Quality of ash shaft

[rimmer10]

make that straight grained carbon fibre mate

[itsnoteasy]

Rimmer you can maybe think of the cue as the set up in a car, people in the same team may have the same car ,but some like more downforce, some harder springs or softer dampers, so two cues can look similar but actually be quite different and everyone has their own preference, I think that's why a lot of people say it's better to go to a shop and try before you buy.

[j6uk]

make that straight grained carbon fibre mate

but if you only have ash to hand you'd be diggin-out the straight stuff ay

[rimmer10]

to j6uk
just tried your resonance test on one of my cues. Could you please elaborate on that? How tight do you hold your cue at the bp and where exactly do you strike the cue with the other hand? Also how can you feel the vibration on the butt if you holding the cue at the balance point? Do you strike softly or with a bit more conviction?

[rimmer10]

you're right mate mate, would feel like the right thing to do

[rimmer10]

to itsnoteasy
you have a very good point and I agree with you on principle. However there is a theoretical optimum set up for a certain type of car according to its design philosophy for any given race track. this set up has been determined through numerous tests and simulation long before the team even hits the track. Assuming that you have two drivers of similar ability the setup might be tweaked slightly for personal preference, however the basics like downforce, gear ratios, etc. are going to be the same. As a matter of fact it is not uncommon for said two drivers to use identical setups because that is the optimum setup for this given car. That is why I was wondering if the same thought process could be applied to the design of a snooker cues. I understand that there is no two snooker players with the exact same technique just like there are no two drivers like it. However, the same physical principles don't change no matter what technique you use and that's what made me think that there might be a basic characteristic a cue should possess,

[j6uk]

about an inch above the bp in one hand, then you strike the belly of the cue between the tip and the hand above the bp. strike it playfully firm, just like your gonna give your misses the slipper.
cues with a spring your gonna feel the resonance ringing in the butt end

to j6uk
just tried your resonance test on one of my cues. Could you please elaborate on that? How tight do you hold your cue at the bp and where exactly do you strike the cue with the other hand? Also how can you feel the vibration on the butt if you holding the cue at the balance point? Do you strike softly or with a bit more conviction?

[rimmer10]

Thanks mate! That cleared it up for me. Just tried it and I see what you mean.

about an inch above the bp in one hand, then you strike the belly of the cue between the tip and the hand above the bp. strike it playfully firm, just like your gonna give your misses the slipper.
cues with a spring your gonna feel the resonance ringing in the butt end

[mythman69]

strike it playfully firm, just like your gonna give your misses the slipper.
cues with a spring your gonna feel the resonance ringing in the butt end

If I gave my misses a playfully firm strike, I would quickly feel a resonance ringing between my ears.



How do graphite cues compare to ash cues? Are all graphite cues similar in 'feel' or do they vary as much as ash cues?

I tried a mates graphite cue at the club and it just didn't 'feel' right to me.

[MikeWooldridge]

Hi all
can someboby please tell me if there is a direct correlation between the quality of a shaft and the number of the arrows. Do more arrows mean a stiffer shaft since the darker wood is harder than the lighter one and vice versa? And also is a shaft with more arrows more prone to cracking? And finally is a shaft with more arrows heavier than one with less?
Thanks Richard

the answer is no to all your questions

Once spoke to a cue maker about tight side grains and he said basically the more wood you can see and less grain or wider grain structure the stiffer the cue will be as there are less pores in the timber...makes sense really the less chevrons and wider the grain structure the stiffer the wood/cue will be.

not true.

who told you that?

it may seem logical that this would be the case but it simply does not work like that.

you cannot judge stiffness by simply by looking at the grain/arrow structure, it is a far more random factor that i, personally speaking, have never found the answer to.

[rimmer10]

Thanks for your honest answer Mike. Would you still say though the straighter the grain the better the cue or is that a myth as well?

the answer is no to all your questions



not true.

who told you that?

it may seem logical that this would be the case but it simply does not work like that.

you cannot judge stiffness by simply by looking at the grain/arrow structure, it is a far more random factor that i, personally speaking, have never found the answer to.

[rimmer10]

I hear you brother. My misses is a scouser, that'd be the last thing I remember

If I gave my misses a playfully firm strike, I would quickly feel a resonance ringing between my ears.



How do graphite cues compare to ash cues? Are all graphite cues similar in 'feel' or do they vary as much as ash cues?

I tried a mates graphite cue at the club and it just didn't 'feel' right to me.

[MikeWooldridge]

Thanks for your honest answer Mike. Would you still say though the straighter the grain the better the cue or is that a myth as well?

no, it is not better.

any type of grain pattern, be it straight or otherwise, can be good or not so good.

actually, i'd go as far as to say that the better playing cues usually come from grain that is not particularly straight.

[mythman69]

any type of grain pattern, be it straight or otherwise, can be good or not so good.

Mike, would you say that the way the ash is treated/dried/aged is more important than the pattern on the ash?

Thanks!

[rimmer10]

Thanks again Mike, but now I have to admit that I am utterly confused as to what makes a good cue. Please let me explain as to what I mean. How do you then determine the value of a cue, i.e. what makes one cue worth £50 and another cue worth a 1000, bearing in mind that if I would have that sort of budget, you'd be the first I would contact.

no, it is not better.

any type of grain pattern, be it straight or otherwise, can be good or not so good.

actually, i'd go as far as to say that the better playing cues usually come from grain that is not particularly straight.