Varnished/Lacquered

[LavaChild]

Hi,

I keep reading the terms "varnished" and "lacquered" used to describe cues. Now as far as I understand they are both treatments to protect the cue, but this is as far as my understanding goes.

How can you tell if your cue is varnished or lacquered? And what is the difference between them?

How should you care for each? I presume depending whether the cue is varnished or lacquered it will require different treatment (Oil/wax/etc)?

If somebody could help out with these points that would be very useful.

Thanks.

[DandyA]

I believe both varnish and lacquer are pretty much the same thing ... a hard coating has been applied to the wood to protect it ...

the main problem with it is it becomes sticky after a while after contact with your hands so the cue will not slide smoothly over your bridge ... which is why most people prefer bare wood, oiled and possibly waxed ...

there is no regular maintenance for a varnished/lacquered cue - it's sealed - but of course you'll need to try to stop it getting sticky - try a damp cloth, a little soapy water or high-tech solutions such as "cue slide" ...

if your cue is bare wood then it does need maintenance - every few months apply some oil such as raw linseed oil and then re-apply some wax if you want to (although it's not necessary) ...

seems surprising in this day and age but bare wood feels so much better - after you've played with a "bare" cue, you really won't want to go back to a varnished/lacquered cue ...

the good news though is it's very easy to take the varnish/lacquer off a cue if you want to ...

hope this helps!

[LavaChild]

Thanks

If I were to apply a "slicker" like the one in this eBay auction 270333826273 would this be okay if the cue were varnished/lacquered or bare? Or could it do damage in one of the cases? If I then applied the wax with it, would this again be okay?

If I do use the "slicker" and take the cue down to the wood and don't "remember" (For arguements sake) to apply wax, will the cue risk being damaged now that it's "hard coating" has been removed?

Finally, is it possible to apply wax (Such as that in the eBay auction) to a varnished/lacquered cue and get similar results?

Cheers.

[Watford]

Thanks

If I were to apply a "slicker" like the one in this eBay auction 270333826273 would this be okay if the cue were varnished/lacquered or bare? Or could it do damage in one of the cases? If I then applied the wax with it, would this again be okay?
WOULDN'T DO DAMAGE I DON'T THINK YOU COULD CHECK IF WORRIED IT MIGHT REACT.
YOU CAN EASILY TELL A VARNISH FINISH.

If I do use the "slicker" and take the cue down to the wood and don't "remember" (For arguements sake) to apply wax, will the cue risk being damaged now that it's "hard coating" has been removed?

YOU'D NEED TO SAND IT. YOU DON'T NEED THE SLICKER REALLY.

Finally, is it possible to apply wax (Such as that in the eBay auction) to a varnished/lacquered cue and get similar results?

NO!

Cheers.

Not everyone is a fan of wax.
Mixed ideas on it.
Back to the old linseed oil!

[DandyA]

Thanks

If I were to apply a "slicker" like the one in this eBay auction 270333826273 would this be okay if the cue were varnished/lacquered or bare? Or could it do damage in one of the cases? If I then applied the wax with it, would this again be okay?

If I do use the "slicker" and take the cue down to the wood and don't "remember" (For arguements sake) to apply wax, will the cue risk being damaged now that it's "hard coating" has been removed?

Finally, is it possible to apply wax (Such as that in the eBay auction) to a varnished/lacquered cue and get similar results?

Cheers.

the Craftsman cues "slicker" just looks like a cloth to me! anyone know if there's more to it than that? so yes, I think you could use it on any surface ...

if you sand the cue down to bare wood, I think woodworkers would advise you to "feed" the wood with raw linseed oil as this soaks into the wood and keeps it in good condition ...

as Watford says, wax is purely optional and just adds a semi-permanent coating to the oiled wood - if you like it, use it - if you don't, don't ... I personally prefer not to have a wax coating ...

[RGCirencester]

The cue slicker is basically a scouring pad and the general opinion ive got from people who have used them is that they take too much of the surface away when used. Might be okay to take the varnish off your cue but i wouldnt use it after that. I'd suggest sandpaper would be better than the cue slicker, and then a damp + dry cloth for day to day maintenance.
I personally like the finish the crafstman wax gives although its not strictly neccesary. If you want some oil from a cuemaker i would suggest welshpool or mike wooldridge. Though i think just a bottle of raw linseed oil works perhaps just as well.
welshpool oil, 4 pound inc postage, mike wooldridge 6 pound not sure about postage.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=120362456152

[LavaChild]

Thanks for the replies

Based on what you guys have said, if my cue arrives and is varnished/lacquered then I'll leave it that way... To begin with! I think my time would be better spent playing and enjoying the sport that getting caught up in this before I've even started... I didn't realise it got so complex!

At this time, I'd be worried about, for example, having to take the varnish off and then treat it every so often. I think it's best that I leave it and when it reaches a stage that it is getting sticky, etc, I'll do the job properly with sandpaper, etc, and hopefully in that time I'll get an idea of what it is that I *really* want.

The cue slicker seems like a bad idea if it only has it's use once (To take the varnish off), and if I'm leaving the varnish on then the wax is pointless too!

I think the only item I might pick up is some cue slide (Item number: 270204566515). This seems like it could be genuinely useful especially during the time when the cue remains varnished, judging by the comments some people make that it soon feels "sticky". Is there any general consensus that these are bad, that I should be aware of?

Beyond this, I just need to find a cue cloth... Will probably try and stick away from the one originally linked to, if I don't need all of the other bits... I've been recommended before to just use a bar towel, but I'm not sure where to get one short of simply asking at a bar... Where I think I'd be quickly turned away

Thanks for all of the input... If it wasn't for the clear feedback I'd have ended up using the slicker daily and putting wax on a varnished cue

[DandyA]

what cue are you getting LavaChild? if it's oil or oil/wax finished you won't need cue slide ... but cue slide does work on varnished cues - only lasts for a couple of days before it needs re-applying but it does make the cue less sticky ... keep the bottle upright! it's very easy not to do the cap up tightly enough and it seeps out

any towel or cloth will do ... I normally just use a couple of j-cloths - one damp and one dry ... wipe it down with the damp one first and then dry it with the other ...

hope you enjoy your new cue!

[LavaChild]

My new cue is from eBay, item number 150323699539.

Unfortunately it hasn't arrived yet but I'd be expecting it any day now.

I'm quite expecting people on here to be dissappointed by it, however I got "excited" by this before I knew of this forum. I spent much more than I had planned (Originally wanted to pay ~£30 - 50 however in the end I ended up nearer to £80 with postage [I have a habit of spending too much when I first get started into a new hobby, only to find its a fad and I've "invested" too much - Hopefully not in this case!])...

In hindsight, with the benefit of reading on here, I expect my £80 could of got me something "more" (Or more well respected/better quality, etc) however I was after a case and extension and the like so this packaged seemed ideal. And even now, when I see the photo on eBay I simply love the actual cue (I havn't seen the seller list another of this design before, hence why I bid what I did, when I did).

Hopefully I'll be as happy when I see it in person!


EDIT: You mention that you do not need to use slide if you use wax... I understand we've discussed wax is really only usually used on varnished cues, however could it be used in substitution for slide, out of interest (On a varnished cue)?

[RGCirencester]

With a varnished cue, damp cloth followed by dry cloth should be fine. If i had to guess i would say that cue is more likely to come with an oil finish than varnished. I personally dont mind those cheap cues, i know they get a very bad rap on here but some of them arnt bad, and i'd rather have that than the rubbish you get on the high street these days. And if you ever buy another cue you will have a case already.
The cue slide i think is a silicon based solution which doesn't last very long. It's sort of a high tech solution to a problem that shouldn't really exist. If you watch the pros on tv all they do is wipe down with a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth. I think it's only really useful if you have a varnished cue.
I don't know what thread they use on the extensions but if your next cue has the same thread then you can use the extensions as well. You never know you might actually like it, then all this talk is pointless and you can be a happy man!

[PompeyRedSox]

I've been playing with the same cheap(ish) originally varnished cue since I was 13. I hadn't played for 7 years, dug it out from storage and was still as straight as an arrow. I remember it was horrible to play with at first, the varish would get so sticky. But some wire wool and some linseed oil later, and back then my dad had it turned into a wand for me.

As long as you are happy with your cue when you get it LavaChild I wouldn't get to wrapped up in worrying about it. I used to see peoples game go to pot because they worried about a cue. Just enjoy it. I know many people won't agree with this, but as long as the cue is straight with a decent tip, and runs smooth, I couldn't care how much the cue cost or who made it. Not knocking cue makers out there, they do a fantastic job, and some look really beautiful, but these days I'm more worried about my game that's gone to sh*t rather than my cue

If it is a varnished cue, and it does get a bit sticky, maybe if you have the confidence yourself consider removing the varnish, and things will certainly improve anyway I would of thought.

[KeithinFrance]

I've been playing with the same cheap(ish) originally varnished cue since I was 13. I hadn't played for 7 years, dug it out from storage and was still as straight as an arrow. I remember it was horrible to play with at first, the varish would get so sticky. But some wire wool and some linseed oil later, and back then my dad had it turned into a wand for me.

As long as you are happy with your cue when you get it LavaChild I wouldn't get to wrapped up in worrying about it. I used to see peoples game go to pot because they worried about a cue. Just enjoy it. I know many people won't agree with this, but as long as the cue is straight with a decent tip, and runs smooth, I couldn't care how much the cue cost or who made it. Not knocking cue makers out there, they do a fantastic job, and some look really beautiful, but these days I'm more worried about my game that's gone to sh*t rather than my cue

If it is a varnished cue, and it does get a bit sticky, maybe if you have the confidence yourself consider removing the varnish, and things will certainly improve anyway I would of thought.

Nice post, it's true that a lot of people worry so much about incidentals that they forget the essential: your game!

[trigger666]

Nice post, it's true that a lot of people worry so much about incidentals that they forget the essential: your game!

everybody-seems-to-be-in-JOLLY-old-mood-this-morning

[KeithinFrance]

everybody-seems-to-be-in-JOLLY-old-mood-this-morning

Hey, it's Friday, it's Johnnycash's birthdate, I'm going to meet my wife for lunch in a nice restaurant, then go for some physiotherapy in a swimming pool, then perhaps go play some pool if the leg's OK! I'm listening to some good music on the computer; my team came back from 5-3 down to draw the match 5-5 and I won the last game to seal the draw; what's not to be happy about?!

[trigger666]

Hey, it's Friday, it's Johnnycash's birthdate, I'm going to meet my wife for lunch in a nice restaurant, then go for some physiotherapy in a swimming pool, then perhaps go play some pool if the leg's OK! I'm listening to some good music on the computer; my team came back from 5-3 down to draw the match 5-5 and I won the last game to seal the draw; what's not to be happy about?!

me-to-keith!!-----just-taken-it-apon-myself-to-take-the-day-off,
just-dropped-the-lads-off-made-a-cock-and-bull-story-off-how-ive-got-to-price-some-work,
got-to-go-to-the-bank,then-its-off-to-my-local-to-play-snooker-all-day
the-inlaws-drop-the-kids-off-at-4--HAPPYDAYS:snooker:

p.s-at-7-ive-got-a-league-match===SNOOKER--FEST!!!!!!