Some Real Deal Issues!!!

[bowlking811]

I recently, about 5 weeks ago, purchased a Real Deal. It was the first Hammer ball I had bought since the Blade Pearl. I have a Pearl Particle Vicious, but I got it for free from a teammate. My Real Deal is a 15 pounder and I have the pin above my ring finger and the cg in my palm with 0 side weight. Now, I know that is not a very aggressive layout, but I throw the ball pretty slow, about 13.5 to 14.5, and I put a lot of revs on the ball, and at times I get pretty grabby with it. Also, everywhere I bowl is pretty dry, so we put the pin above the fingers to get it down the lane and bowling on synthetic lanes, the backends are always fresh, so that's why we put the cg in the palm. It's basically a stack drilling. The first 3 weeks I had it, I couldn't put the ball down. I probably made a couple grand with it. I would put mega polish on it for my monday and friday leagues and I would put just a touch of polish on it for my friday league and sunday tournament bowling. The ball was phenominal. It hit like a tank and even with the non aggresive drilling, it never missed the head pin.
What's the problem you say, well basically, the ball is DEAD. The ball needs a wheelchair to get to the pocket and it hits like a WET DIAPER!!! Now, I know what your thinking...maybe I'm throwing it bad or my bowling centers have changed the patterns. However, that's not the case. For example, last night in league, I started with the Real Deal. I struggled to get it to hook and in the eighth frame I finally threw a flush pocket shot and I left a weak dime. So, I switched to my Pear Particle Vicious, which does have a more aggressive drilling, and I beaked my first shot with it. I couldn't believe how much more it hooked. Then, I made an adjustment and threw the next 11 with it.
I don't resurface bowling balls, so that's out of the question. At one point, we thought there was too much polish on it, so we took it down and it hooked a little more, but still hit like crap. My pro shop has a Rejuvinator oven, but even that's kinda risky. We could plug and redrill it, but I like that drill pattern, and it worked great before. I had an Ultimate Inferno die on me, but that was after like 250 games. I hardly have 40 on my Real Deal.
DOES ANYBODY OUT THERE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME? HAS ANYBODY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR REAL DEAL? Please let me know because I want my REAL Real Deal back!!! Thanks.

[mred232]

I bought the real deal about 5 weeks ago also. I have bowled about 40-50 games on mine and mine is still rolling strong. I clean it with Rubbing alcohol to get black marks off of it then i clean it with ebonite energizer cleaner after every 3 games.My layout is the pin next to my ring finger on the right side and cg 1 3/8 in. down and just right from the cut of my ring finger hole. It is drilled to go a little bit longer down the lane. I havent had any problems with mine .

[Faball]

Bowlking,
The problem maybe you over did it with the polish. You have to remember that the Real Deal is a particle ball so the coverstock is sensitive to alot of polish. The polish has asorbed into the cover and needs to be cut so you can start over with a clean surface. The extra polish will tame the ball and since you have a weak drilling, it may not turn the corner.
Here is my suggestion, ask your pro shop to re-surface the ball starting with about 320 grit then go all the way up to 1000 grit. I also suggest you ask them to use the Ebonite Abrlon pads because it's what they use at their factory. From what I know, their pads have more even size grits thus the ball will end up with a perfect even surface. Once you have it to 1000 grit surface just put a few drops of polish so not to over do it. Then you can adjust the flares with the used 1000 grit pad lightly.
Also remember an aggressive ball will seem not to hook on dry lanes becuase it's rolling out too soon. Just a light polish and an adjustment of the flares will bring back the performance of your Real Deal. Let me know how it works

[bowlking811]

Thanks for the advice Faball. Someone from ebonite emailed me and pretty much told me to do the same thing. Resurface it starting with 320 grit and go up to 1000 grit. I am going to try that and if it doesn't work, then I am going to put it in the Hook Again system to try to get back to normal. I will let you know what happens...thanks.

[pba6285]

I don't resurface bowling balls, so that's out of the question. .

Interesting Statement. Why don't you resurface bowling balls?

[bowlking811]

First of all, I really don't own balling balls long enough to really need to resurface them. I buy probably about 7 bowling balls each year, and I only hang on to the ones that roll really good for me. Also, I have only had two balls ever track out on me. The first one was the original Eraser from Storm, but that was after 350 games or so. Then I resurfaced it and the ball carried even worse after that. I plugged and redrilled it and used it for probably 30 more games and finally dumped it. The other one was the Ultimate Inferno and that ones in the shop plugged up. It died after about 150 games. The reason why I haven't redrilled it is because the ball rolled great on the china in league, but was god awful on any kind of tournament condition.
Basically, I just don't believe in taking size off a bowling ball. I know it's like 1/1000th of an inch or something like that, but that still makes it smaller than original size. That's why I won't buy Buzzsaw equipment either because they have been rumored to have different, as in smaller, size bowling balls. I don't know about you, but I don't play with small balls !!! :D