Breaking with your playing cue ?

Sam Waltz said:
Bencho,



The most proficient breaker in the game today, Shane Van Boening, isn't in any way going to be bustin' his cue via a breakshot so I think I'll study him over just about any other player out there nowadays.
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Shane definately bends his cue a pretty fair amount - not to say that he would snap his shaft, but I would say he rides that edge a little more than most of being likely to snap it (his shaft is thin and has the taper pulled back to the finish on the joint as well), not to mention Sigel was even more into leaning hard on his cue. I personally like a big follow thru w/ a bend on it.

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Do whatever works for you....a playing cue can break just fine.....so can a break cue....an old saying that seems to be repeated often, "it's the indian, not the arrow"

I use a break cue....it's ugly, cheap, and I feel comfortable if something goes wrong....I see my playing cue as a work of art, and I just don't like the risk....just like tips, shafts, cuemakers, chalk....everybody has something that works for them, go with whatever you like....sounds like a number of people have offered advice around the types of joints that will take more abuse, the pitfalls of what can happen, and the type of tips that likely will work better....good stuff...
 
I have a break cue but the ferrule came loose. so i put the jump shaft on and the ferrule came loose also.
Now I slow the pace of my break from 90% down to about 70% becuase i am using my playing cue My breaking consistnecy is way better cue ball control is way better. I am just worried about wearing out the tip faster.
 
old playing cues or extra shafts with a harder tip make for really good break cues. In fact if I didnt play with this medium(almost seems soft) tip that I use, I'd love to use my regular tip. I get tired of compressing the heck out of the tip though.

There are now officially a ton of great break cues out there. I tried the Icebreaker recently, it's nice. I use a BK2, I like it. X-Breakers are real nice too etc...

I think it's all personal preference and a combination of breaking style. I hit the head ball pretty much square with a ton of power in mostly any game so I can probably break with anything considered a cue and be ok with the result. If you add English at all i think you have to like breaking with your playing cue. OK My 2cents. Peace out Larry.
 
Sam Waltz-

I just looked at two videos of SVB on youtube. his form is clean but different from what I've learned. He comes up with his cue and he raises his body before stroking through. I was always told to keep my body low and come up after my stroke connected or right before I connected with the CB. Can't see very well on the videos, but doesn't bringing the cue up after hitting the CB induce follow which gives less control over the CB? He also makes it looks damned effortless. Then again, I've been playing here at school and we play on old sweaters, not felt :D
 
I see players using break cues and I often wonder why. When they are playing with their regular cue they are slamming the CB just as hard as they did with the break cue when breaking.
 
I don't have a great break. I break with both my playing cue & a cheap J & J with phenolic tip. I use to only break with my playing cue. I have been told you shouldn't break with predator shafts... but I have broke with one for over 10 years and never had a problem. I will say my break has gotten better with the phenolic tip. To each his own would be my opinion.
 
bencho said:
Sam Waltz-

I just looked at two videos of SVB on youtube. his form is clean but different from what I've learned. He comes up with his cue and he raises his body before stroking through. I was always told to keep my body low and come up after my stroke connected or right before I connected with the CB. Can't see very well on the videos, but doesn't bringing the cue up after hitting the CB induce follow which gives less control over the CB? He also makes it looks damned effortless. Then again, I've been playing here at school and we play on old sweaters, not felt :D
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shane does have a very unique break. He does comes up alot - which IMO is what makes his break look kinda decieveing power-wise. Where guys like Johnny A or Tony Ellin more dive towards the rack, Shane comes up. Plus, he kinda snaps his wrist and hips into it. definately different, but I don't think anybody breaks as consistent with a big break as shane.

and IMO you were taught correctly by staying low, but like anything else, if you practice something "the wrong way" long enough, it becomes right - for you. Kinda like Keith McCready's stroke - wrong by the books, but he made it work for himself better than most people can with a textbook stroke.
 
Nice points!

bencho said:
Sam Waltz-

I just looked at two videos of SVB on youtube. his form is clean but different from what I've learned. He comes up with his cue and he raises his body before stroking through. I was always told to keep my body low and come up after my stroke connected or right before I connected with the CB. Can't see very well on the videos, but doesn't bringing the cue up after hitting the CB induce follow which gives less control over the CB? He also makes it looks damned effortless. Then again, I've been playing here at school and we play on old sweaters, not felt :D
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macneilb said:
shane does have a very unique break. He does comes up alot - which IMO is what makes his break look kinda decieveing power-wise. Where guys like Johnny A or Tony Ellin more dive towards the rack, Shane comes up. Plus, he kinda snaps his wrist and hips into it. definately different, but I don't think anybody breaks as consistent with a big break as shane.

and IMO you were taught correctly by staying low, but like anything else, if you practice something "the wrong way" long enough, it becomes right - for you. Kinda like Keith McCready's stroke - wrong by the books, but he made it work for himself better than most people can with a textbook stroke.
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Your both right, his form isn't conventional at all, but his results speak for themselves. I guess in the end we all have to do what gives us the best results and keep trying to increase our consistency with that process. Sorry about the "sweater" situation for ya Bencho! Tell 'em to go getcha some Simonis ASAP! :grin:
 
Over the last year I've switched from using a break cue to using my playing cue to break. I like the control I get and yes, while I don't get the thunderous breaks I used too with my phenolic tipped break cue, I have found I get better results with softer breaks and more control.

Now, I don't even carry my break cue because my case is a 2 x 4. I now cary a back up cue in case something happens with my tip. Having said that, I've been using my playing cue to break with for almost a year now and haven't had anything happen to my tip.
 
I break with my playing cue. I go for controlled speed, not crushing power.
 
I like to hit them hard so i go with the break cue, it functions more for this shot and saves my playing shaft and tip.
 
If SVB is coming up on h is break, I think he is one of the few people who get how to break. If you are standing up straighter, your arm becomes a longer lever and generates more speed at the hand with less or the same effort. About the break cue, I use my old playing cue (a Brunswick/Joss cue with SS joint). I just put a hard tip on it.
 
I used to break with my playing cue when I played with Triangle tips.... but once I switched to Mooris in the late 90s I stopped. I paid 75 for my first Moori tip, I was not about to risk it, so I started breaking with a house cue. Then I started just breaking with an old retired cue of mine.
I have to admit, I have a Fury right now... and it is breaking about as well as anything I have ever tried. Ive had Predator BKs, Sledgehammers etc etc etc to experiment with, but the Fury transmits the power very well. Its construction/materials leaves a little to be desired.... but as a functional tool, it gets the job done.
Chuck
 
I don't like using my play cue for the break. I want to save it for sensitive shots and I believe the violent shot on the break should be done with a cue other than my playing cue. It's probably silly and all in my head but I want to treat the playing cue like a precision instrument rather than a hammer.
 
exactly my thought

JimS said:
I don't like using my play cue for the break. I want to save it for sensitive shots and I believe the violent shot on the break should be done with a cue other than my playing cue. It's probably silly and all in my head but I want to treat the playing cue like a precision instrument rather than a hammer.
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I don't hit any other shot like the break if I am playing eight, nine, or ten ball. This is the shot most likely to damage my tip or cue so I prefer to save my precision tool for other work.

Someone also mentioned cumulative damage and that is also an excellent point. I can't see putting that added wear and tear on my cue and tip even if I see no immediate damage or changes. Wood fiber breaks down in baseball bats, particularly ash bats, and they go "flat". I don't know it for a fact but I have always suspected that the same thing happens or can happen with cue shafts. Another reason not to pound on my finely tuned playing shaft.

Hu
 
Thanks for the help !!!

Lots of help full advise I would like to thank everyone who has posted their opinion here . This is just one of the things I love about AZB if you have a question about something pool related you can just ask the AZB family members and get plenty of advise and opinions .

Thanks again ... Larry :)
 
MitchAlsup...That's simply not true. I've been breaking with my playing cues for almost 40 years! NONE of them have been hurt one bit (I've had SS, Linen, Ivory, and several other joints...never a problem). BTW, my current tips have been on more than 4 years (I just had one tip replaced, after 6 years, two weeks ago, at the SBE).

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

MitchAlsup said:
It basically depends on two things: a) how long do you want your play cue to last, b) how long do you want your tip to last.
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Best Break Cue I have for 8, 9, and 10 Ball is Break Cue, and not my PLAYER! I use my player in One Pocket to BREAK!
 
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