How long will a good cue last?

SCCues

SCCues

< Searing Twins
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I've wondered about this for a while and I thought i'd ask for some opinions. I've owned quite a few cues in my life and since i've found a couple of cues that I like and i'd like to hang on to I wanted to get some opinions.

How long should a good custom cue butt last with good care and played a couple of times a week? I know the shafts will wear out based on how much play they get and how they are cleaned so replacing the shafts is a given, but i'm interested in the butt of the cue where the money and work is. I would think they should last many years, but I don't have any way to verify that.

Thanks in advance,
James
 
I think as long as it is well constructed, which in my opinion, any custom should be, I think a cue should last much longer than you. My everyday playing cue is now 41 years old this year, still with the original shafts. Everything rolls dead straight. The finish has wore off of it so it is showing its age, but it doesn't affect playability so I don't worry about it.

I break with it (ivory ferrule) and play every shot for 5-6 hours a day and it's fine. I hope that when I have a kid he will get into pool, and I can eventually give to him and he can use it his whole life.
 
IMO, the butt should last forever with good care. The shafts too, if you don't sand them.

The finish on the butt will get dinged from accidentally hitting the table or other things and there's not much you can do about that except get it refinished. But these dings don't hurt the way it plays. It's just an aesthetic thing.

My cue is 28 years old and came with two shafts that I still play with. I haven't played continuously during those years, so for some years it was stored standing upright in a cue rack. These shafts have been sanded lightly with cue papers from time to time, though I don't do that anymore.

Barring some calamity, I will never get another cue.
 
I shoot with a Napolean built in 1799. Not one flaw, except it is eerie that the ferrule is made of human teeth.
 
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I think that a cue should last forever but if the one I have been playing with lately doesn't stop missing so much its days are numbered:angry:;)
 
I have played with many cues over 100 years old that still play good.

A well made, well cared for cue will easily last a lifetime.
 
I shoot with a Karella that I've had since 1993 - holding up fine - came with two shafts - I'm still using the same one that I started with when I bought the cue.
 
I agree, if you're willing to have it refinished when the finish starts wearing off (which won't happen until it's very old, if you treat it right), I don't really see why a cue butt would ever "wear out".

-Andrew
 
i have a friend who bought his cue from Bill Stroud in 74 and he has played with it full time since then, with a month off here and there. Its been repainted once, replaced the but cap once, and wrapped 3 timres I think. I dont know how many shafts he has used up, probably a dozen. There has been litterly millions of balls hit with that cue, plays perfect.

I have Kim Davenports Gus with 5 shafts most of them are worn out, the wrap is wore down, its been refinished once that I know of. Kim used it for 23 years and it shows but plays like a dream. I hit balls with it in 85 and it still feels great these days.

I dont think its possible to wear out a cue. Shafts, tips, wraps, bumpers, finish all wear out
 
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I met a older gentleman at a tournament last week who had a nice old sneaky. I noticed the shaft looked rather thin and ask if he has had the same cue his whole life. He said that it has been his main player since 1946. He is still a sporty player and is tough to beat. On a side note: I play golf with a old set of Walter Hagen blades. Some folks at the golf course laugh and say things like "Tiger Woods couldnt hit par with those clubs", "You could never compete with those old clubs, you need new ones, with new technology". Who knows, maybe their right, but it seems with pool cues, the age of the cue doesn't matter to people as much as with some other sports. In pool, Low Deflection is the new tech., but a good player can still compete with a good old standard cue.
 
Fatboy said:
I have Kim Davenports Gus with 5 shafts most of them are worn out, the wrap is wore down, its been refinished once that I know of. Kim used it for 23 years and it shows but plays like a dream. I hit balls with it in 85 and it still feels great these days.
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I'm glad to hear a good guy got Kim's Gus. I used to admire that cue when Kim played with it before he had his eye accident. I saw him play at the US Open last year and I think he was playing with a fancy It's George cue and I wondered what happened to his Gus. He won many matches and tournaments with that cue. Hang on to it Eric.......

James
 
Hmmm

I'm still playing with my Spain (merry widow) and it is now 33 years old which I "stole" from the Freddy the Beard in 1977. Just had it refinished by Joel Hercek, and looks great. I'm sure my son is going to inherit the cue some day, but hopefully not too soon.
 
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