handmade ??? probably not !!!

[JasonOwen]

£46 an hour ? just how much would i make per hour if i put two of these cues up on this forum with handmade badges in each of them asking for sensible offers of around £400 each then ?????

Cris, I must say Im quite disappointed being dragged into all this, especially after not more than 3 weeks ago you rung me asking for a favour to sort out some joints for your customer as you were doing in your words 'A Dan Shelton disappearing act" off to Poland.

I done you this favour with no hesitation, and have chatted for hours with you when you were starting out, talking different problems through. Thought you were a mate actually.
Think maybe if you felt this strongly and had doubts over my work then you could have rung me, instead of a public forum possibly??

[archalf1471]

handmade ??? probably not !!!

I agree with renzie name em?? In the old tradition put up or shut up, name or shame em??

everyone who knows something about cues or has an idea of who is who around the snooker fraternity is aware that this practice is done Crispian but coming from a cuemaker on a worldwide forum can u not see how it would appear as possible sour grapes or that you see yourself as the hard done by honest John straight down the middle Crispian, who does it "by the book" and hasn't received the plaudits that he deserves ahead of those dishonest no good pesky varmints who have no scruples?
or maybe I just have a slanted cynical view that you haven't seen.

[crispian jones]

Cris, I must say Im quite disappointed being dragged into all this, especially after not more than 3 weeks ago you rung me asking for a favour to sort out some joints for your customer as you were doing in your words 'A Dan Shelton disappearing act" off to Poland.

I done you this favour with no hesitation, and have chatted for hours with you when you were starting out, talking different problems through. Thought you were a mate actually.
Think maybe if you felt this strongly and had doubts over my work then you could have rung me, instead of a public forum possibly??

do you think im enjoying this ? no im not- and jason i think you are a top bloke if it helps !!!!

[paddybhoy30]

Think we'll get a lot of aliases now attacking the guys who are being honest.

[willtyson]

Think we'll get a lot of aliases now attacking the guys who are being honest.

Yep, then the thread will be locked or deleted. There have been similar things to this happen in the past.

[Bigmeek]

Could really do with Kofi Annan helping out with this thread. Life's too short to get worked up about this topic. Every one has an opinion and it should be given a bit of respect. Personal grievances should dealt with by PM.

[ken147]

Is John Higgins using an Exquiste handmade cue?

[willtyson]

Is John Higgins using an Exquiste handmade cue?

Yes........

[louise sheldon]

As you know i have had a lot of flack to do with the will hunt cues and was basically told that i should know who is making them and who is not. i do know now and what crispian is saying is bang on and i think trevor would agree as i find it annoying when i hear of a former champion using a cue that i know is not handmade by them unless you count adding some splices but that being said i dont know who i blame as these chaps are being brain washed by a forum member who is buying a bulk load of thailand cues and tells them to put in a handmade badge

[JasonOwen]

do you think im enjoying this ? no im not- and jason i think you are a top bloke if it helps !!!!

OK So Crispian has just rung me, He has explained alot of what has been going on with other UK makers with Thai cues ALL of which I didnt know was going on.
I seem to have got in the firing line as I have been the only cue maker to stand up and say something, defend myself.

So here is me -
I can say I have brought Thai shafts (Not spliced cues in any way, purely shafts). I have used these when my own supply of regular ash has not yielded nice enough arrows.
I have had Macassar ebony from a Thai cue maker, came as 1.5 inch blocks. I actually swapped this for some Thuya and Tulip as they cant get that over there so easily.
I have also had 8 thai cues (sent to me as samples) which were purely spliced ebony onto a shaft, not finished in any way. These were used on some plain butted cues as the grain of the ash was so nice. Perfect in fact. Some Macassar and some ebony.

The future -
I will continue to use Thai shafts (not spliced) as they are just so good.
*Although I will buy them direct, I wasnt aware until Crispian told me, that they were available in the UK.

I will continue to splice my own cues as I am doing now and call them handmade, even tho the shafts are supplied or tapered at another source.

Due to this thread, I am seriously considering buying in some Thai cues, finishing them and adding a Jason Owen Ti badge (not handmade), then stocking them on my website for immediate purchase. Think it will be a good under level cue to my standard cue.
But these wont come in to contact with my main cues.

On talking to Cris, I do understand where he and Dave Coutts are coming from. I feel I have done my apprenticeship in the cue making world, have spent thousands on the wrong bits of kits and sometimes the right.
This does make me annoyed that maybe others have not earnt their stripes and are just buying in Thai cues and selling them as their own handmade cues without ever actually being bale to make a cue from scratch. My previous cue making blog showed how I started out, I took this down due to the cue maker wanna bees continually asking for advice.

I personally worry about my own crap, as a newish maker working full time, I have explored different areas as every business should. I have passion for making cues, I am not gay and I would love for world peace.
Oh and Trees block views, cut em down!!!

[JasonOwen]

As you know i have had a lot of flack to do with the will hunt cues and was basically told that i should know who is making them and who is not. i do know now and what crispian is saying is bang on and i think trevor would agree as i find it annoying when i hear of a former champion using a cue that i know is not handmade by them unless you count adding some splices but that being said i dont know who i blame as these chaps are being brain washed by a forum member who is buying a bulk load of thailand cues and tells them to put in a handmade badge

Be very clear please, I have not had part in this.
I have had 8 Thai cue samples and that is all I have handled.

[renzie67]

God you bitches make the pool World much more appealing , envy is one of the seven deadly sins.

[mrbluejay]

God you bitches make the pool World much more appealing , envy is one of the seven deadly sins.

Not sure if envy is the right word to be honest, more the desire to have a level playing field.

[stejohn]

Its been quite a good read so far though lol, haven't needed to watch Eastenders this week

[SouthPaw]

I really don't get why some people are abusing Cris for starting this thread, surely you can understand why names can't be mentioned as it would be a personal choice, one with consequences, obviously a lot of people already know about this subject so i don't see the problem discussing it openly. I own a thai made cue from gbl and it really is a top quality cue, but I payed a reasonable price for it, I'd basically get the same cue from Will Hunt and other so called cue makers for nearly double, is that fair..? No! So if in the market for a new cue I'd choose wisely...