What exactly is Q-Smooth?

[Eric]

After reading how to use Q-Smooth, I'm guessing that it is simply various grades of sandpaper?

After using Q-Clean I noticed my shafts were not as smooth as they were previously, and figure I need to do something to get the smoothness back.

Seems to me that you would want to use Q-Clean and Q-Smooth as infreqently as possible.

[audiopro]

Yeah, Q-Smooth is sandpaper, but very very fine... There are several grades, white being rough, blue medium, green fine, and the yellow is smooth actually. It is used for burnishing though, not to much sanding in the normal sense you would think. The green and yellow do not really take off much. Probably not even measureable. But it would do exactly what you want, smooth out the shaft.

[Devo]

eric,

You should read the directions if you are not sure

I Q-kit is properly the better way to go, I seen I lot of numbnuts just try using glass cleaner and sorts to remove oil/stains from the shaft blah blah blah

q clean is virtually a stripper... aka clorine based and actually does a pretty damn good job(note that you don't want to use this much and do this as quickly as possible) then Qsmooth then Qslick then Qglide. To do this process the cue needs to be pretty damn sticky to warrant that> also don't be worried about the stain from Qglide ...it is oil based and protects the shaft

If it hasn't got this stage and you did use the q smooth papers restart again from q clean if you didn't then go for a shaft burnisher/polisher

P.S You might almost notice that yellow hardly gets damaged but if you want it ultra slick then just keep going for longer than 15 mins .. it gets it hot and then when you condition it sets nicely

[Gregg]

I have all the Q-Care products.

The papers are excellent, and washable and reusable.

The Cleaner is nothing more than Clorox with bleach, and I would not recommend using it. Common sense dictates that any water/humidity or heat can damage the shaft.

The cue slick stinks. If you want a conditioner, use SlipStic, more expensive but worth it, I believe.

[Neil Fujiwara]

If you use any type of liquid cleaner and your shaft doesn't feel smooth afterwards you might want to reduce how long you leave the cleaner on the shaft or how much liquid you are using. It not feeling smooth is because you are raising the grain, which is caused by excess moisture.

[LWW]

The Q-clean kit rocks.

The papers aren't really sandpaper, they are called "films" and are made by 3M.

Whatever they are they do the job.

LWW

you can search it up as "lapping film".

[nathar]

I personally don't like putting anything on my shaft that I don't have to. :roll:
As far as cleaning goes, I usually wash my hands before I shoot. Then I wipe my cue down with a towel after every couple of shots.(that has turned into a habit, and almost part of my preshot routine) When I do feel the need to go a little further, about once a week, I will use a very mild scotchbrite pad. And I do mean mild! And then I will burnish with leather.
I recently used a technique I learned off this forum when it really needs it. This link was from another post and is very knowledgable and helpful. 8)
http://www.wolfbite.com/cue-maintenance.htm