Does using arbalon pads regularly kill the ball?

[Blomer]

So yesterday, I received my Grudge Hybrid replacement from the shop that ruined my other one. I received the same ball as that was what I asked for. Boy does it move! The one that was damaged, wasn't moving all that much as it once did. With that ball, I often used a 500 grit arbalon pad on it, perhaps onc a week or so. Does using an arbalon pad that often damage and kill the ball? When I used them, I would just use only the pad and scuff it up pretty good!

[fokai73]

500 grit?! wow... you must bowl on a lot of oil. or are a spinner.

500 grit is like putting snow tires on your truck or car. it wall read the lanes quicker and reduce the overall backend move. It will "smooth out" the ball backend reaction. Overall hook increases, but response to friction reduces. More 'arc' shape ball motion to make it simple.....

A shinny ball, or one with less "teeth" on the cover, will retain energy longer as it goes down the lane. it will read the lanes slower/later, and when it touches friction it will have a quicker response. move like a hockey stick so to speak.

bowlers will buy a strong ball with 1000 grit, then bowl on lanes that have little to no oil. The ball will not hook or hook very little. so what they do, they sand their ball with lower grit pads and make things even worse. A ball with a lot of surface will loose energy quicker and ball hook out. or just goes straight.

[mc_runner]

From what I've found, hitting with Abralon won't kill the ball however not getting the oil out will. I don't hit with 500 as often as you but will sometimes hit light 500 or 500/2000, and if I notice the reaction still isn't good bake the oil out. The oil saturation is really what's going to to do the ball in. Surface changes are kind of a band aid, or a symptom fix of the underlying issue - it masks the deeper problem.

Also, a ball will never be as "strong" (in quotes because it's a topic of debate, but using this as "up to it's full potential") as it is right out of the box, through the first 30 games on it or so, even with surface refreshes and oil extractions.

[bowl1820]

So yesterday, I received my Grudge Hybrid replacement from the shop that ruined my other one. I received the same ball as that was what I asked for. Boy does it move! The one that was damaged, wasn't moving all that much as it once did. With that ball, I often used a 500 grit arbalon pad on it, perhaps onc a week or so. Does using an arbalon pad that often damage and kill the ball? When I used them, I would just use only the pad and scuff it up pretty good!

Using them won't damage or kill the ball, but not using them properly or the right ones for the condition. Won't allow the ball to work properly.

The Grudge Hybrid had a OOB of 500/4000 Siaair, fokai73 pretty much covered it.

Sanding it at just 500grit you would have needed a bucket of oil on the lane. The new one is working better because it has a smoother surface.

[fokai73]

I bowl on a high friction surface with less than 20 units. It's gets dry quickly. A guy with a sanded no rules can't get his ball to hook. He speaks out load, "there's a lot of oil outside." But in fact, it's the opposite. It's a dry walled out shot. Like bumpers.

So he sands his ball before leagues every week.... and complains the ball isn't that good. His buddies tell him what's happening, but he thinks they're wrong.

The guys who play up the boards ball down quickly lol.

[1VegasBowler]

This is one of the reasons I don't change the surface on any of my bowling balls. I keep mine in OOB condition, and do most of my own de-oiling at home. (Hot tap water & Dawn in a bucket) Every 3 or 4 months I take them to my PSO and let him do the de-oiling and surfacing, and I've had zero problems doing it this way.

I understand why people change their surfaces, but my arsenal has 2 500's with polish (an asym & sym), 1 3000 with polish (asym), 1 1500 (sym), 1 2000 & 2 4000's (all asyms). And all but 2 of these balls have very different cores and drillings. My original Vandal & Vandal Smash have identical cores, but very different surfaces & drillings.

All of these give me what I need for just about any condition out there.

[RobLV1]

All in all, this is one terrifying thread... from the idea that many bowlers still don't understand that too much surface will cause a ball to cease hooking to the idea that there is anything sacred about the OOB finish!

[1VegasBowler]

All in all, this is one terrifying thread... from the idea that many bowlers still don't understand that too much surface will cause a ball to cease hooking to the idea that there is anything sacred about the OOB finish!

I don't see it OOB as sacred. It's just my preference.

Only 1 ball has had the surface changed, and I totally agreed with it, because the PitBull is an absolute monster OOB, and by going 3000 w/polish makes this ball so much more controllable.

[NewToBowling]

I think Rob is trying to say OOB is almost impossible to replicate so it's better to change the surface right away so you can always go back to it when you need to.

[1VegasBowler]

I think Rob is trying to say OOB is almost impossible to replicate so it's better to change the surface right away so you can always go back to it when you need to.

That could very well be correct my friend, and it's not something I would/could argue because there are probably just as many who do it either or.

[Timmyb]

All in all, this is one terrifying thread... from the idea that many bowlers still don't understand that too much surface will cause a ball to cease hooking to the idea that there is anything sacred about the OOB finish!

I do try to keep my Black Widow near the OOB condition. That said, I'm not using the same equipment that Hammer uses, so there's no conceivable way it's the same. I've experimented with different grits to come up with what I think works best for my game. My IQ nano gets 4000, and then I polish it because I've seen this ball burn up in a hurry. Your "OOB" condition is pretty much gone after 3 games, anyway.

[fokai73]

if bowlers can spend $200 on a new ball, why not spend $200 on a ball spinner? I"m not sure how much spinners are these days, but I bought mines for less than $200 a decade or so ago.

We all need to start somewhere. Talking to your PSO, getting in forums like this to ask questions, and trial and error are ways to learn ball surface adjustments. Other sites have knowledgable people who can answer ball surface questions, just like another site to better understand dual angle layouts for example.

There is truly an advantage for those who know this craft.

[KYDave]

Yes and yes some more.

I keep the ball OOB for the first time bowling. If it did what I wanted/expected it to do I used to leave it alone and put it back to spec on the next freshening up. Part of it was I was afraid changing it would only be a negative if I liked it as is. Also partly trying to line up a time with my PSO and the 1hr round trip to change the surface back if the surface change wasn't what I wanted and would be stuck with it until I could.

I got a ball spinner about a month ago and now i experiment all the time with surface changes, or just to freshen up. My only hold back is it is a little spooky going below 500 grit for me in fear of going too hard on it and making it out of round. Usually if the resurface step calls for 360 grit I just use 500 instead. I know that isn't perfect, but it is what I am comfortable with, atleast for now.

[bigt_45]

I sure hope abralon doesn't kill my ball, I lightly scuff it with 1000 every 20 games or so just to get a little more traction.

[StormTex]

I only use an abralon (1000) on my Storm Mix urethane to get it to hook more using it on lanes when they get really dry, orig purchased as a 10pin ball which worked great OOB finish but now have a polyester ball for that so decided to repurpose the mix for a dry lane strike ball,
working really well for me at 1000 scuffed.

[chip82901]

This happened to me last night. Started the night out throwing a Storm Street Fight, decent look, bad carry (clean 188). Decided to switch to a Storm Phaze (still great length, little more backend motion). Worked great (213). Fill ball I through a Storm Phaze II as the outsides were getting eaten away by the down and in guys. Got it a hair wider than I intended but it came back and left a 9 pin. Thought I had a decent look. Hit my intended target first frame to start the 3rd game and the ball didn't even think about hooking. Left a 2-10. I knew what happened, the ball burned itself up. I ended up going and grabbing a Pitch Blue to finish out the night up the edge and threw 5 of the last 6 for 211.