looking for new break cue

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Ipmtim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Now that I've progressed past using bar cues for breaking, I need some opinions on a break cue.
I had a chance to try a BK3 the other night and really liked it, just not $400+ enough.
My question is: are the $400-$700 cues that much better than say $200-$300 break cues? I know buy once, cry once.
Will I really notice the difference between say a Joss, Stinger, Schmelke, etc.?
 
Cornerman

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
Ipmtim said:
Now that I've progressed past using bar cues for breaking, I need some opinions on a break cue.
I had a chance to try a BK3 the other night and really liked it, just not $400+ enough.
My question is: are the $400-$700 cues that much better than say $200-$300 break cues? I know buy once, cry once.
Will I really notice the difference between say a Joss, Stinger, Schmelke, etc.?
Click to expand...

I love the BkRush, but I also love the Players Purex J/B.
 
D

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The Joss Thor Hammer is an excellent break cue. Joss can tailor it to your weight and obviously the tip you want. At $330 I think its a great buy.

https://josscues.com/cues/thor-hammer/

I still break with an old Cuetec Cue and a shaft I had made for it. 13.5 with little taper, and a medium hard tip. The reason I use this Cuetec butt is because it is the lightest cue I have.

r/DCP
 
philly

philly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here comes the wet blanket.

I have given up on break cues and have found control is more important on the break than the smash and speed of the break.

I have been using my player and am at the point where pocketing a ball on the break with control of the cue ball is the most important thing in keeping the control of the table in my hands than how hard I hit the rack with the cue ball.
 
Jimmorrison

Jimmorrison

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Would a low deflection shaft be of value for a break cue? Seems like it would allow for a harder stroke with a less off center hit on the head ball.
 
I

Ipmtim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
philly said:
Here comes the wet blanket.

I have given up on break cues and have found control is more important on the break than the smash and speed of the break.

I have been using my player and am at the point where pocketing a ball on the break with control of the cue ball is the most important thing in keeping the control of the table in my hands than how hard I hit the rack with the cue ball.
Click to expand...

I am of the same mindset, but I don't want to use my player.
At least for me breaking like the pros, ain't gonna happen lol. Making a ball to keep shooting is the goal.
I don't feel there is enough consistency using a wallybushka and would like something without breaking the bank.
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Jimmorrison said:
Would a low deflection shaft be of value for a break cue? Seems like it would allow for a harder stroke with a less off center hit on the head ball.
Click to expand...


I may be wrong but my thoughts are...

A LD shaft imparts less squirt because it flexes on contact when hitting with sidespin. It also has to do with end mass. This means less energy transfer.

Most break cues are more stiff. Flex isn’t desired because you don’t break hard with sidespin. Hit a break cue with center ball plus a hard tip and you should get more energy transfer.

But if you’re not crushing the rack, perhaps breaking with any playing cue is fine. LD or not. At that point you may want a break cue just to ensure the impact isn’t hardening your playing tip. If you like a soft tip, that could help defend against mushrooming and less tip maintenance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
I

Ipmtim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
And back to our regularly scheduled program.......
Of the available break sticks is an amateur like me going to really see a big difference from a $200 break cue and a $700 one?
 
A

Ak Guy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Over rated?

When we break the rack, we are trying to control the cue ball and at the same time control where we hit on the rack and the speed the cue ball travels.

If I am right on this, then a good breaker like Shane, Shaw, Big Ko, etc. will always get the most out of any cue and they can grab about any house cue and out break me.

So I believe one needs to try different cues with different tips in order to see which one works best for them. But, how good any cue and tip work varies according the skill level of the shooter. I question whether the "average" shooter benefits from and expensive break cue.

I have an Ebony beak cue from Pat Diveney with a phenolic ferrule and Odessa tip on a 12.75 Diveney Lake Salvage shaft. I believe it is a very good break cue and that shaft, ferrule, tip combo allows me to have good control.

But, even with all that, I am still an average breaker and struggle to run out a rack of 9 Ball, even if I make one on the break and have a shot at the next ball. I am not alone, thousands struggle like I do.

Buy and use which ever cue, shaft, ferule, tip, works best for you. The break cue Shane uses is worth a look at, so is a Diveney break cue.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ipmtim said:
Now that I've progressed past using bar cues for breaking, I need some opinions on a break cue.
I had a chance to try a BK3 the other night and really liked it, just not $400+ enough.
My question is: are the $400-$700 cues that much better than say $200-$300 break cues? I know buy once, cry once.
Will I really notice the difference between say a Joss, Stinger, Schmelke, etc.?
Click to expand...

Not to sound mean or anything, how do you know you progressed past using house cues for breaking? Or are you just wanting to get your own so you know what you are using?

I just broke for the first time with the BK Rush, felt nice, but did not make a ball. Mine must have been broken. Next break was with a house cue, made 2 balls.

Many very good players use a cheap J&J Break/Jump cue. Only thing you may want to look into doing is having a local cuemaker/repair person put on a nicer tip for you.
 
I

Ipmtim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hang-the-9 said:
Not to sound mean or anything, how do you know you progressed past using house cues for breaking? Or are you just wanting to get your own so you know what you are using?

I just broke for the first time with the BK Rush, felt nice, but did not make a ball. Mine must have been broken. Next break was with a house cue, made 2 balls.

Many very good players use a cheap J&J Break/Jump cue. Only thing you may want to look into doing is having a local cuemaker/repair person put on a nicer tip for you.
Click to expand...

Doesn't everybody's game progress when you work on it? :grin:
I'm not expecting to make a ball every whack, although if it came with a guaranty that it would, here's my $700. I was able to break with a BK 3 and sure it felt good, but not for that money.
I can get a pretty nice Schmelke with a white diamond tip for $160. For that one could hardly go wrong.
You guys pretty much confirmed my opinion.
 
Johnny Rosato

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ipmtim said:
And back to our regularly scheduled program.......
Of the available break sticks is an amateur like me going to really see a big difference from a $200 break cue and a $700 one?
Click to expand...
Nope, and I ain't either. Get a McDermott Lucky for $50, put a Triangle or LePro tip on it. As good as anything out there.
 
M

marek

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Jimmorrison said:
Would a low deflection shaft be of value for a break cue? Seems like it would allow for a harder stroke with a less off center hit on the head ball.
Click to expand...

In Europe we play 9ball with 9 on the spot so being able to play the cutbreak with sidespin is essential. And for that LD breaker helps a lot, especially at new cloth used at Eurotour where deflection is MUCH higher than on "normal" cloth. Also carbon fiber cues have quite better energy transfer than wooden cues in general so that helps as well.
If you play 9ball with 1 on the spot or 8b/10b then LD breaker would at least allow for a imperfect tip placement/unwanted spin while still sending cueball relatively straight. ;)
 
M

Meucciplayer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't think the amount of $$$ you put into a break cue makes a lot of difference.

There is a huge difference in what kind of tip you use, though. I have a cheap Spark Break Cue and used it for years with the supplied phenolic. Now I changed it to a Samsara tip and it is perfect. Much more control, you could even use it as an emergency player. (Better than most housecues with their damaged tips and ferrules)

I cross-checked more expensive breakers like the Predators and I can't see a difference. But I don't have a 30 mph break either. Control is so much more important than speed.

LD is totally unnecessary IMHO, actually it's counter-productive for a breaker. You shouldn't use any/much side anyway if you don't want to reduce the power significantly. A little draw or follow is all I use, depending on momentary feeling and the kind of break (9-ball, 8-ball).
 
JC

JC

Coos Cues
Ipmtim said:
And back to our regularly scheduled program.......
Of the available break sticks is an amateur like me going to really see a big difference from a $200 break cue and a $700 one?
Click to expand...

If you found the replies up until this to be off topic than no, you probably don't need a break cue of any kind at any price point. You just need to practice more and study the game.

JC
 
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