"Special" Cue Shafts, Voodoo or Science?

I always thought low deflection shafts were the best since we all accidentally hit off center sometimes when we power draw and the ld shaft prevents too much deflection so you shoot it straighter right.

I get the part where anyone can get used to x amount of deflection but I see a huge benefit for unplanned deflection.
 
When Break-Cues were new, I remember Old Timers who thought it was dumb/crazy to break with a different stick than the one you played with. Telling me "If your cue isn't good enough to break and play with, then it's no good".

Oh how times have changed.
 
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Bob Callahan said:
What do you make of the "Radial consistency" and "Beaver Cue" graphics in the second half of this:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2008/aug08.pdf
Click to expand...

As I read Dr. Dave's Beaver Cue radial consistency chart, a stiffer cue means less squirt for the same end mass. Dr. Dave concludes there is no relationship between stiffness and squirt. However, I read the chart to say that there is a clear sinusoidal pattern... it is just not the pattern Dr. Dave was expecting.

I recently tested 7 shafts to find the pivot point using the method recommended by Dr. Dave and others. (I hit a straight in shot to the corner, adjusting the bridge distance/pivot point until the CB spins in place after contact.)

Here are the results for the 7 shafts I have tested so far:
Bob Renis Dymondwood: 9.25"
K-Mart "Graphite": 10"
Mitchel Thomas Custom 30" maple: 13.5"
Meucci Black Dot: 14.5" (but very inconsistent)
Mitchell Thomas Custom 30" padauk: 15.0"
Z2: 17.25"
OB2: 18.25"

Only the K-Mart and Bob Renis cues had their own butts; the other shafts were measured on a single (Meucci) butt.

NOTE: all cues can create "too much" squirt and all cues can create "too little" squirt if you pivot in the wrong place for that cue.

NOTE: The MT custom padauk cue is stiffer than the MT maple cue but they have the same weight and taper. The padauk cue has a longer pivot point which corresponds to lower squirt, consistent with my reading of Dr. Dave's chart.

So, there is definitely a measurable difference (science, not voodoo) between cues, but the question is, which pivot distance should be preferred?

Wouldn't you prefer a pivot point that is close to a common bridge distance? That would allow you to add Engish simply using BHE without too many other adjustments, and still be on your original aiming line.

Ironically, I find 10 inches to be the most natural bridge distance for me (assuming circumstances do not call for something else), .... and that is found in the cheapo K-Mart cue.

Go figure....
 
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