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Author Topic: Disappointment with Hammer  (Read 12901 times)

banjoec

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Disappointment with Hammer
« on: August 07, 2008, 10:49:49 AM »
Are we all sick of another variation of a Widow or Vibe. I've owned 2 Raw Pains, 2 Black Widows, Toxic, Anger & 2 Blue Vibes. The Widows were dead after 40 games. The Raw series lasted a bit longer. I've moved on to other equipment. The only Hammer I still throw is the Blue Vibe. With a new fall season about to begin, I'm looking at everything but the new Hammer stuff.
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Strider

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #46 on: August 09, 2008, 11:27:52 AM »
I made a post that sums up my opinion.  Please feel free to add any opinions or facts there.

http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=204580&ForumID=73&CategoryID=2
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Special thanks to Lane#1 for donations to two consecutive  Ballreviews Get Togethers.

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NJStroker

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #47 on: August 09, 2008, 11:57:59 AM »
ThePocketKing hit it on the head, a lot of people said it killed their balls because they pressed down too hard on the spinner and it gave it a light shine.
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Im so glad people are brainwashed to think that TRACK sucks. And its even funnier when im carrying with my TRACK ball and they're going flat ten with their BRUNSWICK ball.
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Brickguy221

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #48 on: August 09, 2008, 12:18:50 PM »
quote:

OK. That's fair..

Track power wash after each set and C&D on the spinner once a week. Tried to revive both using hot water bath and then broke down and had them put in a reviver.

Still dead..

 


Two problems with your cleaning methods...

1. Track Power Wash isn't the best of cleaners. Not a bad cleaner, but there are better cleaners out there such as Legends Cleaner, Black Magic Ultimate Rejuvenator, and even Simple Green mixed with water. Legends is the best of all cleaners if you can stand the odor of it and not have it take away your breath if you have respiratory problems. I have tested these cleaners by cleaning a ball with for example, the Power Wash or other brand cleaner and then following that up with one of the Legends or Rejuvenator cleaners and getting more dirt, oil, etc off the ball and then reversed the procedure and cleaned with Legends or Rejuvenator and following up with Power Wash and not getting any more dirt, oil, etc. off the ball because the other cleaners cleaned it entirely.

I see people spray a ball lightly and wipe it off and I see some spray their towel and then wipe the ball off. I spray the ball very heavily until it runs off the ball, then let it sit until I see it start to evaporate. I then wipe the ball down.

2. Some people claim success using the Spinner with Clean & Dull and some people say it dims the balls action. When using the spinner, any pressure at all will burn some of the C & D into the ball and over time, the ball develops a slight sheen and loses it's performance. Personaly, I see no reason to use the spinner to begin with when applying C & D. I apply the C & D on the ball with a worn out white Scotchbrite Pad on polished and pearl balls and a worn out Gray Scotchbrite Pad on solid dull balls using little to no pressure, then let it sit until I start to see signs of evaporation, then wipe it off. I then take a wet towel and wipe ball again, followed by spraying the ball with water and wiping a final time with a dry towel.

By doing the two things I have listed above, I have never had a ball die on me. As for Ebonite made balls dying, I haven't had any since the V2 Solid and V2 Pearl days, but just ordered a V2 Playmaker Thursday this week, so after getting it and using my same cleaning procedure over time, I will find out if it dies or not.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away"

booyakashah69

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #49 on: August 09, 2008, 12:45:09 PM »
I've since sold my Black Widow Pearl, but when I had it, I cleaned it religiously after each set and even applied the hot water bath on it... I just felt that it didn't give me the hitting power that it used to after a while.. Since then, I've bought mostly stuff from the Storm/Roto Grip line.... They are still as good as the day I bought them.... Somehow or other, that less satisfying experience with the BWP has made me wary of new releases under the Ebonite brand of companies (Ebonite, Hammer, Columbia, Track)..... But, I might take a chance on the Razyr... Let you all know how it goes then....
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banjoec

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #50 on: August 10, 2008, 05:24:21 PM »
I see I am not alone in my opinion. To each there own, but don't just blame the ball death on poor maintenance. I've since moved on to Lane Masters and RotoGrip. But like I said in the original post, I still use the Blue Vibe.
quote:
I also have had a problem with hammer equipment.  I bought the No Mercy when it first came out.  I bowl once a week and through 1 season the ball was dead.  I bowled a 300 with this ball and averaged 229.  I didn't bowl with it over the summer then got it out at the beginning of the next season and the ball was dead.  I changed the surface to try to give the ball some life again and nothing happened, the ball flat lined---------.  My dad talked to a couple of Hammer reps at a tournament in louiville and they said they even agree that Hammer was having problems with their coverstocks.  I have lost confidence in Hammer also.
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Fatboy8

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #51 on: August 11, 2008, 03:04:07 PM »
I'd hate to guess how many games are on my BW Solid, and it reacts just fine and hasn't died. My Ultimate Inferno was really used up, and it never died on me.

I clean my stuff before it gets put away for the night, and have never had a problem. I also used the hot water method to extract oil every so often too.

Just my experience with cleaning and ball death.
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Nothing Hit's Like A Hammer
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charlest

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #52 on: August 11, 2008, 04:13:30 PM »
quote:
ThePocketKing hit it on the head, a lot of people said it killed their balls because they pressed down too hard on the spinner and it gave it a light shine.
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Im so glad people are brainwashed to think that TRACK sucks. And its even funnier when im carrying with my TRACK ball and they're going flat ten with their BRUNSWICK ball.


I can shine a ball with SPIT on a towel if I press hard enough. That is not enough or a good reason NOT to use the efficiency of a spinner, INTELLIGENTLY, to clean a ball. That said, I personally rarely use a spinner to JUST clean a ball. Most cleaners do a much better job if allowed to sit on a ball for a short time, before you use a CLEAN rag to wipe the dirt and excess cleaner away.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."
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OddBalls

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #53 on: August 11, 2008, 04:37:07 PM »
quote:
quote:

OK. That's fair..

Track power wash after each set and C&D on the spinner once a week. Tried to revive both using hot water bath and then broke down and had them put in a reviver.

Still dead..

 


Two problems with your cleaning methods...

1. Track Power Wash isn't the best of cleaners. Not a bad cleaner, but there are better cleaners out there such as Legends Cleaner, Black Magic Ultimate Rejuvenator, and even Simple Green mixed with water. Legends is the best of all cleaners if you can stand the odor of it and not have it take away your breath if you have respiratory problems. I have tested these cleaners by cleaning a ball with for example, the Power Wash or other brand cleaner and then following that up with one of the Legends or Rejuvenator cleaners and getting more dirt, oil, etc off the ball and then reversed the procedure and cleaned with Legends or Rejuvenator and following up with Power Wash and not getting any more dirt, oil, etc. off the ball because the other cleaners cleaned it entirely.

I see people spray a ball lightly and wipe it off and I see some spray their towel and then wipe the ball off. I spray the ball very heavily until it runs off the ball, then let it sit until I see it start to evaporate. I then wipe the ball down.

2. Some people claim success using the Spinner with Clean & Dull and some people say it dims the balls action. When using the spinner, any pressure at all will burn some of the C & D into the ball and over time, the ball develops a slight sheen and loses it's performance. Personaly, I see no reason to use the spinner to begin with when applying C & D. I apply the C & D on the ball with a worn out white Scotchbrite Pad on polished and pearl balls and a worn out Gray Scotchbrite Pad on solid dull balls using little to no pressure, then let it sit until I start to see signs of evaporation, then wipe it off. I then take a wet towel and wipe ball again, followed by spraying the ball with water and wiping a final time with a dry towel.

By doing the two things I have listed above, I have never had a ball die on me. As for Ebonite made balls dying, I haven't had any since the V2 Solid and V2 Pearl days, but just ordered a V2 Playmaker Thursday this week, so after getting it and using my same cleaning procedure over time, I will find out if it dies or not.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick


Brick,
I have plenty of Ebo/Hammer stuff that never flat lined on me like the BW solid and the TNV. I LOVED these balls and treated them better than my wife.

I have a orginal One, two Shooters, a playmaker and a V2 Sanded that stll react and work very well.

Not ALL Ebo stuff dies, but these two did snd it just so happened I got the first run of both of them.

Coincidence? Maybe. But it sure is weird..
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Inverted 1 and Dead Flush are my Evil Twins...
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Brickguy221

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #54 on: August 11, 2008, 06:58:25 PM »
quote:
Coincidence? Maybe. But it sure is weird..


Vince, I just ordered an Ebonite Playmaker last week and I hope I have better luck than you did on the Ebonite made balls that died on you. This will be the first Ebonite made Ball I have had since the days of the V2 Pearl and original V2 Sanded. I loveed the V2 core on those 2 balls and was wanting a ball to fit below my Twisted Fury, Heist and Rapid Fire Solid, thus my reason for taking a chance on the Playmaker and it's V2 Core.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away"

janderson

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #55 on: August 14, 2008, 10:43:16 AM »
quote:
I LOVED these balls and treated them better than my wife.


wow - never thought of putting my wife on the spinner. Wonder what grit would make her perform the best...
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Brickguy221

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #56 on: August 14, 2008, 10:48:56 AM »
quote:
wow - never thought of putting my wife on the spinner. Wonder what grit would make her perform the best...
 



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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away"

Doug Sterner

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #57 on: August 17, 2008, 05:24:14 PM »
I know Strider and he is not one of the guys I speak of...he knows how to maintain equipment. There are plenty of guys out there that say "I clean my ball after every set."

The problem is their definition of "clean." While spraying a ball down with ball cleaner may be considered cleaning it the new balls need more.

Cleaning only goes so far. Surface maintenance is the term that needs to be used now. I don't care how clean you keep it the ball is going to eventually need a sand , suck & shine.

Why do drag racers do a burnout before each run? Not to look cool but rather to get all the old rubber and crap off their tires to gain better traction on the track. Do they just wipe the tires down with cleaner and say "good enough?" Of course not...the same applies to a bowling ball.

Every so often the old, worn out resin needs to be removed to get fresh resin on the outside of the ball.

Add to this the fact that the new covers absorb oil and attract dirt into the pores of the ball and you need to sand the ball every so often and deep clean the pores.

Times they are a changin'...either adjust or be left behind.
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
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http://dougsproshop@aol.com
www.dougsproshop.net
Lane 1 Buzzsaw...The Official Power Tool Of Bowling
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
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Stan

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #58 on: August 19, 2008, 10:33:55 PM »
Doug, not to jump off the topic, but Drag racers burn out to heat up the tires so the rubber gets softer for better traction.
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Doug Sterner

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #59 on: August 19, 2008, 10:46:31 PM »
Stan...you are correct that they need to heat the tires to gain better traction but if you notice there is also rubber residue kicked off the tires to get to the new rubber underneath.


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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY
http://dougsproshop@aol.com
www.dougsproshop.net
Lane 1 Buzzsaw...The Official Power Tool Of Bowling
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY

Proud Member of the NRA
Fighting to uphold the Constitution of the U.S.

SVstar34

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Re: Disappointment with Hammer
« Reply #60 on: August 19, 2008, 10:53:50 PM »
well, for the last 2 posts, drag racers do burnouts to get rid of crap on the tires and so they can heat the tires to get better traction. I have a friend who is a drag racer.

(Back to Bowling)
Bowling balls do need to be resurfaced every once in a while.
Normal balls usually need to be resurfaced around 50 games, but could need to be resurfaced sooner depending on oil absorption.
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My Arsenal:
Twisted Fury
Raw Hammer Pain
Blue Vibe

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