The great chalk mission!

[RGCirencester]

Chalk.. Has anyone ever finished a block? And i dont mean chalking a big hole down the middle i mean really finishing a block. :p
Personally I don't know a single person that has ever finished one... People seem to get halfway down, then lose it, or give up on it and start a new one... One of my mates always chalks diagonally so he cuts a big X in his chalk, then scraps it and gets a new one..
Well it's been my personal mission for 3 years now to finish my block of chalk before buying a new one! :D And I have finally suceeded (as far as sensibly possible anyway).

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x60/robgreenow/Stuff/DSC00274.jpg

The metal clip is now the only thing holding it together and it tried to disintegrate... So I had to start a new block of chalk. :D So I am now the only person I personally know that has ever finished a block of chalk...
Anyone else done the same :D

Looking at that pic I feel I should use it more... But its so small now its difficult and if I took it out of the metal clip it would fall apart....

[checkSide]

That's nowhere near finished boyo.

[RGCirencester]

I cant hold it properly any more i keep chalking my hand lol! And the metal clip gets in the way... Its a lot smaller than that pic makes it look though... It is actually falling apart... If you look at the front you can see the metal where a chunk fell off.

[spike]

I accomplished the same thing with my last block of chalk but dont have the photo to prove it as it's been disposed of. Had for about 2 years or so before it crumbled into nothing. Was a good feeling though when it did...felt as if i truly got my money's worth.

[RGCirencester]

I feel sorry for the people just taking up snooker that buy boxes of 144 chalks in preperation of joining our great game lol!

Only 11p per block!!

And your grandchildren won't have to buy any either :p

[RocketRoy1983]

11p???? I pay 45p its an outrage!!

And ive come close but no I havent finished one.

[bongo]

I've got a worn chalk. I really want to try and finish one too, with mine I have an 'x' in the middle where I chalk. I bit like those little cartons of butter with the patterns on top of the butter!

[samad]

I have been trying do the same at my home table but my brothers force me to get a new chalk :D

[Dan27]

Can i just ask one question........Why ? :confused:;)

[pigeonslayer]

Why - that is a good question!

I use a magna grip so i wear mine down until the lowest point is level with the plastic.

I do dislike using a brand new chalk though - doesn;t feel right.

[Theguywithaplan]

I once wore one down much more than that ;)

[MattCash]

I came close, but it cracked before i got my money's worth :o

http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy107/Snooker147matt/Cues/v386-1.jpg

[samad]

, but it cracked before i got my money's worth

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/cashey008/v386.jpg

lol , :d :d

[ferret]

Now calculate how many frames that chalk has lasted for and how much the in time and money the tables have cost you :)

[RGCirencester]

I came close, but it cracked before i got my money's worth :o

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/cashey008/v386.jpg

Heres a question.... I actually look at my chalk and plan my chalkings accordingly so that it wears down level (sad isnt it :p)

Whereas here you have a hole in the centre with the sides still quite built up... So which is more efficient in terms of remaining volume of chalk when it becomes unusable :p

[samad]

Now calculate how many frames that chalk has lasted for and how much the in time and money the tables have cost you :)
i'll do that from now on........ :D

[checkSide]

I actually look at my chalk and plan my chalkings accordingly so that it wears down level .....

OCD, lol. :o

[Dan27]

OCD, lol. :o

Obsessive chalking disease ? :D

[The Statman]

I never finish chalks.

Firstly, rather like ballpoint pens and cigarette lighters, I tend to leave them somewhere before they are anywhere near finished (and of course then about a dozen turn up weeks later all at once!).

But also, I like the chalk to be the comfortable shape to fit my tip – a shallow hole such as when new is so flat it requires a load of chalking in all sorts of directions, whereas if the hole gets too deep it tends to chalk around the edges of the tip but no longer does the very tip.

So I tend to discard chalks whose hole becomes more sharply rounded than my tip.

[crucible77]

sounds like a challenge, will let u know how i get on :D

[RGCirencester]

see you in a few years then haha :p

I dont like new chalk... feels wierd having this massive piece now :p

[ChatLag]

see you in a few years then haha :p

I dont like new chalk... feels wierd having this massive piece now :p

This opens a new market niche: Custom chalk... :D
You can define the size, height, weight, shape and color.

[RGCirencester]

I'd like one shaped like Elvis Presley please :p

Oh and make it flourescent pink :D

[ChatLag]

I'd like one shaped like Elvis Presley please :p

Oh and make it flourescent pink :D

In the shape of complete Elvis or just his As*?
Would have the right shape then... :D

[noel]

Obsessive chalking disease ? :D

I like that!


=o)

Noel


... how many players do we see totally unconsciously scrubbing away at their tips pondering a shot or nervously hoping to be let back in a frame?

[felipecocco]

Has anyone considered making convex-shaped pieces of chalk? If you did them like that you could insure perfect tangency with your cue tip just by brushing against it, and it would always wear out evenly, slowly becoming flatter and flatter, without a hole in the middle. You could also construct it such that at the point that it becomes perfectly flat its also at the point in which its almost over, so you'd replace it.

[bongo]

When I start my new chalk I should note the date I started it and when I finish it, just out of interest of how long a cube of chalk lasts.

The chalk I have now is pretty worn.

[unclevit]

I feel sorry for the people just taking up snooker that buy boxes of 144 chalks in preperation of joining our great game lol!

Only 11p per block!!

And your grandchildren won't have to buy any either :p

I just ordered 2 dozens, shame

[rollingegg]

why do chalks have to come in the same shape? as we all know the sides are way less used than the center of the chalk, why dont just use plastic or other stuff around the sides, leaving the center tube of chalk? this may save us lots of trouble to wear the whole chalk, and the sides could be recycled. is this idea weired?

[samad]

why do chalks have to come in the same shape? as we all know the sides are way less used than the center of the chalk, why dont just use plastic or other stuff around the sides, leaving the center tube of chalk? this may save us lots of trouble to wear the whole chalk, and the sides could be recycled. is this idea weired?
No , buts its just that the way others chalk , not everyone uses the middle hole thingy for chalkinng .
e.g When I chalk , I kinda rub the surface of the chalk ACROSS the cue which makes the chalk wear down evenly , try using this style and you won't waste chalk

[nutscrewsandbolts]

I'm a bit of an environmentalist and strongly believe in waste recycling. So just wondering, can we collect all used chalks and send them to someone who can do something worthwhile with them? like make new blocks. btw, what are chalks made of?

[bongo]

what are chalks made of?

I think the answer would be...chalk!

[nutscrewsandbolts]

I think the answer would be...chalk!
:o
Spot on!

[phoenixraker]

Well i have a Yorkshire Terrier Dog and he ate one of my chalk lucky for him he spat most of it out :snooker::eek:

[bongo]

I really should take a picture of my chalk, I'll wait until it has worn down even more...

[thai_son22]

talking about chalk can really be interesting. LOL :D

[Centreman]

:o
Spot on!

A line from the Wikipedia article of Cue Sports:

"Cue tip chalk is not actually the substance typically referred to as "chalk" (generally calcium carbonate, also known as calcite or carbonate of lime), but any of several proprietary compounds, with a silicate base."

So I wouldn't be so sure if that is so spot on after all ;)

[RocketRoy1983]

A line from the Wikipedia article of Cue Sports:

"Cue tip chalk is not actually the substance typically referred to as "chalk" (generally calcium carbonate, also known as calcite or carbonate of lime), but any of several proprietary compounds, with a silicate base."

So I wouldn't be so sure if that is so spot on after all ;)

oooh i love controversy!!

[Centreman]

Yea, I trust Wikipedia like a bat trusts sonar.

Did you guys know chalkboard chalk isn't chalk either? That's made of salcium sulfate. How have we let ourselves being fooled!?

(I am such a dick)

[rollingegg]

No , buts its just that the way others chalk , not everyone uses the middle hole thingy for chalkinng .
e.g When I chalk , I kinda rub the surface of the chalk ACROSS the cue which makes the chalk wear down evenly , try using this style and you won't waste chalk

thats basically how i chalk too, but when it comes to the chalks in the club, i dont have much choice, coz almost all the chalks are center-worn. when i get my own, ill make sure it's worn down evenly to nothing. thats a long term investment.:rolleyes:

[andyt1992]

I chalk from the centre to the corners and end up with a pyramid shape. :cool:

[andyt1992]

... And pioneer blue chalk wears down faster than triangle green because its useless and crumble on first use.

[RocketRoy1983]

... And pioneer blue chalk wears down faster than triangle green because its useless and crumble on first use.

Why do you use it then? Its awful stuff and cant be helping your game. Does it even "grip" to the tip?

[bongo]

And blue chalk isn't as good for snooker as green chalk. Blue chalk can get all over the cloth and doesn't grip the cue ball as well. Stick to green!

[andyt1992]

Why do you use it then? Its awful stuff and cant be helping your game. Does it even "grip" to the tip?


And blue chalk isn't as good for snooker as green chalk. Blue chalk can get all over the cloth and doesn't grip the cue ball as well. Stick to green!

I don't use blue chalk was just saying with past experiences it's awful especially when you play against someone using it and its on the cloth. Very Distracting.

[bongo]

I don't use blue chalk was just saying with past experiences it's awful especially when you play against someone using it and its on the cloth. Very Distracting.

As far as the cloth is concerned, if you play pool on a blue cloth then you should use blue chalk, but it certainly isn't as good as green chalk.

My chalk is still going, I want to use it until it disintigrates. :D