Cue Obsession...

[Asi]

Hi.
I have 5 hand made cues such as JP, Master cue, Glover, Northwest and one that looks like O MIN feels like O MIN
but I am not sure if its O MIN.. I bought this cue 4 years ago(90 pound) at the snooker academy when it was still located near to London. I bought from Gary who runs the place after I've tried for 3 days and absolutely fell in love with it! The balance is great and the feel is second to none. I asked Gary who's cue's it is and he told me that he got it from a guy in Thailand who made it by hand. It came with a O MIN case, and a mini butt with a screw just as in O MIN mini butt . Its 3/4 16" joint 58" and 18.5 oz . tip is 9.7 and butt is 30 mm. It has a air lock joint just like in O MIN as well as the joint for extant ions. The shaft is ash straight grains and smooth like a silk without any varnish only bees wax finishing. on the brass of the butt imprinted " HAND MADE CHARLES'S CUE" again,
the same technique as O MIN.
The problem is that the plate disc is a plain ivory with no text or logo on it (It was used when I bought it and Gary suggested that the previous owner took it off). To make long story short, I really want to try and track the cue maker as this is the best cue I have ever used!!! If its not O MIN, then the guy who did it should establish his own brand because this cue is superb from all aspects. any help will be very appreciate! I saw many O MIN cues which looks exactly like this one such as Climax and Perfect.
I've tried to tracked the cue maker but with no success. Gary from the academy only remember its hand made in Thailand and I even called O MIN in Bangkok but their English is worst than mine...
Please help me to get rid of the obsession of finding the source of this cue... Many thanks in advance.

[ADR147]

i think it was a company called uk cues in thailand.

[gary soo]

Hi
First of all, the make of cue has got it's advantages as the cuemaker usually maintain their reputation by using the best quality ash or maple to complement their work of art on the butt however, if it suits your style of play and enhances your confidence and performance, the make of cue is irrelevant.

As for this being an O'min cue, I would very much doubt it because I have been dealing with O'min cues for the past 2 years. All 3/4 jointed O'min cues have the wording " HAND MADE CUE BY O'MIN" engraved on the face of the brass joint on the female end or butt end. Furthermore, the first picture you posted shows a 'male end' thread which is flat whereas all O'min thread have a rounded end.

The colour scheme is similar to ones used in the 'Perfect' model but 'Perfect' only has one front splice. Your cue has the design/ splicing work of an O'min 'Climax' or 'Imagine' model but with a round discs instead of the normal rectangular plate in silver of gold finish.

[ADR147]

o'min were not always engraved as you say.

[blowfish]

Hi Asi, I'm pretty sure the cue is an O'min. Before 2001, the engraving " Hand Made - followed by the series name" was common sight on most O'min cues. I believe this cue you have in possesion was during the time when O'min was naming their series after English names eg: Thomas, Charles, Andrews in addition to their signature series like Climax, Perfect,Professional, Classic, Champion.

The Millenium, Imagine, Union, Universe and Hunter series are rather new ( + - 3 1/2 or 4 years). Square plates have also only been recently added to their cue series. Before this, all cues came with round name plates.

From the photos, it looks exactly like a climax down to the finish you mentioned. All O'min cues come waxed and not lacquered even over the butt end.


Edit: Don't know if the photo works, but take a look at the 2nd cue from the left. That's how the older Climax cues look. And its pretty much a dead match to your cue.

[Asi]

Many thanks guys! it fells you know what you are talking about. really appreciate your help! Gary, Thank you for your answer but my first picture shows the brass joint on the female end of the butt end and not "male end" - its hard to tell from the picture.
ADR147, thank you as well. its a good possibility - Do you have more details on this company? and thank you blowfish! your answer really make sense to me. from the pic you upload the cue actually look identical to mine! can you send me a high resolution to my email? I will pm it to you. and Gary, you absolutely right when you say "if it suits your style of play and enhances your confidence and performance, the make of cue is irrelevant" but as I wrote.. that's the power of obsession.
More suggestion will be very helpful to me. Thanks again. Its a great forum. Asi

[blowfish]

Asi, sorry I don't have a higher resolution picture. It's the best picture that I have. However I'm pretty sure the cue in your possesion is MADE by O'min. i used to have a Climax that looked just like yours when I first started out playing. I no longer have it in possesion and do not have a clearer pic.

[ADR147]

i don't think its omin - the end is not right. the guy who made it i think is called something like siluman. although i am sure thats not the spelling!

[Asi]

blowfish. Thank you anyway! your information regarding to the fact that Before 2001, the engraving " Hand Made - followed by the series name" (as Charles's cue) was common sight on most O'min cues. is very helpful and make a lot of a sense. Have you seen one of this cues and if so, do you know if there was a wording or a logo on the disc plate? in my cue, it seems like somebody took off the plate and left the cue only with the plain ivory. Thanks again for your help! Asi

[blowfish]

Asi, I am not 100% informed about all of O'mins cues so do take my comments with a pinch of salt, its merely for your reference, but I'll call it as I see it . O'min had a shrewd way of naming his series of cues. For example, a similar cue could be named differently if it was for different markets. For example, in Europe you'd have the O'min Universe series, where as in SE Asia, it would be named Hunter. O'min also produces a large amount of cues badged under different brands, for example CM1 of Malaysia, a small series of Unique Cues ( a Hong Kong/ mainland China company ), ThomasCues of China. So I can't be sure if your "Charles" is made to be under another brand name. I've visited O'min's factory in Minburi, and seen O'min produced cues badged under different brand names.


With regards to the badges, yes I think your cue is missing a badge. All cues from the factory are badged regardless of which brand name they are under. Round badges would look like this.


Or as ADR147 said, it could be made by a chap named Siluman (?)

[Asi]

omin?

i don't think its omin - the end is not right. the guy who made it i think is called something like siluman. although i am sure thats not the spelling!

Thanks ADR147.. you don't think its O MIN even though the SD joint and extensions is exactly as O MIN? by the way I bought them from you on eBay. should be here next week.

[poolqjunkie]

So, unique is also made by Omin?
They are making some really fine cues out there in Thailand, aren't they?
Just one minor point...are you sure that plate is made of ivory, as in elephant ivory? Or did you say ivory just to describe the color or the look of the material? I am just wondering if they sometimes use real elephant ivory on the name disc in Thailand?
Thank you.

[blowfish]

Unique sells both O'min cues and also outsources some cue making work to O'min. They also have the rights to name their series of cues similar to O'mins. Not all Unique cues are made by O'min though, some other series are outsourced to other cue makers, but all Thai none the less.

And it's not made with real elephant ivory. It's just the color. Some are made with some sort of plastic and also some made with marble though its a rarity these days.

[poolqjunkie]

Unique sells both O'min cues and also outsources some cue making work to O'min. They also have the rights to name their series of cues similar to O'mins. Not all Unique cues are made by O'min though, some other series are outsourced to other cue makers, but all Thai none the less.

And it's not made with real elephant ivory. It's just the color. Some are made with some sort of plastic and also some made with marble though its a rarity these days.

Thank you for your information.
Good to have a knowledgable member here regarding Thai cues. Much appreciated.

[Asi]

blowfish, thanks again. you have know idea how helpful your knowledge regarding my cue. I really like this Thai cue even though I own a ultimate by JP and a Glover cue which cost triple than this one. one more thing if you don't mind: Do you remember or know what was the wording on the OMIN series before 2001 when they named their cues after English names such as Charles? Was it the same as on the butt "HAND MADE CHARLES'S CUE" or was it "HAND MADE CUE BY O'MIN"? thanks mate its a great help.