Do Cues Age Like People Do?

[noel]

Question for Andrew or Mike or any of the expert cue makers or collectors or other members who may know...

The recent spate of threads related to older "Collector" cues has me puzzling over how well some of these
vintage sticks might play today? Assuming they were originally well-crafted out of superior materials and well-kept,
shouldn't a cue from the 1920's fitted with a fresh tip, play as well as an equally good modern one?
And, if the consenus on that is "NO", then "Why not?".

When cues are left unplayed with in a display case for too long do they develop "case sores"?
Do they become lonely and depressed and avoid coming out in public?
Do they develop painful joints like people do with arthritis or shrink like someone with osteporosis and
maybe even become brittle and break after playing like an old Lady might when dismounting?
Do cues stop being responsive because they "lose their snooker balls" like old people "lose their marbles"?
Do cues suffer from a loss of form and like from Alzheimer's, forget how to play?
Should old cues be mercifully put out to pasture in Phoenix or Marbella or should they just retire from competition
and be put out to stud like me?

L0L.

Seriously now...
How old is your playing cue?

=o)

Noel

[Bigmeek]

noel Very nice post and I'm looking forward to the replies.
Me-thinks that with technology the "old timer" cues will just not be able to compete.,, but as you know there's many a good tune played on an old fiddle......etc etc.
I've got an old cue (like my slippers) that I wouldn't swap but I've no doubt that if someone gave me a comparable TW or MW my game could improve. Maybe!!!
Without doubt a lot of snooker is in the head and if you get a cue that you like, regardless of vintage, then you're half way there.

[Bigmeek]

noel Probably missed the point of your post in my reply. Here's some more. Cues, like humans, will deterioriate with age but is that a bad thing???

[jonnylovessn8ker]

"Do cues stop being responsive because they "lose their snooker balls" like old people "lose their marbles"? "
LMAO!!
why would we ever assume/think of our cues as males?


jokes
but i too am very curious as to what the cuemakers and experienced eye say

[BoBnoGG!n]

i dont fink so. i reckn that good quality materials r just harder to source these days. like, when they realised they can make cues (when snooker developed and cues started being made the way they are now), and materials they needed for it, they would source high quality stuff and use it because there was no demand for those resources back then. but today, its harder to get same amount of good materials because in effect, people hav been using it for the past 100+ years and good supplies r harder to get and resources are running low. if that makes any sense.. thats just wat i think
haha idk why. it sounded very messy. well i just woke up... hmm

Ive played with a cue thats 100+ yrs old. my mate got it, when he was working at alcocks, and he restored it himself, and uses it as his current playin cue. cue hits wonderfully. one of the best cues ive played with.

[Acrowot]

Thanks for the laff Noel.
I would think an old, good cue would play just as well as a new cue.

Some on here say they ARE as good. If mine had not gone for a walkabout, am sure it would be as good.
:snooker:

[cueman]

I would think that as the making of cues has hardly changed since the early 1900's that a well made cue if looked after properly should still play well even today. obviously factors like warping and the wood becoming brittle can happen but that is largely down to it being cared for.

In fact if anything I'd say there were better made cues back then than a lot of the rubbish you see today. Wood was far easier to get hold of as a lot of furniture and things were made from wood back then so naturally you'd expect quality craftsmen would take good care to make a well made cue.

[dantuck_7]

I'm waiting for ADR to stick in his positive reply along with new inflated prices on those antiques cues!

[gazza147]

Yes if the Cue is Looked after Properly they will Last alot Longer than Humans.

Its like anything else if its Not looked after Properly then your going to Get problems.

A well Made Cue will last for many many years without a problem, But if you Leave your Cue & Case in the Car or leaning against a wall etc then you will get problems Warping etc.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR CUE IN THE CASE AND LAY IT ON FLAT SURFACE!

[heera2009]

I have an old jp mannock, straight as an arrow, plays like no other cue ive had , and like you said noel do old cues lose their balls, well i hope not because i have lost my marbles and i am relying on mr mannock to do the potting .haha.... By the way your post was top notch had a great laugh.

[willytan]

IMO,

A cue is just like a bottle of red wine.

If you buy a good cue, maintain & keep it well away from heat, the cue will age gracefully and repay you kindly.

[fswt30]

I think an old cue can perform if its properly maintain.