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Author Topic: Wiping off Ball  (Read 4496 times)

thewhiz

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Wiping off Ball
« on: April 04, 2018, 02:37:33 AM »
How important is it to wipe off you ball between shots?  I never wipe it off on league nights but in tournaments should I be Wiping it off?
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charlest

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2018, 07:27:55 AM »
Oil absorption and changing surfaces are THE culprits for lack of ball performance.

Does 2-5 seconds of effort, as part of a pre-shot routine, take all that much effort?

Any oil wiped off will reduce the amount of oil absorbed and make each shot more consistent.

Or do you get all your balls for free and you don't have to worry about factors that the rest of us have to keep in mind?
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Freddy

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2018, 08:13:25 AM »
My advise it to get a shammy like Genesis Bowling Pure Pad or similar.  It gets much of the oil off.  Clean the ball each time and like mentioned make it part of your pre shot routine. 
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Luke Rosdahl

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2018, 08:15:42 AM »
Wiping the ball off with specifically a shammy is the only way to do it in my mind.  Some people leave the oil on there so it doesn't pull as much off the lane, but then like charlest said, you're just begging to turn your expensive hooking ball into a spare ball inside of a couple months.  Don't mess with regular towels or even microfiber, a shammy is the only towel option in my mind, nothing else comes close. 
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BallReviews-Removed0385

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2018, 08:17:28 AM »
In addition to the factors charlest mentioned for maintenance, it's a performance issue. 

The ball must find adequate friction in order to change direction and drive through the pins effectively.  If it's covered with oil how would someone expect that to happen?

The shammy is an effective tool, but I have had great results with suede and synthetic suede "towels" and find them easier to use and maintain.

In order of effectiveness, in my opinion:

4- Terry towel - Least effective, but better than nothing.  Smears oil, but will absorb a little of it.

3-  Microfiber - Will pull more oil than the terry cloth.  Very affordable.

2- Suede (micro-suede, etc.)  A less expensive option than shammys and very effective in my own testing

1- Shammys - Very effective, but the most pricey option.  (Check your bowling center's lost and found because these get left behind, making them even more expensive.)

« Last Edit: April 04, 2018, 09:57:13 PM by notclay »
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daves123

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2018, 09:40:07 AM »
What is the best way to clean a suede leather  shammy ?
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leftybowler70

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2018, 10:50:56 AM »
I second and third on purchasing a shammy; Best investment you can invest as far as prolonging the performance of your ball.
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JazlarVonSteich

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2018, 10:56:11 AM »
Shammy for sure, and if you ever throw urethane, it is a 100% must have. Doubt I would have shot 300/800 with my Hot Cell if I didn't have a shammy to wipe it down.
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Mako

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2018, 12:11:09 PM »
It is an absolute must, right up there with cleaning it after every set.

How long does everyone else keep their shammys?
I purchase the Track ones for $9 on eBay. At the beginning of the year I start with a new one. Then at the half way point, I switch to another new one.
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Luke Rosdahl

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2018, 03:05:46 PM »
I just keep mine until they get too dirty and then change.  I could wash them but they get all stiff and dry once they're washed . . not a problem, I just don't like it lol.  Rather just open a new one. 

Quote from: Mako on April 04, 2018, 12:11:09 PM
It is an absolute must, right up there with cleaning it after every set.

How long does everyone else keep their shammys?
I purchase the Track ones for $9 on eBay. At the beginning of the year I start with a new one. Then at the half way point, I switch to another new one.
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strikeking12

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2018, 03:16:53 PM »
If you want repeatability, you should wipe your ball after every frame. This makes the surface the same for every frame.
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lilpossum1

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2018, 04:17:29 PM »
Quote from: Luke Rosdahl on April 04, 2018, 03:05:46 PM
I just keep mine until they get too dirty and then change.  I could wash them but they get all stiff and dry once they're washed . . not a problem, I just don't like it lol.  Rather just open a new one. 

Quote from: Mako on April 04, 2018, 12:11:09 PM
It is an absolute must, right up there with cleaning it after every set.

How long does everyone else keep their shammys?
I purchase the Track ones for $9 on eBay. At the beginning of the year I start with a new one. Then at the half way point, I switch to another new one.
From what I have read, that happens if you use a cleaner that takes the natural oils out of the leather. If you clean it with warm water, some hand soap, and a soft bristle brush like a tooth brush, you will be fine. That's what I did and my track shammy is still soft. It is actually softer than the unused one I have in my locker
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Steven

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2018, 05:17:29 PM »
Quote from: Mako on April 04, 2018, 12:11:09 PM
It is an absolute must, right up there with cleaning it after every set.

How long does everyone else keep their shammys?
I purchase the Track ones for $9 on eBay. At the beginning of the year I start with a new one. Then at the half way point, I switch to another new one.

The Track pad came with a Paradox I bought several months ago. It looks much less industrial strength than the Genesis Pure Pad I’ve been using the past 2 years. I’ve washed my Pure Pad twice over its life and it’s still like new.


I’ll probably end up giving the Track pad away.
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JJKinGA

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2018, 06:35:24 PM »
A couple of years ago I did this experiment:
I got a oil absorbing cloth like what is used in the rejuvenator ovens. This is a polypropylene microfiber cloth specifically designed to absorb oil.  One side benefit is that it is white and oil clearly shows up as a translucent spot.
I wiped the ball as a normal preshot routine.  All night, nothing on the cloth. I even made sure to roll through the puddle of oil. I rubbed nkrmally, then vigorously over the oil lines on the ball. Still nothing.  Then I took a quick and gentle wipe across the lane a couple of inches past the foul line. Finally evidence of oil (clearly a lot). 

I conclude that the oil is both quickly absorbed by the ball and has a strong affinity for the urethane resin.  Wiping did not pull any oil off the ball.

Now, maybe a urethane ball can be wiped off, but current reactive resins don't give up oil to the wipe. 

Now I just clean well after each set.  After two years I see no difference in ball life, need for oil removal or amount of oil released in the oil removal. 

Your experiences might be different, but I did a careful experiment with clear results.  I am convinced that wiping is no longer a necessity.
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charlest

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Re: Wiping off Ball
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2018, 06:56:42 PM »
Quote from: JJKinGA on April 04, 2018, 06:35:24 PM
A couple of years ago I did this experiment:
I got a oil absorbing cloth like what is used in the rejuvenator ovens. This is a polypropylene microfiber cloth specifically designed to absorb oil.  One side benefit is that it is white and oil clearly shows up as a translucent spot.
I wiped the ball as a normal preshot routine.  All night, nothing on the cloth. I even made sure to roll through the puddle of oil. I rubbed nkrmally, then vigorously over the oil lines on the ball. Still nothing.  Then I took a quick and gentle wipe across the lane a couple of inches past the foul line. Finally evidence of oil (clearly a lot). 

I conclude that the oil is both quickly absorbed by the ball and has a strong affinity for the urethane resin.  Wiping did not pull any oil off the ball.

Now, maybe a urethane ball can be wiped off, but current reactive resins don't give up oil to the wipe. 

Now I just clean well after each set.  After two years I see no difference in ball life, need for oil removal or amount of oil released in the oil removal. 

Your experiences might be different, but I did a careful experiment with clear results.  I am convinced that wiping is no longer a necessity.

A lot depends on the oil absorption abilities of the coverstock in question. Usually the stronger the coverstock, the more quickly it absorbs oil.

That said, I used to bowl on fairly light oil and so used mostly milder resin. They indeed came back with oil on the surface which I wiped off with a microfiber towel. I can safely say that when lanes were freshly oiled, even with a light coat of oil, balls always came back with oil on them.

So, I can only assume you used some very strong balls, such that by the time they returned, the oil was absorbed.

Not all resin balls absorb oil at the same rate, but all resin balls absorb oil much faster than urethane or polyester coverstocks.
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