Hybrid Shafts.

Mensabum

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Players -
would you buy a 'Hybrid' shaft?? CF fused to Maple.
 

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So… a CF shaft with a solid maple core…? What does it add other than deflection?

pj
chgo
Surprisingly deflection was very low. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the length or damper, or what, but the one I played with hit very well. Firm, perhaps stiff even, attributable somewhat to the extremely hard tip I put on it, but the feedback was like a maple shaft. My problem with CF is feeling the shot. I go long with CF bcuz of the dead stick component. Perhaps my game just sucks.🤣
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it, bcuz I didn't want to going in.
 
Surprisingly deflection was very low. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the length or damper, or what, but the one I played with hit very well. Firm, perhaps stiff even, attributable somewhat to the extremely hard tip I put on it, but the feedback was like a maple shaft. My problem with CF is feeling the shot. I go long with CF bcuz of the dead stick component. Perhaps my game just sucks.🤣
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it, bcuz I didn't want to going in.
There is absolutely nothing worse than hitting the cue ball with a shaft/tip combo that makes it feel like you have a marshmallow for a tip. Half of the cues I have tried feel like that to me, I don't know if its the soft tips or the carbon shafts but it certainly doesn't make me want to leave Maple behind.
 
There is absolutely nothing worse than hitting the cue ball with a shaft/tip combo that makes it feel like you have a marshmallow for a tip. Half of the cues I have tried feel like that to me, I don't know if its the soft tips or the carbon shafts but it certainly doesn't make me want to leave Maple behind.
Dead stick.
 
No, I probably wouldn’t. I’d buy carbon fiber or the various shafts with carbon fiber core, or maple. The half and half look would bother me to the point I probably wouldn’t buy it. All CF is fine. That is obviously subjective and just me etc…
 
No, I probably wouldn’t. I’d buy carbon fiber or the various shafts with carbon fiber core, or maple. The half and half look would bother me to the point I probably wouldn’t buy it. All CF is fine. That is obviously subjective and just me etc…
Do you think the color separation would be distracting??
 
Thank you Jerry. Always had trouble putting thot to paper. Or Ether.
Apologies PJ.
The company that sent me this varies the length of the carbon fiber on the maple shaft to match your style of play, I was told. Might be 10", could be as much as 20". Quite a bit of info was gathered b4 making mine.
I enjoyed putting it thru its paces.
 
Do you think the color separation would be distracting??
I don’t know if it would distract me while shooting. But the look would nag at me. Like seeing the cue when I’m switching from my break cue to playing cue or when putting it together. The look would bother me enough that I don’t think I’d ever like the shaft. Could I get past that if the shaft played great? Probably not because I doubt it would play orders of magnitude better than other options. So I’d likely never get to where I really liked it.

Some is almost a subconscious nag. For instance, I don’t like shafts that don’t match the ringwork on the butt. It is common now for players to use a performance shaft with just a black collar or whatever that doesn’t match the butt. You don’t notice that when shooting but it bothers me to the point I don’t like it. Could I tolerate a backup shaft having a plain collar? Maybe, probably, but it would be a true backup. Like I said it is subjective. If the cue had a plain black collar, no problem. Likewise, I could tolerate a variety of shafts and cues with different looks, but if the look is something I really dislike or it nags me like the mismatch shaft rings, I don’t want it. The half and half shaft seems to fit in that category for me. But I haven’t seen one in person or hit with one.
 
I designed this hybrid. The one I sent Mensabaum was a conversion of a shaft he had but the actual design uses Kielwood which has a less stark contrast than hard rock maple. So if people are concerned about the contrast of wood, that is fixable. Also, carbon fiber doesn't have to be in black it can come in a less contrasting color.

As Mensabaum mentioned, it has the low deflection properties that so many desire but has the feel of a wood to wood joint. Also, the squirt or deflection characteristics can be tailored to the player.
 
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The other main advantage to this shaft is the ability to have a thicker shaft and still have very little deflection/squirt.
Jaden is correct.
I ordered a hybrid from him and one from another maker, Vince Sangmeister.
I was impressed by both of these gentleman's innovative spirit and knowledge of cuesports.
I'd go so far as to call one a mad genius. Having put years of research into what I deemed miniscule returns. In that, I was mistaken. These shafts weren't just a money grab or attempt at the next best , newest or whatever.
Both of these guys believe their shaft to be an improvement over plain CF or straight maple. An attribute to the game. To which I must agree after having played with them for 2 months now, give or take.
Justin told me the shaft had a nice firm hit. Solid. LD. The tip I had installed, bulletproof hard, made the shaft play very firm indeed. One player didn't like it due to the the sound the tip made on contact.
Several other well known players and members here whose names I can't mention bcuz I didn't ask permission, also liked these shafts. I let anyone interested play with mine at the local halls. They do draw players wanting to know "wtf that thing is." 😂

I'm no hybrid salesman. Let's get that straight right now. I don't advocate anything for anyone. My thots are simply, why aren't these prevalent when they're obviously a superior playing shaft?? Without question. IMHO.
The feedback was what one would expect from a maple shaft, with the consistent hit of CF.
I'm always long when I play with CF bcuz I can't feel the shot. Dead stick, I call it. So I overamp. Like playing with a length of rebar.
Not with these.👍🏻

I won't get into who's played best or any of that nonsense.
They hit great!! Deflection is practically non-existent on these hybrids. Point and shoot. Even at full table Max English shots. I noticed very little adjustment was necessary. None at all on med to slow speed shots with juice.
That alone sold me.
I grew up playing w deflection, so it's no big deal to adjust to about anything w a ferrule, but these threw me for a bit. I was missing balls due to their low deflection properties.
Once I adjusted my aim for the contact point and didn't shift, balls fell.
Apologies for the novelette fellas. And ladies.😉
I have a bad habit of running my jaws when I find something I like.
Why I leave myself open like this I'll never know.🤦🏻‍♂️ 😉
Thanks for reading my drivel everyone.
 
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