Sanding down The Navigator Set

[thertel]

So I've been playing with my navigator set for a few weeks now and I hate the thickness of a lot of the hooks. So I was considering sanding down the offending picks to a more realistic thickness. Now I'm wondering if anyone has done this already or has any thoughts on doing it. And also how could I go about re-plating the picks with nickel?

thomas

[Romstar]

Sanding down, pefectly acceptable.

Replating? You don't. Unless you buy the hobby plating kit.

Romstar

[CaptHook]

I always sand/smooth all my picks, storebought or otherwise. Even HPCs, as great a pick as they are, Ive had to smooth and polish the edges and corners on all I own. Ive never seen a commercial pick that couldnt benefit from some polishing.
Since you are wanting to change the size a little bit, you might want to start with like 320, and go up. I finish polish my stuff with 2000 grit auto body paper.
Chuck

[Mad Mick]

Wow 'Hook, 2000 grit? I use that when I run out of Charmin!

[Romstar]

I just use a buffing wheel, and polishing compound when I want to get that silly.

Romstar

[Mad Mick]

Hey Rom, you got any of that jeweller's rouge going spare? I've got a slight case of the "Farmer's" and would like to reduce the possibility of chafing...

[CaptHook]

I used to use the 2000 on my cue stick shafts, gives a glass like finish on wood (stay away from talc...... ).
I normally start with 600, then 1500, then the 2000 on metal. I really like my picks smooth, seems to feel better to me. I dont take the finish off the sides, just the edges and contact surfaces.
Chuck

[Mad Mick]

I used to shoot a bit of pool and snooker myself. Didn't like a glass finish on my cue though, something like #600 grit was enough to glide easily without sticking in the crook of the thumb. Factor in a money game, when the sweat starts showing, and that glass finish is likely to stun the cue ball, when you really needed good position for the black.

[Romstar]

I always use talc on my cue, and hand. Never had any problems with that at all.

Although, I cleaned the cue after every game, so that helps.

Romstar

[Mad Mick]

Be careful with the wording Rom...after last weeks posts about rods, and this one about cues/shafts/cleaning/talc etc., innuendo is bound to follow.

[CaptHook]

I used to make a pretty decent amount of money playing. Started....now get this, when I was about 6-7, playing in bars my dad frequented..... Then I got to playing in tournaments, and did pretty well. Then like most things for me.... moved to BFE alaska, and it all ended.....
But if you want to keep your cue clean and as you prefer, keep your hands clean and avoid talc etc. Stop every 2-3 hours and wash your hands.
Chuck

[thertel]

Well tomorrow I shall sand all those overtly thick picks in the navigator set down to size a bit.

Romstar: Hobby plating kit? where would I get one of those, and how much would it cost.

Thomas

[Romstar]

Somewhere in this thread:
viewtopic.php?t=3817

obcessedwithcoffee mentions the caswell plating kits, found at www.caswellplating.com

I would assume that some of these kits would be suitable to your needs. I have been looking at them as well for some of my work.

Romstar

[thertel]

That plugand plate kit for nickel looks like what I'm gonna order before I start my sanding. I just can not bring myself to destroy the beautiful finish on the navigator set without first having a way to restore it.

The real question, though, is why does Brockhage make that navigator set so thick I mean from everything I've read and from my attempt at titanium picks I've found that .5mm is much more usable than the 1mm picks that are all over that set.

Well once I get the plug-and-plate set from caswell in I'll give it a try and post a review on here for those who want to plate their own tools.

Thomas