Any advantage to Partical balls or disadvantages.I notice only a few are manufactured anymore.lord field has those covers from time to time.

in 2007ish when USBC changed the requirements for the softness of bowling balls, particle material wasnt really able to used as much because it was to soft.

I believe what he is referring to is when they changed the MOH's Hardness specification back in 2005 in regard to materials used in coverstocks. (such as the particle materials)

Which is not the same and is a separate specification than the durometer "D" hardness scale (which stayed the same at 72) which is used to measure the ball's overall hardness or softness.

These specifications are listed in the Equipment & specification manual under the "Physical Specifications" section.

Hardness Min:72 Max:None
Mohs’ Hardness Min:None Max:6.0


"2. New Mohs' Hardness specification.
Mohs' hardness is a material hardness scale that differs from the current durometer "D" hardness scale.

It was developed by Fredrich Mohs' in 1812. Hardness of a material is determined by observing whether its surface is scratched by a substance of known or defined hardness.

The Mohs' hardness of any material added to or included in the coverstock of a bowling ball shall not exceed 6.0 on the Mohs' hardness scales tested in accordance with the USBC approved test procedure.

A standard glass sample with a Mohs' hardness of 6.0 will be used to determine if the materials in the cover stock of a bowling ball will scratch the standard glass sample.

Any ball with cover stock material that is harder than 6.0 will scratch the sample and that ball will not be approved.

The standard glass sample will be manufacturered by an independent contractor specifically for use in this test. The test method is very simple and can be reproduced at the ball manufacturers lab.

This will be implemented by 8/1/05. The current durometer "D" specification will remain in effect."

Quote from: 9orbetter on February 12, 2017, 10:54:02 AM

Lord Field and Lanemasters stop making particle balls a few years ago. You can still get a few on closeout on the Lanemasters page

when did they stop making particle balls?

I think there are no more Lane Masters particle balls; not sure there was any fixed cut-off date. As for Lord Field, there still are some. Check the matrix provided by California Bowling via BossTull in this thread:
http://www.ballreviews.com/lane-masters/who-pours-these-t313262.0.html;msg2571848;topicseen#new
It lists the coverstock type for their balls as of Jan. 2017.

Quote from: WOWZERS on February 13, 2017, 09:26:36 AM

Never Learn

I should have explained more, but my intention was to provide the ONLY update USBC has made to covers, which is the roughness...nothing to do with the hardness/softness of a cover. So I agree with your point that I have not heard (or have already forgotten) if there was an change to a max/min on cover hardness/softness.

I understand, and thank you.

My point was that Gid837's driller seems to have mislead him; I was trying to understand if I had missed something in the world of bowling that would have led to the forced non-use of particles. But it seems like they are alive and well, even if they are living under an alias.

It is very possible that he misused words or that i misunderstood him.

Quote from: Gid837 on February 13, 2017, 12:00:44 AM

in 2007ish when USBC changed the requirements for the softness of bowling balls, particle material wasnt really able to used as much because it was to soft.

I believe what he is referring to is when they changed the MOH's Hardness specification back in 2005 in regard to materials used in coverstocks. (such as the particle materials)

Which is not the same and is a separate specification than the durometer "D" hardness scale (which stayed the same at 72) which is used to measure the ball's overall hardness or softness.

These specifications are listed in the Equipment & specification manual under the "Physical Specifications" section.

Hardness Min:72 Max:None
Mohs’ Hardness Min:None Max:6.0


"2. New Mohs' Hardness specification.
Mohs' hardness is a material hardness scale that differs from the current durometer "D" hardness scale.

It was developed by Fredrich Mohs' in 1812. Hardness of a material is determined by observing whether its surface is scratched by a substance of known or defined hardness.

The Mohs' hardness of any material added to or included in the coverstock of a bowling ball shall not exceed 6.0 on the Mohs' hardness scales tested in accordance with the USBC approved test procedure.

A standard glass sample with a Mohs' hardness of 6.0 will be used to determine if the materials in the cover stock of a bowling ball will scratch the standard glass sample.

Any ball with cover stock material that is harder than 6.0 will scratch the sample and that ball will not be approved.

The standard glass sample will be manufacturered by an independent contractor specifically for use in this test. The test method is very simple and can be reproduced at the ball manufacturers lab.

This will be implemented by 8/1/05. The current durometer "D" specification will remain in effect."

and somewhere I read this is the reason why Lane Masters quit using diamond particles.

I wanted to throw my 2 cents on this topic. I have and continue to use Particle balls for a couple of reasons-1. They are so very predictable, and 2. They never overact!

I use a particle as my benchmark(Mega Friction) with a weak pin(pin over the middle finger, CG barely on the positive side of the ball. I start off rolling this down and in and it tells me if I should go to my Vandal, Paradox, or Jackal LE. I can also go down to my Gargoyle or Blue/Green Centaur.

I LOVE the predictability! (but I also am able to stay with them longer) This is why I have other NIB Particle balls. Most of them are Diamond or Carbon Particles.

My $0.02!

I had very good luck with a few Brunswick particles around 2000.  I thought they held up pretty well.  A couple of lane men told me they really tore up synthetic lane surfaces a lot faster than non particles

Heard the same things as well. Seen some of it doing Lane certs also during the early 2000's..

Particle balls are still resin enhanced.