Oh no Wolfy got an LD

Willowbrook Wolfy

Willowbrook Wolfy

Going pro
Had Bob Owen do me up an LD shaft for my cue. Why not!? Looks awesome. I know I said f LD more than once, and was initially just going to get a replacement for the regular one that was broken. Then I decided to just go ahead and see what all this LD stuff was about. So I’ll try it out this weekend(pitted against the regs). and give a little review for anybody wondering how his LDs play. I’m just excited to get her back and had to throw up a picture somewhere……😂😂
 

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For what it's worth, I tried the LD thing 8 or 9 years ago. It's hard to explain, because it felt great, hit nice, and I believe my shotmaking improved some. But my game probably when down 30%. I just wasn't winning with that shaft. I couldn't notice any negative impact when practicing though. Again, the shaft felt like it hit great.

Finally, during the middle of one session of gambling and losing, I switched back to my old maple shaft. The improvement in my game was immediate.

I've heard that LD may take a few months to get use to. I probably tried mine about that. I'm thinking I've been playing too long to ever be able to get used to LD. Hopefully you're younger and can adapt to change better than me.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
For a fair evaluation you should give yourself more time with it to get accustomed to the change.

pj
chgo
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Yes. But I don’t plan on using that LD shaft much. That could change if I like it. But I do plan to try it out and have a few other people give it a try that already have LD shafts for their opinions on it.

This post is also to put another option out there for the people who have posted about torrified shafts and where they can get one or who can make them one. Bob has always been great to work with. He answers my dumb questions too.😂😉

I had my cue back within a month with two new shafts. And the price was reasonable. The LD shaft cost I think 100 bucks more than the regular one. Don’t quote me on that because stupid me didn’t add joint protectors on the initial cue order and had to get those while it was there too. It might have been $150 more. Either way the price was reasonable. When I asked him about them last year he had two different LD options. With 2 different prices. Think one was torrified one wasn’t. So I am just putting it out there for people. Giving them another option. Bob does great work.

Review coming shortly.

I will say though on that O1 cue. If anyone is wondering. Not sure if it’s the weighting of the cue or what but it just feels like it hits straighter than my other straight cues. You’d think that was a good thing but it didn’t start out that way. Maybe it’s just that it’s balanced different than the Vikings I play with. I actually have to hold the cue in a different spot than the Vikings to play with it. In all honestly I didn’t like it at first. It’s hard to explain, but now that I’m used to it, I really like the cue and plan on ordering another. If you miss with it it’s definitely not the cue’s fault…….
Anyone looking for a custom should at least consider talking to Bob.
 
fjk said:
For what it's worth, I tried the LD thing 8 or 9 years ago. It's hard to explain, because it felt great, hit nice, and I believe my shotmaking improved some. But my game probably when down 30%. I just wasn't winning with that shaft. I couldn't notice any negative impact when practicing though. Again, the shaft felt like it hit great.

Finally, during the middle of one session of gambling and losing, I switched back to my old maple shaft. The improvement in my game was immediate.

I've heard that LD may take a few months to get use to. I probably tried mine about that. I'm thinking I've been playing too long to ever be able to get used to LD. Hopefully you're younger and can adapt to change better than me.
Click to expand...

I hit some balls with a CF shaft about 5 or so years ago, decided not to pursue it for the same reason - I've been playing too long with old wood shafts and it would take me forever to change. Not worth it IMHO.
 
Well guys, so I went to a tournament last night. Got there late no warm-up. Decided hey what better time to try out the new LD shaft? Mistake? Nah.

So I threw it on my cue, played with it, and got to the round before the money. That shaft hits pretty good. It feels like it has a softer hit than my standard shaft. I actually like the way it feels on hits. Made me feel like I had a little more control of the CB from a speed perspective for whatever reason. I kept pretty much everything towards center ball after I missed a long high inside with it in my first match, but was making a lot of shots with it afterwards.

After the tournament I got in a money game and ended up switching back to a standard shaft after misjudging a couple high English shots. He was a 650 and I didn’t want to have any excuses if I lost. I’m gonna try some more with the LD tomorrow. I’ll try some higher English shots when it doesn’t matter cause it’s during practice and not in a tournament.

As of right now. Seems like a really good shaft though.
 
Gave the new shaft a little workout yesterday. I like this LD shaft. It’s not going to replace my standard at this time but sure does feel good to hit with. Initially I thought it would take adjustment to get used to the different color of the shaft but so far I haven’t had any kind of issue with that. It don’t notice the color difference when shooting and actually really like the way it looks. Also, I don’t feel any difference in the taper from my standard shafts. If it is different. I don’t notice it. Glides nice just like the rest of them.

So after a bit more testing it’s a solid shaft. For reference it’s 12MM. I like playing with an 11.5-11.75MM standard shaft. This thing has around same feel as my smaller diameter ones. Probably due to being LD and having a bit of give. I don’t know how to explain except the hit feels softer also. It’s almost like I have better CB speed playing with it. I normally play with a Viking or my Bob Owen and the hit of the LD is more similar to a 11.5 Viking V pro shaft than the Owen 11.75 one. Probably because the Viking is a bit more whippy with the custom taper that’s on there. It’s like the best of both worlds for me. So the LD isn’t whippy but the feel of the hit is like a regular shaft on the whippy side. If that makes any sense. Someone who’s used LD shafts for a while could probably describe the hit a little better, but I think I’m on about the right track with how I just said that.

So I’m still having a little bit of an issue on high English with some speed though. But one thing I did figure out. On a tighter rail cuts playing outside the shot is easier to aim with the LD shaft.

With a regular shaft my biggest English issue is playing a tighter rail cut with top outside. It’s a hard shot with any kind of outside but for me top outside is the worst to play that shot with. It’s a hard shot to make and having to account for deflection swerve and throw makes it an awkward shot too. Well that shot is easier with the LD shaft.

With the CB deflecting less towards the ball off the cue it does make sense that the LD shaft is actually a better suited tool for the shot. And vice versa. A regular shaft will make back cutting a ball down the rail easier due to the initial deflection moving the CB over a bit more. So in rail cuts at least with outside I’d have to say LD is actually a superior tool. Yes I just gave a plus to a LD over a reg. What’s this world coming to?

You are always going to be playing more forward cuts than back cuts. Back cuts don’t come up very often. And like I said, it’s a bit easier to aim it outside with the LD. At least from a medium distance. I haven’t had a chance to try it out on a whole lot of full table shots at this point yet. With any other English on that shot the shafts feel equally capable, but outside felt a bit more comfortable shooting with the LD shaft.

Other than that, my only complaint with the LD is the little ferrule. I understand that’s part of an LD shafts makeup. I’m only complaining because it takes a little bit of getting used to when I like an inch of ferrule. I had a bit of an issue yesterday aiming correctly to the side pockets with it. It’s just user error because I probably need to adjust how I aim with it. I think I probably incorporate the standard size ferrule into my aim or it being in my sight aiming helps me shoot the sides better. It was only the sides giving me any problem wyesterday. Didn’t see any problem hitting to any corners. But the side shots I was missing were a little on the tight side also. Then I switched to the regular shift and wasn’t having the same issue. So like I said, probably something to do with the ferrule being in my site on those shots . OK so that’s the only complaint on the shaft. I’ll get over it. I just need to learn/play the shaft a little bit more and then probably will no longer even cross my mind as an issue or have any complaints.

The craftsmanship is great and it looks great. definitely a good player and worth shooting a PM over to Bob Owen if you’re looking for someone to make you a solid playing kielwood shaft.

P.s. im not gonna go in any of that how much deflection compared to regular or anything like that guys. I’m not a scientist and I really don’t have time or have the correct materials(cameras, etc.) to tell you that much . I can tell you as much as I can tell you. I’m just a guy that likes to play. The shaft plays a little different than regular and it’s an LD shaft. If you are interested in purchasing one maybe Bob would have that information for you. You’d have to ask him. He is nice guy and always been easy to talk to.
 
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One more thing to add to this. Masse and jump shots. They are a bit different with the keilwood shaft.

Now this is IMO

Jump shots aren’t too bad but do feel different. And I wouldn’t feel comfortable playing a jump less than maybe 8” from OB. Just because of the feel of the shot. Using a standard size cue with a normal shaft I can jump a ball around 4” away comfortably. if it’s close enough to the edge of the table. I just don’t like the hit. Feels too soft for shots of this style.

Masse. Never again will I attempt a full on masse with this shaft. I only tried once and it was a full on masse. Not a curve around a ball. Curve around no problem. Full on masse-nope! By just taking one try at it, I can tell it takes a whole different technique to get the desired results. Plus the hit is just way too soft for me on this one too. Doesn’t feel like I’d have much control even with the proper technique. And just felt like the end was going to snap off the cue when hit the table. Or it went to the side a bit after cb contact. Nothing like a standard that plunges nice and solid into the cloth after contact with the cb.

So my assessment is you might want a jump cue in your bag if going LD.
 
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Willowbrook Wolfy said:
I know I said f LD more than once, and was initially just going to get a replacement for the regular one that was broken. Then I decided to just go ahead and see what all this LD stuff was about.
Click to expand...

Does that mean your previous criticism and opinion on low deflection shafts were said before even trying one for a few weeks?
 
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