Breaking & Burn Spots

D

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ok, it seems like this has been talked about before but I cant seem to find it so I am bringing the topic up again.

Typically when I break I use a piece of Sim 860 cloth to place the CB on. Its about an inch square. I do this so I don't get that burn spot where I break from. Which, most of the time, is over the right rail. Right as you face the 9-Ball rack.

However, it seems like that little piece of 860 can cause the CB to hop a little and the break loses its effectiveness. Last night I noticed a big difference when I broke without the little pad of Simonis.

So, my question is, if a guy breaks a lot of racks will that burn spot eventually cause a problem? Will there eventually be a small area at that spot where the balls might settle into? Will it throw shots off heading to the corner pocket? If I keep breaking from there will I eventually wear a hole in the 860?

r/DCP
 
I've never seen those spots affect the roll of a ball. I always thought when people used the square of break cloth it was to keep the aesthetics of the cloth the way they wanted it. Also, I think people see those spots and lines and it lets them know that the cloth is pretty well worn. Poolrooms that are trying to get longer life out of their cloth may not wish to have people perceive how old the cloth is. In my opinion by the time the lines/spots get worn in enough to bother you visually it's probably time for new cloth anyway.

I do agree with you though I think the break cloth does add undesirable extra cue ball hop with some breaks, and I dislike using it. Also, I hate having to remember to pull it away before balls roll over it. I use it at the pool room as a courtesy, but I wouldn't bother on my home table.
 
I don't know about the long-term effects on the cloth, but you'll find much less hop/alteration from microfiber cloth like they use for eyeglass cleaners. I use a 2x2" piece. It's about 1/3 the width of unstretched Simonis 860.
 

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StraightPoolIU said:
I've never seen those spots affect the roll of a ball. I always thought when people used the square of break cloth it was to keep the aesthetics of the cloth the way they wanted it. Also, I think people see those spots and lines and it lets them know that the cloth is pretty well worn. Poolrooms that are trying to get longer life out of their cloth may not wish to have people perceive how old the cloth is. In my opinion by the time the lines/spots get worn in enough to bother you visually it's probably time for new cloth anyway.

I do agree with you though I think the break cloth does add undesirable extra cue ball hop with some breaks, and I dislike using it. Also, I hate having to remember to pull it away before balls roll over it. I use it at the pool room as a courtesy, but I wouldn't bother on my home table.
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100% agree.
 
The cloth seems to be a general item to use, like saying no jump or masse shots. It's to try to keep the lower level players from showing off and miscuing on the break and digging a hole in the cloth.

It will also keep the wear spots down, and yes you can get a noticeable wear spot if you break from the same spot all the time.
 
I use a dollar bill with good results.

just have to change it out every so often or when my grandkids come over and steal it. :wink:

best,
brian kc
 
hang-the-9 said:
It will also keep the wear spots down, and yes you can get a noticeable wear spot if you break from the same spot all the time.
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But will this noticeable spot affect the performance of the cloth? I don't mind the aesthetics, I am worried about it wearing through the cloth, throwing shots off into the corner, or balls settling into a tiny hole created by the constant breaking.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
But will this noticeable spot affect the performance of the cloth? I don't mind the aesthetics, I am worried about it wearing through the cloth, throwing shots off into the corner, or balls settling into a tiny hole created by the constant breaking.
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It WILL make a hole. I made one that way so I then put in a little piece of cloth that I robbed from under the side pocket and glued it to the slate. It looked ugly but worked pretty well. But then I got tired of looking at it and I had learned how to break as I wanted so....

...I just replaced my cloth this week because of that hole and a few others. ;)

When I had a pickup truck, I used the bed for hauling crap and the paint got scratched. That's why I bought it in the first place. Same for my table.

Jeff Livingston
 
Like Jeff said, it will wear a hole in the cloth. To remedy that problem, I simply put a paper hole reinforcer where I break from. When it wears out, just pull it off and put on another one. Solved the problem.
 
Neil said:
Like Jeff said, it will wear a hole in the cloth. To remedy that problem, I simply put a paper hole reinforcer where I break from. When it wears out, just pull it off and put on another one. Solved the problem.
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That's a new one on me.

Another way is to move the CB back and break from a longer distance so the longer hop lands in the same place.

And of course the first thing is to be sure you're breaking with a level-as-possible cue & stroke.

pj
chgo
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Ok, it seems like this has been talked about before but I cant seem to find it so I am bringing the topic up again.

Typically when I break I use a piece of Sim 860 cloth to place the CB on. Its about an inch square. I do this so I don't get that burn spot where I break from. Which, most of the time, is over the right rail. Right as you face the 9-Ball rack.

However, it seems like that little piece of 860 can cause the CB to hop a little and the break loses its effectiveness. Last night I noticed a big difference when I broke without the little pad of Simonis.

So, my question is, if a guy breaks a lot of racks will that burn spot eventually cause a problem? Will there eventually be a small area at that spot where the balls might settle into? Will it throw shots off heading to the corner pocket? If I keep breaking from there will I eventually wear a hole in the 860?

r/DCP
Click to expand...

Maybe maybe not, but who cares. The cloth is not going to last forever. If it bothers you just move the cue ball around some and don't put it in the same spot every-time. You can kind of erase those spots with a little rubbing with a damp cloth.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
That's a new one on me.

Another way is to move the CB back and break from a longer distance so the longer hop lands in the same place.

And of course the first thing is to be sure you're breaking with a level-as-possible cue & stroke.

pj
chgo
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In one of the Bert Kinister videos, he shows up an old cloth he had on a table where he did the Mighty X drills on (I think with Neils), it had holes in all the spots where the balls were setup for the drill through constant use from that one spot.
 
Unless you're nailing the ace in the side, or the two or three in the corners each time you break, then you'll just have to adjust your break position c. one nanometer each break. I doubt one player will actually wear an actual hole.

You change your cloth more frequently than I change my socks anyway, so what's the big deal if you aren't worried about the aesthetics of things?

Additionally, enjoy your table and your recent retirement instead of laying awake all night trying to fabricate threads and or problems that are totally irrelevant of fail to even exist. Life is too short for such nonsense...
 
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Bob 14:1 said:
Unless you're nailing the ace in the side, or the two or three in the corners each time you break, then you'll just have to adjust your break position c. one nanometer each break. I doubt one player will actually wear an actual hole.

You change your cloth more frequently than I change my socks anyway, so what's the big deal if you aren't worried about the aesthetics of things?

Additionally, enjoy your table and your recent retirement instead of laying awake all night trying to fabricate threads and or problems that are totally irrelevant of fail to even exist. Life is too short for such nonsense...
Click to expand...

haha you tell him Bob!
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
But will this noticeable spot affect the performance of the cloth? I don't mind the aesthetics, I am worried about it wearing through the cloth, throwing shots off into the corner, or balls settling into a tiny hole created by the constant breaking.
Click to expand...

I can definitely see the cb settl into the divot made by where I place it for breaking...so I move it around a bit now- and I agree with the dcp that that breaking cloth causes a divergent reaction, whe breaking from it.
 
Black-Balled said:
(Divergent, eh? Ipad making look one smart)

And these are the marks that really bug me:
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Those are where the cue ball lands after the break. It goes airborne for a short distance. This happens with or without the break pad. They can also be mostly removed with a damp cloth
 
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