When did they stop making ivory cue balls?

Ivory pool balls were made from the 17th century, although there were still ivories in 1875 until 1920.

Are ivory pool balls better?

The best billiard balls once came exclusively from the tusks of Asian elephants. No natural material other than elephant ivory had the physical size, strength, and beauty to perform in the billiard room and the concert hall.

Were cue balls made of ivory?

The first cue balls were made out of wood, but as ivory became a popular material, people began making cue balls out of the material. These balls worked well at the time, but in the 1900s, cue ball makers began using synthetic materials that were easier to acquire and make into consistent well-balanced balls.

Were snooker balls ever made of ivory?

Back then, the balls were most likely made from ivory – in the past they had been made from wood or clay – but ivory would yellow with age and eventually crack under pressure.

Why did they change the color of billiard balls?

Anticipating the need to better discern the balls on small screen devices, we developed a light purple to replace orange and a lighter green to replace the darker one, only in the new Aramith Tournament BLACK set.

150 years ago, pool balls used to explode!!

Are old pool balls made of ivory?

For a long time, the elephant ivory was the material of choice for pool balls. Unfortunately, mass markets in many parts of the world, including the western countries, used too much of the material. Ivories were not only utilised for pool balls but also commercial trinkets, combs, and piano keys as mentioned above.

What replaced ivory for billiard balls?

Throughout billiards' history, people have made pool balls from different substances, such as wood and ivory. However, billiard balls are made today from phenolic resin, polyester resin, and epoxy resin. Each one, at its time of use, proved somewhat superior to its predecessor, although they could have been better.

What are vintage pool balls made of?

There was a time when taking a perfect shot in a game of billiards could cause the ball to explode. That's because the balls were made of celluloid, an early plastic that was, unfortunately, combustible. It was patented on this day in 1869, just a few years after the first human-made plastic, Parkesine.

What are the oldest billiard balls?

Although affordable ox-bone balls were in common use in Europe, elephant ivory was favored since at least 1627 until the early 20th century; the earliest known written reference to ivory billiard balls is in the 1588 inventory of the Duke of Norfolk. Dyed and numbered balls appeared around the early 1770s.

What are antique billiard balls made of?

Billiard balls were originally made of stone but were eventually replaced with balls made of wood and clay due to the weight of the stone itself. These balls were used until the 1600's when ivory billiard balls became popular. Ivory billiard balls were expensive and time consuming to make.

Who is the oldest pool cue manufacturer?

Peradon have been making cues since 1885 which makes them the oldest cue makers in the world.. Premium Cues are one of their main appointed stockists with a large selection of their products.

Do ivory pool balls turn yellow?

Ivory pool balls were also prone to yellowing with age and tended to crack in humid climates or if struck with excessive force. On average, a tusk would only yield up to 5 balls. Sometimes a shipment of 50 tusks would only have as few as 1 tusk that was suitable for making billiard balls.

How do I know if my pool balls are Aramith?

So beware of imitations and check for the Aramith logo and/or the Aramith name on the box to be sure you've got a genuine Aramith phenolic ball set.

Do pool balls go bad?

Nevertheless, balls sometimes need replacing after considerable use. This is more common among sets made from polyester and acrylic. Aramith balls, manufactured from phenolic resin, are said to last five times longer than other balls. Interestingly, cheaper balls threaten the longevity of the billiard cloth.

What brand of pool balls do professionals use?

Pratically all billiards tournaments worldwide exclusively use Aramith balls, and every day, an estimated 3 to 4 million professional and amateur players play with Aramith.

What are the heaviest pool balls?

Carom balls are noticeably larger and heavier than pool balls. (Pool balls are 2 1/4” in diameter and weight about 6 ounces, and carom balls are about 2 7/16” in diameter and weigh about 7.5 ounces.)

How do you clean vintage pool balls?

Add a mild detergent or dish soap: Use a mild detergent such as a little bit of dish soap to create a sudsy solution for soaking your billiard balls. Soak your billiard balls: Add your billiard balls to the sudsy solution for five to ten minutes and no longer.

Why do old pool balls turn yellow?

Pool balls made out of phenolic resin will turn yellow over time. This yellowing is caused by exposure to UV light, heat, and the air causes the phenolic resin to break down, which gives the ball an offwhite appearance.

Why do pool table balls turn yellow?

Most billiard balls are made of hard plastic materials that are resistant to cracking and chipping. As sometimes happens with plastics, over time exposure to UV light, combined with exposure to heat and oxygen, can cause a process called photodegradation through photooxidation.

Why are Aramith pool balls better?

Aramith phenolic heat-curing process fully stabilizes material tensions. It produces a vitrified high-density surface that offers maximum impact resistance. Tests show Aramith phenolic balls to withstand to over 50 times more impacts than other phenolic or polyester balls. They are also twice more scratch-resistant.

Why buy expensive pool balls?

Phenolic resin balls remain popular today for tournament play and even amateurs who want professional play. In fact, 85% of playersaround the world use these high-end balls. They stand up better to impacts, high friction temperatures, and extended use.

What color are standard pool balls?

Those numbered 1–7 are solid colours; 9–15 are white with a single thick stripe in varying colours; and the eight ball is black.

What is the best thing to polish pool balls?

Use a mild dish detergent, like Dawn or Palmolive, mixed with lukewarm water. You never want to use hot water, as this can damage the balls. You can use cool or cold water, but the balls may not come as clean, as the lukewarm water helps loosen stuck-on food and grime.

How long should pool balls last?

Usually, polyester resin balls last about eight years or around 80,000 impacts.

What is the best material for a billiard cue?

Good quality pool cues are customarily made from straight-grained hard rock maple wood, especially the shaft. Snooker cues, by contrast, are almost always made of ash wood, although one might come across one with a maple shaft. Maple is stiffer than ash, and cheaper.