Century titanium ferrule

[fkhan]

Yes, the blackspin ferrule:

https://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/bo...ferrule-system

[DeanH]

Yes, the blackspin ferrule:

https://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/bo...ferrule-system

I remember when this came out and initially MW would not discuss details and many could not envisage what he was describing.

[fkhan]

I remember when this came out and initially MW would not discuss details and many could not envisage what he was describing.

There is loads of learning here. I've been going through some 10+ years old threads. Nice way to pass time.

[Cue crafty]

Wasn’t that the ‘ Blackspin ‘ ferrule ?

Yep - there is Blackspin ferrule system which fits into the cue and also Blackspin Lite which slots on a cue and is stuck with epoxy.

[the_unrepentant]

I can jump in here as I replaced my ferrule (and my snooker partners too) to a Century Pro Titanium and wow, we both cannot believe the differences! The object ball barely deflects at all with side (if at all) and I can't believe what i was potting this afternoon using side but aiming as if I was playing plain ball. It almost defies logic! The cueball doesn't throw at all and we tested up and down the spots and it stayed true all the way down. Plus, the cue ball travels much further. I was hitting it much lighter then usual and it felt like I had a new speed cloth! We were both utterly astonished and many times we just stopped in our tracks laughing at the differences after playing the shot. This is definitely not a scam or snake oil as mention above. My snooker partner used to be the womens world number 2 and she is blown away.

[Bulkie]

Ordered a couple off Stu at Greenbaize. Going to get one of my cues fitted!!

[mikee]

So if your playing with side for a certain shot your going to have to put a lot more on to get the desired result ,more chance of a miscue then if you are using taum Chalk ,but the benefits are there on on plain ball shots as any traces of unwanted side don’t show up as much ..Is that how it is ?

[itsnoteasy]

So if your playing with side for a certain shot your going to have to put a lot more on to get the desired result ,more chance of a miscue then if you are using taum Chalk ,but the benefits are there on on plain ball shots as any traces of unwanted side don’t show up as much ..Is that how it is ?

Mikee I don't think the ferrule causes less spin, that would be tip grip and cueing imo. It causes less deflection , so same amout of spin but the cue ball doesn't get thrown off course as much. That's the way I've read it anyway, could easily be wrong though.

[Starsky]

Your right INE , supposedly these new ferrules cause less deflection . Nothing to do with imparting more or less spin.
Deflection is something that you automatically adjust once you reach a certain level i believe . You play the shot enough times and your mind will automatically adjust for the shot.
More or less deflection your still going or have to adjust on the shot.

[mikee]

I’ve been playing well over the last Year or so ,so it would be a big decision to alter my cue ,I’ve had it twenty years now ,it’s an ash three quarter with full snake wood butt section (I’m not one to change stuff very often if it works ) .I still have my previous old cue and my mate made the snake wood version designed with weight length thickness etc based on that ,maybe I might get a titanium ferrule put on the old one and see how it goes .Tom Ford I believe had a titanium one fitted I think and didn’t get on with it ,I could be wrong there but I’m sure it was mentioned on the tv .

[Danger Steve]

Mikee I think some players have struggled transitioning from brass (with throw) to titanium (no throw).. I guess you get so used to just getting down on a shot knowing this is where I need to aim with side to make a pot, that suddenly having to stop yourself and readjust is messing with folks heads a little, and maybe causing them to miss? That said I have been thinking about having one fitted myself! I just don’t know who to trust the job of swapping it over?
I’m annoyed with myself really, when I was at Greenbaize finding a new cue they did have some there with Titanium ferrules but I didn’t really give them much of a test, I just preferred the look of brass.
It took a while for me to move from Triangle chalk to Taom, but once I did I now much prefer Taom and would never go back to messy Triangle chalk! Messing with your cue tip though.....

[Cue crafty]

I'm not sure I can really see the benefit here, well at least for me personally. All sounds interesting and I'd like to try one just for fun really.

If you have to learn all over again where to aim when using side, well that just sounds like a headache to me. I guess for some people it must immediately feel more natural and they take to it quickly?

Definitely sounds best to try one on a spare cue first.

[vmax]

It's all simply marketing blurb, there's no such thing as zero deflection when the cue ball is contacted by the tip off centre. Titanium is a light metal and is used for many automotive parts to lose weight, but a ferrule is such a small item the weight saved is practically non existent as brass is a light alloy in itself. I switched from brass to buffalo horn which is a lighter than titanium, no difference, then from buffalo horn to stainless steel and going by this marketing blurb one would expect even more deflection, but the truth is it made no difference at all. My experience tells me that deflection is all about the shaft.

I watched a video on youtube and some bloke was showing how the new Predator pool cue had zero deflection, he addressed the cue ball parallel with the normal cue and yes the cue ball deflected off the line of aim, then when using the Predator he addressed the cue ball by pivoting the cue in his bridge and the cue ball deflected onto the line of aim so it looked like it didn't deflect. I pointed this out on the comments section and my comment was removed, I wonder why

We saw John Higgins extolling the virtues of his new titanium ferrule after playing well with one, then next tournament he was back to normal, then yet another cue for the next one. Using one thing to take your mind off everything else works for a time but before long it's back to the beginning. You can't buy a decent game, there is no quick fix, you get out of this game what you put into it.

[mikee]

Mikee I think some players have struggled transitioning from brass (with throw) to titanium (no throw).. I guess you get so used to just getting down on a shot knowing this is where I need to aim with side to make a pot, that suddenly having to stop yourself and readjust is messing with folks heads a little, and maybe causing them to miss? That said I have been thinking about having one fitted myself! I just don’t know who to trust the job of swapping it over?
I’m annoyed with myself really, when I was at Greenbaize finding a new cue they did have some there with Titanium ferrules but I didn’t really give them much of a test, I just preferred the look of brass.
It took a while for me to move from Triangle chalk to Taom, but once I did I now much prefer Taom and would never go back to messy Triangle chalk! Messing with your cue tip though.....

Well Steve my mate that made my cue is Dave Coutts ,he lives pretty much next me and he always sorts bits land bobs out when I need them , he pretty much agrees with Vmax about ferrules and I’m tending to think it’s a load of bollox also with this titanium fad .I may get one fitted on my old cue or ask him to bring one up that has one fitted ,but s ferrule can’t help you play better really and I’m playing ok with my trusty cue ,if it ain’t broke and all that stuff .

[Danger Steve]

Well Steve my mate that made my cue is Dave Coutts ,he lives pretty much next me and he always sorts bits land bobs out when I need them , he pretty much agrees with Vmax about ferrules and I’m tending to think it’s a load of bollox also with this titanium fad .I may get one fitted on my old cue or ask him to bring one up that has one fitted ,but s ferrule can’t help you play better really and I’m playing ok with my trusty cue ,if it ain’t broke and all that stuff .

Yes it’s a fair point, I might hold off for now!...