Wax off Wax on, what wax do you use?

[Slim Limpy]

**********

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

Latham, NY?

Yup! How'd you know? Been in there? Or did we work together? Lol

 

[AtLarge]

Yup! How'd you know? Been in there? Or did we work together? Lol

I was in there as a customer a number of times when I was in the area. It was a nice store.

 

[Palmetto cue]

I just bought some for my truck. I have been using Butchers bowling alley wax with great results. I will give it a try and see if it lasts as long. Thanks for the idea!

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

I was in there as a customer a number of times when I was in the area. It was a nice store.

Yes, it was a wonderful store on the face. Behind the scenes... a whole other nightmare. Glad we could help you while it was open. There's nothing like that at all in our area anymore. A real shame.

BTW what kind of woodworking do you do if you don't mind saying?

 

[AtLarge]

Yes, it was a wonderful store on the face. Behind the scenes... a whole other nightmare. Glad we could help you while it was open. There's nothing like that at all in our area anymore. A real shame.

BTW what kind of woodworking do you do if you don't mind saying?

Just an occasional hobbyist, no specialties.

 

[HawaiianEye]

You might want to give this wax a try . I think it might be a improvement over the petro based waxes.


Everyone who asked for a sample they have been mailed.................
Sorry that's my good deed for the decade.
I just wanted to know if anyone had tried a polymer wax. and wondered if they like it.
For the players that like least amount friction and tend to sand there shafts from time to time to keep them smooth, I suggest sealing and wax.
http://www.superiorcarcare.net/meguiars-ultimate-paste-wax.htm

MMike

Mike,

Thanks for the wax. I don't have much experience waxing my cue, but I used the wax you gave me and waxed my Predator 314-2 FAT shaft yesterday morning before going to shoot some at Hawaiian Brian's.

I used my finger and a paper towel to apply a thin coat of wax and then let it sit for several minutes until it kind of set (was still a bit tacky) and then I buffed it off with a brown paper bag and a piece of plain brown cardboard that I keep in my bag.

It polished the shaft up nicely and it was smooth and slick. I have never used the bowling alley wax or carnuba so I can't compare it against those, but it seemed to do the trick.

Thanks for sharing it with me.

Aloha.

 

[Dave Mackay]

I've tried every wax imaginable.....furniture, auto, pool cue. The best cue wax is made by a company in Birmingham. England. I've been using their cue wax for the past 3 years and nothing beats it.

It's a bit pricey because of the shipping cost to the USA which doubles the cost of the wax. Smallest order quantity is 3 cans and sometimes you can find this offered on e-Bay. My contact there is Simon Brown and he's just a great guy and totally dependable. Anyway, 3 cans would run you an average cost just under $12.00 a can ( quantity of 3 cans). It's well worth the price and 3 cans should last you a while. I order in a minimum quantity of a dozen because I polish my pool cue shafts several times a week and I also wax 3-4 cue shafts for my pals.

I wish I could have gotten exclusive distribution rights for the States but that wasn't even a option.This is really the best cue wax around and maybe 3 pool buddies should split an order to try this wax......you will not be disappointed. Do not order this product during seasonally hot weather. I just lost an order of 15 cans that was shipped this past July and the cans were ruined by extreme heat. Keep in mind that it takes more than a week in transit to get here from England and shipping during the summer months is ill advised. I'll only order from now own from mid October through April as I reside in Central California.

Anyway, the name of the company is Craftsman Cues and get in touch with Simon. Tell him Matt from California sent you his way......this guy is so great that he refunded me the entire purchase price on my order of 15 cans. I was able to salvage 5 cans by placing them in the refrigerator and I contacted Simon and offered to pay for at least part of the order and 1/3 seemed about right. Simon politely declined and said it was a mutual lesson learned about not shipping cue wax during hot weather and he wasn't concerned about any payment. I'd been a good customer and he said my patronage was worth more to him than the last order so just consider this to be a freebie.

You can Google Craftsman Cues or periodically keep checking e-Bay under pool cue wax search.......You can't go wrong.

I know the guys very well and they are great people to deal with.

They are actually based in Kippax just near myself in Leeds in England about 2 hours north from Birmingham.

 

[FranCrimi]

For me: No wax. No polish. No silicone. No buildup of anything. Just clean, raw wood that has been ever-so-lightly buffed to smoothness.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I understand. at your age a slick shaft might give you a heart attack.:thud:
MMike

It already has, MM, it already has. :smile:

 

[ElLeon]

I use 100% denatured alcohol to quickly clean the shaft, then a white rubber eraser (latex based japanese eraser if you care), one more pass with the alcohol, then wax.

Current wax of choice (for cues) is a paste wax that did not meet my requirements for showing restored vehicles (automotive restoration and detailing is my other hobby).

http://www.autogeek.net/xmt-180-carnauba-wax.html

 

[mortuarymike-nv]

cloth

Mike,

Thanks for the wax. I don't have much experience waxing my cue, but I used the wax you gave me and waxed my Predator 314-2 FAT shaft yesterday morning before going to shoot some at Hawaiian Brian's.

I used my finger and a paper towel to apply a thin coat of wax and then let it sit for several minutes until it kind of set (was still a bit tacky) and then I buffed it off with a brown paper bag and a piece of plain brown cardboard that I keep in my bag.

It polished the shaft up nicely and it was smooth and slick. I have never used the bowling alley wax or carnuba so I can't compare it against those, but it seemed to do the trick.

Thanks for sharing it with me.

Aloha.

Use a old tee shirt to apply the wax and then a buff with a clean cloth.
try to let the wax dry as much as you can be fore buffing.
MMike

 

[JC]

For me: No wax. No polish. No silicone. No buildup of anything. Just clean, raw wood that has been ever-so-lightly buffed to smoothness.

I used to think that too but realized after way too long that there's much better ways to keep a shaft clean and smooth.. Raw wood is a chalk magnet to it's pores for one thing.

you can nicely seal a shaft without a "buildup" of anything.

I use Formby's tongue oil. Apply it liberally to the raw wood shaft and let it dry overnight. Then burnish it with a spinning shaft and a coffee filter. Then finish it with solid carnauba wax and another coffee filter.again burnishing it in until the paper is burning your hand through it to the point you have to hold the coffee filter with a hot pad. You will have a finish so slick, so durable for so long it will blow your mind. Chalk will not build up in the pores and your maintenance other than wiping down the shaft will be zero for many months with heavy daily play. And you can wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove grime because it's virtually water proof at this point. Looking at the shaft is like looking at glass with wood underneath of it.

I understand many of the techniques and products described in this thread will give similar results. This is how I do mine though. There is nothing like the feeling of a shaft finished like this sliding through a closed bridge.

JC

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

I used to think that too but realized after way too long that there's much better ways to keep a shaft clean and smooth.. Raw wood is a chalk magnet to it's pores for one thing.

you can nicely seal a shaft without a "buildup" of anything.

I use Formby's tongue oil. Apply it liberally to the raw wood shaft and let it dry overnight. Then burnish it with a spinning shaft and a coffee filter. Then finish it with solid carnauba wax and another coffee filter.again burnishing it in until the paper is burning your hand through it to the point you have to hold the coffee filter with a hot pad. You will have a finish so slick, so durable for so long it will blow your mind. Chalk will not build up in the pores and your maintenance other than wiping down the shaft will be zero for many months with heavy daily play. And you can wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove grime because it's virtually water proof at this point. Looking at the shaft is like looking at glass with wood underneath of it.

I understand many of the techniques and products described in this thread will give similar results. This is how I do mine though. There is nothing like the feeling of a shaft finished like this sliding through a closed bridge.

JC

As a woodworker with about 40 years experience I agree wholeheartedly with what you said.:smile:

There are very good reasons why wax has been used on top of the final finish coat on furniture for hundreds of years. It not only looks super, it protects the finish underneath from handling, moisture and the effects of many solvents... like alcohol. Yes, carnuba wax is practically insoluble in ethyl (drinking) alcohol. Handling, sweat and booze - three things commonly found while playing pool.

I love the feeling of smooth raw wood in my fingers, but all hands sweat to some degree, more so when we are under pressure. Without a waterproof layer on the surface, you will always be putting some moisture into the wood, swelling the fibers, raising the grain, and necessitating rubbing the shaft down with fine abrasive paper to remove the raised grain. That's how Efren turns new shafts into toothpicks over the years.

Pure carnuba wax is hard and durable even in thin coats, and by being sparing with its application there is no worry about it ever building up at any point. We're not talking about pouring on liquid floor wax and letting it dry, we're putting on a surface coat that is barely a few ten thousands of an inch thick or less. This is all it takes to keep water out and prevent wear on the shaft until you wear through the wax and apply a little more. And I agree, chalk will not stick to carnuba wax. In fact, nothing sticks to it except more carnuba. If you wax and the chalk still sticks to the shaft, you are using the wrong product.

I realize that to many players their blue shaft is a badge of honor that shows everybody how much they practice, and that many players use a glove these days, so they aren't really bothered by the moisture problem, but for those guys who just don't like the feel of a pool condom on their hand and prefer to just pick up their cue without having to glove up, I think a quality wax is just what the doctor ordered.

BTW JC, have you ever used a product by Birchwood-Casey called "Tru-Oil"? It is a high-quality gunstock finishing oil that has a proprietary mix of hardening oils and driers. You wipe it on and then rub it hard to try to get every bit of it off. What remains is an extremely thin layer of oil finish that is very hard and durable after it dries. You can use multiple coats to get a surface build (not advisable on cue shafts), but each coat should be applied with "the thinner the better" in mind. I've used it on canoe paddles that are in the water for weeks at a time on wilderness trips and it wears very well and really keeps the water out.

http://sport.birchwoodcasey.com/Fin...roductID=b0628cbd-5cd3-48c0-8d42-5b1b8a3f180e

Expensive stuff, but you will like it I'm sure.

 

[JC]

BTW JC, have you ever used a product by Birchwood-Casey called "Tru-Oil"? It is a high-quality gunstock finishing oil that has a proprietary mix of hardening oils and driers. You wipe it on and then rub it hard to try to get every bit of it off. What remains is an extremely thin layer of oil finish that is very hard and durable after it dries. You can use multiple coats to get a surface build (not advisable on cue shafts), but each coat should be applied with "the thinner the better" in mind. I've used it on canoe paddles that are in the water for weeks at a time on wilderness trips and it wears very well and really keeps the water out.

http://sport.birchwoodcasey.com/Fin...roductID=b0628cbd-5cd3-48c0-8d42-5b1b8a3f180e

Expensive stuff, but you will like it I'm sure.

Funny you should ask. It was recommended to me by cue maker Bob Flynn many months ago and I finally bought some to try out. It just came in the mail yesterday. It wasn't that pricey, 8 ounces for 12 bucks. Formby's tung oil works so well it's hard to imagine there's a better product but I'm going to try it out today in fact.

The other thing I have done for many years that may get frowns here is when my shaft gets a lot of little dings I can feel or fixing a beat up shaft for a buddy I will iron the entire shaft with a damp wash cloth and hot iron. Then sand with 1500 and then seal and burnish. It's way easier to get out all the tiny dings like this than to try to steam them one at a time and much better than trying to sand them out. I have never damaged or warped a shaft by doing this and I'm sure I've done it more than a hundred times. Just use a well rung out wash cloth and a very hot iron and roll the shaft inside the cloth while under the iron. This method will find all the tiny dings you may miss otherwise. Of course for larger dents you have to deal with them individually.

JC

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

Mike,

Thanks for the wax. I don't have much experience waxing my cue, but I used the wax you gave me and waxed my Predator 314-2 FAT shaft yesterday morning before going to shoot some at Hawaiian Brian's.

I used my finger and a paper towel to apply a thin coat of wax and then let it sit for several minutes until it kind of set (was still a bit tacky) and then I buffed it off with a brown paper bag and a piece of plain brown cardboard that I keep in my bag.

It polished the shaft up nicely and it was smooth and slick. I have never used the bowling alley wax or carnuba so I can't compare it against those, but it seemed to do the trick.

Thanks for sharing it with me.

Aloha.

I find it interesting that there have been several references to brown paper being used to polish a shaft. I thought that was a little secret that I sharing. I was told about this by an old violin maker who used nothing but brown paper and a little nose oil to burnish his violin bridges. In the 30+ years I've been in that business after that time, that's all I've ever used myself.

Paper has minerals added to it besides the wood fiber. These minerals are abrasive in nature, but are usually in the clay range regarding grit size. Most clay particles are in the 1-2 micron range, which is about equivalent to 4000-6000 grit sandpaper. You won't remove any wood with 6000 grit paper, but you will create an unparalleled sheen to the wood.

FWIW the clay content of paper is also the reason why your optician recommends to never use anything but special lens paper or a smooth and clean cotton cloth to clean your eyeglasses. Otherwise you will slowly wear away the special coatings that are put on most lenses today.

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

The other thing I have done for many years that may get frowns here is when my shaft gets a lot of little dings I can feel or fixing a beat up shaft for a buddy I will iron the entire shaft with a damp wash cloth and hot iron. Then sand with 1500 and then seal and burnish. It's way easier to get out all the tiny dings like this than to try to steam them one at a time and much better than trying to sand them out. I have never damaged or warped a shaft by doing this and I'm sure I've done it more than a hundred times. Just use a well rung out wash cloth and a very hot iron and roll the shaft inside the cloth while under the iron. This method will find all the tiny dings you may miss otherwise. Of course for larger dents you have to deal with them individually.

JC

Very good tip. Sounds scary, but I'll trust you enough that it won't hurt the shaft that I'll give it a go on some cheapos and see how it goes. Thanks.:smile:

 

[m79a]

I have used Cue Silk in the past, it was ok. Now I just use the Cue Whiz.

 

[AtLarge]

... BTW JC, have you ever used a product by Birchwood-Casey called "Tru-Oil"? It is a high-quality gunstock finishing oil that has a proprietary mix of hardening oils and driers. You wipe it on and then rub it hard to try to get every bit of it off. What remains is an extremely thin layer of oil finish that is very hard and durable after it dries. You can use multiple coats to get a surface build (not advisable on cue shafts), but each coat should be applied with "the thinner the better" in mind. I've used it on canoe paddles that are in the water for weeks at a time on wilderness trips and it wears very well and really keeps the water out. ...

Tru-Oil works great for an oil finish on a cue butt. On a wrapless butt, the result is a cue that slides in your grip hand a bit more than would, say, a glossy clear coat.

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

Tru-Oil works great for an oil finish on a cue butt. On a wrapless butt, the result is a cue that slides in your grip hand a bit more than would, say, a glossy clear coat.

Good to know. I'm still trying to get my shit together and make a few cues for the fun of it. I love the way those two-part auto clear coat finishes look on a heavily inlaid collector's cue, but the stuff is extremely dangerous to use. Plus, I think I'd prefer a more "organic" feel to a wooden item I'll be holding on my hands. In addition, if it gets a bit worn looking all you have to do is apply a few more thin coats and the finish looks good as new.

I was told about it by a friend who used to do authorized repair work for Martin Guitar. He used it to seal and protect guitar fretboards. I started putting a couple thin coats on violin fingerboards and players really liked the feel. Now it's the only oil I use for the purpose. I also put one thin coat on the back of the neck (usually left unfinished on fine violins), then a light French polishing and it's set to go for a long time.

On the industrial end of things, I've bought it by the gallon to mix with turpentine to seal wooden boats underneath the spar varnish. It lays down a deep penetrating seal against water that really wears like iron, and gets in between the nailed planking to keep the water from leaking through the lapped seams and into the boat while the planking takes up water.

Needless to say, I'm a big fan of the stuff.:smile: