A couple of weeks ago we got a note from our new friends at the hit show American Pickers. They were researching an Irving Kaye Stanley Cup Hockey game barn find and they needed a little help. We were glad to oblige and here’s a clip of the show as it aired on the History Channel.
How to Refelt Your Pool Table
It is common to recover the surface of your pool table before the rails need recovering and or replacement. This is an overview of how to refelt the surface of your Irving Kaye pool table.
- Locate rubber trim around the edge of the table and carefully remove this and set aside. Remove the six rails by using a phillips head screwdriver. Number each rail with a Sharpie and place corresponding numbers on the table behind the rails so you can reinstall the rails in the same location.
- To support the slate while you are working screw together three 2×4 tees. The base of the tees should be slightly longer than your table is wide and the verticals should be slightly shorter than your slate is wide.
- Have your assistant(s) lift each end of the slate as you slide the tees underneath. Rest the slate on the vertical sections of 2×4. This will allow you to work on the bottom of the slate.
- Remove the old, glued on felt until you expose the entire bare slate. Clean off any chalk dust and residue so you have a clean surface to work with. Do not use any liquid cleaning solutions or spray. Be sure to scrape away any glue that is in front of the pocket openings as you do not want new glue on top of old glue creating a “lip” in front of the pockets.
- Locate your felt and unfold it. Align the nap of the felt in the direction the cue ball rolls when breaking. Unroll section or cut it larger than your slate area. Then trim it off with your box cutter. Make sure the trim hangs over the edges of the slate so you can glue the felt to the bottom of the slate.
- Use newspaper and cover the sides of the pool table and the exposed slate to protect them from the over-spray of the glue adhesive.
- Fold over the felt so the bottom of the felt is exposed. Trim part of felt you will eventually attach to slate and spray heavily with adhesive. Also spray the bottom of the slate and let is sit until it gets tacky. Then, repeat on the other end of the pool table while the end you spray first is drying.
- Return to the end you sprayed first and make sure it is tacky and ready to adhere. Then, adhere and pull the felt tight underneath, fastening to the slate. Repeat this process on the opposite end. Now you have fastened end to end.
- Repeat this process on the sides. Go to first side, spray in an up and down manner, attach the felt and repeat. Pull tight until you have flat felt, you do not want any wrinkles. At this point, your pockets are not cut yet.
- With each of the pockets, take your box cutter, go underneath the slate and make diagonal cuts where you slate meets the corner of the felt. So you are cutting underneath the slate on a diagonal. Repeat on the other corners paying attention to where the slate bends into the pocket.
- By the time you are done cutting pockets you will have several 1/2-inch wide strips of felt hanging. You can then spray them. Tension should be across the pocket itself. Look at the width of the strips and pull it tight. The pocket is cut tight and adheres at this point and you attach any excess felt underneath on the slate while pulling it tight and spreading it out underneath. The pocket should not have any wrinkles and will appear tight at this point. Repeat this process for all pockets.
- Make sure you cover all cloth when spraying over it. Repeat process for all six pockets.
- Lift the slate removing the supports one side at a time with the aid of your helper(s). Gently and slowly lower the slate to its original position.
- Refasten the rails and reinstall the trim.
Irving Kaye Suppliers
Many of Irving Kaye’s suppliers were mentioned in their factory literature. This is a listing of suppliers we have identified.
- Pool Table Cloth – J. P. Stevens
- Pool Table Laminate
- Wilson Art (Apollo)
- Formica (Eldorado)
- Pool Table Viewer – Plexiglass
- Pool Table Balls – Aramith
- Hockey Cabinet – Plextone
- Hockey Playfield – Formica
NOS Coin-Op Doors
Classic Billiards has a few of these NOS Irving Kaye table doors with metal emblems and keys. These are likely from the Apollo Tables but please measure your opening before ordering. The door is in black Formica and measure 42″x12″.
How Does the Cue Ball Work?
If you’ve ever wondered how the pool table knows the difference between the numbered balls and the cue ball? Irving Kaye tables use an over-sized cue ball upon scratching the cue ball runs along the same track as the numbered balls until they get to the cue ball separator. There is an attached ball shunt. The shunt is set to a height of just over 2.25 inches allowing the numbered balls to pass under. The over-sized (2.375 inch) cue ball cannot pass under the shunt, makes a hairpin turn and drops to a track leading to the head of the pool table.
Replacement Irving Kaye Rails
Penguin Amusement is making replacement Pool Table Rails for Irving Kaye pool tables. The replacement pool table rails are of superior quality and can be ordered for any size Irving Kaye pool table. The rails are made from #1 clear poplar and feature premium pink K55 rubber. Each rail is fitted with “Sawtooth” style T-nuts and the smooth cushion facings are glued and stapled. These replacement rails come uncovered and are made with pride in the USA. Sets start at $150.
Replacement Irving Kaye Pocket Liners
Classic Billiards is making replacement pocket liners for Irving Kaye pool tales. These non-original pocket liners are made of leather and fit the deeper Irving Kaye pockets and are available in two styles and three colors.
IRKY/LNR
Irving Kaye large/oversize custom leather pocket liners. Available in original Green, Black and Red. These pocket liners replace the original Irving Kaye pocket liners that did not have Irving Kaye logo on top and hard a large lip. Mostly used on earlier models. Sold as a set of six for $147.
IRK/LNR
Custom leather pocket liners for later model Irving Kaye tables replacing the original liners that had the Irving Kaye logo on top. Available in Green, Black and Red. Sold as a set of six for $137.
The Orginal Irving Kaye Factory Building is for Sale
Before Irving Kaye built their state-of-the-art factory in Connecticut they were housed at 363 Prospect Place, Brooklyn New York 11238. This 30,000 sq ft property in Prospect Heights is now for sale and is zoned as either a warehouse or residential property. The asking price for this piece of American history is a mere 3.9 million. Hopefully, the developer that buys the property will honor its legacy with the Irving Kaye name.
Update Mar 2020: From 1960 to 1981, 363 Prospect Place was the home of the Irving Kaye Company, a famed maker of billiard and game tables. See what $5000 a month will get you in Brooklyn, NY: https://www.halstead.com/closed/rental/ny/brooklyn/prospect-heights/363-prospect-place/