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Restore Antique Dried Out Billiard Balls

9/15/2010 8:12:30 AM

Restore Antique Dried Out Billiard Balls

I have some old pool balls that are cracked and look to be drying out. I have a few questions:

  • Does anyone know how to restore old billiard balls or are they to far gone?
  • Does anyone recognize or know what the old pool balls are made out of?
  • How old are these billiard balls?
  • I wonder if these are antique billiard balls?

Surely someone has had the need to restore antique billiard balls in the past.

Restore Antique Dried Out Billiard Balls

Replies & Comments
  1. woodcutter1979Mitch Alsup on 9/15/2010 11:09:35 AM

    Is there any way to save those balls: yes, but not if you want them to be useful pool balls--they have become (at best) museam pieces, at worst, raw stock to make other things out of.

    Pool balls need to be round (to 0.001") with the CoG at the center (no wobbles as it rolls) and almost identical in weight. There is no way to take those balls and make them fit the three requirements.

  2. woodcutter1979woodcutter1979 on 9/15/2010 2:44:59 PM

    So what do I put on them to make the cracks go away or stop them from cracking. Olive oil?

    Does anyone know what these pool balls are made out of? How old are they?

  3. woodcutter1979dduffett on 10/8/2010 12:31:57 PM

    Take the worst pool ball from the bunch and try to cut one in half on a band saw. If they are colored all the way through then sell them to pen turners.

  4. woodcutter1979Fenwick on 10/8/2010 3:15:53 PM

    What I think you have there are referred to as mud balls. I know I played with them in the early 60's on cheap home tables. They could be from the 20, 30's, through the early 60's. As far as I know you can't make them like new. I'd put them on display in a case and let nature take it's course.

    According to the article on Wikipedia, the earliest balls were made of wood, and later clay, thus the term mud.

  5. woodcutter1979user1598694627 on 10/22/2022 11:03:06 AM

    Those balls are made of Baked clay and are collectable as antiques. The ones with the octagon around the number can bring as much as $100 each if in good condition.

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Restore Antique Dried Out Billiard Balls

  • Title: Restore Antique Dried Out Billiard Balls
  • Author: (Frank Walker)
  • Published: 9/15/2010 8:12:30 AM
  • Last Updated: 9/15/2010 11:02:56 AM
  • Last Updated By: woodcutter1979