Cleaning chalk off the tip before returning cue to its case
John Black
the inside of the case and eventually gets all over the stick. A while ago
I noticed people twisting their sticks upside down into the carpet when they
were done playing to rub the chalk off the tip before putting it back in the
case.
I did this for a while but one day another player told me it was bad for the
tip. Is it bad for tips? I don't grind it hard. How many of you do this?
John Black
ernie
I've been doing it for years, John, for a different reason. Steve
Mizerak once mentioned to me at a tournament that some of the fellows
do it because one school of thought has it that it incrementally keeps
their tips' very marginal natural moisture content a bit higher than
it would be if plenty of chalk were unnecessarily left on when the
stick was not in use.
It does make a bit of sense that the chalk would naturally represent
an overnight dessicating element due to its composition of very dry
materials. The thinking is that the tip perhaps last longer,
retaining whatever performance characteristics made the player chose a
particular tip to begin with, and thereby plays and more dependably
for a given player.
It seems to work for me. Others' thinking and mileage may differ; so,
I'd say -- to each his own.
Our sport is so damnably mental and chocked with little details that
rise virtually to superstitions (pool gods to blame, etc.) that just
thinking something works -- even something that's an essentially
immeasurable miniscule game addition like cleaning off the chalk when
encasing the cue -- often tends to add a bit of confidence. Couldn't
hurt, as my NYC friends might say.
Ernie
pltr...@spamlessxhost.org
wrote:
>I've been doing it for years, John, for a different reason. Steve
>Mizerak once mentioned to me at a tournament that some of the fellows
>do it because one school of thought has it that it incrementally keeps
>their tips' very marginal natural moisture content a bit higher than
>it would be if plenty of chalk were unnecessarily left on when the
>stick was not in use.
>
>It does make a bit of sense that the chalk would naturally represent
>an overnight dessicating element due to its composition of very dry
>materials. The thinking is that the tip perhaps last longer,
>retaining whatever performance characteristics made the player chose a
>particular tip to begin with, and thereby plays and more dependably
>for a given player.
Then wouldn't wiping the tip clean with a damp rag or paper towel be even
better?
-- Larry (the slow one...)
JakartaDean
> John,
>
> I've been doing it for years, John, for a different reason. Steve
> Mizerak once mentioned to me at a tournament that some of the fellows
> do it because one school of thought has it that it incrementally keeps
> their tips' very marginal natural moisture content a bit higher than
> it would be if plenty of chalk were unnecessarily left on when the
> stick was not in use.
>
matters to the moisture in the tip.
> Our sport is so damnably mental and chocked with little details that
> rise virtually to superstitions (pool gods to blame, etc.) that just
> thinking something works -- even something that's an essentially
> immeasurable miniscule game addition like cleaning off the chalk when
> encasing the cue -- often tends to add a bit of confidence. Couldn't
> hurt, as my NYC friends might say.
>
Yup, that's pool.
> Ernie
>
Dean
bk4...@hotmail.com
Soon as I got my first case where the shaft is loaded tip first, I
started cleaning the tip on the carpet. But I "swipe it", I do not
"twist it" in. Two quick swipes in two directions is all it takes.
Bob Keller
Roger Orsulak
"John Black" <jbl...@texas.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.24b03b7a...@news.motzarella.org...
John:
Forever, I have put my shafts in the case tip up so that I don't have the
chalk problem. I've had a number of people tell me to that I should have
the joints up to protect them (I've not had a problem in almost 30 years of
doing it my way with the same 2 cues). Those that espouse the tip down
storage have said to do just what you observed, wiping it on the carpet.
Regardless of what the pool room carpet looks like, I wouldn't do this in my
own home, so I won't do it in a pool room. My new case has a couple of
pockets. I'll store a cloth in there to do the wiping.
Roger
Dan White
makes sense that if you keep putting chalk into the case that it is going to
build up and get onto your cue. I figure the less chalk in places it
doesn't belong the better.
dwhite
"John Black" <jbl...@texas.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.24b03b7a...@news.motzarella.org...
ernie
Mizerak once mentioned to me at a tournament that some of the fellows
do it because one school of thought has it that it incrementally
keeps
their tips' very marginal natural moisture content a bit higher than
it would be if plenty of chalk were unnecessarily left on when the
stick was not in use. "
I was remiss not to clarify "I've been doing that for years" (wiping
tip before encasing shaft) to mention that neither I nor surely not
Miz was referring to wiping it on the carpet. Pros like Steve or
amateurs like the rest of us would quickly risk wearing out their
welcome any place they played, using that thoughtless approach. I
always carry a section of paper towel folded small whenever I play
anywhere for wiping the tip, plus a very small cloth towel (a
washcloth actually) for my hands.
Ernie
Roger Orsulak
"ernie" <ernesto-s...@usa.net> wrote in message
news:d6ffd40d-e0b9-4162...@g4g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> I was remiss not to clarify "I've been doing that for years" (wiping
> tip before encasing shaft) to mention that neither I nor surely not
> Miz was referring to wiping it on the carpet. Pros like Steve or
> amateurs like the rest of us would quickly risk wearing out their
> welcome any place they played, using that thoughtless approach. I
> always carry a section of paper towel folded small whenever I play
> anywhere for wiping the tip, plus a very small cloth towel (a
> washcloth actually) for my hands.
>
> Ernie
>
>
>
Unfortunately Ernie, most WILL use the carpet.
Roger - won't
John Black
pltr...@spamlessxhost.org says...
> Then wouldn't wiping the tip clean with a damp rag or paper towel be even
> better?
Yes, but then you have to bring a rag, go make it damp before using, wash
it, etc. That said, this thread has got me thinking about rubbing it on the
carpet. I agree, I would not do this at my house but then again, I don't
have the kind of carpet they have at my poolhall. That kind seems almost
designed to hide chalk and looks like a simple vaccuming would remove
anything put on there by the de-chalkers. I'll pay more attention next time
I'm there to see if it looks like this practice does any harm. Its doubtful
it would do more harm than normal wear and tear due to foot traffic, drink
spills, etc. that cause the pool hall to have to recarpet every so often
anyway?
John Black
John Black
> Forever, I have put my shafts in the case tip up so that I don't have the
> chalk problem. I've had a number of people tell me to that I should have
> the joints up to protect them (I've not had a problem in almost 30 years of
> doing it my way with the same 2 cues).
This is an interesting solution. Something about it doesn't seem right, but
I'll at least consider it. Thanks.
John Black
Ron Shepard
John Black <jbl...@texas.net> wrote:
> I agree, I would not do this at my house but then again, I don't
> have the kind of carpet they have at my poolhall.
I have carpet under my home pool table and I do clean my tip on it
before putting the cue in the case. Actually, I usually use a throw
rug, but if the rug isn't there, for some reason, then I do use the
carpet. I'm also the one who usually vacuums that room, so I clean
up my own messes.
If a room owner asked me not to do that in his room, then I would
comply. But there is no permanent damage to the carpet, and in a
commercial room, where people are tracking in with wet shoes, mud,
etc, it seems it is only a small perturbation to the whole cleaning
process anyway.
I can't imagine how it might do any damage to the tip. I also doubt
that it makes any difference to the moisture content of the tip or
anything like that. I clean the tips just to keep the inside of the
shaft tubes in my case as clean as possible. Unlike a carpet, or a
throw rug, those are relatively difficult to clean.
$.02 -Ron Shepard
Ron Shepard
John Black <jbl...@texas.net> wrote:
Not all cases are designed to work either way. Porper cases, for
example, are designed so that the thick part (shaft or butt) is up.
$.02 -Ron Shepard
Roger Orsulak
John:
One thing I like about tip up is that I can tell which shaft has which tip -
if indeed I'm using different tips. An argument that many make for NOT
doing this is that with the joints down, there is a better chance of
damaging the joint pin. As noted earlier, I've stored my two cues that way
for as long as I've had them (1981 and 1986) with no ill effects. But then,
I am very, very careful with the cues whether they are in the case or out.
Jack Justis recently made a case for me. I tongue in cheek promised him
that I'd store the cues joint up, and I'm doing that.
Roger
PatH
use the table cloth underneath the rail. Call I a "post match
routine" but it works for me.
PatH
John Black
she...@NOSPAM.comcast.net says...
> I have carpet under my home pool table and I do clean my tip on it
> before putting the cue in the case. Actually, I usually use a throw
> rug, but if the rug isn't there, for some reason, then I do use the
> carpet. I'm also the one who usually vacuums that room, so I clean
> up my own messes.
>
> If a room owner asked me not to do that in his room, then I would
> comply. But there is no permanent damage to the carpet, and in a
> commercial room, where people are tracking in with wet shoes, mud,
> etc, it seems it is only a small perturbation to the whole cleaning
> process anyway.
That's kind of what I figured.
> I can't imagine how it might do any damage to the tip. I also doubt
> that it makes any difference to the moisture content of the tip or
> anything like that. I clean the tips just to keep the inside of the
> shaft tubes in my case as clean as possible. Unlike a carpet, or a
> throw rug, those are relatively difficult to clean.
Thanks all for the replies. I'll resume the practice and keep the chalk out
of my case.
John Black
Dan White
dwhite
"Roger Orsulak" <normo...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:ToS1m.2060$5c....@newsfe09.iad...
Roger Orsulak
"Dan White" <nos...@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:Blw2m.90$P5...@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
> Can you email pics of that Justis case?
>
> dwhite
Done
Rodan
..... A while ago I noticed people twisting their sticks upside down
into the carpet to rub the chalk off the tip before putting it back
in the case. I did this for a while but one day another player told
me it was bad for the tip. Is it bad for tips? I don't grind it hard.
PatH wrote:
I've always done this. If the room doesn't have a carpet I use the
table cloth underneath the rail. I call it a "post match routine"
"Fast Larry" wrote: <Profanity deleted>:
Rubbing your chalk off on an owner's carpet is rude and unnecessary.
__________________________________________________________________________
Is it bad for tips? No, it's bad for the carpet. Ask the owner if
it's okay to grind spots in his carpet fibers with abrasive chalk, or
if he likes trying to vacuum up loose chalk dust when someone has
burned the chalk permanently into the fibers.
The courteous way to clean the tip is to use a cloth brought along
for the purpose. Those who have no respect for the property of
others will not be swayed by this logical solution.
Have we arrived at the day when vandalism merits a discussion of
whether the vandalism harms the vandals' instruments?
Rodan.
ernie
> whether the vandalism harms the vandals' instruments?
>
> Rodan.
My compliments on that excellent phrase, Rodan, and for its
provocative meaning.
Ernie
pltr...@spamlessxhost.org
wrote:
>> Have we arrived at the day when vandalism merits a discussion of
>> whether the vandalism harms the vandals' instruments? �
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>My compliments on that excellent phrase, Rodan, and for its
>provocative meaning.
Which phrase?
-- Larry
John Black
@i8g2000pro.googlegroups.com>, ernesto-s...@usa.net says...
I enjoyed the well written phrasing as well but its not really accurate.
Pool chalk is not paint. Pool chalk and hand chalk get all over everything
in a pool hall. That is to be expected and cleaning it is just part of
normal pool hall maintenence. I was just at said pool hall. The carpet is
in pretty bad shape but that has nothing to do with chalk on it. They
vacuum nighly and as far as I can see, that totally takes care of any chalk
-- I don't see any evidence of carpet chalk and I see lots of people doing
this practice.
The carpet is well worn from shoe traffic, dirt, drink spills, perhaps some
vomit as well? -- its black in spots, worn bare in spots, wrinkled in spots,
discolored all over the place from who knows what (not chalk -- you would
agree if you saw it even if we can't determine what it is, ha ha). Anyway,
my conclusion is that the practice of wiping the tip on the carpet has
nothing to do with the condition of the carpet or how often it will have to
be replaced at least at a pool hall such as this with carpet such as this.
John Black
PatH
For what it's worth I've noticed the owner of the room I frequent does
the same thing. Go figure.
PatH...thinking of carrying a piece of carpet in his case
Roger Orsulak
"PatH" <ph...@certcoinc.com> wrote in message news:4886a20e-eb98-4c50-ba1e-
PatH...thinking of carrying a piece of carpet in his case
Now THAT'S funny!
Matt Sherman, Bondologist www.bcwtravel.com
A wet, moistened thumb or fingertip easily removes all chalk,
moistening the tip also. Following play, I wash my hands anyway to
remove chalk powder and etc. Polite and fast.
Hundreds of pool articles, technique, humor, equipment, new games.
http://billiards.about.com/
shawn barley
I guess if you play with a Stealth pink cue, you are worried about
chalk dust getting on your pinkies. I leave it on, it tells my ole
lady I was playin pool, and not humping some chick from the office.