Wood over CF shaft options

A

AverageTXN

New member
I've been playing with CF shafts since I got back into the game last November. While I do like the performance they offer, I find myself missing the feel of wood shafts. I know that Predator has released the Centro shaft with a partial carbon tube in the tip section and that J. Flowers has just released the SMO-W with what I understand is a carbon core covered with wood for the entire length of the shaft.

Are there any other options like these on the market that I should consider?
 
Mezz EXPro is built this way. I used to have a HybridPro with cf tube in it. Best wood shaft i ever used. Had to sell for fin. reasons. Problem with Mezz is they only make for their joints. They play great tho.
 
AverageTXN said:
Are there any other options like these on the market that I should consider?
Click to expand...

I started out with a 314-1 and used it for 4-odd years as a play stick.
Then I got a Z2 and played with it as a play cue reverting my 314-1 to a break cue.
After 4-5 years as a break cue, the 314-1 lost its head (and ferule) so I resorted to my $80 came-with-table cue.
A couple years later, I got a Z2-S-tuned, and it has been my play cue for 6-odd years.
Last month, I got a Katana 11.5mm, and I really like the way it plays (still needs a harder tip on it)::very similar to the Z2 S-tuned.
 
AverageTXN said:
I've been playing with CF shafts since I got back into the game last November. While I do like the performance they offer, I find myself missing the feel of wood shafts. I know that Predator has released the Centro shaft with a partial carbon tube in the tip section and that J. Flowers has just released the SMO-W with what I understand is a carbon core covered with wood for the entire length of the shaft.

Are there any other options like these on the market that I should consider?
Click to expand...
I would love to hear the answer on this. I feel like the Centro is just another McDermott G-Core me too shaft, and no better then a 314. The SMO-w, Mezz EXPro, and the McDermott I-2 all seem to have full length Carbon fiber inserts. But its hard to find shops to demo all these shafts, which you would want to do because you would most likely need a new butt, because they all have different joint threads. smh.
 
You also have the InFuze shafts, there is one branded Lucasi made of regular wood and one that is branded Pure X that is made with kielwood.
I have the Kielwood version, plays nice, low defletion but not as low as my SMO CF shaft. My shaft is a bit on the heavy side, I understand that it's not the standard, I wish it was a bit lighter.

www.cueandcase.com

INFUZED Shafts

Crafted using a unique fusion of carbon fiber and traditional materials like maple or Kielwood, these shafts redefine performance standards.
www.cueandcase.com www.cueandcase.com
 
skor said:
You also have the InFuze shafts, there is one branded Lucasi made of regular wood and one that is branded Pure X that is made with kielwood.
I have the Kielwood version, plays nice, low defletion but not as low as my SMO CF shaft. My shaft is a bit on the heavy side, I understand that it's not the standard, I wish it was a bit lighter.

www.cueandcase.com

INFUZED Shafts

Crafted using a unique fusion of carbon fiber and traditional materials like maple or Kielwood, these shafts redefine performance standards.
www.cueandcase.com www.cueandcase.com
Click to expand...
Yeah, the new SMO-W shaft from J. Flowers looks really interesting. But I don't think they make it for different pins yet.
 
I like my Jacoby ultra shaft. I played with a revo 12.4 for about 2 years and then a 11.8 cynergy for about a month. But ultimately I like a wood shaft so I broke out my Carmelli with one of the original maple shafts,man that thing plays nice.
I had bought a Peri to match the revo with but didn't like the P20 maple shaft that came with it so I screwed that Jacoby ultra on it,man it hits sweet so it's been my player for a while now.
 
AverageTXN said:
I've been playing with CF shafts since I got back into the game last November. While I do like the performance they offer, I find myself missing the feel of wood shafts. I know that Predator has released the Centro shaft with a partial carbon tube in the tip section and that J. Flowers has just released the SMO-W with what I understand is a carbon core covered with wood for the entire length of the shaft.

Are there any other options like these on the market that I should consider?
Click to expand...
Consider this: You start with a wood shaft with a carbon fiber tube buried inside the wood, then you remove the carbon fiber tube and replace it with wood. Guess what? You would have a lower deflection shaft.
 
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You need to investigate Kielwood shafts that are the future of wood shafts, IMO. Far superior to maple shafts in terms of durability, hit and much lower deflection. I will not impose my views about KW shafts. Got my 1st KW last October and have two brand new KW shafts arriving this week…..hopefully. The sound, feel and appearance are so much nicer than any CF shaft? If you play without a glove, try a KW shaft & then a CF shaft. One will feel dull & cold. Guess which one?
 
7stud said:
Consider this: You start with a wood shaft with a carbon fiber tube buried inside the wood, then you remove the carbon fiber tube and replace it with wood. Guess what? You would have a lower deflection cue.
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I just want a little more feel. I understand all the performance aspects of CF. That's why I use CF right now. But CF can't give you feel.
 
MitchAlsup said:
I started out with a 314-1 and used it for 4-odd years as a play stick.
Then I got a Z2 and played with it as a play cue reverting my 314-1 to a break cue.
After 4-5 years as a break cue, the 314-1 lost its head (and ferule) so I resorted to my $80 came-with-table cue.
A couple years later, I got a Z2-S-tuned, and it has been my play cue for 6-odd years.
Last month, I got a Katana 11.5mm, and I really like the way it plays (still needs a harder tip on it)::very similar to the Z2 S-tuned
Click to expand...
Interesting that you went from more-expensive to less-expensive shafts. The Katana 11.5mm goes for $270 at PoolDawg. Here is PoolDawg's description:
The 10-piece split radial construction of their playing shafts utilizes an alternating grain system to remove variance and deliver some of the most consistent and lowest deflection of any shaft in the industry. Katana also makes break/jump shafts, each featuring a quad-spliced construction and one of four different tip and ferrule options designed to maximize energy transfer and feel.​
​
​
Katana shaft 11.5mm.jpg
 
cueball2010 said:
I feel like the Centro is just another McDermott G-Core me too shaft, and no better then a 314. The SMO-w, Mezz EXPro, and the McDermott I-2 all seem to have full length Carbon fiber insert
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McDermott's wood/CF combos are different from those you compared it to. McDermott's G-Core, i-1, i-2, i-3, i-Pro, i-Pro Slim all have wood exterior and carbon-fiber rod inside like the other wood/CF shafts that probably all other companies have.

McDermott has, however, also inside the carbon-fiber rod that is already inside a wood shaft, another wood shaft--a wood dowel. Its' a wooden-shaft sandwich with carbon fiber inside.

McDermott's carbon-fiber rod is probably that used in its Defy CF shaft. That CF is different than others' CF, too. That's another story . . . .

See McDermott craftsman make a CF-wood/G-core sandwich at
 
cueball2010 said:
The SMO-w, Mezz EXPro, and the McDermott I-2 all seem to have full length Carbon fiber inserts.
Click to expand...

1755651973730.png
1755651984567.png

Mezz EXPro has carbon fiber only at joint end:
__







Bear CF and maple shaft.jpg

European shaft Bear RB-1 has carbon fiber at tip and joint ends with solid wood in middle:





McDermott G-Core and probably its i-Series shafts got about 10 inches of carbon fiber in the shafts at tip end as determined from video mentioned in Post #16 above.
McDermott CF in G-core 1.jpg
Video shows a CF rod inserted in the shaft. From that video:



1755652604405.png


CueLee's CT-1 12.75mm $260, CT-2 12.2mm $330 shafts described only as " Maple shaft with carbon fiber tube inside".

Pure X FUZE and Lucasi's InFUZED shafts? I don't know how long the CF tube is in those shafts.

JFlowers SMO-W wood shaft has a full-length carbon fiber in the shaft (EDIT: See figure where there is about an inch of foam under tip and then comes the carbon fiber rod) . The figure show weight bolts in shaft. I believe they no longer sell the SMO CF with weight bolts.

Fury ST2 shaft has carbon fiber inside at joint end
Fury CF and Maple ST2.jpg
and balsa wood inside at tip end


Meucci Carbon Pro is not a wood exterior shaft but it is CF and wood, carbon fiber outside with maple-wood plugs at each end of shaft. https://www.meuccicues.com/products/carbon-pro
 
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Iwishiwasrich said:
I think the op was talking wood shafts not carbon cored.
Click to expand...
op:
I know that Predator has released the Centro shaft with a partial carbon tube in the tip section and that J. Flowers has just released the SMO-W with what I understand is a carbon core covered with wood for the entire length of the shaft.

Are there any other options like these on the market that I should consider?
Click to expand...
 
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