Carbon Fiber Shafts should be Banned

[Thunder Thighs]

In England they have respect for tradition, and great snooker players make a lot of $$$ using snooker cues made out of real wood - no gimmicks, no B.S., no eyesores,

Come over and bask in the glory of elkmaster tips, conical tapers, brass ferrules and cues made without a lathe.

If time warps are your thing, you'll love it here. Bring cookies.

 

[telinoz]

Come over and bask in the glory of elkmaster tips, conical tapers, brass ferrules and cues made without a lathe.

If time warps are your thing, you'll love it here. Bring cookies.

And get inline for a John Paris cue... A year or two or three.
Depends who you know and who you are to get one faster.

 

[Island Drive]

The other day I got a chance to shoot with one of these pieces of crap, and all I can say is: UGLY.

I always knew that they looked ugly, but they also sound truly awful. My pool-loving soul recoiled at the very first impact of the cue against the cue ball, and that horrendous hollow "plink" sound.

Carbon fiber shafts and phenolic break tips are the aluminum baseball bats of pool - sure, they perform well, but they look like crap, they sound like crap, and they are a sign of everything wrong with billiards in America.

In England they have respect for tradition, and great snooker players make a lot of $$$ using snooker cues made out of real wood - no gimmicks, no B.S., no eyesores, and no plinking pieces of carbon fiber garbage.

I'd rather shoot with a broomstick than with a carbon fiber shaft.

Carbon fiber shafts should be banned from every money game - agree or disagree?

To the OP, no because players will still be using leather tips.

My concern is the fake tips on jumpers and break cues, can/and do they damage the cue ball?
Was talking to Corey at Rio this past mth, he told me he thought some players (not going to give U the players names) were using equipment that should not be allowed. Well in the PGA, I'm sure they won't allow mfg to construct Drivers that can reach a 500 yard par five from the tee.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

The other day I got a chance to shoot with one of these pieces of crap, and all I can say is: UGLY.

I always knew that they looked ugly, but they also sound truly awful. My pool-loving soul recoiled at the very first impact of the cue against the cue ball, and that horrendous hollow "plink" sound.

Carbon fiber shafts and phenolic break tips are the aluminum baseball bats of pool - sure, they perform well, but they look like crap, they sound like crap, and they are a sign of everything wrong with billiards in America.

In England they have respect for tradition, and great snooker players make a lot of $$$ using snooker cues made out of real wood - no gimmicks, no B.S., no eyesores, and no plinking pieces of carbon fiber garbage.

I'd rather shoot with a broomstick than with a carbon fiber shaft.

Carbon fiber shafts should be banned from every money game - agree or disagree?

you should just stop playing and watching pool then cause it aint going away, we love our gimmicks!

 

[David in FL]

They have no warmth. No soul. Nothing without a soul should be trusted in anything as important as pool.

I won’t play with one, but I’ll stop short of “banned”.

 

[The_JV]

Because they dumb down the game. Most don't even consider a kick. If a ball is in their path, just jump it. Destroys the point of a good safety.

Your application of the word "good" is flawed. The word was redefined when jump cues became mainstream. What you may consider "good", I consider lazy.

 

[westcoast]

IMO the biggest plusses to cf shafts is the super-slick finish and the toughness/durability. Unless someone's an idiot you can't damage one. I've tested quite a few and spent the longest with a Cynergy. I didn't play any better. MAYBE a tad more energy-transfer/power but even that was quite small. I'm still rocking my Mezz HybridPro wood shaft but i don't knock those that have and like cf. What else you gonna ban? The newer/better phenolic balls, hi-tech chalk, gloves, extensions? Please.

I have a Cynergy as well and like it- it hasn't improved my game substantially either, but I enjoy shooting with it.

The comparison the OP made with aluminum bats is imperfect because from my understanding a baseball does jump off an aluminum bat with more velocity than a wooden bat, but I'm no baseball expert- I think that is the reason MLB bans aluminum bats. However, in contrast to the use of CF shafts, there is no firm evidence that it substantially improves one's game

 

[rharm]

It the latest greatest that y people bought into.

CF has been around 100 years plus, so your f****** wrong.

Just had been adapted to Pool Shafts.

Predator, OB, now CF fad. Fads die, like slot car racing of the 60’s, now people say what???






History lesson.

Carbon fibers - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

So when do you predict this Predator fad will die?

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

So when do you predict this Predator fad will die?

Die no, go away no, people seek magic Cue, Shaft, Chalk, it is in some peoples DNA.

 

[rharm]

I have a Pechauer jump cue with a phenolic tip. It's the only cue I own that has a blued shaft, and I'm pretty dang proud of myself for figuring out how to jump right.

No carbon fiber though - carbon fiber sucks. ;P

I'm actually planning on replacing the tip with a Samsara or buffalo tip.

We should have a death match jump shot competition - you with a carbon fiber shaft and phenolic tip, and me with a maple shaft and buffalo tip.

Winner gets to determine what is banned in competitions.

"There can be only one" -Highlander.

For someone with so much respect

I have a Pechauer jump cue with a phenolic tip. It's the only cue I own that has a blued shaft, and I'm pretty dang proud of myself for figuring out how to jump right.

No carbon fiber though - carbon fiber sucks. ;P

I'm actually planning on replacing the tip with a Samsara or buffalo tip.

We should have a death match jump shot competition - you with a carbon fiber shaft and phenolic tip, and me with a maple shaft and buffalo tip.

Winner gets to determine what is banned in competitions.

"There can be only one" -Highlander.

I'm surprised someone who feels new technology should be banned is ok using a jump cue with a phenolic tip? Do you really think the noise from the phenolic tip sounds good?

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

For someone with so much respect

I'm surprised someone who feels new technology should be banned is ok using a jump cue with a phenolic tip? Do you really think the noise from the phenolic tip sounds good?

Double standard.

 

[Ill Gotten Gain]

Think a “C” level player with a CF shaft is still not going to be a “A” level player because of new shaft.

Think I am wrong

OP referenced aluminum bats to carbon fiber shafts. Aluminum bats will give a distinct advantage in performance.
Maple shafts have their flaws too. It is what it is.

 

[hang-the-9]

The other day I got a chance to shoot with one of these pieces of crap, and all I can say is: UGLY.

I always knew that they looked ugly, but they also sound truly awful. My pool-loving soul recoiled at the very first impact of the cue against the cue ball, and that horrendous hollow "plink" sound.

Carbon fiber shafts and phenolic break tips are the aluminum baseball bats of pool - sure, they perform well, but they look like crap, they sound like crap, and they are a sign of everything wrong with billiards in America.

In England they have respect for tradition, and great snooker players make a lot of $$$ using snooker cues made out of real wood - no gimmicks, no B.S., no eyesores, and no plinking pieces of carbon fiber garbage.

I'd rather shoot with a broomstick than with a carbon fiber shaft.

Carbon fiber shafts should be banned from every money game - agree or disagree?

The sound of the CF shafts is not universal. While they don't have the same sound as a wood shaft, that also depends on the tips.

My Revo hit and sound changed with the addition of a small white pad on it, and a good number of other CF shafts I tried do not have that sound you described.

Not sure why anyone would take looks and sound over performance. The finish line or bank account does not care how good you look getting there in last place.

Maybe you can lobby for a "olde tyme tour" where only equipment from 1970 and prior can be used, so no modern phenolic balls, no new fancy Simonis cloth, no Diamond tables, no CF shafts, for sure no players that had laser eye surgery or anything fancy like that. Bell bottoms, porn 'stache and poofy hair encouraged.

 

[couldnthinkof01]

The sound of the CF shafts is not universal. While they don't have the same sound as a wood shaft, that also depends on the tips.

My Revo hit and sound changed with the addition of a small white pad on it, and a good number of other CF shafts I tried do not have that sound you described.

Not sure why anyone would take looks and sound over performance. The finish line or bank account does not care how good you look getting there in last place.

Maybe you can lobby for a "olde tyme tour" where only equipment from 1970 and prior can be used, so no modern phenolic balls, no new fancy Simonis cloth, no Diamond tables, no CF shafts, for sure no players that had laser eye surgery or anything fancy like that. Bell bottoms, porn 'stache and poofy hair encouraged.

You get that tour goin' and I'll play

 

[David in FL]

Because they dumb down the game. Most don't even consider a kick. If a ball is in their path, just jump it. Destroys the point of a good safety.

If he can jump and hit it, it wasn‘t a good safety.

 

[trentfromtoledo]

If he can jump and hit it, it wasn‘t a good safety.

REAL TALK.

 

[Shawn Armstrong]

Your application of the word "good" is flawed. The word was redefined when jump cues became mainstream. What you may consider "good", I consider lazy.

I’ve always loved this defense for jump cues. “Play better safeties”. So, I move a cueball 3 rails for a safety, moving roughly 17 feet, but because I give you 4 inches to work with between the CB and the blocker, my safety is marginal? Please. Everyone thinks they’re a god with a jump cue. No….the only reason you can make the jump is because of the material the tip is made from, and nothing else. I still remember the day when we used to find house cues with no tips on them for shooting jump shots.

 

[westcoast]

If he can jump and hit it, it wasn‘t a good safety.

It all depends on your view of jump cues.

I think Earl is right in that the jump cues have gotten too good taking some skill out of the game.

I like the Turning Stone rule of having to jump with your playing cue.

 

[briankenobi]

I’ve always loved this defense for jump cues. “Play better safeties”. So, I move a cueball 3 rails for a safety, moving roughly 17 feet, but because I give you 4 inches to work with between the CB and the blocker, my safety is marginal? Please. Everyone thinks they’re a god with a jump cue. No….the only reason you can make the jump is because of the material the tip is made from, and nothing else. I still remember the day when we used to find house cues with no tips on them for shooting jump shots.

"...the only reason you can make the jump is because of the material the tip is made from nothing else."

that is an incorrect statement. yes, the tip material is a big factor, but if someone doesn't have good jump fundamentals, they will not be able to jump no matter what. I have seen people with the propel and the air rush (both over $400) and not execute a simple jump shot. However, I have also seen people jump well with a $100 jump cue. Yes, tip and design are a big factor but not the only factor.

 

[David in FL]

It all depends on your view of jump cues.

I think Earl is right in that the jump cues have gotten too good taking some skill out of the game.

I like the Turning Stone rule of having to jump with your playing cue.

Or, learn to play a better safety than simply putting some random ball between the cue ball and the opponent’s object ball.

In my experience, people who don’t like jump cues are poor at using them and not very good at playing safe. I don’t mean that to be disparaging, simply an observation.