Author Topic: Slate Blue Gargoyle... need info (Read 1251 times)

Ric Clint · « **on:** February 14, 2005, 03:07:27 PM »

With this ball being a Urethane ball... does it really truely still get through Dry/Scorched heads?

It's been said that Urethane hooks earlier than resin... and that resin was added to Urethane to enduce skid through the heads.

So does this ball really get through dry heads with ease... if so, is it because it's "pearl" Urethane instead of "regular pure" Uethane?

Does this ball have any backend?

D McLaughlin · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2005, 11:16:45 PM »

That ball reads pretty early imo. Pearl or not...it does not appear to matchup well on burned heads from my experience. Hope this helps some.
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Umm....Walter Ray....its customary to hand over your wallet AFTER I beat you. Its not like we haven't been through this a hundred times.

charlest · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2005, 04:45:37 AM »

I have one. I bought it for drier lanes (not dry). Being urethane, even being pearlized, it is intended, in my opinion, to be a control ball to fight ferocious backends for those with more hand or higher revs/ball speed ratio. Since this pearl urethane has a medium RG, (versus a pearl urethane like the Columbia Trooper with a higher RG), even I put the pin above the ring finger and slightly to the outside.

It needs oil in the heads if you're to play any where near an outside line.

It has less backend than the equivalent resin ball. To add some drive to it, I found it better in my case to increase the angle of rotation to approximately 75 - 90 degrees.

Once all these things were accomplished, I found it an excellent ball. Unfortunately, lately, I have not needed to use it. Resin has sufficed. However, I intended to keep it around.

louie · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2005, 07:14:56 AM »

I have a Slate blue and it is a nice ball. I find it to have excellent length on even the driest of conditions. However, it retains energy so well that the backend is sometimes too much. What I have found is that the slate blue works best when you have little head oil but some carrydown. It will get through dry heads and then make a strong move on the backend. Good control and good carry. On a plain old dry lane, really short pattern, or extreme wet/dry I like balls with Storm's proglide cover better. While they are earlier than the Slate, they have a lot less backend and are easier to keep in the pocket. While both the Slate and a Big hit are useless on any significant oil, I find my Big hit more useful on most dry patterns.
Dry then oil= Slate Blue Gargoyle.
plain old dry= Big hit/ Barbed Wire
The SBG is really aggressive on dry.
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Why does everyone laugh when I bowl?

louie

livespive · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2005, 07:43:01 AM »

I would say that the only condition that the Slate Blue is not good for
is the bone dry(IF you are playing a swing shot)

With a few changes in position you should be able to use it anywhere.
If you can't then that means the lanes haven't been oiled from day one

I have one drilled label leverage. IT is not jumpy on the back end,
matter of fact it is quite smooth. As slow as it looks going to the pocket,
I think it's not going to make it, but it does.

I would say that Urathane hooks sooner but has a smoother reaction.
You might get 10 boards of hook across 30 feet of dry but it was smooth,
and predictable. With resin you get the skid, but because the energy
has been stored, it releases more violently at the changes in lane condition.
Meaning you will get that inital 10 boards of hook in the first 10 feet now.

But that is just my take on it.
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Eric T. Spivey, P.E.
Visionary Test Staff Member
http://www.visionarybowling.com

scotts33 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2005, 07:48:18 AM »

Ric--What trajectory are you trying to play? I would assume you are trying to stay put and not move inside what with your style and technique in your profile. Is this true?

Let us know and then I think we can help better. BTW--I use a lot of dry lane equipment because I am constantly fighting dry heads at most houses I bowl.

Scott

TheDude · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2005, 10:45:54 AM »

Lets keep in mind the resins/urethanes of today and the ones of many ages ago, have better core construction.

I did throw the slate briefly last year and on a dry house shot the ball was useable for me even with my higher speed. but the ball is better for dry for the reason the ball's reaction to friction is not as fast as resin. so it will arc, sometimes hard arcing, but never really skid snap.

it offers control when most resin balls will still move too violently off the dry.
imho

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Timothy @Juniors Pro-Shop
Montreal, Quebec.

Sir Bowl-A-Lot · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2005, 07:45:14 PM »

I bought one for dry lanes thinking it would be a tame ball. What I got was a beast straight outta hades! This thing is unbelievable! I have the 4" pin above the fingers and the CG is smack dab in the center of my palm. It gets decent length and just explodes on the backend. It hits harder than any other ball I have had too. I guess my search for the dream dry lane ball continues but I am very happy with the Slate Blue. If I am struggling with my other equipment, I can always whip out my blue steel beauty and keep the pressure on the other team.

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*Don't swing it if you can't bring it.*

Edited on 2/15/2005 8:47 PM

Ric Clint · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2005, 03:35:04 AM »

quote:
Ric--What trajectory are you trying to play? I would assume you are trying to stay put and not move inside what with your style and technique in your profile. Is this true?

That is true.

I can turn the ball up with more revs if needed... but it's rare that I do that. I'm starting to wonder if I should just get a weak pearl resin with a good backend drive, and just move deeper inside and try to swing a bit... instead of trying to use a weak Urethane or weak resin and play my usual down and in line.

What would you all do???

Edited on 2/17/2005 4:35 AM

Sir Bowl-A-Lot · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2005, 06:13:46 AM »

I can play down & in with the Slate or I can swing it. Can't get more versatile than that.
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*Don't swing it if you can't bring it.*

scotts33 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2005, 06:44:04 AM »

quote:
quote:
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Ric--What trajectory are you trying to play? I would assume you are trying to stay put and not move inside what with your style and technique in your profile. Is this true?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That is true.

I can turn the ball up with more revs if needed... but it's rare that I do that. I'm starting to wonder if I should just get a weak pearl resin with a good backend drive, and just move deeper inside and try to swing a bit... instead of trying to use a weak Urethane or weak resin and play my usual down and in line.

What would you all do???

Ric--This is exactly why I asked you your trajectory. To many times in my opinion players try to stay with the same line not moving their trajectory by moving to a weaker ball. Problem is the heads are gone or starting to go and you've lost all the energy the ball can't store any because the heads are shot.

Start by moving in to catch some head oil and use equipment like the Blue Slate or weaker cover resin laid out to finish a bit harder for carry. I wouldn't go with a weak layout as you move in with your technique as the ball will need to recover and hit hard enough to carry well.

Balls I use for this are Blue Slate and a Buzzsaw XXL both with long pins and pins over fingers. XXL moves even harder than my Blue Slate because of core and layout. Another ball I use on this type of condition that I like is a Track Dry Heat.

Centaur B/G would not be a good choice as it's to weak of a cover and weak of a core to hit hard from inside unless you are a cranker.

If Visionary ever comes out with a pearl particle...I'd try that.

I do have a DT VPP but laid it out to weak to recover from deeper. Works great on PBA A or whatever they call it now.

Hope this helps Ric. Rememeber not everybodies technique is the same as yours nor does everybody can or want to play the lanes the same. I do believe you have to play the lanes to what they will give you. Make your spares Ric.

Scott

htotheizzo3561 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2005, 10:32:03 AM »

The ball will get through the heads easier than most. I did use it at the Grand Boot Hill tournament last year where one shot was to 15 foot oil and then to 20 a buff. This ball still hooked off the wall, but my plastic rino also hooked off the wall as well as everyone elses!

Ric Clint · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2005, 04:28:34 PM »

Thanks!