Decorative Pins in Cues

Bavafongoul said:
To be completely candid............why?

When I play with any of my pool cues, I never look at the forearm, butt or joint.
The only thing I see are the ferrules because that's all I look at when I sight in.
Sure, I may glance at my cue when it lays on the pool table when I am racking.
But I do not look at my cues because it is either in my hands shooting or being held.


When my cue isn't assembled, well, my cues have protectors so the pin isn't visible.
When my cue is assembled, the cue joint is screwed togthere so the pin isn't visible.
So why would I, or anyone, want to have a decorative pin that essentially goes unseen.

The only thing I want in a cue is a big pin, or radial pin and also accompanied by flat ivory.
The pin is exposed for maybe 10 -15secs. when I either put on or remove the shaft & protector.
It's never really going to be viewed unless I make it a point to stare at it or flash it around to others.

So with all due respect, I have to again ask why? Aside from a different look, it still plays the same.
When was the last time you were at a tournament or pool hall and asked someone could you see
the pin on their custom made cue? Other than asking what type, that's really all you need to know.


Matt B.
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For a guy who opines about the artistry of some of the most painful veneers to look at, and the functionality of a particular joint configuration ad nauseum, then I have to ask why you would make this post?

With all due respect, no one pops off at you when you blather on, and you would be well served to read up on "art for are sake".

If we're allowed to question the choices of others in the gallery, then you best buckle up.
 
Bavafongoul said:
To be completely candid............why?

So with all due respect, I have to again ask why? Aside from a different look, it still plays the same.

Matt B.
Click to expand...

Why not? A great deal of what a custom cue is has nothing to do with how it plays.

Why? Because it pleases me. That's all that is required.

Aren't your pins finished? Yes, they are. Does that help their function or the function of the cue? Not really.

Anodizing is just a way to finish. Technically it is to protect the surface.

Very often we consider the quality and value of a cue to be in the parts you can't see, the work you can't see.

If you don't like it, if it is not your preference, fine. Why be bothered if someone else like it?

.
 
Bavafongoul said:
To be completely candid............why?

When I play with any of my pool cues, I never look at the forearm, butt or joint.
The only thing I see are the ferrules because that's all I look at when I sight in.
Sure, I may glance at my cue when it lays on the pool table when I am racking.
But I do not look at my cues because it is either in my hands shooting or being held.


When my cue isn't assembled, well, my cues have protectors so the pin isn't visible.
When my cue is assembled, the cue joint is screwed togthere so the pin isn't visible.
So why would I, or anyone, want to have a decorative pin that essentially goes unseen.

The only thing I want in a cue is a big pin, or radial pin and also accompanied by flat ivory.
The pin is exposed for maybe 10 -15secs. when I either put on or remove the shaft & protector.
It's never really going to be viewed unless I make it a point to stare at it or flash it around to others.

So with all due respect, I have to again ask why? Aside from a different look, it still plays the same.
When was the last time you were at a tournament or pool hall and asked someone could you see
the pin on their custom made cue? Other than asking what type, that's really all you need to know.


Matt B.
Click to expand...

To be completely candid... Why not?
 
Mikey Town said:
To be completely candid... Why not?
Click to expand...


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I like the decorative pin idea.
The whoke pin thing is one of the things about certain cues that has intrigued me over the years.

One time I posted a pin shot of about 10 Ernie Martinez cues with the different oins he has made over the years, and received many positive comments.

The Bill Schick ivory tipped pin is one of the things I love about my Schick.
The way Pete Omen takes a flat out of the threads to put the Omen name is one of the things I like about Omen cues.
The Capone and Bender pin with their name in it is cool, and guys were always making a big deal out of the way Tim Scruggs and Mike Cochran machined down the rounded tip of the radial pin to make it flat.
I have had some really nice cues with copper alloy pins, and to me and others it was one of the salient features of the cue.

If you are buying, selling, accumulating cues all the time like I do, you really get in to the pin thing, and it's always interesting why some joint protectors fit one 3/8-11 cue and not the other...3/8-10, even 5/16-14.
Facinating sometimes.

Anodize away...or whatever you call this process to make pins colorful.
As long as the tensile strength is there, and the pitch is correct.
 
My post was simply an honest question and I'm totally baffled by the point of doing it to start with.
I am very meticulous about my cues, the design and what goes into it, i.e., constructing the cue.

But what's inside the cue and generally doesn't get seen is far less important, or interesting, for me.
I mean you do not see the pin when the cue is apart if the cue has protector caps and nice cues do.

When the cue is screwed together, the pin is not visible & usually when taken apart, protectors go on.
So unless there's some new metallurgy involved, brass, steel & titanium pins have performed reliably.

IMO, I think this pin is cool looking & novel but IMO, isn't this really a difference without a distinction.
 
I think I have seen black anodized pins somewhere, but the process is quite simple and I think you could get about any colour you want. a cool anodized colour would be the icing on the cake and could possibly be a simple way to identify your cues.
 
I think it would be slow to catch on until proven durability. Anodized makes more sense there. Still, the decorative elements which seem to be valued are the ones which show workmanship.
 
Reminds me of custom auto parts or custom firearms.
Cool Idea..i also like anodized pins... i'd think that precious metal colors would look really unique.
 
Mikey Town said:
I was testing it into wood... I can see how metal on metal would yield different results.

Damascus is a great idea... You're right, though... it's doesn't polish out the same. An acid etch would still give you a nice effect, though.

Maybe some Ti-mascus or Mokume Gane would give a more finished looking result.
Click to expand...

Almost looks like gun bluing. There's a thought. ;)
 
To be serious, not all these Joss cues in this N series have black pins.

I wonder if anybody knows anything more about them, like when they were used, or for how long. Anything?

I have looked at a bunch of pics and find a lot of polished stainless pins. The black pins look less common, but I don't know that for sure.

Were they used in any other model lines or just some of the N series?

FYI: I think it is stainless. And it seems to be a kind of anodizing or gun "blue" process. These are oxidation processes. I am unfamiliar with such processes on stainless but I suppose whether or not it works has to do with exactly what stainless you are using since generally stainless does not oxidize well. That's the point of stainless after all. But some stainless is much less oxidation resistant than others.

.
 
Chopdoc said:
To be serious, not all these Joss cues in this N series have black pins.

I wonder if anybody knows anything more about them, like when they were used, or for how long. Anything?

I have looked at a bunch of pics and find a lot of polished stainless pins. The black pins look less common, but I don't know that for sure.

Were they used in any other model lines or just some of the N series?

FYI: I think it is stainless. And it seems to be a kind of anodizing or gun "blue" process. These are oxidation processes. I am unfamiliar with such processes on stainless but I suppose whether or not it works has to do with exactly what stainless you are using since generally stainless does not oxidize well. That's the point of stainless after all. But some stainless is much less oxidation resistant than others.
Click to expand...

Agree Doc, I think they are stainless, with a bit of coloring agent. I don't think it's the full gun blue procedure, as that involves a tank and a hazmat suit. However, there are shortcut methods, just to achieve the "blackened" look, which I would guess this is. I saw very few of these in the 80s, most were the natural stainless.

All the best,
WW
 
WildWing said:
Agree Doc, I think they are stainless, with a bit of coloring agent. I don't think it's the full gun blue procedure, as that involves a tank and a hazmat suit. However, there are shortcut methods, just to achieve the "blackened" look, which I would guess this is. I saw very few of these in the 80s, most were the natural stainless.

All the best,
WW
Click to expand...

There are "quickie" processes..."cold blue" etc. Those are still oxidation processes. They use selenium. I know because I teach selenium toxicity in medicine. It's an oxidizing agent. Used in silver polish and cold gun blue.

This black seems pretty durable. I am tending to think it wasn't a "quickie" or short cut process.

If the pins were ordered this way from a hardware manufacturer then they could easily been a more elaborate process.

Such processes are usually to protect the metal from oxidation, so why use it on a pin on a pool cue? It isn't likely to be exposed to any harsh environments.

That makes me think it was purely cosmetic, which is the topic of this thread.

I think I am curious enough to contact Joss and ask. If I find out anything I will post it.

Right now, I am remembering a thread that listed "firsts" for cue makers. Who did something first in construction technique or use of materials.

Right now, it looks like Janes was first to put a color on a cue pin.

Does anybody know a maker doing it before 1991?

.
 
Mikey Town said:
Hi all,

I had an idea that I thought turned out well and wanted to hear your thoughts on it.

I feel like the pin of the cue offers some creative possibilities that haven't been fully explored. We've seen pins made of different materials, but not many that are a decorative feature of the cue (though I'm a big fan of copper pins that compliment a cue design).

I purchased some 3/8X10 Stainless Steel pins and sent them to a gentleman who has done some wonderful work for me in the past with refinishing golf clubs (putters, mainly). He put them through a heat treating process (which involves a torch, and some other details that I don't know) and was able to bring out some great colors in them.

I was a bit concerned with the durability of the finish, so I took the pin in the middle of the photo and screwed/unscrewed it from a shaft a couple hundred times over a few weeks (turns out that this is a healthier option than using your hands to kill a bag of pistachios while watching a baseball game) and I saw no noticeable change to the finish whatsoever.

The pin on the right will be going into a cue I'm currently having built. The other two will most likely sit on my desk until an opportunity to use them comes up. I'm not sure if this has been done before, but I've never seen anything like it, so I'm really looking forward to seeing one of these in a cue with complimentary colors.

What do you guys think? Is this something you'd like to see more of?

View attachment 491519


Cheers,

Mike
Click to expand...

Any pictures of the cue you commissioned with that blue pin Mke?
 
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