Lightweight Riley Burwat cue - a handicap?

[two-cues]

I have a Riley Burwat cue, I've had it for something like 30+ years now and purchased it for about £60 from a shop in the Old Kent Road which if I remember correctly was Rileys shop. I played ok with it so never gave the specs much thought.

Since becoming interested in snooker again (after a lapse of perhaps of 25 years with just the occasional frame on holiday etc) I dug out the old cue for a look and was very happy to see it was still as straight as the day it was made.

I have read loads on here about the cues currently being used and thought I would measure mine to see how it compared, so I find it's 57'' long, not too unusual, 9.5mm tip, again not unusual, but get this - it weighs only 15.75ozs! it certainly feels exactly as I remember it but could it have dried out or lost some weight due to long term seasoning etc?

[olboy]

Wouldn't have thought it would have lost much weight in storage. Might just have been a light one from the start.

[culraven]

Does it not have a weight stamp?

[two-cues]

Does it not have a weight stamp?

No stamp on it.

[sberry]

if that's the shop the borough/elephant end of old kent road I remember it, if its straight and you just give/get it cleaned up and refreshed it will be as good a cue as you could waste your money on with 'nicer' woods or badges, couldn't see the pics tho

[old school]

I would not worry about it in the slightest . Lightweight cues were very much the norm back in the 30s through to the 80s . I think you will find that most top class professionals used cues lighter than what is considered " normal " today . I might even go so far as to say that there are probably more cues in the 14 oz - 16 1/2 oz range in antique and vintage cues than say 18 - 21 oz . Heavy cues are pretty much a modern i.e. 90 s onward , development than say cues from before that era . I have not seen many cues from before the late 70s early 80s weighing above 18 1/2 oz unless they were an American Pool cue ( 2 piece ) , even a lot of early Brunswick blanks were light ( one piece ) . I have had quite a few Riley Burwats in one piece , 3/4 and two piece and the only one above 18 1/2 oz was a 3/4 1980 s Burwat with a 25 1/2 " Ebony butt , modelled on a Jimmy White style blank. With a butt this long it still only weighs 19.10 oz.

[two-cues]

if that's the shop the borough/elephant end of old kent road I remember it, if its straight and you just give/get it cleaned up and refreshed it will be as good a cue as you could waste your money on with 'nicer' woods or badges, couldn't see the pics tho

Pics are showing ok for me, in the absence of an edit button I will try again now.

[ebonynivory]

Pics are showing ok for me, in the absence of an edit button I will try again now.

Nice cue in good condition. Made by Aeon cues I believe

[sberry]

nasty laquer job, strip it down and refill the grain and oil and wax it, nice straight grain, should come up very nice

[olboy]

nasty laquer job, strip it down and refill the grain and oil and wax it, nice straight grain, should come up very nice

What would you use to refill the grain?

[perpetualboredom]

nasty laquer job, strip it down and refill the grain and oil and wax it, nice straight grain, should come up very nice

Why? Will it pot more balls then?
More likely to ruin it than improve it and wax is awful in high temps.

[paulrgn]

I just stripped the lacquer off my old (cheapish) cue from 20 years ago with some super fine wet or dry paper and lots of patience. I then gave it a few light coats of Danish oil from a cloth. Cue is transformed – far less sticky and the wood looks much better. It's not my regular cue any more but igives me an excuse to use it again occasionally.

Not potting any more balls though...

[old school]

My advice is to leave the shaft alone i.e. above the varnish line . I have seen 4 x and owned 2 x of this pattern of Burwat , admittedly centre joint and all the shafts have been light in colour with light grain lines . Perhaps it was the finish they used or a lighter batch of Ash , I dont know . They are great playing cues , of a decent quality and I think you would regret it if you stripped and refinished the shaft , but by all means if you dont like the finish on the butt then that can be stripped ok , with a chemical peel as long as you are careful. In the end its your cue to do as you please .

[two-cues]

The shaft has always been light in colour, it might have something to do with giving it a rub with a dry Scotch Brite every now and then if it goes sticky which cleans it up and it never looks 'aged'

No real plans to change anything with it tbh - just wondered if a bit more weight might be an advantage?

Can weight be added without altering balance and feel too much?

[ADR147]

cues are about balance rather than weight - the power comes from cue action not weight.