Finally somebody developed a microchip for cues

Sure. Lots of cues are identical. But how many identical cues are sitting in a Pawn Shop that match a picture that you have. One, and that is yours. The shop has had it on hold for 90 days which coincides with the time that it was stolen and a Police report was made.
That's all they need. They don't even need a picture. Just the general description of the stolen item on the Police Report. If you decide to photograph your personal belongings, that is just an extra safe guard.

Also, most shops these days require a picture ID with a identification number on it. if it is the first time that you have pawned, takes approx 5 minutes to register a person. If your item shows up, the Police know exactly who pawned it, the date and even down the the minute that you made the transaction. So, not even a need to scan the cameras to see who you are, they already know.

In this case, put your name on a small piece of paper, roll it up and place it under the bumper. The cop asks if this is your cue. You say it sure is, take the bumper off, my name will be in there. Voila. The cop hands you your cue. No scanners involved.

Same difference and you won't have to wait until a scanner is shipped.

The purpose is if the cue surfaces and is scanned you can get your property back. Or if you identify the cue you can prove it belongs to you.
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Exactly. I just told you how to do it without a chip and a scanner. Most stolen items are sold or pawned the day or day after they are stolen. Make a Police report. It will be on the Hot sheet there after. Now, it's up to them to do their job.

Sorry Buddy, you are kind of arguing a Moot point on this one.

I pretty much know the Pawn Shop Business just a tiny bit.

Now, go cut some tiny slivers of paper, print your name on them and put them under the bumpers. Don't you feel so much safer already?
 
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I mark all of my cues in a certain place, that makes them unique and hopefully identifiable if it comes down to proving ownership.
 
cool my idea years ago was simular...micro chiped totrack location like lojack your shit comes up missing you turn on your computer locate then you take your hand canon and goget yo shit back.....
 
I hope it doesn't throw the balance off.:rolleyes: Sorry, the devil made me say it. Johnnyt
 
Here to Help

Hey Everyone, this is my first post to your forum, but not the first time I have viewed and enjoyed this site. I enjoy playing pool myself and look forward to as much help we can provide. I do not want to come off as spam, I just want to try help would love to answer any questions you may have.

Snagg has been around for over 15 years, we are not going anywhere anytime soon. We continue to grow and build our services under the radar. We do not market in mass media to avoid thieves trying to locate our items thus increase the odds of recovery.

You are spot on, that the microchips are the same as the pet microchips. This gives us the ability to call on law enforcement worldwide to scan the chip and prove ownership of the protected asset. There are almost a half million scanners throughout the USA alone, millions worldwide. As part of the grid, every county sheriff has access to one.

Our proprietary database scans pawn shop records, ebay and carigslist sources to generate hits that send law enforcement to recover the item. The chip serves as the final proof of ownership that law enforcement needs to positively identify the item and return it. The chips can be scanned right through the wood material, so they do not detract from the art It can be installed by skilled consumers or billiard shops after users already own the cue.

Particularly with pool cues, there are often times no serial number or other means to prove ownership of these pieces of art. Police cannot simply confiscate a cue because it has the same design that your picture shows, whether you have a receipt or not. With our certificate of authenticity and the chip hidden inside the cue, the evidence will stand up in court that you own your baby. This allows police to confiscate and return your item. We have successfully arranged fake "buys" to allow law enforcement to scan and confiscate the item for return, even in Guam :) When Snagg calls law enforcement, they respond very positively, but our lawyers can help move them if needed. It is a very different conversation when we are helping them look like a hero.

I look forward to any feedback you would like to provide. Understand that we already have a GPS tracking system, and no, they are not small enough to fit in a cue yet. We are on the forefront of the technology and I assure you that when we can fit a GPS inside a cue in a practical way, that Syberts Billiard Supply will have it and we will let you know. The technology just hasn't gotten practical yet.

Could you all imagine using a cue case with a GPS tracker in it? If you locked your cue in the case and it disappeared, in many cases the cue will stay with the case, at least for a period of time.... We have manufacturers that do gun and instrument cases with the GPS unit, what are your thoughts?

Anyway, I am here to answer any questions, and will check back occasionally. These cues are not just about the money, the art, the memories and the history are more important than just buying a replacement cue. This is especially close to my heart, as my father and I enjoy shooting a lot of pool and he has had more than one cue stolen from him. I look forward to hearing your input, and appreciate hearing from some of you already.

-Brian Schuh
-Chief Information Officer, Snagg
 
Brian, is it possible to make a chip that works with a phone app, so one can track the item down without the use of a scanner?

I realize that this then might get complicated in having to store a battery to power the chip. I have no idea as I am seriously electronically challenged.

I would be shocked if I could do anything electrical.

Myself, I believe it would be a bonus to be able to track a pool cue, for example, instead of having to wait until it might show up at a pawn shop, Craigs, or any other local on line Used Site.
 
Snagg said:
Sorry, I am trying not to promote our company, just answer questions. Thank You Quesports
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Hi
I work on cues and if I wanted to offer this to customers I would have to devise a way to install it. Supposed I took out the butt weight screw and drilled into the cue, put in the chip with epoxy and plugged the hole making it undetectable.

The chip would have to be read through about 5/8" of wood. Can it be read through that much wood? It could also be installed under the wrap but that would require additional cost to the customer.

One problem may be knowing where the chip is. They would have to scan the cue looking for the chip. Would that be a problem. I have chips in all my cats (8) and they are in the same place so it is easy to find the chip.

I am not playing devils advocate I want to know. Offering this to people with cues they value may be a pretty good service. It at least offers another level of security.

It would seem to be important that no one know the chip is there or at least where it is but the owner. If it was installed as I described you could not tell it was there but if you already knew, all you would have to do would be drill it out destroying the chip.

Last question, is the scanner the same kind that is used by vets to scan pets?
 
TheNewSharkster said:
Not sure. I imagine each chip has a unique key and if the cue is stolen it can be searched for against a database.

Also, if your stolen cue shows up in a pawn shop you could prove it belongs to you.
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Well .... I wouldn't go that far. You might be able to show some amount of reason to believe that it may have ONCE belonged to you. If you reported it stolen, it may help establish the tracking of it, but it wouldn't be of any value proving you still own it legally in and of itself. It could have been sold a hundred times over. Still ... a nice feature to have for sure.
 
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Pet chips

macguy said:
So if I am at a flea market and I see my cue what do I do? Say. "Wait, that is my cue and I can prove it"? Then have them mail me a reader a week or two later and so on. It is impractical for general use.

The last time I had a lost cat, I had to take it all over the place to find someone with a reader just to check if there even was a chip. When it turned out the chip was there it took forever to contact the people because they had not updated the info.

I think it is a false sense of security as far as a cue goes. Not to mention there may be a way to fry the chip so it doesn't do anything that a thief may know. Is there a way to destroy it?

Unless I am missing something, at best it is a way to identify a cue so an owner and seller can tell it is not a stolen cue and may even be able to track the ownership history.
GPS, now that is another story but I don't think we are there yet for a cue stick.
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Interesting ideas for our high dollar cues! Regarding pet chips, our Choclate lab had a chip installed by the breeder as part of the overall cost. Nice touch for pricey hunting dogs who can get lost in the field while hunting. First trip to the vet and he says let me scan her and get her in my system. Cool. Couldn't find chip! The chip had moved! Was way down on her chest a foot from initial spot! we rechipped her again because vet said most people will not scan entire dog. He did because he knew it went somewhere. Most shelters and dog pounds scan pets as soon as they arrive on site.
 
Snagg said:
Sorry, I am trying not to promote our company, just answer questions. Thank You Quesports
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No Problem, I was just messing with you and wanted the members to take a look at your website. I think it's a great idea personally and going to ask a local cue maker for his opinion about installing one. Would like your opinion regarding location and recommended installation as well..
 
Baron said:
I wonder where Pechauer puts the chips and if it has become a part of their manufacturing process or if it can be done after the cue is finished, like in the weight bolt tap or something. I would love to have one of these in my Tascarella, but I sure wouldn't want anyone but Pete installing it for me.
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I don't know if Pechauer installs them during the manufacturing process but they are available after the fact as an option. I was looking at Tiger break cues on Seyberts and they have an option to install an RFID chip. Not sure where they install them, probably under the butt plate with the weight bolt.

It's promising technology but it would be much better if it also had GPS. Your cue gets stolen and it might never show up somewhere that it would be scanned. It would be nice if you could find your cue instead of hoping it finds its way back to you.
 
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DogsPlayingPool said:
I don't know if Pechauer installs them during the manufacturing process but they are available after the fact as an option. I was looking at Tiger break cues on Seyberts and they have an option to install an RFID chip. Not sure where they install them, probably under the butt plate with the weight bolt.

It's promising technology but it would be much better if it also had GPS. Your cue gets stolen and it might never show up somewhere that it would be scanned. It would be nice if you could find your cue instead of hoping it finds its way back to you.
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I wonder if you could put a gps in the case. You would probably have a small window of time but if your cue disappeared from your car or the pool room you would know where it is. Heck the thief would probably take the whole thing home.
 
I have often thought of installing the the snag chips in my own cues. I know that Carvin guitars installs snag chips in every guitar that they build and sale. If every cue maker installed these chips in every cue built it would certainly ensure a higher return on stolen cues I believe.
 
The one point I am unclear on regarding the pawn shop issue - do they attempt to scan everything that comes into their possession? If that's the case and they would find it on their own that would seem to be a good deal. If they only would scan it if a claim was made, that really reduces the value IMO.
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
Supposedly, I have an app on my phone that if it is lost or stolen, you can track it. Apparently it works as my Bud had his van broken into and they tracked the guys who were in possession.
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AFAIK, phones can only be tracked in this way while they are turned on, a chip like this in a cue ain't gonna work sadly... Unless rechargeable cues are coming in. Maybe a battery instead of a weightbolt with wireless charging :)
 
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