What Is Pool Chalk?

History

• A player named John Carr is credited with introducing the use of chalk on the end of the cue stick to aid trick shots he developed. He capitalized on this by claiming it was a special kind of chalk and sold it in pill boxes. It was later discovered that ordinary chalk worked just as well, which reduced Carr's sales.

Uses

• Chalk is used on the cue stick to gain more control over the contact between cue stick and cue ball. Chalk prevents slippage between the two and prevents miscues when the tip slips off the cue ball. Chalk is also useful in tricky maneuvers such as a spin shot.

Manufacturing

• Cue tip chalk consists of the abrasive substance aloxite or corundum and silica crushed into a powder form. This powder is then combined with a dye -- generally a blue-green or green -- and a binder or glue. A hydraulic press is used to compact the mixture into large cakes that are dried and cubed. The final process is to create what is referred to as a dimple on one side of the cube to accommodate the tip of the cue stick.

Hand Chalk

• A less commonly used form of pool chalk is hand chalk. Professional billiards players are more likely than amateurs to use hand chalk. Used to reduce friction between the hands and the cue stick, it is primarily made of talc. Chalking of the cue tip is an essential element in playing billiards to maintain control, but the use of hand chalk is considered optional and at the discretion of the player.