Shaft Maintence

[sonnic]

There is a lot of cleaning, waxing, and polishing tools to keeping your shaft clean and slick. What is necessary and what is crap. I have used the q clean and q slick products but i am wondering if this is enough. Is Shark Oil a good thing to use? what would you recomend for a old sanded shaft? or what would you recomend for a new shaft?

When you clean your shafts What is the process you use?

[audiopro]

I use q-clean and cue-silk (simliar to q-slick).

The Q-clean works well for cleaning the shaft and removing the chalk, dirt, and oil buildup. Typically this is all I use now. In the past I have gone over my shaft with some cue-silk also, and it definitely makes the shaft slicker. I just am not to picky at this moment.

Also, I use the Q line of Burnishing paper when needed. Honestly I dont think a shaft needs this done unless you have done some major work to it, such as tip replacement or sanding. The burnishing cloth works well for smoothing out small scratches on the ferrule. I hate the little scratches that fill up with chalk and turn blue, so I like I very smooth filter.

In short, I think the Q-Clean is all that is needed on a regular basis. Maybe some cue-silk if you like it's feel.

Dont ever use the green scotch-brites you see in some pool halls for slicking your shaft.. If in need I have found that a new dollar bill works well for fixing shafts in a pinch.

[audiopro]

Just thought about this. This is kinda off topic but the story makes a point that may be helpful in your maintenance, as well as other aspects of life.

Years ago I was helping a friend finish up a show car for an event only a few days away. We had been working for days with little sleep. We were trying to build a battery box out of plexi-glass to fit in a very tight spot. This box also had hidden neon lights. We were working with very tight tolerances. So, we would get this box close to fitting, almost perfect.. And then in trying to touch up some details, BAM!! We would break the plexi trying to squeeze it into place.

We went through this process 4 time before finally saying, okay we're running out of time. Let's just get it decent and put it in and be done with it.

We coined a phrase then. "If it aint perfect, F@$# with it till ya break it!"

We kept screwing around with this thing so many times trying to get it perfect. We wasted a lot of time, and really it made no difference in the end.

Something I learned from this, as well as other similiar past experiences. Is not to F with something so much ya end up ruining it. Hmm, my shaft has a blemish in it, I am going to sand it down and fix it. Crap, now the shaft is all rough. Now I have to use burnishing cloth to smooth it out. Crap again, now the shaft is to thin and feels flimsey. Whatever.. This may be an extreme example. But what I am trying to say is summed up well in the old saying, If it aint broke dont fix it..

Regular maintenance like changing the oil in your car is a good idea. But would you remove the valve cover, oil pan, and take the engine apart to remove every drop of the old oil to do so? Probably not...

[New Kid In The Hall]

The Q-clean class of products is great and the guys that make Cue Silk just came out with a one-step cleaner and burnisher called Sil-Kleen. It is great for the times when you won't do the 4 process full clean with the Q products.

[DZ314]

Anyone use that Sil-Kleen shit before? I was considering trying it out. Any feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks!

[skor]

I'm with audiopro, "If it aint broke dont fix it" attitude is the way to go.
about cleaning the shaft, before you start to shoot, make sure that your hands are clean (wash them with soap even if you think that they're clean, our palms are always oily), and dry and a bit powdered.
every few racks wipe the shaft with a cotton cloth, and when you are done playing, wipe it again and also clean the tip from chalk, it gets the inside of the case dirty with chalk that moves on the wooden part of the shaft as you put it into the case.
doing this will keep the shaft clean and smooth for a longer period of time. using these cleaning substances too often may damage your shaft, I use Q-clean and the Burnishing papers once every 3 - 4 months.

[New Kid In The Hall]

The SilKleen works great in between the full deal cleanings. I probably clean the shaft(s) on my cues every other month. If you have a shaft just not feeling a smooth as it should, a simple couple of paper towels and some SilKleen and you'll be ready to shoot with a new feeling shaft again. One to clean and one to burnish. Works great.

[wobster]

At this point, here is my routine.
Wet shaft, Use Q-Clean, wipe off excess
Use the burnishing papers
Use fairly heavy coat of Karseal Cue Wax

In between cleanings, I use a Q-Wiz to keep the shaft smooth and clean until the chalk gets embedded into the wood.

[audiopro]

That was a good tip Skor. Wash your hands! I typically do this a couple times throughout a long night of shooting. My left hand, the bridge hand, resembles that of a Smurf after a few racks of playing, from laying it on the table. Very good idea to get that gunk cleaned off.

[DZ314]

Yep, especially on tables that are not brushed regularly like in bars, etc. The chalk and dirt just accumulate over time and it can very quickly leave a nasty mess on the palm of your bridge hand! ;)

[Ziklag]

When I first get a new Shaft I seal the grain with 1800, 2400, and 3200 grit Micro-Mesh. These are actually very high quality sanding papers but they are so fine they do no damage to the cue. After that I keep a soft hand towel in my case for my cue and my hands. I have never had any problems so far and I always have a smooth shaft.

[audiopro]

Yep, especially on tables that are not brushed regularly like in bars, etc.

It's amazing though. Where I shoot pool the tables are brushed every night, I have spent many late nights helping to close and brushed them myself. But I guess when all day long you get people chalking and playing, it is just impossible to get it all up.

Sigh.... And I refuse to wear any sort of Michael Jackson type glove when playing pool!!! :twisted:

No offense to those who use the gloves though of course. :wink:

[Tanar]

I am coming up to the year anniversary of owning my first Predator 314. All I have done in the way of maintenance for the shaft is wipingit down with a towel. The shaft turns a nice shade of blue, but i have noticed no decrease in playability.

[CJK]

I use Q-Clean and Q Wax on my cue. It seems to give me the feel (or lack of it) that I want. One of the other people on my team uses Shark Oil and/or Cue Silk. It's okay, but it feels a little "artificial" to me.

Does anyone know what it is that Predator uses on the shafts from the factory?