Joining the Cue for a bit of advice!

[weepete]

I used to have a really nice pool/snooker cue that I think was from Andy Gibbs a few years back, 2 piece, ebony spliced with twin lines on the butt, beautiful ash, lovely hefty weight to it and a triangular quick release thread, it just had a brilliant feel to it. Unfortunatley it went walkabout which was a real shame and I've been gutted ever since!

So recently a couple of mates of mine decided we'd get together for a regular game of snooker and given that I don't like playing with the bent, rattely pool hall cues and the prospect of a regular game I thought I'd order myself a cheap cue to hopefully enhance my overall enjoyment of the game, at least for now. Applying the same advice I doll out when asked about cheap fishing rods I spent a couple of days trolling the t'internet and picked one I liked the look of and had some half decent words on here about it. Here's the one I ordered if you are interested: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/57-Handma...124?nav=SEARCH

I understand that changing the tip (probably with an elkmaster to start with) will be in order, also I may need to finish it in some fashion (or re-finish it) with oil or wax or both and of course I'll need to get it on a table but I was wondering if there's anything else I should consider at the start to improve the feel of these imported mass produced cues?

I'm up for a bit of TLC and I'm pretty handy with things like this so not afraid to get my hands dirty. I do like my high end gear and I appreciate good workmanship so a proper handmade cue may be eventually on the cards, though at the moment I'm just looking to make the cheaper one the best it could possibly be!

Thanks,

Pete

[Nifty50]

What sort of budget?

[Mark187187]

I've bought a couple of Chinese imports like this. The finish was actually fine, but some people do receive lacquered cues which can get sticky. If that's the case, the lacquer needs removing and the cue oiling (lots of different oils and methods mentioned in other threads).

I wouldn't go with an elk fo the tip, I prefer a laminated tip for consistency and durability, but that's just my personal preference. They're more expensive, but I only get through one or two a year so not really an issue. Last box of elks I had was full of duds, so its best to buy a full box and choose the usable ones if that's the tip you want.

[weepete]

What sort of budget?

Thanks Nifty50, already bought cheap one so that'll do me for now. I figure the lower end of the market is mutch of a mutchness!

[weepete]

I've bought a couple of Chinese imports like this. The finish was actually fine, but some people do receive lacquered cues which can get sticky. If that's the case, the lacquer needs removing and the cue oiling (lots of different oils and methods mentioned in other threads).

I wouldn't go with an elk fo the tip, I prefer a laminated tip for consistency and durability, but that's just my personal preference. They're more expensive, but I only get through one or two a year so not really an issue. Last box of elks I had was full of duds, so its best to buy a full box and choose the usable ones if that's the tip you want.

Thanks Mark187187, good to know that some of these cues have a decent finish, I guess we'll find out when it arrives next week. I don't really know the difference in tips but will bear that in mind to try out for the future, ended up ordering a couple of pressed calfskin ones from ADR147 on e-bay as they seem to get good feedback.

[weepete]

Well my cue came! Seems OK, light oiled finish, and it does appear to be hand spliced though you can still see the machine marks from where it was turned in a few places. Had a couple of dings and chips in it too which was dissapointing, though it seems straight. One chip in the handle is quite a deep. Had a google and repaired the imperfections the best I can by applying some hot water with a cotton bud to raise the grain, then used a shot glass to rub it down which minimised the ones on the shaft. Used the damp towel and iron trick on the butt which has helped but not totally solved the issue, really needs sanded to remove it completely. I doubt most people would notice, except the chip on the butt. Thankfully none seem to be where I hold the cue so shouldn't really be an issue. Got my new ADR147 tip on thanks to youtube and mostly shaped, though I went a little too far trimming the angle off the ferrule. Tip was harder than I expected too so a wee suprise there. Gave it a light oil and a buff, it's now very smooth so looking forward to trying it out next week!

[Mark187187]

Sounds promising, let us know how it plays. From experience, these little imperfections bug the hell out of you at first, but after a few weeks you don't care anymore. As long as you can't feel the chip in the butt, save yourself the bother and just leave it.

[weepete]

Sounds promising, let us know how it plays. From experience, these little imperfections bug the hell out of you at first, but after a few weeks you don't care anymore. As long as you can't feel the chip in the butt, save yourself the bother and just leave it.

Thanks Mark, I will indeed let you all know how it plays, it certainly feels like an improvement over the club cues I was using last time. It's been a good practise for me in minor repair and maintenence, so I'll take that and as you suggest, not do anything further to it. Really looking forward to trying it out this coming Tuesday.

Been into some snooker tutorials on youtube: Barton Snooker, Barry Stark, Break from Life have been really informative and my favorites so far. Found out my cueing action needs adjustment, the way I aim is a little off, bridge hand needs a slight adjustment and I've been playing some shots with the wrong spin on the cueball xD!!

[Ninja.cues]

Thanks Mark, I will indeed let you all know how it plays, it certainly feels like an improvement over the club cues I was using last time. It's been a good practise for me in minor repair and maintenence, so I'll take that and as you suggest, not do anything further to it. Really looking forward to trying it out this coming Tuesday.

Been into some snooker tutorials on youtube: Barton Snooker, Barry Stark, Break from Life have been really informative and my favorites so far. Found out my cueing action needs adjustment, the way I aim is a little off, bridge hand needs a slight adjustment and I've been playing some shots with the wrong spin on the cueball xD!!

Took me some time to get back up and running after I took about 10 year's off playing.
Trying to get things closer to right at the start is the best way forward

[weepete]

Took me some time to get back up and running after I took about 10 year's off playing.
Trying to get things closer to right at the start is the best way forward

Yeah mate, it would do!
I had 3 years out of fishing and it's taken me a the best part of a year to get back into beachcasting again. Still stuff to work on that too. You do get it back a bit faster though.

I had a couple of clay pidgeon shooting lessons last year and the coach was saying he was always suprised that guy's would come to him after shooting for years themselves instead of at the start. Mibbies I'll sneek in a couple of coaching lessons on the fly!

[Cue crafty]

Yeah mate, it would do!
I had 3 years out of fishing and it's taken me a the best part of a year to get back into beachcasting again. Still stuff to work on that too. You do get it back a bit faster though.

I had a couple of clay pidgeon shooting lessons last year and the coach was saying he was always suprised that guy's would come to him after shooting for years themselves instead of at the start. Mibbies I'll sneek in a couple of coaching lessons on the fly!

Well,we all get 12 bored of missing at some point...:biggrin-new:

[Ninja.cues]

Yeah mate, it would do!
I had 3 years out of fishing and it's taken me a the best part of a year to get back into beachcasting again. Still stuff to work on that too. You do get it back a bit faster though.

I had a couple of clay pidgeon shooting lessons last year and the coach was saying he was always suprised that guy's would come to him after shooting for years themselves instead of at the start. Mibbies I'll sneek in a couple of coaching lessons on the fly!

It did help I had a friend that was a very good player pick up some of the bad habits I had picked up over the year's of not playing..
Put in some work on the snooker table and worked most of them out real quick..
Good luck with it

[weepete]

Well,we all get 12 bored of missing at some point...:biggrin-new:

XD if only i could get bored of hitting both mate!

[weepete]

It did help I had a friend that was a very good player pick up some of the bad habits I had picked up over the year's of not playing..
Put in some work on the snooker table and worked most of them out real quick..
Good luck with it

I'm sure that would help a lot Ninja, unfortunatley most of my mates are not good. Mind you one of my old friends has been pretty good at the pool leagues, I even believe he won a few. Not been in contact with him in a long time though!

[Ninja.cues]

I'm sure that would help a lot Ninja, unfortunatley most of my mates are not good. Mind you one of my old friends has been pretty good at the pool leagues, I even believe he won a few. Not been in contact with him in a long time though!

Look at some of the videos on YouTube like you've been doing and it should help but i had a couple of small faults I just didn't know I was doing...
Which my friend spotted.
Table time will help.