And it worked great!  This ball had about 100 games on it and had really taken a shine to it and was skating most of the time.

I gave it a hot water bath and then an application of Clean N Dull.  After that I scuffed it with a grey pad (very lightly).

Then I decided I wanted to re-soak it just in case any more oil came out, and I actually did notice a bit more seepage on the 2nd soak.  I hit it with the grey pad ever so lightly again, and then took it to the lanes.

The ball was back to its old self, which is to say it was back to being a complete monster.  I am so glad I did this- a few years ago I would have thought the ball was done for and gave it away.

I have given this treatment to a few other balls, all with great results.  Don't be afraid to try it!


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~SprayNpray

-formerly known as SawFreak
-official house hack

I have a Black Widow Pearl that I soak in hot water once a week the day before I bowl, then I hit it with Clean N Dull after...I have never heard of anyone using Clean N Dull on this ball but the ball reaction is super...works for me..
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When you leave the 10-pin and you know you can't make the spare, but another member of your team can, invoke the "Designated Bowler" rule.

I found that using a grey pad by hand leaves a very smooth finish... haven't tried the 4000 on a spinner as I have none yet...
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"Have fun and bowl well!" - Grayson
"Some things are made so even idiots won't fail using them.... But I ask what about the genius?" - Grayson

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charlest, I did not bring it back to 4000.  All I had at the time was the grey pad and a maroon pad, and I wanted to try the ball at a different surface.  So I used the grey pad and I was very happy with the reaction I got, so I left it there.

Again, I scuffed it very lightly by hand (don't have a spinner).  I have also found many times that balls in the 600-1000 range work very well for me where I bowl.  That said, I knew the box finish was 4000 and so I was trying to use very light pressure so that I didn't change the surface THAT drastically, because I didn't have anything finer with which to scuff.  Being a novice with changing covers, I don't feel qualified to estimate the final finish when I was done with the whole process, but I think it is safe to say it was somewhere between 4000 and 1000 (I know, wide range).

I was swinging the Widow across the lane, around 35 (feet) to 20 (arrows) to 7-8 (breakpoint), when a couple days before on the same shot I was playing around 12-8 and the ball was struggling to make it back to the pocket.  After the soak, I was getting a reaction that was dead nuts on with the reaction I got out-of-box.
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~SprayNpray

-formerly known as SawFreak
-official house hack

SprayNpray,

I understand what you're saying and where you're coming from on this matter.

However, since you're going from a 4000 grit finish to a, shall we say intermediate level one, possibly around 1500 grit, I am of the opinion that you do not know if you're oil extraction process was truly successful.

If you sanded an oil soaked 4000 grit BW to 1200 - 1500 grit, you MAY get the same results. I am not sure.

The only thing I am sure of is if you sanded your BW back to 4000 grit and got a good reaction, THEN I would say your oil extraction was successfull.

In any case, I am glad you are gettinjg good use of the BW, It is an unqualified GREAT ball.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."
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