pro shop for a deep cleaning to get it nice and clean to start with.

I, personally, like to keep a perfect dime shape on my tip and the $5.00 Willard works fine for that. You will get a lot of different opinions on this matter of personal choice.

Good Luck!!!
 
Some may and some may not agree but this is what work for me: if the shaft is clean or new, give it (including the ferrule) two coats of Butcher's Bowling Alley wax and buff well between and after coats. If not clean, clean with Magic Eraser and Isopropyl Alcohol and then use micro mesh to sand slick and follow with wax. Now, after every shooting session I'll wipe the shaft and ferrule with a microfibre cloth followed with a wipe using a piece of Magic Eraser I carry in my cue case. Wipe the tip clean with a paper towel and then twist with a Willards dime shaper (I place the Willards shaper on the floor, hold it with my toes, and twist the cue on the shaper back and forth holding the cue vertical). When I pull my cue out for the next shooting session it"s like brand new. Do be careful when you chalk the tip, just lightly wipe the chalk on holding the cue at an angle and don't grind. Wax every 2 to 4 months as the mood strikes you. Good luck with any procedure you select.
 
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When shafts get dirty from chalk dust nothing cleans them as well as Magic Eraser. I slice mine into 1/4" mini erasers (see photo). Burnish with untreated leather piece until smooth as a baby's bottom!.
 

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