Break cue (8 ball)

[Mellow Yellow]

i'm looking for a break cue for 8 ball pool, something around 56" 20oz+ 12/13mm tip.

i dont want to spend a fortune so been looking at cheap American pool cues. Has anyone used one of these for breaking? my break is **** poor and i know its down to technique but i want to see if a break cue helps.

budget of around £50?

[rdsalt]

Lots of makers making specific break cues now for UK 8 ball, but they are totally different spec from what your looking for. They are really light about 14oz or so, I believe the thought is it's easier to gain cueing speed with a light cue similar idea to a light graphite golf shaft to gain swing speed and distance. They are also very forward weighted, tips normally 11mm or so. Prices seem to start from around £85ish. Never tried one so I don't know if they really work or are just a fad. I'm sure good technique and setting the balls up well has more to do with a good break but I suppose you could probably sell it on without losing to much if it didn't work for you.

[Mellow Yellow]

Lots of makers making specific break cues now for UK 8 ball, but they are totally different spec from what your looking for. They are really light about 14oz or so, I believe the thought is it's easier to gain cueing speed with a light cue similar idea to a light graphite golf shaft to gain swing speed and distance. They are also very forward weighted, tips normally 11mm or so. Prices seem to start from around £85ish. Never tried one so I don't know if they really work or are just a fad. I'm sure good technique and setting the balls up well has more to do with a good break but I suppose you could probably sell it on without losing to much if it didn't work for you.

yeah we cant rack our own balls in matches and the pub cloths dont always allow you to set them up perfect, but yes it come down to my flawed technique.

I would have thought a heavier cue might give me a bit more ooomph but i can understand the logic behind a lighter one too..... i actually have an old one piece with quite a large tip, about 16oz but the butt has a chunk missing, i guess i could shorten it at the butt end and see how it plays.

but i will still hunt for a 9 ball cue too, all the heavy ones seem to be about 58" with stupid patterns on.

[Dave Walton]

Ive got a Cuetec Meteor American break cue thats black carbon fibre coated, 58" 19oz and 13mm tip, but find I get a better break with an old 1 piece ash billiard cue that was stamped 16oz more likely 15.5oz or less now since being thinned down from 11mm to 9.5mm, also 58" and fitted with an O'Min red tip

[audiandy]

I have one, gave game up a few years ago just playing snooker.
If you know any one near Manchester who could collect for you be good as only want £10. Just sat in my spare room so just gathering dust. Been in case until two weeks ago when my mates hinges broke on his case so gave him my spare.

[Mellow Yellow]

Just dug an old one piece out its 17oz and has a chip out the bottom and quite a few cracks in the butt so not sure it's the best starting point!..... Back to ebay I go!

[Booters]

Jason Owen makes a break cue, they are around 120 quid if I remember right, lots of the 8 ball pros use it, have you tried experimenting with the cut break? Or a soft break like Phil Harrison, if the balls are racked well you really don't have to hit them very hard to get a good split and with the cut break, I find the white goes in a lot less often, but the don't really spread as nicely

[Rob153]

Quite a few pro's use break cues but a hell of a lot don't. It's al about timing as been mentioned Phi Harrison doesn't smash 'em but consistently pots of the break. I played the last UK tour and his break was spot on throughout the weekend, just shows you timing is so important, I dabbled with a break cue, sold it after two weeks.

[jamesg19851]

As someone has already mentioned, Jason Owen makes these for £120. There is also a man called Shaun Daly who makes them. His break cues are a bit cheaper I think. I've never personally used one and in the county team I play for I think only one person has one. I wonder what difference they make. I guess if they're being used on the ipa tour then there must be a benefit. I think they are very light and forward balanced with a hard tip.

Like someone said above make sure that the balls are correctly racked, tight, with no spaces. Also, in terms of technique, since watching this Garth Potts video my breaking has come on a lot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jo_WQrPc1Q

[Big Splash!]

Just use a 19oz snooker cue, at around 9-9.5mm. Play from the side of the string. Plenty of screw to stop the CB leaving the table and into the first ball head on. Balls drop every time. Ok, it's a bit like a 9-ball break, but no bad thing for that. As for JO 'making' a break cue, he doesn't even make the shafts on his £500 snooker cues so I doubt if he makes a £120 cue. Buys em in and badges me, maybe. My 9.3mm 19oz Phoenix is a great breaker.

[markz]

As someone has already mentioned, Jason Owen makes these for £120. There is also a man called Shaun Daly who makes them. His break cues are a bit cheaper I think. I've never personally used one and in the county team I play for I think only one person has one. I wonder what difference they make. I guess if they're being used on the ipa tour then there must be a benefit. I think they are very light and forward balanced with a hard tip.

Like someone said above make sure that the balls are correctly racked, tight, with no spaces. Also, in terms of technique, since watching this Garth Potts video my breaking has come on a lot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jo_WQrPc1Q

Tyrone cues do a break cue as well, from talking to Martin who makes them they are great. Someone tests one out on YouTube and gets amazing power on the break.

https://youtu.be/TIJ5H37Rr6Y

[Big Splash!]

Tyrone cues do a break cue as well, from talking to Martin who makes them they are great. Someone tests one out on YouTube and gets amazing power on the break.

https://youtu.be/TIJ5H37Rr6Y

They're really stun/screwing into the white early on and achieve very clean splits with the CB in open play. Wonder what the specs are? He says fwd weighted so I'm guessing Martin berthed the weight, not drilled the butt?

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

Just use a 19oz snooker cue, at around 9-9.5mm. Play from the side of the string. Plenty of screw to stop the CB leaving the table and into the first ball head on. Balls drop every time. Ok, it's a bit like a 9-ball break, but no bad thing for that. As for JO 'making' a break cue, he doesn't even make the shafts on his £500 snooker cues so I doubt if he makes a £120 cue. Buys em in and badges me, maybe. My 9.3mm 19oz Phoenix is a great breaker.

I would imagine JO break cues are fairly standard cues, but with phenolic tips. Probably lighter, forward balanced and on the stiff side, too.

In short, money for old rope.

You may all ignore Blust's breaking tips at your leisure.

[markz]

They're really stun/screwing into the white early on and achieve very clean splits with the CB in open play. Wonder what the specs are? He says fwd weighted so I'm guessing Martin berthed the weight, not drilled the butt?

Not sure full specs but think remember Martin saying about 16oz and 10 mill tip. Again as said earlier more about generating speed than having a heavy cue.

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

Tyrone cues do a break cue as well, from talking to Martin who makes them they are great. Someone tests one out on YouTube and gets amazing power on the break.

https://youtu.be/TIJ5H37Rr6Y

Control is far more important than power when it comes to break cues.