Slide pad maintenance...

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roguegeek
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Slide pad maintenance...

Post by roguegeek »

A friend gave me a new pair of KR Strikeforce Flyers as I reacquaint myself with the sport. I have a couple questions about maintenance for these slide pads.
  • What maintenance can be done on the slide pad to keep it fresh between sessions? Games? Frames?
  • Does a slide specific power need to be used or can it be substituted? Baby powder? Talcum powder?
  • I'm having to apply powder every 4-5 games. Understanding it's based on conditions, does this sound normal?
  • When the pad on this shoe goes, does it need to be replace or do you replace the whole shoe?
Thanks!
44boyd
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Re: Slide pad maintenance...

Post by 44boyd »

Get a brush, do not put powder on your shoes as it screws up the approach for everyone else. If they are interchangeable, get a replacement for it (10-15$)
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bowl1820
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Re: Slide pad maintenance...

Post by bowl1820 »

roguegeek wrote: March 6th, 2020, 6:58 pm A friend gave me a new pair of KR Strikeforce Flyers as I reacquaint myself with the sport. I have a couple questions about maintenance for these slide pads.
  • What maintenance can be done on the slide pad to keep it fresh between sessions? Games? Frames?
  • Does a slide specific power need to be used or can it be substituted? Baby powder? Talcum powder?
  • I'm having to apply powder every 4-5 games. Understanding it's based on conditions, does this sound normal?
  • When the pad on this shoe goes, does it need to be replace or do you replace the whole shoe?
Thanks!
For the most part all that is needed is a brush, Typically it's the small brass wire brush many bowler's have.

Powders are not needed all the time, They are more for a emergency situation (every 4-5 games is a little too often IMO).

If it is used, use it Properly (see rules below) and sparingly on the sole, then brush and tap the shoe to remove the loose powder, do this is a place away from the bowling circle so no one will step in it.

KR Strikeforce Flyers have a white microfiber slide sole (which to me is kind of tacky and need a little more break in). If your having to powder every 4-5 games that's there's something else going on like a humidity problem at the center, Dampness on the approach will cause sticking.

You might want to take a look at the heel, not just the sole.

The rubber heel acts as a brake, if your weight is slightly shifted back too much. You'll tend to stick more because your putting the brakes on too early. Also watch out cleaning the heel too much can cause it to drag some.

I don't believe the Flyers have removable soles, so to replace one you'd have to go to a cobbler. Another option would be to try a slide sock, It's a slide aid that just slips over the shoe.
44boyd wrote: March 6th, 2020, 7:30 pm Get a brush, do not put powder on your shoes as it screws up the approach for everyone else. If they are interchangeable, get a replacement for it (10-15$)
Getting powder on the approach do to excessive and/or improper use is what screws up the approach. But used properly and judiciously it won't get on the approach.

Example:
1- Wire Brush the sole to clean it.
2-Then "Lightly" apply powder and rub in with fingers
3-Then use wire brush on the sole
4-Tap off the loose powder
5-A final brush and tap
The sole should now be dry and free of any loose powder.

Another option is to use something like the Brunswick slidestone (Which is just soapstone a hard talc like mineral called Steatite) it won't get on the approach (unless you shave it and don't use properly)

USBC Rules:
Rule 12 – Approaches Must Not Be Defaced
Detracting from the possibility of other players having normal conditions is prohibited. This includes:
1. The application of any foreign substance on any part of the approach.
2. Improperly applying talcum powder, pumice, soap stone, rosin or any other foreign substance
on the shoes causing the substance to be transferred to the approach.
3. Soft rubber soles or heels that rub off on the approach.

Commonly Asked Question – Rule 12.
12/1 Does the use of Easy Slide on the bottom of my shoe violate Rule 12?
Commercial products like Easy Slide, soap stone, talcum powder or any other substance
applied to the sole of a shoe could be in violation of Rule 12. If a participant uses a product
improperly causing residue to be left on the approach and the normal sliding conditions of
another participant to change, the bowler must discontinue the use of the product. If applied
properly, residue should not be transferred, and the bowler can continue using the product.
"REMEMBER, it isn't how much the ball hooks, it's where."
roguegeek
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Re: Slide pad maintenance...

Post by roguegeek »

44boyd wrote: March 6th, 2020, 7:30 pm Get a brush, do not put powder on your shoes as it screws up the approach for everyone else. If they are interchangeable, get a replacement for it (10-15$)
I'll pick up a brush. Thanks!
bowl1820 wrote: March 6th, 2020, 8:45 pm For the most part all that is needed is a brush, Typically it's the small brass wire brush many bowler's have.

Powders are not needed all the time, They are more for a emergency situation (every 4-5 games is a little too often IMO).

If it is used, use it Properly (see rules below) and sparingly on the sole, then brush and tap the shoe to remove the loose powder, do this is a place away from the bowling circle so no one will step in it.

KR Strikeforce Flyers have a white microfiber slide sole (which to me is kind of tacky and need a little more break in). If your having to powder every 4-5 games that's there's something else going on like a humidity problem at the center, Dampness on the approach will cause sticking.

You might want to take a look at the heel, not just the sole.

The rubber heel acts as a brake, if your weight is slightly shifted back too much. You'll tend to stick more because your putting the brakes on too early. Also watch out cleaning the heel too much can cause it to drag some.

I don't believe the Flyers have removable soles, so to replace one you'd have to go to a cobbler. Another option would be to try a slide sock, It's a slide aid that just slips over the shoe.

Getting powder on the approach do to excessive and/or improper use is what screws up the approach. But used properly and judiciously it won't get on the approach.

Example:
1- Wire Brush the sole to clean it.
2-Then "Lightly" apply powder and rub in with fingers
3-Then use wire brush on the sole
4-Tap off the loose powder
5-A final brush and tap
The sole should now be dry and free of any loose powder.

Another option is to use something like the Brunswick slidestone (Which is just soapstone a hard talc like mineral called Steatite) it won't get on the approach (unless you shave it and don't use properly)
Lots of good information here. I'll look into all of it. Thanks!
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Re: Slide pad maintenance...

Post by krava »

How often are you suppose to replace the heel/ front part of it. I have " the 9,s" and have had these for like a year or two.

I went to circle bowl in BR today. I ton of people complained of no slide. One guy I overheard, said that he fell flat on the lanes the first time he threw a ball. I put on h7 heel and s12 and my first ball was in the gutter as I stuck. Someone with sst6's put h7 and s12 on and stuck also. I might have had 2 in slide if that. First of all, I knew about the sticky situation before hand, so I washed the parts with a brush and water and used a hair drier on it the day before to get all the dirt off. A long story short, It wasn't until the 2nd game did someone come up to me and showed me a "soap stone" or something. I used that thing on both parts and got my normal slide almost back. I got atleast 4-6 inches of slide instead of 2. I have never had any lane condition ever stop me from sliding with a h7 and s12 on. If your used to sliding and then you can't, you have to change your timing and that throws alot of stuff off. (example 1st game 150s, 3rd game 246)

Has anyone had good luck with the slide stone before also? I don't understand how that thing helps so much. I don't have rubber sliding soles, these are all sort of carpet based materials.
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bowl1820
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Re: Slide pad maintenance...

Post by bowl1820 »

krava wrote: March 15th, 2020, 3:07 am How often are you suppose to replace the heel/ front part of it. I have " the 9,s" and have had these for like a year or two.
You replace your soles and or heels when you think they got wore out or have become damaged in some way.
I went to circle bowl in BR today. I ton of people complained of no slide. One guy I overheard, said that he fell flat on the lanes the first time he threw a ball.
Since this was happening to everybody, it was most likely a bad humidity problem.


I put on h7 heel and s12 and my first ball was in the gutter as I stuck.
First of all, I knew about the sticky situation before hand, so I washed the parts with a brush and water and used a hair drier on it the day before to get all the dirt off.
When you washed your sole and heel you pretty much just killed the slide, You removed the built up dust particles which is part of what lets them slide. IMO you should only wash a sole if there is a foreign substance on it, Like if you stepped in something sticky. Basically the same goes for the heel also.

A long story short, It wasn't until the 2nd game did someone come up to me and showed me a "soap stone" or something.
Has anyone had good luck with the slide stone before also? I don't understand how that thing helps so much. I don't have rubber sliding soles, these are all sort of carpet based materials.
As I said above the Brunswick slidestone is just soapstone a hard talc like mineral called Steatite ( I seen the patent see link or attachment).
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20050177963

I made my own as can be seen here, It works fine if my sole feels slightly tacky (and changing soles would increase slide too much).

Note: Buying a box of soapstone (about $5 in lowes welding dept.) is way cheaper than a Big B Slidestone and you'll have enough to last for years.
diyslidestone.jpg
I don't understand how that thing helps so much.
It works the same way baby powder does, placing a fine powder (Dust) back into the sole and it acts basically like a lubricant between the sole and floor. Also it would help dry any moisture that may be on the sole.

patent excerpt:

[0013]
Soapstone has been long used in powdered form to provide desired lubrication between a bowling shoe sole and hardwood surfaces of bowling lanes. When appropriately applied to the sole of a bowling shoe, it provides a desired amount of dry lubricant to reduce friction between a bowling shoe sole and a hardwood bowling lane, thus to provide an easier glide in a person's lane approach, and to enable a bowler to have a desired slide. For newer alleys, which are more slippery, a bowler need not use as much lubricant on bowling shoes, whereas with older alleys or with worn shoes, lubricant may be required to prevent relatively new shoes from sticking to a floor. A bowler seeks to make the sole of the bowling shoe slippery to a desired degree, so that bowler may slide in a desired manner on an alley and a bowler may use soapstone three or four times during a period of bowling, depending upon lane conditions, shoe condition, etc.
[0014]
The present invention provides a number of distinct advantages. Use is simplified and easy, and spreads no powdery mess onto a person, floors, or elsewhere. A person's hands remain clean and free of powder during the handling and application of the soapstone. It fits conveniently into a pocket or purse, etc. A block of soapstone, utilized with the handle of the invention, has a very long service life. Further, in contrast with powdered soapstone of the prior art, there is no soapstone left on a person's fingers which comprises nuisance and interferes with a person's handling of a bowling ball, and thus affecting the person's bowling performance.
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