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My first tip install
- By SSDiver2112
- Main Forum
- 228 Replies
There is a cue that I have always admired even before I started working on cues. The Brunswick Titlist cues from the 26 ½ to the Titlist one-piece to the Willie Hoppe Professional. Just something about it I have always liked. Early on I got my hands on a 1940’s Willie Hoppe Pro and a 1970 one made by Adam. Deep down I also wanted a cue made from one. These two are in too good of a condition to mess with so I needed to find an old house cue or one beat up enough to get cheap. Most on the internet are $400 - $1000. Made from different woods, some demand a higher price than others. Ebony being the most sought after. After years of patiently searching, I finally found one.
Here it is next to my WH Pro.
An old one-piece Willie Hoppe Titlist with the shaft chopped off. Other than the old yellowed finish and faded veneers it looked to be in decent condition, so I took a chance. Once I got my hands on the cue, I saw some minor cracks in the handle and typical uneven points, but great condition and enough meat to trim it down to today’s butt diameter thickness and even up the points some. The color and chatoyance of the wood made me think it was mahogany at first, but with the old finish I couldn’t be sure yet.
After seeing the veneers on the butterfly conversion come to life. I was not too worried about the veneers on this cue. I offset the center for the points and started to trim it down to see what was under the upper layers and to get it ready to core.
Fantastic! With just the first little bit trimmed off there is a lot more color. I hope even more color as I go deeper in. The wood now exposed was looking more like Rosewood, which was also a plus.
Here is what I saw.
With the cues 1940’s age and the couple of cracks I cored the cue up into the lower points. It sat for a little bit as I thought about the butt sleeve design. Funny thing though. When I went back days later to take some additional pictures, I noticed something that made me very happy. The now exposed wood revealed its true nature. A Purpleheart Titlist! Just what I wanted, and it even has some figure as well. I decided to go with a butt sleeve design similar to part of my current cue using Purpleheart and Ebony. To be continued.
Here it is next to my WH Pro.
An old one-piece Willie Hoppe Titlist with the shaft chopped off. Other than the old yellowed finish and faded veneers it looked to be in decent condition, so I took a chance. Once I got my hands on the cue, I saw some minor cracks in the handle and typical uneven points, but great condition and enough meat to trim it down to today’s butt diameter thickness and even up the points some. The color and chatoyance of the wood made me think it was mahogany at first, but with the old finish I couldn’t be sure yet.
After seeing the veneers on the butterfly conversion come to life. I was not too worried about the veneers on this cue. I offset the center for the points and started to trim it down to see what was under the upper layers and to get it ready to core.
Fantastic! With just the first little bit trimmed off there is a lot more color. I hope even more color as I go deeper in. The wood now exposed was looking more like Rosewood, which was also a plus.
Here is what I saw.
With the cues 1940’s age and the couple of cracks I cored the cue up into the lower points. It sat for a little bit as I thought about the butt sleeve design. Funny thing though. When I went back days later to take some additional pictures, I noticed something that made me very happy. The now exposed wood revealed its true nature. A Purpleheart Titlist! Just what I wanted, and it even has some figure as well. I decided to go with a butt sleeve design similar to part of my current cue using Purpleheart and Ebony. To be continued.
