I’d guess but am almost sure that the “black bottle” is something that we used to use called “Docs Magic Bowling Ball Elixir”

You’ll find quite a bit about it on this site from about 2004-2005.

Still have a couple of bottles of it, never know it may make a comeback on tour.

His "shiny after polish = reactive" is anecdotal; hardly scientific. I think anything remotely modern labeled urethane is a blend. How much of each probably determines a lot of things - reaction shape, hardness changes, ease of polish... There have been tons of hybrids/blends over the years. Solid, pearl, particle/mica. Wasn't the Pure Hammer  years ago found out to be some type of blend?  I just think the Hammer purple pearl urethane found a blend that's mostly urethane but still shapes down lane. Of course the "best" ones got softer so they got even better over time. The early readability that big foot print soft urethane gives you combined with "more than pure urethane" down lane reaction is what they're trying to make now.

I know he pulled out the old original urethane. I'm still saying it's anecdotal. It's not proof in and of itself. I still believe that all the new "urethane's" have different amount of minor additions, resin or otherwise, that get the reactions they want. Don't forget that he's a salesman first. His black, supposedly not a slip agent, mystery bottle turns a strong reactive ball into a urethane like reaction. Why struggle to find a good urethane ball when you can buy his stuff and turn and old reactive ball into exactly what you want for $20-30? I've also never had to move right (right handed) after one or two shots with the purple pearl urethane (reactive by his definition). Somehow he went from flush to a 3-5-6 or something similar after a shot or two.

I agree with that and and that was partly my point although I still stand by my statement that his polish test isn't scientific proof, even it seems to be on the right path. All of the recent high performance "urethane" balls can't be pure urethane. There's a reason people aren't using their old Blue Hammers. It would be interesting to soak one of them to the harness of the special Hammer purple pearls to see what effect (only) hardness has on the reaction. They even implied the Rubicon UC3 was basically urethane. Anyone who has seen or thrown one knows that's laughable.

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Sometimes in the search to find the answer to modern day situations, you are forced to take a step or two backwards and investigate pre-existing alternative options that in the end, just may hold the answer to what you are in search of. Such is the case in the development and creation of our new Tour-ethane coverstock material. This material was derived as the result of this new direction of thinking and formulating. Our R&D Team followed the chemistry path of pure urethane from yesteryear in order to find the answer to the modern-day struggle in terms of excessive friction. Whether it is due to friction in the oil pattern, friction in the lane surface, or a combination of both. To that we say – Fear Friction No More!

Although they don't state it's pure urethane, they pretty much imply it.

This is what Hammer says about the purple pearl cover. I don't know if the language has changed since the original pour location to the green and now the purple pin.

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Our Urethane cover is the main ingredient in this masterpiece. Unlike modern covers that produce a violent reaction at the breakpoint, this proven staple is all about giving the bowler ultimate control of the entire lane. We have developed the perfect pearlized, thick-shelled coverstock. Old school technology with new school hitting power. Because nothing hits like a Hammer.

They all play pretty fast and loose with their definitions of urethane. Balls like the purple pearl aren't urethane, they certainly aren't what we think of as reactive. They almost have to be some kind of blend. Maybe we should find some old Helix/Double Helix's and try to define them now!

Quote from: Strider on December 05, 2023, 08:14:57 PM

I know he pulled out the old original urethane. I'm still saying it's anecdotal. It's not proof in and of itself. I still believe that all the new "urethane's" have different amount of minor additions, resin or otherwise, that get the reactions they want. Don't forget that he's a salesman first. His black, supposedly not a slip agent, mystery bottle turns a strong reactive ball into a urethane like reaction. Why struggle to find a good urethane ball when you can buy his stuff and turn and old reactive ball into exactly what you want for $20-30? I've also never had to move right (right handed) after one or two shots with the purple pearl urethane (reactive by his definition). Somehow he went from flush to a 3-5-6 or something similar after a shot or two.

Anecdotal or not; this is something I have known since the early/mid 90s.  While stationed in the Army, I would frequent Jeff Bellinger's pro shop which was run at the time by Jerry Horn.  I had a test ball with no labels on it having been told it was a Nitro R/2.  When I took it to Jerry, the first thing he did was rubbed polish on it and said it is a way to test a ball to see if it is urethane or resin.  The ball happened to sheen up with some Finesse and elbow grease.  He did not even put it on the spinner.  As soon as he saw the ball sheen up he said this was how they could determine a urethane vs a resin.  What Hickland mentioned in his video was actually old news though not very many people have known about that "trick".