Has anybody ever had a shaft split on them during a game?

Onepocketking1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey AZ, I'm asking because I have read some threads about sneaky pete cues without joint collars splitting. I have a Mcdermott sneaky pete, I break'em fairly hard, shoot banks and I pound them in! The cue is perfectly fine. Any info will be greatly appreciated!!!

Onepocketking1
 
I have had a Schuler shaft with the American taper split right at the joint and the insert fell out. It was probably just a problem with that particular wood as all the other shafts I have had have never split. This one even had a phenolic collar on it and the metal insert.
 
I had a shaft break on me in the middle of match in a tournament. I didn't have a back-up at the time so I played the rest of the match and my next one with my break cue with a Samsara break/jump tip. Since I normally play with a Kamui Black Super Soft it was a little hard to play with something so hard, but I hit everything with center ball and managed to win. lol.
 
Hey AZ, I'm asking because I have read some threads about sneaky pete cues without joint collars splitting. I have a Mcdermott sneaky pete, I break'em fairly hard, shoot banks and I pound them in! The cue is perfectly fine. Any info will be greatly appreciated!!!

Onepocketking1

I have seen shafts split during a shot, however, the only ones I have seen do this had an insert in them for 5/16-18 or 5/16-14. I have never seen a shaft like those used on a McDermott split, but anything can happen. The most common problem I have seen was with Heubler Shafts with the Nylon Insert they have used, I don't think the problem was the insert itself though.

I kinda think that sometimes the insert become loose, and the constant force applied to the joint through shooting and breaking causes the insert to act like a wedge that splits the wood over time. Another factor could be exposure to moisture, like being left in the truck of a car. I think in this case the expansion and contraction from hot and cold cause swelling which causes a shaft to crack.

JIMO
 
I haven't had a shaft split but one time I was doing a draw shot and when I hit the ball the pin the ferrule is attached to broke and my ferrule and tip went flying across the table.
MULLY
it was a Meucci, the green one I bought from Sherm, if he remembers
 
a friend of mine last week was breaking with his schuler purple heart shaft and had it splinter...he breaks them hard but damn.....he was :angry:because it was and original schuler shaft and he doesnt want to spend the big cash that it would cost to replace it.....split right behind the ferrule all the way 10in down the shaft....i guess it happens o well...
 
Broken cues usually happen because you LEAN on them, when you follow through during the break. Stress fractures occure & over time they weaken the wooden fibers. Then one day, they just give out. The damage is built up, over a period of time...JER
 
Never had it happen with my player but I did have my break cues shaft explode one night. I was hitting them pretty hard and following through with some flex in the cue when the shaft exploded at the joint and rained down toothpick sized splinters all over the table. Sad part was that it was the night before I left for the VNEA Vegas tourney years ago and I didn't have a replacement.
 
I had my pants split on me once, while reaching for a shot during a game of One Pocket. A good looking girl saw it happen and said my underwear showed
more skid marks than a getaway car. Boy, were my cheeks red. :D
 
I had my pants split on me once, while reaching for a shot during a game of One Pocket. A good looking girl saw it happen and said my underwear showed
more skid marks than a getaway car. Boy, were my cheeks red. :D

I have to confess - i came to this thread just to see your response.
You confirmed my suspicions.

I had a shaft split on me during a serious money match.
It was 7 blocks away playing at another pool hall before i noticed....
...my mind left with it:)
 
Last edited:
I think you are right

I have seen shafts split during a shot, however, the only ones I have seen do this had an insert in them for 5/16-18 or 5/16-14. I have never seen a shaft like those used on a McDermott split, but anything can happen. The most common problem I have seen was with Heubler Shafts with the Nylon Insert they have used, I don't think the problem was the insert itself though.

I kinda think that sometimes the insert become loose, and the constant force applied to the joint through shooting and breaking causes the insert to act like a wedge that splits the wood over time. Another factor could be exposure to moisture, like being left in the truck of a car. I think in this case the expansion and contraction from hot and cold cause swelling which causes a shaft to crack.

JIMO



Craig,

I think you are right. In almost all of the joint failures with inserts, collars, or adapters, I think the first failure is a bond failure. It goes unnoticed and then when pressure is put in the right direction to put maximum pressure on the weakened joint, disaster!

I'm of two minds about flexing shafts against the table. I consider a little flex on the break and some shots to be so common that a shaft should be able to tolerate this much bend, it constitutes normal use. Bustamonte used to bend his shaft into a horse shoe on the break, there I could understand most anything failing.

I suspect that if people check under ferrules when a shaft splits at the ferrule they will find much the same thing. The bond fails and then the ferrule that is supposed to protect the shaft becomes a hammer or lever to break it.

Just my thoughts but they are usually borne out by close examination of failed shafts.

Hu
 
Back
Top