Break Cues

[wrickyb]

I saw a break cue a few days back that had shot or some type of moving weight in it. Is this legal? I presume the idea is like a dead blow hammer. Three of us tried it while clocking break speeds but actually were slower with this over other cues. It may have been that we were not in sync with the movement of the weight. I would like to get other peoples feed back on this type of cue.

My second question is about a shaft that I saw at Derby this year. The shaft was heavy and had a weighted ball or something in the shaft that would roll. Can someone explain the reason for this moving ball? And again is it legal to use? I've done some searching but in regards to pool cues I just find max weight and max tip size restrictions. BTW I the shaft was collector item due to the unique nature and not being used in a match.

Looking forward to input from the Cue masters.

 

[cueman]

Why they did it? Who knows. But it sounds perfectly legal to use to me.

 

[junkbond]

I've heard of this "dead-blow" break cue before, but I've never seen one. I doubt that the design would be of any benefit.

The shot in a dead-blow hammer is to keep the hammer head from bouncing when you strike an immovable target, but the target of the break cue is going to move.

The way I see the break cue working is: When you start your forward stroke, the shot will be moved to the rear of the chamber it's in. When the cue tip hits the ball, the cue will rapidly slow down and the shot will move forward. But by the time the shot gets to the front of the chamber, the cue ball is already gone. So what purpose does the shot serve?

Just the way I see it.

 

[rhncue]

I've heard of this "dead-blow" break cue before, but I've never seen one. I doubt that the design would be of any benefit.

The shot in a dead-blow hammer is to keep the hammer head from bouncing when you strike an immovable target, but the target of the break cue is going to move.

The way I see the break cue working is: When you start your forward stroke, the shot will be moved to the rear of the chamber it's in. When the cue tip hits the ball, the cue will rapidly slow down and the shot will move forward. But by the time the shot gets to the front of the chamber, the cue ball is already gone. So what purpose does the shot serve?

Just the way I see it.

Earlier I started to post this same reply so I do agree with most of what you state. The one area that could be wrong is the part where the cue ball is already gone far enough before the lead shot comes forward. If the tube or area where this movable weight is located is short enough, I believe the possibility exists that the cue could move forward, again, from the inertia of this weight so as to make a second contact with the cue ball, which of coarse would be a foul.

Dick

 

[conetip]

I've heard of this "dead-blow" break cue before, but I've never seen one. I doubt that the design would be of any benefit.

The shot in a dead-blow hammer is to keep the hammer head from bouncing when you strike an immovable target, but the target of the break cue is going to move.

The way I see the break cue working is: When you start your forward stroke, the shot will be moved to the rear of the chamber it's in. When the cue tip hits the ball, the cue will rapidly slow down and the shot will move forward. But by the time the shot gets to the front of the chamber, the cue ball is already gone. So what purpose does the shot serve?

Just the way I see it.

It would seem most have not owned a dead blow hammer.The shot is filled into a space.There is minimal movement of the shot in the hammer.This minimal movement is all that is required to deaden the blow.
A playing cue is almost useless with this technology.Much akin to a cue with a loose pin etc.
For a break only cue it can work.The trick is to have the correct movement for the shot weight.It is less than 1 mm.
As to the double hit,what time frame is considered a double hit?
Less than 100th sec would have to be considered a single hit imo

 

[KJ Cues]

I like you Neil because you're an intelligent guy, but as fate would have it, you don't make the rules.
A double-hit is a double-hit, regardless of the time-frame.

 

[poolplayer2093]

I saw a break cue a few days back that had shot or some type of moving weight in it. Is this legal? I presume the idea is like a dead blow hammer. Three of us tried it while clocking break speeds but actually were slower with this over other cues. It may have been that we were not in sync with the movement of the weight. I would like to get other peoples feed back on this type of cue.

My second question is about a shaft that I saw at Derby this year. The shaft was heavy and had a weighted ball or something in the shaft that would roll. Can someone explain the reason for this moving ball? And again is it legal to use? I've done some searching but in regards to pool cues I just find max weight and max tip size restrictions. BTW I the shaft was collector item due to the unique nature and not being used in a match.

Looking forward to input from the Cue masters.

Is it legal? i guess that would all depend on what the local tournament rules are.

you gotta know by now that nothing's completely uniformed in pool. i'm guessing you play in a league. it'd be easier just to ask your league director

 

[junkbond]

It would seem most have not owned a dead blow hammer.

This is my newest dead-blow hammer. It is about 35 years old.

It's true that the shot in the hammer head moves very little, but that's not the point. My point (and maybe I didn't express it very well) is that the dead-blow mechanism is designed solely to prevent bouncing of the hammer. Because the cue's target is not immovable, the dead-blow mechanism provides no benefit.

 

[conetip]

KJ is right about a double hit.
But if you can't hear it,how do you define it.
When looking at some high speed camera images, it seems that in the micro second level,there are alot of instances where the tip appears to make contact more than once.
But listening to or watching the shot, it seems to be an ok hit.
I did a test with shot in a cue. It seems that the hit result of the cue is the same .
IE in my case the hit of the 16 oz cue was the same as the 20oz cue with the added lead.The leaded cue felt dead,it did not hit as hard as a 20 oz non leadshot cue.It was like having a 20 oz cue hitting like a 16 oz if that can make any sence.
I think the reason it did not work in my test, is because it appears that the cue ball has left the tip by the time the shot has moved in the cue.
When you drop the cue to the floor, you definately hear the shot move,and does sound like a double hit situation.But hitting a cue ball in either play or a break situation,seems like a single hit and no benefit to having the shot.
I tried adjusting the freeplay of the shot as well.When you have alot of free volume, you have a cue like the ones being advertised weighted on one side.It wants to not roll on the table.When I packed it tight, (Balsa plug pushed in tightly) the cue rolls fine.
The tight packed shot hit better for 1 hit,then I assume the shot settled slightly and the hit went back to the other looser results.It did not sound right,and was like having a cue with something loose.It was like having a loose ferrule.