What exactly kind of adaptation is it that these good players are employing?
Pia Filler hates wood shafts
- Thread starter cueball2010
- Start date
I really like new technology, and for the most part I have the newest of everything. I've tested carbon shafts extensively, I even own one and have played tournaments with it. I can't for the life of me see anything carbon does on the table that is in any way superior to wood. It may have a higher resistance to dings and maybe more resistance to warping, but that doesn't really impact the play.
My wood shafts (some are laminated) are like glass to the touch, because I know how to maintain them, and it's not much work at all.
I can't spin the shots more with carbon. I don't make more shots with carbon. I dont' have better control with carbon, if anything I have less, since the feedback is worse. What is it that they're supposed to do better? My z2 shaft deflects less than my Revo, so they can't even pull that off.
Carbon is a way for manufacturers to charge more for shafts and to not have to deal with wood. So it may be the future, but not for any reason of being superior. I'd be happy if ANY PERSON could make a video demonstrating conclusively that carbon gives you more, spin, power and control, but nobody has and nobody will. If such an effect exist, it must be so subtle and miniscule as to be completely pointless to pursue.
What pros use and do not use, is what they're paid to use. .
Over 15 years ago, I used to travel a lot to Hong Kong. I met there a few guys from AZB, and every time I would come, we would meet and play. I never travelled with a cue and just used a house cue. My friends always offer me cues to play with. I did use their high-end cues (SW, Szam, BB, etc.), but I always fear damaging them, so I went back to a house cue.
During one visit, I bought a cue at the pool hall (A Dominiak Sweet 16).
After a few sessions at the pool hall and walking back and forth to my hotel and then travelling back home while the cue was stored in a Zero Halliburton case, both the shaft and butt warped a bit.
There are countries that are humid enough to damage maple.
I haven't touched my cues in, like, 15 years; all are stored upright in cases in a closet. Now, after 15 years, getting back to the game, I pulled them all out; a few of them are warped.
So sorry, but not BS...
I'm new to CF myself. I just picked up my first CF shaft about 3 or maybe 4 months ago. I kept going back and forth between my trusted 314-2 shafts and the CF shafts, as it takes time to get used to it, but you still want to win at league or a tournament...
I've done side-by-side testing as well between the different CF shafts that I have and the 314-2.
A couple of weeks ago I received the InFuzed Keilwood shaft, so I've been testing it as well and trying to get used to it.
Doing side-by-side comparisons, I can definitely say that I get more power, more action and more spin with less effort with some of the CF shafts.
Can I get the same action with wood? YES!! I'll just need to adjust my stroke and my aim (deflection difference as well), but it'll take more effort from me, and I won't be able to maintain the same level of play for the same amount of time.
These benefits need to be tamed; more is not better if you can't control it, and here is the time needed to get used to coming into play.
After these last 3-4 months, I can honestly say this – if I NEEDED to buy a shaft today, it would be CF without thinking twice.
CF is the future for the manufactures selling CF shafts.
And please save the "new is automatically better" argument because it ain't necessarily so. Many experienced players will tell you the feedback from a maple shaft -- in terms of feel, sound, and vibration -- cannot be duplicated with a CF shaft because it feels so dead.
Lou Figueroa
and don't even get me
started with examples
of new being better, lol
Last edited:
BS.
You could take a well made maple shaft into a sauna, wipe it down, and it'll be fine.
Here in the States, the most humid conditions you're likely to encounter is a pool room in Louisiana where they're boiling a big tub of crawdads in the back. The tables are certainly going to play goofy but your maple shaft... not so much.
Lou Figueroa
Last edited:
Eah, I'll go with they travel better. You might drop your bag in a puddle or something. 
That and any taper with theo eratically any playing characteristics. I'll wait till they come with long ferrules for 50 bucks.
That and any taper with theo eratically any playing characteristics. I'll wait till they come with long ferrules for 50 bucks.
Once you get used to it....the consistency of carbon fiber ups most advanced players games. It absolutely did mine and I held out for awhile playing 314 shafts. The Revo is just that much better.
Can I pick up a shovel handle and run a rack?...probably if they lay good.
billiards_watch
Well-known member
We went from treating our equipment with care and respect to being told we can throw a carbon shaft around and it won't warp on a humid hot day. LOL
A little care and self awareness then our cues will never warp. The expensive cues and their maple shafts are consistent. Given the choice and if money was no object everyone will be shooting with customs.
Not knocking carbon shafts and they serve a purpose and that's hitting a cue ball. It's preference.
A little care and self awareness then our cues will never warp. The expensive cues and their maple shafts are consistent. Given the choice and if money was no object everyone will be shooting with customs.
Not knocking carbon shafts and they serve a purpose and that's hitting a cue ball. It's preference.
cueball2010
Active member
I called BS on Pia but the more I think about it... Maybe she is actually correct even if it does take a professional to notice the inconsistency.
In my experience...You can fix the dings in wood shafts by applying a damp cloth to the spot. I did take a brand new Predator Centro and wipe it down with a damp cloth. Afterwards, the finish was so rough I needed to burnish and recondition with Que Silk.
In my experience...You can fix the dings in wood shafts by applying a damp cloth to the spot. I did take a brand new Predator Centro and wipe it down with a damp cloth. Afterwards, the finish was so rough I needed to burnish and recondition with Que Silk.
Scuse the crush on Pia but isn't it possible they are consistent to the degree that differences in stick response would be immediately evident?
i got cues and shafts that are from top makers over 50 years old. they have been in many states from hot and humid to 30 below zero. in hot sun in cars and even getting wet. all are dead straight. some have never left the car. oh and they are made of wood. and tips that i have no idea of whose they are.
and after 5 minutes with a different stick i cant tell the difference in my play. and if you can your mind is not on the shots.
and after 5 minutes with a different stick i cant tell the difference in my play. and if you can your mind is not on the shots.
I’ve expressed this view before so I’ll cut right to the chase. If you have a maple shaft you really like,
then have a Kielwood shaft made, or find one, but make sure it has the very same specs as the shaft
you like so much. Now that may be difficult based on my experience so far but I think I got that figured
out. It gets a little tougher when the maple shaft you like weighs over 4 ozs. Just match the weight and
other specs of your favorite maple shaft. You should be very pleased playing with a custom KW shaft.
then have a Kielwood shaft made, or find one, but make sure it has the very same specs as the shaft
you like so much. Now that may be difficult based on my experience so far but I think I got that figured
out. It gets a little tougher when the maple shaft you like weighs over 4 ozs. Just match the weight and
other specs of your favorite maple shaft. You should be very pleased playing with a custom KW shaft.
Last edited:
I carry 6 cues in my case. I just started using a KW shaft last October. It happens to only fit one of my cues (radial pin).
The other 5 cues are 2 different big pins. I just borrowed a KW shaft that will fit 3 of my other 5 cues. You can definitely tell the difference in the 3 cues using the borrowed KW shaft and all of the butts are the same weight. The radial pin cue using a KW shaft absolutely feels different from the other 3 cues. It’s like tasting wines. There’s subtle difference in the hit and feel of different cue makers and of course, even builders of only KW shafts. And some days you have a different favorite cue than the last time you played. KW shafts are a great combination of LD and all of the uniqueness of wood that so many of us like.
Almost all shafts have sealer. It's the cloth she's having humidity problems with.
She's sponsored by predator she's trying to sell for them.
She's sponsored by predator she's trying to sell for them.
Zerksies
Well-known member
I love Carbon.
What i hated about wood was humidity. I could feel the shaft swelling and on some days i could feel the moisture on the shaft making it sticky. They would also dent easily. Because of these things the feel of the hit would change on them days too.
Carbon fiber is very consistent across the board
What took me so long to switch? I was playing with wood shafts for over 20+ years. Kept hearing you need a glove to use one. I saw a few players using them without. I guess when they first came out players were complaining that it would turn their hands black. More complete BS.
What i hated about wood was humidity. I could feel the shaft swelling and on some days i could feel the moisture on the shaft making it sticky. They would also dent easily. Because of these things the feel of the hit would change on them days too.
Carbon fiber is very consistent across the board
What took me so long to switch? I was playing with wood shafts for over 20+ years. Kept hearing you need a glove to use one. I saw a few players using them without. I guess when they first came out players were complaining that it would turn their hands black. More complete BS.
Not talking about warpage. What i'm saying is that if you had a good shaft and you played in reallllllly humid conditions its not going to play different. Warpage is damage that takes a long time to happen. The way a shaft hits/plays isn't going to change in humid conditions. Surface might get sticky but how it performs won't change.