Pro's that use a Natural Shaft

Sometimes it's just a regional thing. Some influential guy uses something and the rest just follow suit. I travel all over Canada and the US on business and always try and play a little and soak up the local vibe. The guys in Chicago for example you will see a bunch of local makers like Ed Young (great cues) and you could survey all of LA and not find two (Samsara and Tad country). Snooker rich areas you will see a lot of ash. Some guys (like Mark Gray) still prefer their 3/4 style ash snooker cues for pool. Without closely looking at one I'm not sure if they bump up the OD from 9mm to say 10.5mm to handle the heavier balls.
 
I remember asking Johnny Archer if he bought into LDs. He said no way, just solid maple.

I recently started playing with both a McDermott I-3 shaft ("conical" taper, 11ishmm tip) and an inexpensive 3/4 shaft ash snooker cue w/ an 11mm tip (no brass).

I've honestly found that I have less deflection issues with the 3/4 cue. And while currently living next to a police department w/ a 4ft silver case, I get a looootta stares.
 
Nick B said:
Sometimes it's just a regional thing. Some influential guy uses something and the rest just follow suit. I travel all over Canada and the US on business and always try and play a little and soak up the local vibe. The guys in Chicago for example you will see a bunch of local makers like Ed Young (great cues) and you could survey all of LA and not find two (Samsara and Tad country). Snooker rich areas you will see a lot of ash. Some guys (like Mark Gray) still prefer their 3/4 style ash snooker cues for pool. Without closely looking at one I'm not sure if they bump up the OD from 9mm to say 10.5mm to handle the heavier balls.
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I thought Mark played w/ a 2pc? I cold called his shaft maker Robin of Robin Cues about it back in February...

...I did make Mark's 2 piece ash cue, from memory it has a 10mm tip...
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Agreed that Laminated shafts provide radial consistency ( and are more stable from a structural standpoint) and have little to do with providing LD

LD shafts are any shaft that has an end mass that has been lowerd a dramatic amount (i.e. Coring + lightweight thin wall ferrule etc...). People who claim a shaft to be LD because it has a shorter ferrule or smaller size tip (unless you are playing with a 9mm cue, which would be stupid) are blowing smoke. It would be such a minuet amount of LD that a human wouldn't be able to tell.

Although snooker cues are close to 9mm the taper and brass ferrules completely negate any LD properties it may have otherwise
 
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Pangit said:
No LD...Au Naturel. Does anyone make laminated snooker cue shafts...and how popular are they?
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I dont think they make them. Construction might be a bit difficult with the wood they use. The smaller diameter tip might make laminating or coring out the center difficult. Most Snooker players I know, are traditionalist. They wont venture to use equipment thats gimickey. If you happen to run across one, share pics! I'd like to see it.
 
Bigb'scues said:
Agreed that Laminated shafts provide radial consistency ( and are more stable from a structural standpoint) and have little to do with providing LD

LD shafts are any shaft that has an end mass that has been lowerd a dramatic amount (i.e. Coring + lightweight thin wall ferrule etc...). People who claim a shaft to be LD because it has a shorter ferrule or smaller size tip (unless you are playing with a 9mm cue, which would be stupid) are blowing smoke. It would be such a minuet amount of LD that a human wouldn't be able to tell.

Although snooker cues are close to 9mm the taper and brass ferrules completely negate any LD properties it may have otherwise
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Have you actually tried any snooker cues or are you just making own assumptions?
Those brass ferrules are hollow with quite thin walls.. they are not made from lead... :rolleyes:
 
Poolmanis said:
Have you actually tried any snooker cues or are you just making own assumptions?
Those brass ferrules are hollow with quite thin walls.. they are not made from lead... :rolleyes:
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I have played with them.....and not only is the end mass too heavy to be LD there is 0 flex in the taper which doesn't allow it to bend out of way of cue ball...so no these are not assumptions
 
Skratch said:
I dont think they make them. Construction might be a bit difficult with the wood they use. The smaller diameter tip might make laminating or coring out the center difficult. Most Snooker players I know, are traditionalist. They wont venture to use equipment thats gimickey. If you happen to run across one, share pics! I'd like to see it.
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Yes, they do make laminated snooker shafts! They are flat laminated and made of maple veneers and I do believe veneer of darker, colored maple, stacked (could be a natural, darker wood). The visual effect this gives (when planed down into a conical taper) is of a perfect ash cue with evenly spaced chevrons, which some people find appealing. These shafts are custom made (but not sold separately of the cue) and cost A LOT of money. They are made by several different makers, and are becoming more and more popular, even though they are still very rare. Some people think they have good playing qualities as well. I don't believe they are made specifically to be ld, but I'm not sure, as I've never played with one.

If one were so inclined, it's certainly possible to hollow out the end of such a cue, and you could always put on a lightweight ferrule, of course. It would then be as ld as any Predator or OB pool cue, scaled down. I think it would be a hard sell, but the opportunity does exist, for those who are willing to take the chance.
 

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SJDinPHX said:
Absolutely correct sir!..Ronnie O'Sullivan uses Parris cues exclusively, and he goes strictly by feel..He could care less about the rigidity of the cue..He just cares about how it feels to him, as everyone should!..Who could you ask for a better opinion, than the most skilled player (IMO) who ever picked up a cue stick? :confused:

PS..We are very fortunate R.O. did not learn pool, before snooker..Otherwise the pecking order of pool, in the whole world, would be drastically re-arranged! :rolleyes:
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Lots of snooker pros play with crooked, old cues they got when they were very young. Some of these cues would be described as "crappy" by cue snobs. I play with a cheap snooker cue myself, as do many good players I know, even the best. I know several people who can't make a 30 break to save their lives who have Parris cues. The cue certainly does not make the player in this game, even less so than in pool. I know I would be a little bit embarrassed to show up with a Parris cue, only to get beaten to a pulp by my friend who uses an 80 dollar cue, lol. My cue cost about the same as his and does exactly the same things as a Parris cue does in my hands: Shoot balls into rails and mess up position. Every now and then it does make a nice break, but again: No less often than a Parris.

The snooker cues are so traditional, and since they are hand made (mostly), each one is different. You either get used to the first cue you get, or you have to try lots of cues to find one you like. Parris cues are nice, but I can't justify buying one, for the minimal difference it would make to my game.
 
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Straightpool_99 said:
Lots of snooker pros play with crooked, old cues they got when they were very young. Some of these cues would be described as "crappy" by cue snobs. I play with a cheap snooker cue myself, as do many good players I know, even the best. I know several people who can't make a 30 break to save their lives who have Parris cues. The cue certainly does not make the player in this game, even less so than in pool....
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Skratch said:
I dont think they make them. Construction might be a bit difficult with the wood they use. The smaller diameter tip might make laminating or coring out the center difficult. Most Snooker players I know, are traditionalist. They wont venture to use equipment thats gimickey. If you happen to run across one, share pics! I'd like to see it.
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You are both right, but for different reasons!..Ronnie O'Sullivan uses Parris cues exclusively, but he goes strictly by feel!..He could care less about the rigidity of the cue..He just cares about how it feels to him, as everyone should!..He may prefer a certain taper, but he is not concerned with chalk, type of wood, looks, or other incidentals!..Who could you ask for a better opinion, than the best, most skilled player (IMO) who ever picked up a cue stick? :confused:

PS..We are all very fortunate R.O. concentrated on snooker, and not pool..Otherwise the pecking order of pool in the entire world, might be drastically re-arranged!..(as it obviously was with snooker) :rolleyes:
 
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