Below we detail the various attributes of a pool cue, what the different options are, how they affect the cue, and what you should be aware of when purchasing a new cue. This is not an exhaustive list, but it should cover most of the options.

seals

Billiard cues can be one-piece, 1/2 jointed (commonly known as 2-piece cues), or 3/4 jointed (commonly known as 3-piece cues). The 1/2 joint and 3/4 joint refer to how far down the dowel has been cut and a brass joint inserted to make the dowel more convenient to carry. One piece signs are believed to be better than 3/4 jointed signs which are believed to be better than 1/2 jointed signs because the cut is made on the denser hardwood base (everything has to do with the way the vibrations are transmitted through the signal). Again, how much of a difference the average player will notice is another matter, but obviously the 1/2 jointed cue is the most practical. The 1/2 jointed and 3/4 jointed signals feel quite different from an interpretation point of view due to the different position of the denser brass gasket. Therefore, when choosing a 1/2 or 3/4 articulated cue, we usually recommend going for the cue that you are already used to playing with. No two signs feel the same as they are made from natural materials and the feel depends on the density pattern throughout the sign. We usually say that it takes two to three weeks of consistent play for your body to get used to a signal, so with this in mind, you could possibly try a new signal setup, as your body will eventually get used to it. to her.

Splice

The cylinder head can be hand spliced ​​to the shaft, machine spliced, or cut straight and painted to look like hand or machine spliced. Prices increase from painted to machine spliced ​​to hand spliced ​​due to the amount of work involved in making the dowel and the dowel is supposed to have a better feel as this price range increases. Beginners are unlikely to notice the difference from a game point of view for the different quality cues and some professional players have been quoted as saying that they did not notice any difference between machine spliced ​​and hand spliced ​​pool cues from a game point. of sight. The hand-spliced ​​cleats with their slightly curved points (as opposed to the sharp points of the machine splice) are intended to have a greater contact surface between the hardwood stock and the ash shaft, allowing for better transmission of vibrations. on the signal and therefore gives a better feeling. Hand spliced ​​pool cues are also more aesthetically pleasing and this will also be a consideration for which cue to buy. Most people will be happy with a painted cue (the cleats are painted black to look like Ebony, which is much more expensive) but you will have to choose a cue based on your budget, how pretty you want the cue to look and what good that you are. wants the signal to sound.

Forest

Pool cues are generally made from Ash for the shaft and a hardwood for the butt, although some cheaper club cues will be made with Ramin. Machine spliced ​​and hand spliced ​​stocks are commonly made from rosewood, which needs to be weighed with lead (so the cleat doesn’t have to be so thick that you can’t comfortably grip it, to give the same weight) and Ebony which you don’t usually need. weights for being such a dense and heavy wood. Ebony cleats that have less or no added lead weight give a more uniform density and more natural cue feel that many players desire. Ebony wood with its very dark brown (it looks black under most lights) is also aesthetically pleasing. Due to its rarity, ebony is a very expensive wood and is therefore normally only used in the finest dowels. You can also have decorative wood studs on the cue, but these don’t add anything from a game’s point of view and will only add to the price. Colored splices are usually sycamore colored. Other hard woods can also be used for the heel such as Thuya Burr wood or walnut and other exotic woods (like the very expensive Snakewood) can be used for decorative splices or inlays. Painted studs have cheaper low quality hardwood for the cylinder head (which doesn’t matter since the wood is painted) and ash for the axle.

Tip sizes

The recommended tip size for billiard cues is 10mm and the tips can go down to 8.5mm, but we do not recommend going below that for two reasons (1. The cue becomes too whippy 2. The shaft of the cue could break with a mistake). The smaller the tip, the more difficult it will be to play, but if you can control the cue, you will have more control over the cue ball with spin. We usually recommend bending the tip for more spin before moving to a plug with a smaller tip.

Signal weight

With the weight of the taco 17 oz to 20 oz is the normal range of weights, with 18 oz to 19 oz being approximately medium weight, 16 oz to 17 oz being light and 20 oz upwards being heavy. The heavier the cue, the easier it is to play with (like a bigger tip) and the lighter the cue, the more control you have over the power you put into the shot (though it’s easier to get it wrong). We usually say maintain a weight that you are used to, but with all the changes, your body will eventually get used to it.

Additional features

Other options would be dowels with butt joints for bolt-on extensions or dowels that come with bolt-on extensions that can be attached to the center joint.

The main consideration to take into account when choosing a new cue to use for pool tables is budget, and then balancing how you want the cue to look versus how you want it to play. Basically you get what you pay for with a pool cue and you have to choose which features you want and which features you don’t need.

Copyright Royal Snooker 2011