Cueing

[Kick]

Just a quick question, something thats frustrated me for ages, such a little thing.

When i'm playing i find the cue often slows down and sticks inbetween my two fingers as i cue. i don't think it's sweat on my hand that makes the cue clammy and therefore doesn't run through my hand smoothly.

any solutions? i have a cue towel and wipe/clean my cue regularly, i also wipe my hands.

sometimes i have tried chalking inbetween my forefinger and thumb, which allows the cue to run smootly, but it doesn't last for long.

anyone have a similar problem? or a solution?

[reverse_side]

Can't resist.... in my experience when I've used other peoples' cues*, it seems some have a lacquered finish which instead of being virtually frictionless and smooth, can tend to drag the skin back and forth with every movement; I always thought the the butt up to about halfway had this protective film, but with some, it extends quite a length up the shaft that you'd think the makers hadn't sanded it far enough. There's some players in our league that use sandpaper on their shaft as though they're cleaning the cue - mad.

* If your cue's not got a lacquered finish, don't read this post! Instead, gaze at this cute animation.....

[Kick]

yea it does, makes sense now! any suggestions how to combat this?

[reverse_side]

Areet, well if it was my cue, I'd be looking towards sanding it with some fine grade paper and then sealing it with some linseed to both protect and condition the wood; the cleaning and buffing would then ensure a really smooth gliding action when you're cueing on the shot... I'd probably consult with a craftsman who makes cues just to get some proper advice from a Pro - but hopefully they'd agree.

You'd be surprised how much of a difference simply being able to move your cue back and forth without resistancecan make..... I slapped on too much linseed one time, thinking more is more, and I lost a match 4-0 when I was flying in every other match I was in..... always learning!!

[Ossie]

Hi there
Use to have the same problem,till I discovered Talcum Powder,a little dab on the towel and give the cue a quick wipe with it,runs through your fingers like a Rolls Royce-plus no damage to your cue........

[reverse_side]

if it works ossie, go for it... an emergency tactic is to push your finger into your cue chalk and put a light layer of it just on the V of your bridge; until you can get a little cannister for the talc that is.

[Sonny]

damp and dry

[Robert602]

I used to have this problem with my cue (a lacquered Riley, bought before I'd played my first game). I found that it got gradually better the more I used it as the lacquer wore down naturally. I started treating it with linseed oil after about 3 months and now it's almost as if the top half of the shaft was never lacquered. Admittedly the lacquer was much thinner towards the top end on my cue to start with, but I'd imagine any amount will wear off with enough use.

I say this in case, like me, you're not brave enough to take sandpaper to it (if you are, it's probably a more sensible solution). In the mean time, using a damp and a dry towel as Sonny suggested is a good short term fix to use during play.

As for talcum powder / chalk, I've never tried them but I think I'd be a little concerned about it getting into the grain and staining the cue. Perhaps the finish would protect against that.

[cueman]

I'd advise against using talc or chalk along the cue as these are abrasives and will get into the wood and slowly wear it away. It could also rot the wood as wood needs some amount of moisture content, hence why cues are treated with linseed oil every 6 months or so to stop the cue from drying out.
The wood will become brittle over time and possibly snap so thats something worth considering.