wood blem question

D

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
question answered

this particular cue maker is a very good guy
we had a different opinion on a small blem

i might should have said nothing and i feel bad

he insisted i return the cue and he is making me another one

if anyone deserves a bad report on this deal,it is me

thank you
 
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Not enough facts to give correct answer. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What you consider a blemish others may consider a beauty mark.

How long before trade can be made? The cue maker understands the blemish was unsightly to you so he would be foolish to send another blemished cue.

It sounds as though you like the cue and wish the blemish would disappear by magic.

I would give the cue maker another shot if the trade was in very nesr future.
 
Morning Dean... Not being able to see the "spot" makes this an impossible call. BUT, your displeasure is obvious and should be taken seriously by the cuemaker... If he's offered to do a trade-in, I'd go that route and wash my hands of the situation..
If you were shown pictures of the wood and no mention of the spot or pictures showing it, I would be upset as well...especially in a darker colored forearm..
Good Luck
Clint
 
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Sometimes wood discolor makes the cue look nice and sometimes not. But it all depends on who's looking at it. If you don't like it and he offered to trade it for another cue then do the trade. I wouldn't hold it against the maker. He may have thought it looked nicer with the blemish and he did the right thing when you weren't happy with the cue.
 
If the wood has an obvious flaw it shouldn't be allowed out of the shop. I keep seeing amboyna burl cues with black bark pockets that are being sent out to happy, oblivious buyers who have been told what the heck, it's wood and everything is natural". Horse pucky, cut around the pocket and make points or windows.

I've dealt with antiques going back 200+ years and none of them have an ugly patch of wood where it can be seen. trade the cue in.
 
Wood has natural things in it that may not look nice or may add looks to it. What you are seeing is nature at work. If it is not pleasing to your eyes and the cuemaker offered to take it on trade then that is the fair route to go.
 
I tend to like what some would call imperfections in the wood. In fact I am just about ready to finish up a cue for myself and it has a small blemish much smaller than the one you described but I like it. I do know that its not everyone's cup of tea and I would mention it to the buyer of the cue. If something dosen't work for you best get it taken care of IMO.
Best of luck
Dustin.
 
What one calls a blemish others would call charming. Charming wood seems to be in fashion now. Just not your cup of tea. While I think the builder should have sent you pictures and told you about the blem. I wouldn't dump him just yet. Learning what each customer expects, in a cue, is one of the most challenging things to a new cue maker. I would bet, if given the chance, your next cue will exced expectations. JMHO

Larry
 
it seems the right things are happening in your transaction. you recv'd the cue and after inpection, you want to return it and the cuemaker is willing to take it back. SHOULD he have sent it out? i think he could have avoided a problem had he given you a heads up that the piece had some discoloration on it. you could have then decided to take it or not. although, he may or may not have considered it a problem because a "blemish" has as many different views as there are cuemakers and players. its always disappointing when what is expected is not delivered but at least it can be amended.
 
woode blem

Love is never having to say you're sorry.
One disclosure is worth a thousand apologies.
If you paid a lot of money for it, then you expect
a high priced wood specimen. The wood supplier
dumped it on him and now he's dumping it on you.
Just depends whose going to eat it.
 
cutter said:
Love is never having to say you're sorry.
One disclosure is worth a thousand apologies.
If you paid a lot of money for it, then you expect
a high priced wood specimen. The wood supplier
dumped it on him and now he's dumping it on you.
Just depends whose going to eat it.
Click to expand...

well that was short,quick, and sweet.....damn near choked on my coffee laughing! good post!
(laughing because you absolutely correct "One disclosure is worth a thousand apologies." and i couldn't say it as short)
 
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Paul Dayton said:
If the wood has an obvious flaw it shouldn't be allowed out of the shop. I keep seeing amboyna burl cues with black bark pockets that are being sent out to happy, oblivious buyers who have been told what the heck, it's wood and everything is natural". Horse pucky, cut around the pocket and make points or windows.

I've dealt with antiques going back 200+ years and none of them have an ugly patch of wood where it can be seen. trade the cue in.
Click to expand...

I agree with Paul, theres a lot of bark and not just in Amboyna, but other species as well. There's also lots of "burl" thats really just swirly sap wood, with no eyes.

Theres "defects" in wood that enhance its looks as well tho, and are actually sought after. Such as spalting, worm holes, bug marks etc. It would be nice to see a pic of just the "defect" area to see what exactly it is. Maybe the picture could be taken without identifying the maker.

I'm not sure how important it is in the cue world, I mean I am really into exotics so I noticed it, but I've seen cues where the entire piece of wood is not identified correctly, redwood burl advertised as Amboyna. Masur / Karelian birch as some other name. Larry
 
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Hi,

The replete cue maker who has discovered an unsightly blemish that reveals itself near the final pass should be able to solve the problem most of the time. I am not talking sharpie pen here.

A visual blemish can be camouflaged with a bit of artistic flare before finishing using an air brush, fine sable liner brush, great lighting and a magnifying visor. This is harder in lighter woods for sure but very easy in darker wood with figure.

The best guys in the business are masterful in this art. It is part of cue making. If you don't believe this, the Easter Bunny is real in your world.

A cue maker must be resourceful and overcome minor cosmetic problems with panache.

JMO.

Rick
 
The age old simple cure for a bad patch of burl is to cut it out and inlay a good matching piece. The repair is invisible. I've seen a 12" square piece if walnut burl with 63 inlaid patches and couldn't find a single one even when looking closely. They sell irregular shaped hollow chisel punches in different sizes and shapes for just this purpose. You find the one that covers the flaw, punch it out, go to the repair sheet, punch out the inlay, glue it in and be on your way. As is the case in nature, there are no straight lines in the sides of the punches or inlays. They would be too obvious.
 
i did not see the cue

so i cannot give an opinion about this one. but you were unhappy, returned the cue and the builder is making you a new one. i believe that solves that problem.
i had the famous double refund cue returned because of sugar marks in the curly maple. this is the problem, the buyer thought snow white curly maple, was beautiful, i liked the sugar markes as i thought it gave the wood character. same cue 2 different opinions.
when i sell a cue its always with after inspection you can return the cue for any reason, no questions ask.
i think the builder did the right thing, and i'm sure you will be happier in the long run.

chuck
 
wwod blem

I believe the old woodworkers called these patches Dutchman.
The classic furniture makers would never waste a good piece of
wood for a flaw, they would fix it.
Being from Penna. Dutch country, the old Dutchmen have been known to strangle a penny.
 
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