Cue Joints??

[Oldgit]

It doesnt really matter which brass joint you use i suppose, after a few years of tightening and over tightening the joint is never going to match up as when it was new because brass is such a soft metal......

I've just sold a cue on ebay thsi week that was made by Parris for a total perfectionist!! The guy is a military aircraft engineer and got Parris to make the cue so that the join didn't line up correctly but was a few thousands of an inch before the exact join to line up splicings........the reason for this was so that he then tightened and released the cue many hundreds of times until it eventually lined up perfectly!!

Oldgit

[ADR147]

As a fully paid up member of 'Cue-Aholics-Anonymous' I have owned somewhere between 50 and 100 cues in the last few years, can't resist buying cues from the top cuemakers such as Parris, Osbourne, White etc.

What I will say about joints is that I don't like the Robert Osbourne joint purely because of the reason given by 'The Doctor' and that is because it is a big and heavy joint. This is purely my personal choice. I feel that the heavy joint becomes the focal point of the cue and detracts from the 'feel' given by more lighter joints.

I think that of all the joints being used at the moment, the one that I prefer is the one used by Trevor White. I have no affiliation to Trevor, just like the 'feel' of his 3/4 joined cues. I also like the John Parris joints but feel that they are a little weak compared to the above.

Just my 'two-pennyworth'!!

Oldgit

yes thats more or less my opinion aswell! parris joints are btter now they are threaded though!

[craigslater]

Was that the parris with the really nice maple shaft by any chance oldgit?

[Oldgit]

Was that the parris with the really nice maple shaft by any chance oldgit?

Thats the one.....and purple heart splicings that looked really nice. Lovely cue made for a perfectionist, just a shame it wasn't to my spec and would have been wrong to alter it.

Oldgit

[craigslater]

It had AWESOME maple, probably the best ive seen, shame i prefer ash of it would have been a dream to own....

[The Doctor]

out of all the joints i have seen in my 24 years involved with snooker, only the hunt/osborne joints have not turned, or have done so very little and seem to outlast others. to my knowledge all others do turn and do so quite a bit. the airlock joints are very hard if not impossible to re thread (tap) if you get a problem. i am not a big fan of them and even les so of Parris joints. i have seenso many faults with them.
if you are after a joint with feel being the upmost importance, a very good joint would be one of stamford cues. it has part wood to wood. but i dont know how they play but they look nice and are designed to give more feel. look at them on the website.

[craigslater]

I must say i used to think the airlock was the best, but to be honest i would rather have a one piece cue and forget the joint lol.

I think to be honest all of the joints mentioned have the positives and negatives, its personal preference really......

[ADR147]

the trouble with one piece cues is moving them around!

[Oldgit]

out of all the joints i have seen in my 24 years involved with snooker, only the hunt/osborne joints have not turned, or have done so very little and seem to outlast others. to my knowledge all others do turn and do so quite a bit. the airlock joints are very hard if not impossible to re thread (tap) if you get a problem. i am not a big fan of them and even les so of Parris joints. i have seenso many faults with them.
if you are after a joint with feel being the upmost importance, a very good joint would be one of stamford cues. it has part wood to wood. but i dont know how they play but they look nice and are designed to give more feel. look at them on the website.

Hi Doctor, what you say is correct. In my 40+ years playing snooker I have seen everyone play with one piece cues, then the transition to centre join cues (late 1970s) then to 3/4 join cues (1980s) and now its looking like the majority of the top pros prefer the feel of one piece cues again (O'Sullivan, Ebdon, Williams, Higgins, Ding, Murphy, Dott etc). This is even though its so difficult to transport one piece cues around the world.

I suppose the choice is up to the individual player. I only comment on what I find and have owned quite a few Hunt and O'Byrne cues and more recently Robert Osbourne 3/4 joined cues and found that the join just was not for me.

Oldgit

[The Doctor]

i have recently converted a one peice cue. i sent it to Robert Osborne and he put a joint 1" above the splices and it is very nice.
but your right it depends on the individual.
best to try a few different ones to see what you prefer.

[Oldgit]

i have recently converted a one peice cue. i sent it to Robert Osborne and he put a joint 1" above the splices and it is very nice.
but your right it depends on the individual.
best to try a few different ones to see what you prefer.

Robert is a nice guy and a total perfectionist. The important thing is that you are happy and love the cue, I suppose you had it done to make transport easier? Are you still playing to a high standard?

I had to get a special Cheddar Classics 3/4 case made a few years ago so that the case would fit into my (small) boot. I spend a lot of time on the M1 so it would be impractical for me to have a one piece cue.

Oldgit

[The Doctor]

yes i liked the cue as a 1 piece although it was a bit light. around 15 1/2oz so i got a joint put in it and a base joint and now the cue weighs approx 17 1/2oz and the balance is a bit further forward which i like.
i still play to a reasonable standard. make tons usually every day i play.

[ADR147]

yes i liked the cue as a 1 piece although it was a bit light. around 15 1/2oz so i got a joint put in it and a base joint and now the cue weighs approx 27 1/2oz and the balance is a bit further forward which i like.

i am so tempted i can't not do it!

[BITTER]

Our Airlock joint

Prior to fitting

We also fit them opposite way round from O min, this allows you to butt joint cues with Airlock also, Ideal forr Pool has you can use mini butt in 3/4 joint giving you a good short cue.

[trevs1]

Can I ask,

What is the advantage of the 'airlock' joint?