Recently picked up a second hand Motiv Raptor Talon.  Ball had been plugged before, but was in decent shape.

I read that this was supposed to be a very strong cover, so I finished the surface to 4000 grit and snake oil polish (I found the cover to seem very "hard," like it didn't want to change, even with Trizact pads!).  I went to league early and grabbed a lane to throw a game with this ball.  Fresh THS, with a bunch of oil down the middle.  I threw a few shots with the ball and it seems to be quite weak.  Shots towards the outside, starting in a little and sending the ball out towards the oil line would get a little reaction where I could start tonsee the ball trying to turn, but nothing on the backend.  Move further in the oil, and the ball just skates, no reaction at all deflection at the pins.  Playing straighter uo the outside and the ball would start up a little, but nothing on the backend.

I know this was supposed to be an early rolling, strong ball, but assumed there would be a little more reaction dow lane.  The behavior reminds me of 10 or 15 years ago when people would experience "ball death" where the covers would just die.

I came home and decided to see whether anything would come out of the cover.  Hot water bath, nothing seemed to come out.  I did clean with Remedy afterwards while the cover was still warm... Sprayed it on, let it sit for a while, and wiped off.  The surface seemed a little more "tacky", but there was absolutely nothing on the white towel, besides the Remedy.

Are there any other rejuvenator potions/techniques?  Maybe clean n dull with scotchbrite, followed by finishing to the right grit?

Any other experience with the RaptornTalon?  Anyone else have one and notice that the cover was really hard and didn't want to sand very well?

Thanks!

The OOB on the talon was 3000 Grit LSS (2000 was the old listed OOB)

Using a 4000 polished surface on fresh oil might not have been the best match.

:-)

Will play around with it.

Thanks!

Quote from: charlest on April 01, 2016, 09:58:50 AM

1. If I came into possession of such a ball, the first thing I might try is to extract any oil that I could. Usually the best and safest way is one of the ovens. Seeing how this is an older ball, I'd take the surface down to 360 or 500 before putting it in.
(Personally, Strapper, when I do this, I use a Scotch-Brite maroon pad (360 grit) and I use Clean n Dull as a lubricant, as you suggested.)

Sorry for hijacking the thread, but would you suggest this for pearl/polished balls that don't seem to bleed oil when put in an oven? I have a NuBall (usually set at 125) and it works great for solid coverstocks with surface but it's rare if I get oil out of anything pearl and/or polished.

If it was an old ball with an unknown source, yes, of course. It doesn't matter what type of ball it is.

If a ball has soaked up oil, an extraction oven should make it give it up or most of it.

If it's your own ball, then careful cleaning and maintenance will help prevent it from absorbing significant amounts of oil. My own balls never give up any oil. Some ball brands like older Lane Masters, Visionary and Motiv balls seem never to give up oil or it takes them a long time to do so. But all balls, including pearls and polished ones,  will absorb oil over time, no matter the brand and no matter the type. Urethane also absorb oil but extremely slowly.

Your pearls and polished may be absorbing oil more slowly because you subject them to less oil, but, believe me, they do absorb oil. Sanding them won't make a ball give up oil if there's little to no oil in it. It should, in theory, make a ball give up it oil more easily.

If it was an old ball with an unknown source, yes, of course. It doesn't matter what type of ball it is.

If a ball has soaked up oil, an extraction oven should make it give it up or most of it.

If it's your own ball, then careful cleaning and maintenance will help prevent it from absorbing significant amounts of oil. My own balls never give up any oil. Some ball brands like older Lane Masters, Visionary and Motiv balls seem never to give up oil or it takes them a long time to do so. But all balls, including pearls and polished ones,  will absorb oil over time, no matter the brand and no matter the type. Urethane also absorb oil but extremely slowly.

Your pearls and polished may be absorbing oil more slowly because you subject them to less oil, but, believe me, they do absorb oil. Sanding them won't make a ball give up oil if there's little to no oil in it. It should, in theory, make a ball give up it oil more easily.

Yeah, that's generally what I'm seeing. The ones I'm getting the most oil from are owned by guys on my team or that I know. I just wasn't sure if polished or pearl balls bled oil more readily than ones with surface since the pores on the latter are generally more open. It's more likely than not my stuff just doesn't have much oil in it. Thanks for the reply!