- The Chalk

First Impressions
In May 2013, Hammer released The Chalk as a special edition for the TNBA. Visually, the ball comes in a striking color combination of red, purple and blue. Inside works a symmetrical core that originally comes from the Raw Hammer Assault series. This core carries a low RG of 2.48 and a high differential of 0.056. That combination is designed to get into rotation quickly and generate strong flare potential. The cover is the Grand Theft Reactive solid coverstock, which was already used on the original Taboo. Out of the box, the ball is finished with 500, 1000 and 2000 Abralon and then brought to a high gloss with Powerhouse Factory Finish polish. With this treatment, The Chalk should slide very easily through the heads and only release its full energy at the breakpoint. The combination of a reactive solid cover and a high-gloss polished surface gives the ball an interesting mix of length and a definite backend reaction.
Comparison Compared to other symmetrical balls on the market, such as the Storm Phaze II, the Hammer The Chalk shows clearly different ball motion. While the Storm Phaze II builds earlier traction thanks to its dull surface and offers a continuous, rounded move toward the pocket, The Chalk is programmed for more length. The polished surface lets it glide longer over the oil in the front third of the lane, and it only reacts once it finds friction. That creates a more angular hook at the breakpoint. Compared to a pure pearl ball, the solid cover of The Chalk still brings a bit more stability in the midlane, which makes the transition appear smoother. Even so, compared to dull, heavily oil-absorbing balls, the ball needs drier to medium lane conditions to show its full potential. Carry into the pins is high because of the energy stored for the backend, since the low RG core provides strong continuation through the roll phase once the ball has passed the breakpoint.
On the Lanes The Hammer The Chalk suits a wide range of player types bowling on medium to drier oil patterns. If you have lower ball speed, you'll benefit greatly from the polished finish, since the ball glides effortlessly through the heads and doesn't lose energy too early. At the same time, the high differential of the symmetrical core allows bowlers with a high rev rate to play the ball far out over the boards, as it has enough hook potential to find its way back to the pocket reliably from deep angles. On heavily oiled lanes or on fresh, long patterns, however, the polished cover reaches its limits, since the ball could react too late here and miss the breakpoint. In such cases, adjusting the surface with sanding pads can help create more traction. Ideally, though, The Chalk is used once the lanes have already been played in over the course of a tournament and clean length paired with a strong backend reaction is called for. The stored energy should deliver optimal carry and clear the pin deck powerfully.