9-Ball
Topic: Cue Care

I recently purchased a Predator 4K6 but of late I have noticed that the shaft isn't as smooth as it was when I first played.

What can be done to combat this? Would you recommend wiping the cue down after every shot? Or even using those abrasive pads? (my concern is that it may take too much of the cue away)

Thanks for any help/tips/comments

This is my process of cleaning shafts......

A damp J cloth with a small amount of Q Clean (white powder). Rub onto the shaft. Clean off with a seperate damp clean J cloth. Dry immediately and thoroughly with a cue towel or similar.

If I am at a tournament, I just use a damp J cloth and dry it off with a cue towel.

NEVER leave a shaft in damp conditions or leave it whilst cleaning with water or water based products....especially a 314. Shafts will warp or worse the moisture can soak into the 314 shaft and the sections will split apart.

I never use cue papers, sand papers or anything like that for various reasons.

I agree with Si - the Q group of products is the best, if you use sandpaper make sure its really fine like 360 grit or around that

Hello, my name is Richard McCarthy. I am a new member to pro9.co.uk and the pro9.co.uk forums. When I watch 9 Ball American Pool Players on TV the shafts of their American 9 Ball Pool Cues are smooth and unvarnished not varnished, shiny and sticky. Do they use wet/dry grey sandpaper/glasspaper as I have never seen the varnish (smoothness of the cue shaft removed so quickly)? Wet/dry grey sandpaper/glasspaper the same name and same grits? Slightly damp wet/dry grey sandpaper/glasspaper so that the varnish removes quicker? I would like FULL instructions on this 'remove varnish from shaft' with wet/dry grey sandpaper/glasspaper method.

Thank you for your time

PS: This PS: is for thediamond (Simon) Maybe I should have explained my first message I sent you better on the forum. I wanted your reply with the FULL instructions on this 'remove varnish from shaft' with wet/dry sandpaper/glasspaper method and welcoming me as a new member to the pro9.co.uk etc. That was my meaning of 'FULL' reply to the first message I sent you.


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Richard Andrew McCarthy aka 9ballnut

Welcome to pro9 Richard.

I never use any abrasive material, including the superfine sand papers. Reason is, they still remove wood and after constant use they thin the shaft and change the deflection characteristics.

In the first instance when using a shaft for the first time, some will have a protective coating of varnish on. I still wouldn't use sand paper or glass paper to remove this. Instead I would seek out a cue repair man who has a laith, someone like Paul Morgan (who is a member here but I don't know his screen name). This way, he can remove the varnish evenly, something which can't be done by hand with sand paper or an alternative.

The method I stated above I have found to be the best over the years. At the end of this, I use a product like cue smooth and buff the shaft after with a towel. Clean, smooth shaft without any damage. Several cue makers also use a similar method to this also.

If you are using water, do remember to dry the shaft immediately as stated above.

Hope it helps

Si

Thank you Simon.