Normal Shaft Deflection - How do you do it?

Matt_24

Matt_24

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I flew into DC this week and I've had a few opportunities to play pool. Unfortunately I didn't see Ilir play Orcullo but heard all about it from my local pals.

I didn't bring a cue so always had to borrow from friends, including our very own Gunnslinger. I've played with a 314-2 for so long, I forgot what it's like to use a normal shaft. How in the heck do you do it? Center ball works ok, but I swear that even deflects a little. Inside English is insane. I have to aim to cut the ball right, in order to cut the ball left? And I'm still guessing... I know, I know...you get used to it.

As for me, I'll stick to my handy dandy 314-2. It's like stealing after playing with a normal shaft for a few days.
 
I'll add one caveat, Lou Figeroa allowed me to hit balls with his Ginacue a few weeks ago and it was extremely low deflection. I picked it up and immediately began pocketing balls with no problem.
 
Agreed. I guess if you have played forever and already have your brain Auto aiming with a regular maple shaft and don't want to relearn. I just started teaching my son to play and got him a LD set up asap.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk
 
Matt_24 said:
So I flew into DC this week and I've had a few opportunities to play pool. Unfortunately I didn't see Ilir play Orcullo but heard all about it from my local pals.

I didn't bring a cue so always had to borrow from friends, including our very own Gunnslinger. I've played with a 314-2 for so long, I forgot what it's like to use a normal shaft. How in the heck do you do it? Center ball works ok, but I swear that even deflects a little. Inside English is insane. I have to aim to cut the ball right, in order to cut the ball left? And I'm still guessing... I know, I know...you get used to it.

As for me, I'll stick to my handy dandy 314-2. It's like stealing after playing with a normal shaft for a few days.
Click to expand...
I feel your PAIN...I played with a friends Southwest and did not miss a ball for a 1/2 hour and had to go back to my maple shaft and it was brutal. Gina cues are the same just get out of the way and let the cue work for you.
 
I don't know. I think most shafts today have shorter ferrules and are 13mm or under and reasonably low deflection. Seems to me that deflection is so predictable that after a while you do not need to even think about it. If you are used to Predator then going to a regular shaft will take an adjustment period and vice versa. I gave up pool for 20 years and I am a shadow of my former ability, but the whole LD thing happened when I was away and I do not see LD as I way to help me get my game back, just practice. Nothing wrong with LD, it is all what you get used to. On the flip side, I find the Predator shafts so vague and lifeless feeling I am not sure how people like them.
 
I understand how you feel. For years and years I played with Predator Z/Z2 shafts. It was impossible for me to play with a housecue. My current cue is a Mezz WD 700 which deflects quite a bit more than the Z. I also sometimes play with McDermotts and similar cues. My advice to you would be to kind of ease into it. Start with soft shots from up close. Try to hit the ball as smoothly as you can as well. Start very softly and play different distances for an hour. Then an hour of a little bit harder shots etc..etc. If you just start playing, you'll just get frustrated and not learn anything IMO.

Having spent a lot of time playing with QUALITY opposition recently, my main observation is that they all play a lot softer than players at the level just below them. There is no great need for huge power on the spin shots anymore, with the fast cloth and cushions of today. Play softer and let the spin carry the ball. With a stiff, old fashioned shaft very little energy is lost and you can play even softer. Once I realized this, I experienced a surge in my ball running ability, and suddenly I was able to run more balls than I have in some time. Playing all those bangers must have influenced me somehow. I'm dead serious. One hour just watching those guys run 100's and suddenly my patterns and stroke improved!
 
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The Soutwest and Gina

Chi2dxa said:
I feel your PAIN...I played with a friends Southwest and did not miss a ball for a 1/2 hour and had to go back to my maple shaft and it was brutal. Gina cues are the same just get out of the way and let the cue work for you.
Click to expand...

So youre saying the Southwest and the Gina had low deflection shafts?How so?
 
Matt_24 said:
So I flew into DC this week and I've had a few opportunities to play pool. Unfortunately I didn't see Ilir play Orcullo but heard all about it from my local pals.

I didn't bring a cue so always had to borrow from friends, including our very own Gunnslinger. I've played with a 314-2 for so long, I forgot what it's like to use a normal shaft. How in the heck do you do it? Center ball works ok, but I swear that even deflects a little. Inside English is insane. I have to aim to cut the ball right, in order to cut the ball left? And I'm still guessing... I know, I know...you get used to it.

As for me, I'll stick to my handy dandy 314-2. It's like stealing after playing with a normal shaft for a few days.
Click to expand...
How do I do it? I measure both the natural pivot point and he effective pivot point of the particular cue and shoot like I have for years, using the Aim & Pivot Method. I can switch back and forth between low and normal squirt, but my preference based mostly on speed control and "it feels better this way," is with a normal shaft.

As with any cue, switching to a different one has a whole bunch of challenges that aren't squirt related.

Freddie <~~~ sucks for a whole bunch of other reasons
 
when you get to be a better and well a rounded player. not that most here arent you can pick up any old cue or new ld and pocket balls without missing hardly any shots.

all it takes is one or two shots with a different cue to see how it hits and then adjust.

seeing how some have defined regular maple shafted cues as ld shows that it is more in your head over the small difference.
 
It may not work for everyone, but using a standard stroke (not BHE), I just move my aim point on the object ball over as many tips as I am applying english. This gets me in a rough grove, and after about a rack of focused warm up, I can play decent. I still miss my Schon hybrid when I don't have it though.
 
Cornerman said:
How do I do it? I measure both the natural pivot point and he effective pivot point of the particular cue and shoot like I have for years, using the Aim & Pivot Method. I can switch back and forth between low and normal squirt, but my preference based mostly on speed control and "it feels better this way," is with a normal shaft.

As with any cue, switching to a different one has a whole bunch of challenges that aren't squirt related.

Freddie <~~~ sucks for a whole bunch of other reasons
Click to expand...

I'll just stick with the 314s I've used forever, Freddy. You're too advanced for me!
 
maha said:
when you get to be a better and well a rounded player. not that most here arent you can pick up any old cue or new ld and pocket balls without missing hardly any shots.

all it takes is one or two shots with a different cue to see how it hits and then adjust.

seeing how some have defined regular maple shafted cues as ld shows that it is more in your head over the small difference.
Click to expand...

When I'm better and more well rounded I look forward to those quick adjustments!
 
2twoball said:
I have a Rick Howard HD, I just lay it on the table & I go sit down. That cue makes all the balls for me !!!
Click to expand...

Years ago (around 1998) I was stationed in fort Walton beach and Rick was nice enough to sell me a cue. I loved it. Even went out to his shop one time. This was before I ever used a 314.....or inside English for that matter.
 
Why???? why do we need to analyze it .... dissect it..... probe it.............etc.

Grab a stick and learn to play with ............ Mosconi ran 526 balls with a big fat stick ....

it's all in the shooter ............

Kim
 
Matt_24 said:
Years ago (around 1998) I was stationed in fort Walton beach and Rick was nice enough to sell me a cue. I loved it. Even went out to his shop one time. This was before I ever used a 314.....or inside English for that matter.
Click to expand...
I have a 2001 R Howard, one shaft ivory ferrule, one shaft old Westinghouse Micarta. That is really a sweet cue !!!
 
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