BallReviews

Equipment Boards => Hammer => Topic started by: Neptune66 on March 20, 2008, 06:23:15 PM

Title: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Neptune66 on March 20, 2008, 06:23:15 PM
Is this what people mean when they talk about the need for maintenance?

I wouldn't say that my BWB is hooking less overall, but it's changed. Instead of a killer backend, it's making it's move too soon and instead of mixing the pins, it just plows through and leaves lots of corner pins and splits. It's behaving like it's burning up or using it's power too soon or similar reaction, but the lanes are not that dry.

When others described the loss of reaction, I thought the ball would just mellow out a little, but it's not less of the same reaction ----it's like a DIFFERENT one altogether. More early arcing vs late backend. Speeding it up (I DO have plenty of speed ....about 18 mph) sometimes results in a beautiful shot, but just as often causes it to skid past the target.

Ball doesn't even have 15-20 games on it yet. Could it need a hot-water bath that soon????

Thanks for any feedback ----even if it's that this is "operator error" and not the ball's fault.
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: revTrex on March 21, 2008, 02:35:46 AM
I don't think you are experiencing loss of reaction -- you are experiencing the ball tracking up a bit. All that needs to be done to restore the OOB reaction is, not surprisingly, restore the ball to its OOB surface.

On a side note, though, do you clean your stuff after each set? If not, start.
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Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Neptune66 on March 21, 2008, 09:20:21 AM
I always clean the ball before putting it back in the bag. Just use plain rubbing alcohol, but always clean it.
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: JPRLane1 on March 21, 2008, 09:24:40 AM
YOUR ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO USE RUBBING ALCOHOL ON NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE BALLS PERIOD!

Use a cleaning product produced by the manufacturer for the bowling ball, clean and dull, power wash or energizer cleaner.  These new ebonite and hammer covers are becoming more and more maintenance sensitive and alcohol is too harsh of a chemical to use on these new covers.  If you want the ball to last use an appropriate cleaaner andd follow some type of resurfacing schedule.
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Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Neptune66 on March 21, 2008, 09:28:03 AM
Too harsh?

And how come I have 2 Angers and a Raid, with a lot more games on them and they are having no problems?
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: chitown on March 21, 2008, 09:32:34 AM
It sounds like your were bowling on a shorter/lighter pattern and the ball was checking up early.  

The part of the lane you were playing was probably breaking down and causing the ball to check up early.
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Neptune66 on March 21, 2008, 09:45:10 AM
Well... other bowlers were complaining about the apparent "spottiness" of the oil pattern. In fact... many of them are far superior to me and were having just as much trouble.  

One thing I HAVE noticed with the Bite is that it is an "all or nothing" ball in my hands, so bad conditions (from my perspective) will be exagerrated.  I have very few games right around 200 with it. It's either I'm humming with a 247 or lost with a 170 something (my average is in low 200's).
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Brickguy221 on March 21, 2008, 09:56:28 AM
quote:
It sounds like your were bowling on a shorter/lighter pattern and the ball was checking up early.

The part of the lane you were playing was probably breaking down and causing the ball to check up early.
 


I agree with chitown. What he said was my thinking also when I read your post.
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Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Neptune66 on March 21, 2008, 10:51:30 AM
Ok. I'll wait till I'm on either a heavier or longer pattern before making any drastic changes. Probably should not even have been using this particular ball last night, but stubbornly wanted to make it work.

I think I was trying to blame the ball for my decision to stick with it when reaction was indicating a switch was needed. I have had some very good games with it. Last night just wasn't one of them.

:-)

Thank you
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: chitown on March 21, 2008, 01:07:22 PM
quote:
Ok. I'll wait till I'm on either a heavier or longer pattern before making any drastic changes. Probably should not even have been using this particular ball last night, but stubbornly wanted to make it work.

I think I was trying to blame the ball for my decision to stick with it when reaction was indicating a switch was needed. I have had some very good games with it. Last night just wasn't one of them.

:-)

Thank you


I've made some very poor ball choices at times.  This usually seems to happen when I get a new ball. lol  I'm getting better at not using a particular ball just because it's my favorite or it's new.  

Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Spider Ball Bowler on March 21, 2008, 01:20:10 PM
I love my Bite, but so far have only been able to use it on wood lanes.  Of course the syns that I bowl on are quite heavy, so the ball doesn't want to do all that much for me.

In my Tuesday sweeper, I had my Bite, BWP, and Cell (freshly polished 1st time) and I was striking in warmups at will with the Bite and Cell, decided to go with the Bite because it's newer and I just like it

Within 4 frames I was back to the Cell and ended with a 477 for two, 733 for 3, and 967 for 4...sometimes being stubborn isn't the way to go
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Tuesday Sweeper: 223
Friday: 228
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Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Juggernaut on March 21, 2008, 02:30:30 PM
I know everyone has heard the "friend of a friend" thing before, but I DO have a friend and he DOES have a bite.

  When he first got the thing, he was killing everyone, everywhere with this thing.  Pins had no hope and were being turned into canonfodder by this thing.  I was very impressed, and on the verge of buying one for myself, when the "change" took place.

  After shooting 2 300's, a 299, an 800, and a 796, the ball seemed to "slow down".  He said that he cleaned it after every set, but I don't know how quicly after.  At around the 50-60 game mark, the balls reaction seemed to weaken, and I was watching VERY closely because I really wanted one of these things.

  He took it into the shop and they cleaned and freshened up the surface back to factory specs, but the ball was still weak and seemed to be getting weaker, so he tried the hot water bath.  Still nothing.

  I don't think I will be getting one of these after all.  Don't get me wrong, his ball hasn't completely died, but it has changed into just another, run of the mill, medium condition ball with nothing soectacular about it.

  Right out of the box it was awesome.  And for the next 50-60 games he was almost unbeatable.  But I would like something that would seem to last a little better than his did, and I don't feel like taking a $250 chance.

  His was a GREAT ball, but only for a while.  Now it is just a good, medium shot, run-of-the-mill ball, NOT the spectacular bomb it was when it was new.....
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Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Kid Jete on March 21, 2008, 02:45:58 PM
quote:
YOUR ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO USE RUBBING ALCOHOL ON NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE BALLS PERIOD!

Use a cleaning product produced by the manufacturer for the bowling ball, clean and dull, power wash or energizer cleaner.  These new ebonite and hammer covers are becoming more and more maintenance sensitive and alcohol is too harsh of a chemical to use on these new covers.  If you want the ball to last use an appropriate cleaaner andd follow some type of resurfacing schedule.
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Leader & Founder of Fellowship of the Saws! 03/04/05 Respect us or get left in our Saw Dust!
Level 2 Certified Coach!



Rubbing alcohol(Isopropyl) is perfectly safe to use on bowling balls, you can even use it during play.  Denatured alcohol is what you shouldn't use and is illegal because it's been tested to soften the coverstock slightly.  What do you think is used in alot of the manufacture's cleaners to help the liquid evaporate?  Captain Caps.

Edited on 3/21/2008 2:49 PM
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Gazoo on March 21, 2008, 05:32:35 PM
quote:
Too harsh?

And how come I have 2 Angers and a Raid, with a lot more games on them and they are having no problems?



Some people say the Raid dies after 20 or 30 games. This loss of reaction seems to be a hit or miss depending on the person and the ball. A very strange phenomenon. Someone needs to conduct a survey to see if this affects lower revs, med revs, or higher revs bowlers a disproportionatley amount of the time, or is just as random.
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: Gazoo on March 21, 2008, 06:44:40 PM
quote:
Just sounds like another hopkinsville ball dying because they dont care about the longevity of there products.


I disagree to some extent which is why I stated hit or miss. I have used quite a few ebonite and hammers and the only one that lossed real reaction(all balls lose some reaction over time) was the Big One at 150 games. My Big Time Sanded is still going good at about the 300 game mark.

Edited on 3/21/2008 6:45 PM
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: JPRLane1 on March 21, 2008, 07:22:36 PM
He got the ball from Ebonite/Hammer they make it, why don't you call or email them and ask them if they think its wise to use alcohol to clean their bowling balls.


quote:
quote:
YOUR ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO USE RUBBING ALCOHOL ON NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE BALLS PERIOD!

Use a cleaning product produced by the manufacturer for the bowling ball, clean and dull, power wash or energizer cleaner.  These new ebonite and hammer covers are becoming more and more maintenance sensitive and alcohol is too harsh of a chemical to use on these new covers.  If you want the ball to last use an appropriate cleaaner andd follow some type of resurfacing schedule.
--------------------
Leader & Founder of Fellowship of the Saws! 03/04/05 Respect us or get left in our Saw Dust!
Level 2 Certified Coach!



Rubbing alcohol(Isopropyl) is perfectly safe to use on bowling balls, you can even use it during play.  Denatured alcohol is what you shouldn't use and is illegal because it's been tested to soften the coverstock slightly.  What do you think is used in alot of the manufacture's cleaners to help the liquid evaporate?  Captain Caps.

Edited on 3/21/2008 2:49 PM

--------------------
Leader & Founder of Fellowship of the Saws! 03/04/05 Respect us or get left in our Saw Dust!
Level 2 Certified Coach!
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: tomstewa on March 21, 2008, 10:04:54 PM
You need to give it a hot water bath with a bit of Dawn dish soap. Use a bucket and drop the ball in for 5 minutes, pull it out and wipe the oil off. Repeat a few times. Finish with clean and dull.
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: chatnboy on March 22, 2008, 01:32:46 AM
this is so strange all the talk about balls"dying"and losing reaction after so many games!!!!i hear it all around and in this forum but it's really a strange phenomenon!!!now i have a ebonite the one and total n v.i have had no problems whatsoever with ball reaction weaking or the ball "dying"!!!i have had the one baked to extract the oil once and it's still going strong!!!the total n v is going to get baked too but is still a great ball for me.i clean my balls after every set with clean and dull.everything is still going great to me.imo...i think it has something to do with the rev rate and the speed of a particular bowler.my speed is between 13.5 to 14.5 and med revs.it seems like the only ones i hear talking about the balls dying is the high speed major revs guys!!!
Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: chitown on March 22, 2008, 04:55:13 PM
I feel that cleaning the ball after every use will only get the belt marks and dirt off the cover.  The oil get's absorbed during play.  So once your set is over, the ball already has had oil absorbed into the cover.  I have never been able to xtract oil with ball cleaner.  I still use ball cleaner to clean the coverstock but don't use it for oil xtraction!

The HOT WATER BATH process (I use the bathtub/bucket process) does get oil out of the coverstock and will bring back a lot of the balls original NIB reaction.  This process works and works very well!

Now with regards to the Ebonite covers.  Ebonite covers seem to absorb oil the quickest.  Even thought they absorb oil quick they still perform great.  I use the HOT WATER BATH process every 50 to 75 games on a ball.

Title: Re: Bite is breaking earlier and less
Post by: ddown88 on March 22, 2008, 06:27:55 PM
I use Power House Energizer Ball Cleaner after every time I bowl for all my bowling balls (Black Widow, Black Widow Bite, Black Widow Pearl, Resurgence, and Cell).  I have not experienced any performance change with any of these.  It only takes 10 minutes with a clean bath towel but I have found it is worth it.  Even if I only throw I shot I will clean the ball. I figure with the price of each ball and the small time factor it is worth it.
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