ash vs maple for snooker cue

[the lone wolf]

Then you're lucky.

I've had two maple cues and both have warped significantly, one to the extent that it cannot be used. And I looked after both well.

I think the grain on ash cues keep them straighter for longer.

Luck has nothing to do with it.
There are many reach maple cues in my local club that are between 20-60 years old...
Neglected and uncared for, but are still straight just like their ash counterparts.

[narl]

Maple for what I've read can be likely to warp when exposed to a very different climate. There was a story a while ago about one of the pro's cues being warped when he got to China but it straightened when he arrived back in the uk. That is an extreme difference of climate though with China being much more humid and sticky.

[the lone wolf]

Maple for what I've read can be likely to warp when exposed to a very different climate. There was a story a while ago about one of the pro's cues being warped when he got to China but it straightened when he arrived back in the uk. That is an extreme difference of climate though with China being much more humid and sticky.

I've travelled with maple cues from UK to N America, Mainland Europe, Asia and Far East...
Not one maple cue has warped... And I've not heard of any such stories from any other player be it pro or amateur.

[narl]

I've travelled with maple cues from UK to N America, Mainland Europe, Asia and Far East...
Not one maple cue has warped... And I've not heard of any such stories from any other player be it pro or amateur.

Well it happened as i remember reading the article on it. Just because it didn't happen to the ones you owned doesn't mean its an impossibility.

[fkhan]

cheers vmax
I will add that since 2011 ( the date of the old post) I now have two ash cues (one for pool and one for snooker), not down to any preference of being ash and not maple; purely down to I liked the look of them.
As to sighting; I don't use any grain for sighting, in reality I don't notice the grain when looking down the shaft as I am looking to the object ball I want the cue ball to contact. If you are looking at the shaft at this time you probably wont do a successful strike

by the way, I still have the maple cue mentioned above so 25+ add 7yrs = 32+ years and it is still straight!

32+ years with the same cue. That’s quite an achievement. I’m far too fickle minded. Perhaps for the ideal cue.

[DeanH]

cheers vmax
I will add that since 2011 ( the date of the old post) I now have two ash cues (one for pool and one for snooker), not down to any preference of being ash and not maple; purely down to I liked the look of them.
As to sighting; I don't use any grain for sighting, in reality I don't notice the grain when looking down the shaft as I am looking to the object ball I want the cue ball to contact. If you are looking at the shaft at this time you probably wont do a successful strike

by the way, I still have the maple cue mentioned above so 25+ add 7yrs = 32+ years and it is still straight!

32+ years with the same cue. That’s quite an achievement. I’m far too fickle minded. Perhaps for the ideal cue.

Well the old maple cue has been in its case since I got the two Ash cues but I pull it out every now and then for memory purposes

Now I would buy more cues but the wife warned me some years ago that if I became a cue collectors then a divorce would be pending!

So I buy cues for her :wink:

[fkhan]

Well the old maple cue has been in its case since I got the two Ash cues but I pull it out every now and then for memory purposes

Now I would buy more cues but the wife warned me some years ago that if I became a cue collectors then a divorce would be pending!

So I buy cues for her :wink:

LOL. Cues are an addictiion I believe. I’m an addict too.

[DeanH]

Well the old maple cue has been in its case since I got the two Ash cues but I pull it out every now and then for memory purposes

Now I would buy more cues but the wife warned me some years ago that if I became a cue collectors then a divorce would be pending!

So I buy cues for her :wink:

LOL. Cues are an addictiion I believe. I’m an addict too.

I went through a period a few years ago where I literally had to bit my fingers to not press buy!
But I survived and pushed through

Now I buy old publications and store them at work so the wife doesn't see them :wink:

[fkhan]

I went through a period a few years ago where I literally had to bit my fingers to not press buy!
But I survived and pushed through

Now I buy old publications and store them at work so the wife doesn't see them :wink:

LOL. Many people here will have similar stories I guess.

[DeanH]

I went through a period a few years ago where I literally had to bit my fingers to not press buy!
But I survived and pushed through

Now I buy old publications and store them at work so the wife doesn't see them :wink:

LOL. Many people here will have similar stories I guess.

Oh yes
Some admit it, some don't. ..
"My name is Dean and I am a snooker addict"
:biggrin:

[fkhan]

Oh yes
Some admit it, some don't. ..
"My name is Dean and I am a snooker addict"
:biggrin:

Cheers to that.

[the lone wolf]

Well it happened as i remember reading the article on it. Just because it didn't happen to the ones you owned doesn't mean its an impossibility.

Nothing's impossible and I never stated impossible...
More improbable.

[narl]

Nothing's impossible and I never stated impossible...
More improbable.

Well the article from what i recall was on the world snooker site a few years back, it basically stated a players cue arrived late and when he got it the cue was warped so he had to play a few games with a borrowed cue (which has happened a few times to players). When he got back to the uk the cue has corrected itself to being straight again. Pretty sure it was Maguire but finding the article on that site is near impossible.

[Mark187187]

Well the article from what i recall was on the world snooker site a few years back, it basically stated a players cue arrived late and when he got it the cue was warped so he had to play a few games with a borrowed cue (which has happened a few times to players). When he got back to the uk the cue has corrected itself to being straight again. Pretty sure it was Maguire but finding the article on that site is near impossible.

Any big change in humidity can warp wood, any kind of wood. I have been using maple cues for about 15 years without any warp. I also have a maple violin which has survived 300 years, including a fair bit of travelling, without warping- although I do use a case which moderates humidity. I'm surprised that no one has come out with a cue case with a built in humidifier to prevent these problems when travelling.

[the lone wolf]

Any big change in humidity can warp wood, any kind of wood. I have been using maple cues for about 15 years without any warp. I also have a maple violin which has survived 300 years, including a fair bit of travelling, without warping- although I do use a case which moderates humidity. I'm surprised that no one has come out with a cue case with a built in humidifier to prevent these problems when travelling.

So basically you applied a degree of storage common sense?
When wood warps due to humidity it is down to exposure... Or lack of exposure protection.
Which any decent cue case would ensure and prevent.