I noticed some of Predator's more expensive Roadline cues & most of the Sport2 line are available w/ radial pins. Most Predators still come w/ the Uni-loc & I thought Predator may have even owned that technology. Does anyone know why they have started offering cues w/ a different joint?
Predator cues w/ radial pins
- Thread starter terpdad
- Start date
crazy8legs
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If my memory serves correct they have been offering radial pins on some cues for around the last 10 years.
I think they do it because some people prefer the radial joint (several custom cue makers use them) on top of not everyone is sold on the Unilock (I know some people who have had problems with them).
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I think they do it because some people prefer the radial joint (several custom cue makers use them) on top of not everyone is sold on the Unilock (I know some people who have had problems with them).
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They have been making radial joints for the longest time. Their top of the line Pantheras and Limited Editions are all radial joints. I myself prefer the radial to the uniloc. I have 5 collectible Predators, all radial and one Uniloc - the BK Rush.
From a Predator rep at either SBE or BCA trade show, the normal lines are done with the quick release unilock, the special editions are with radials.
Thier early cues had some with 5/16x14 joint screws. But Predator owns Uni loc which includes the radial pin so it makes sense for thier cues to have uni loc quick release and radial joint screws.
Rick Lafayette, Rick what happened to the ClassicO. Your photo of that cue made me buy one. Did you have that changed? I remember you were looking for someone to do that type work.
I still have the Classico. I don't play it because I have so many other cues. My main player is an Artist Proof one of a kind Panthera (radial joint). The Classico and the 2007 Willie Hoppe models I kept stock as Unilocs so as not to ruin their colector value.
Uniloc is commonly used as the name of their quick release pin, but uniloc is actually the name of a company/brand of pins. They make a quick release and a radial pin. I have an LE3 with a radial pin and if you look at it closely, you can see the name Uniloc etched into it. Don’t know how true it is, but I’ve heard that the company that owns predator also owns the company that makes the uniloc brand pins. Not sure exactly when they made the LE3s but it has been around for some time now.
All 4 pins from uni loc fall under Predator I believe.
Uni loc quick release, the Bullet quick release, the Ghost and of course the Radial.
The Bullet and Ghost pictured below.
Attachments
The radial is a Unilock, Unilock is the company name of the product of the radial pin and the quick release. Both pins will have the insignia engraved on the UL if its the true pin. There were many companies that started knock offs of the unilock radial and the unilock quick release.
Did not know the bullet or ghost was a uniloc product. Actually never heard of the ghost but I’m sure there are many different ones I’m not aware of. It doesn’t surprise me though, predator likes to make sure anything they use they have a patent on. Love them or hate them, they are a very smart business when it comes to things like that. I do like that they are using the radial pins in their new truesplice series, they seem to have gone exclusively to the quick release for a while. I actually like many of their cue designs, but personally hate the quick release pins. I live my LE3, but that new Ebony truesplice is very nice. Hopefully I get lucky and come across one after they have been out for a bit and the prices come down some. Just can’t justify spending that money on a production cue.
I believe they are used in the Icon cues.
Yes but in the vast majority of cases when players talk about a u(U)nilock joint they mean the quick release one. It's like Kleenex or Xerox or Google, the name starts to mean what the people using it mean when they say it. Unilock is pretty much synonymous with the quick release pin.
just cause, no pin will make more or less balls for you
Totally understand just putting some insight and information out there.
no biggy if they do
that phenomenon is called a proprietary eponym. you can also say generic trademark.
/word nerd