On equipment I did research rubber co. at the turn of 1900's and there was a tremendous amount. NY by itself had quite a few, Chicago also and of course and other cities. The reason for my research, I was contemplating putting new rubber on my table, and therefore contacted A.E. Schmidt of St. Louis for that is the rails I have on my table, and the rubber is from a company in NY. The fastest most accurate rails imaginable. I was told those rails were unavailable for the company is out of business, well all of the rubber co. are gone.
So during those years and quite before there were many pool table mfg.ers all vieing for the market and to produce the best table. They were vieing to have the best rails and they used their own rubber companies. So there were inconsistent in response, but were all 100 per cent natural gum rubber that I only know as fast and true bounce of which does not reverse off of the 2nd rail.
Now when did the rubber co. go out, I do not know, but one can imagine after 1929 or somewhat later as mr3c stated synthetic was introduced after '43 or WW11. During WW11 there were not prosperous times, times were hard, people sacraficed much, and this lasted way into the 50's and thus the dark years of pool. So there was a time with pool in decline that pool halls were more than likely playing on old rubber, but still very good rubber.
At the Bellflower Palace the 5 x 10 snooker table played so accurate, it's cloth was slick and glossy, the table never changed year after year, and I do not remember what model it was or know what cloth was on it, as I do not remember that about their 6 x 12 but it also played excellent. But the cloth on the 5 x 10 was the best I had ever seen.
I tried to research when worsted pool cloth came out but only found one comment that it was in the 1990's, I quit in '73, so really do not know.
But cloth with nap was directional and had to be brushed from head to foot. And this is where I need to be corrected for I am going on memory, but it would play shorter in one direction vs. the other direction, so this as you can see would effect the diamond system. Or I could be off, and it only played slower in one direction vs. the other.
But I found it interesting that mr3c comments on rails and how it effects the diamond system. I only had known that on a 3 rail bank on a 3c table the 2nd diamond connects with the corner, on a pool table it is the 3rd. diamond that connects, 1 whole diamond different.
In todays's world there are still many different pool table mf.ers and they all use different rubber so not much has changed.
I think back in the day the rails were really pretty good, but we know the cloth was slower and the nap created less accuracy.
I've watch many a 3c match since our bank forum opened up to include 3c, and I do notice that the rails play different, and just recently mr3c put up a match played on table from France and it played beautifully consistent, and I assume it had Klematch rails which are 100 per cent natural rubber.
Whitey
onepocket.org
untoldstoriesharoldworst.blogspot.com
