The Death of a Bowling Ball...

[tccstudent]

Geneo's sync,,, RIP!! (

Is there gonna be a burial or a cremation
or are you just gonna throw it in a random dumpster

[Ptnomore]

I'm retiring a Wicked Siege this week. Been my favorite ball for 3 years now. I baked it and then re-surfaced it twice in the last 2 weeks. It just won't turn the corner any more. Coverstock seems to have hardened to the point where there's just no traction. I knew it wasn't looking good when a polished Nail could move to the pocket on a straight down/in where the Wicked would sail straight through. I'm replacing it with my first Motiv ball. Hoping to throw it for leagues on Friday. We'll see. The Wicked is the first ball I've had to retire due to ball death. I don't like it. Until now, I've resisted the notion that it could really happen.

[Mudpuppy]

180 games and done for me. My Ebonite is about to be retired. Especially now that I will start throwing the Melee. I will phase it out.

[Aslan]

180 games and done for me. My Ebonite is about to be retired. Especially now that I will start throwing the Melee. I will phase it out.

Jesus. At that rate, I'd go through 6-8 balls per year!!

My Frantic is "near" "semi"-retirement. More like the PBA50...it'll still get brought out when needed...but it's got over 300 games on it. Another 100-140 games and it'll be time to give it a little break.

I've seen some reaction loss from when it was brand new...but nothing too dramatic. I give it a bath once or twice a month though...and clean it with alcohol/cleaner after each use. Put it in the hot box a couple times. Had it polished once. The only thing I've noticed physically is it has some chips on it. Mostly little...but 1-2 are almost the size of small sunflower seeds...not too happy about that.

[sprocket]

My Strike Zone must have over 1000 games on it. It's still a beast.

[Perrin]

I run mine through a lite wash cycle of the dishwasher every few months(probably ~150 games)

have never had a ball 'die' other than the one where the core separated. my own fault for leaving it in the car in all temps.

[MICHAEL]

I run mine through a lite wash cycle of the dishwasher every few months(probably ~150 games)

have never had a ball 'die' other than the one where the core separated. my own fault for leaving it in the car in all temps.

do you use regular dishwashing soap along with the wash cycle. Is diswahser soap SAFE to use on a bowling ball?? This would be a MUCH easier way to do a couple balls at the same time!

[Perrin]

I don't use any soap at all. just the lite wash cycle with the heated dry and sanitize options turned off.

A friend of mine puts a couple drops of dawn in when he does his. seems about the same either way.


One note if you do this though.

If you don't take the ball out and dry it when the cycle finishes it can develop phasing
"Phasing is moisture being absorbed by the ball. Phasing means that the ball's surface is porous."

what that means is the ball will look like it has spots (like on the commercials for glasses that have spots and need Finish )

The spots go away pretty quickly but I don't like them so I pull the ball out and dry it as soon as the cycle is done.

[Geneo2u]

Is there gonna be a burial or a cremation
or are you just gonna throw it in a random dumpster

I know a guy on my other league that takes his old stuff to the animal sanctuary, Apparently the bears love to play with them..

[vdubtx]

I got my First Blood last Feb/Mar and used almost exclusively rest of the year with likely 200+ games on it I would guess. Had it rejuvenated a couple weeks ago and resurfaced. Went through weeks where it just would get to the breakpoint and sit, not as much movement as I was used to with it. Happy to say that the thing is back. Will get it rejuvenated again at end of season just before going to Nationals and the State tournaments in May.