Have you ever attempted to play with a very warped pool cue, and did it bother you, and were you able to pot balls with it consistently?

vintagecollectibles831

Well-known member
Please do not laugh at me for asking this, but have you ever attempted to play with a very warped pool cue, and did it bother you, and were you able to pot balls with it consistently?

I have had this cue (which I received in the mail, from overseas) for a few weeks. The good news was that the butt is perfectly straight. The bad news was that the shaft is warped. No issue with the butt or the joint pin, but the shaft wobbled really bad when rolled together with the shaft. So, I have not even wanted to attempt to shoot with the thing. Been too broke to buy a good quality shaft for it, which is what I would really want.

The surprising thing is, that the shaft does not really look too bad when it is rolled by itself. The tip remains flat on the table when rolled by itself, but you can clearly feel the wobble when rolling it slowly. It will not just sit in place, when leaving it in certain positions, lol, it will wobble over to one side, lol.

And, when rolled together with the perfectly straight butt, it shows a very bad wobble, with the tip completely leaving the table.

My question is, have you ever successfully been able to play with something like what I am describing? Leaving the mental aspect of knowing that you are playing with a warped pool cue, should something like this physically be impossible to shoot straight with?

I just really want to play, but I just figure that I need a straight shaft in order to shoot straight, lol.

Thanks for any thoughts about this.
 
Please do not laugh at me for asking this, but have you ever attempted to play with a very warped pool cue, and did it bother you, and were you able to pot balls with it consistently?

I have had this cue (which I received in the mail, from overseas) for a few weeks. The good news was that the butt is perfectly straight. The bad news was that the shaft is warped. No issue with the butt or the joint pin, but the shaft wobbled really bad when rolled together with the shaft. So, I have not even wanted to attempt to shoot with the thing. Been too broke to buy a good quality shaft for it, which is what I would really want.

The surprising thing is, that the shaft does not really look too bad when it is rolled by itself. The tip remains flat on the table when rolled by itself, but you can clearly feel the wobble when rolling it slowly. It will not just sit in place, when leaving it in certain positions, lol, it will wobble over to one side, lol.

And, when rolled together with the perfectly straight butt, it shows a very bad wobble, with the tip completely leaving the table.

My question is, have you ever successfully been able to play with something like what I am describing? Leaving the mental aspect of knowing that you are playing with a warped pool cue, should something like this physically be impossible to shoot straight with?

I just really want to play, but I just figure that I need a straight shaft in order to shoot straight, lol.

Thanks for any thoughts about this.
What your describing sounds more like a joint facing issue than warpage.
 
Please do not laugh at me for asking this, but have you ever attempted to play with a very warped pool cue, and did it bother you, and were you able to pot balls with it consistently?

I have had this cue (which I received in the mail, from overseas) for a few weeks. The good news was that the butt is perfectly straight. The bad news was that the shaft is warped. No issue with the butt or the joint pin, but the shaft wobbled really bad when rolled together with the shaft. So, I have not even wanted to attempt to shoot with the thing. Been too broke to buy a good quality shaft for it, which is what I would really want.

The surprising thing is, that the shaft does not really look too bad when it is rolled by itself. The tip remains flat on the table when rolled by itself, but you can clearly feel the wobble when rolling it slowly. It will not just sit in place, when leaving it in certain positions, lol, it will wobble over to one side, lol.

And, when rolled together with the perfectly straight butt, it shows a very bad wobble, with the tip completely leaving the table.

My question is, have you ever successfully been able to play with something like what I am describing? Leaving the mental aspect of knowing that you are playing with a warped pool cue, should something like this physically be impossible to shoot straight with?

I just really want to play, but I just figure that I need a straight shaft in order to shoot straight, lol.

Thanks for any thoughts about this.
Sorry, I guess I didn't really answer your question. I have seen people play with some pretty messed up stuff. If you really want to try playing with it, roll it on the table and find the point where the tip is either highest or lowest and make a small mark on the shaft or joint and just always rotate it to that same place. Not sure if up or down will matter much but left or right would likely give some unwanted side spin.
 
What your describing sounds more like a joint facing issue than warpage.

I thought that a joint face cleaning might help, but the shaft is clearly warped. That is a fact. It does not stay in one position on all sides of the roll, if that makes sense. Like in one position, it will wobble over to a different side. I can also see that it is warped when spinning it on my pocket lathe / straightness checker. I do really want to get the joint face cleaned, to see if that might help to at least keep the top on the table, when the shaft is rolled together with the butt. Thanks for your reply.
 
Last edited:
Sorry, I guess I didn't really answer your question. I have seen people play with some pretty messed up stuff. If you really want to try playing with it, roll it on the table and find the point where the tip is either highest or lowest and make a small mark on the shaft or joint and just always rotate it to that same place. Not sure if up or down will matter much but left or right would likely give some unwanted side spin.
I would always orient so the tip is at its highest point.
 
Sorry, I guess I didn't really answer your question. I have seen people play with some pretty messed up stuff. If you really want to try playing with it, roll it on the table and find the point where the tip is either highest or lowest and make a small mark on the shaft or joint and just always rotate it to that same place. Not sure if up or down will matter much but left or right would likely give some unwanted side spin.

Thanks. Yeah, I was given that advice in the past, lol. Feel way too stupid trying to play pool like that, lol. So, I guess that the answer is no, I would not be able to randomly shoot straight, with a warped cue. I was worried that was probably a fact, lol.. I was just curious anyways, if players who did not care, were able to play good with a warped cue, lol. I guess that those types of bangers would not be able to play good no matter what though, lol.. Thanks again.
 
What your describing sounds more like a joint facing issue than warpage.

Maybe since the tip does remain flat on the table when the shaft is rolled by itself, then a joint face cleaning might help to make it do the same when rolled together. The shaft is warped, but I hope a joint face cleaning might help. Bummer thing is that I have nobody near me that can help me. Thanks.
 
Please do not laugh at me for asking this, but have you ever attempted to play with a very warped pool cue, and did it bother you, and were you able to pot balls with it consistently?

I have had this cue (which I received in the mail, from overseas) for a few weeks. The good news was that the butt is perfectly straight. The bad news was that the shaft is warped. No issue with the butt or the joint pin, but the shaft wobbled really bad when rolled together with the shaft. So, I have not even wanted to attempt to shoot with the thing. Been too broke to buy a good quality shaft for it, which is what I would really want.

The surprising thing is, that the shaft does not really look too bad when it is rolled by itself. The tip remains flat on the table when rolled by itself, but you can clearly feel the wobble when rolling it slowly. It will not just sit in place, when leaving it in certain positions, lol, it will wobble over to one side, lol.

And, when rolled together with the perfectly straight butt, it shows a very bad wobble, with the tip completely leaving the table.

My question is, have you ever successfully been able to play with something like what I am describing? Leaving the mental aspect of knowing that you are playing with a warped pool cue, should something like this physically be impossible to shoot straight with?

I just really want to play, but I just figure that I need a straight shaft in order to shoot straight, lol.

Thanks for any thoughts about this.
OP only once....
 
As long as the tip and ferrule rolls flat, your just talking about taper roll. If the roll is on one side.
Find the straight side of the shaft, i bet there will be at least, one side that lies flat. Use that side each time, and you will be able predict what the shaft is doing. If it plays really nice, use it🙂
 
Yes, on a trip to Australia, played with a very crooked snooker house cue and it really didn't matter.
I think it's more in our heads than in actual playing that crooked is bad. So if it's a tiny credit card roll, ignore it.
 
My bent shaft gets the job done. I just aim left a little.

I think you may be confused about what forum you are on!(grin)

To the OP, I played with warped shafts for ten or twelve years, many severely warped. I never played with a hinged cue gambling, off the wall was just some of the schtick. I played with straight cues at home but away from home the warped cues saw the least use and had the best tips and shaft sections that hadn't been beaten up as badly as the cues used more regularly. I would grab a cue off the wall, do the traditional roll on the table, and when the tip hopped up and down an inch proclaim it straight enough for me! It was too, I automatically indexed cues for over a decade of nightly play. I have a CF shaft I use sometimes now. I do feel silly when I catch myself trying to index it!

There was a cue laying around an old pool hall, one diameter with very little taper until the joint where the shaft section was glued to the butt section. From the joint to the tip the warp was a foot or more! I played with it a couple times just for grins. Aside from having to completely change my stance and stroke, it worked.

Others have said it but I would check for anything wrong with the joint or trash in it. Maybe even a loose insert? The reason so many are talking about the joint is what you are describing does sound like a joint problem.

Use a pencil and orient the shaft so the tip is at it's highest point. A light mark there can always be removed. I have tried the tip at the lowest point too but that gives me an optical illusion and the tip seems to be doing strange things.

I still orient wooden shafts. No doubt I have done it over a million times. I don't try to break the habit except when shooting with CF.

Good luck, and let us know what you do and what is the outcome.

Hu
 
I think you may be confused about what forum you are on!(grin)

To the OP, I played with warped shafts for ten or twelve years, many severely warped. I never played with a hinged cue gambling, off the wall was just some of the schtick. I played with straight cues at home but away from home the warped cues saw the least use and had the best tips and shaft sections that hadn't been beaten up as badly as the cues used more regularly. I would grab a cue off the wall, do the traditional roll on the table, and when the tip hopped up and down an inch proclaim it straight enough for me! It was too, I automatically indexed cues for over a decade of nightly play. I have a CF shaft I use sometimes now. I do feel silly when I catch myself trying to index it!

There was a cue laying around an old pool hall, one diameter with very little taper until the joint where the shaft section was glued to the butt section. From the joint to the tip the warp was a foot or more! I played with it a couple times just for grins. Aside from having to completely change my stance and stroke, it worked.

Others have said it but I would check for anything wrong with the joint or trash in it. Maybe even a loose insert? The reason so many are talking about the joint is what you are describing does sound like a joint problem.

Use a pencil and orient the shaft so the tip is at it's highest point. A light mark there can always be removed. I have tried the tip at the lowest point too but that gives me an optical illusion and the tip seems to be doing strange things.

I still orient wooden shafts. No doubt I have done it over a million times. I don't try to break the habit except when shooting with CF.

Good luck, and let us know what you do and what is the outcome.

Hu

Thanks a lot for the info. So, if I do not mark the joint of the shaft at the highest point of its roll out, and shoot with that side facing up, then I might miss, no matter what. That makes sense. I will test both ways, just out of curiosity. Maybe do some straight in, long shot drills, to see how bad the warp really throws me off. I really just miss playing, lol. Thanks for your help.
 
Please do not laugh at me for asking this, but have you ever attempted to play with a very warped pool cue, and did it bother you, and were you able to pot balls with it consistently?

I have had this cue (which I received in the mail, from overseas) for a few weeks. The good news was that the butt is perfectly straight. The bad news was that the shaft is warped. No issue with the butt or the joint pin, but the shaft wobbled really bad when rolled together with the shaft. So, I have not even wanted to attempt to shoot with the thing. Been too broke to buy a good quality shaft for it, which is what I would really want.

The surprising thing is, that the shaft does not really look too bad when it is rolled by itself. The tip remains flat on the table when rolled by itself, but you can clearly feel the wobble when rolling it slowly. It will not just sit in place, when leaving it in certain positions, lol, it will wobble over to one side, lol.

And, when rolled together with the perfectly straight butt, it shows a very bad wobble, with the tip completely leaving the table.

My question is, have you ever successfully been able to play with something like what I am describing? Leaving the mental aspect of knowing that you are playing with a warped pool cue, should something like this physically be impossible to shoot straight with?

I just really want to play, but I just figure that I need a straight shaft in order to shoot straight, lol.

Thanks for any thoughts about this.
I wouldn't really advice anyone playing with a badly warped cue.
 
I had a nice looking block letter Joss for a while…. Looked sharp but it was warped; the joint had a lift and the shaft wobbled like mad. I couldn’t play with it. I could never not think about the warp. Finally decided to sell it. Met the buyer at a local bar so he could try it out. He proceeded to run out on eight ball twice. It was an important day of learning for me…..learned much about skill, stroke, and…..most importantly…..the mind.
 
I had a nice looking block letter Joss for a while…. Looked sharp but it was warped; the joint had a lift and the shaft wobbled like mad. I couldn’t play with it. I could never not think about the warp. Finally decided to sell it. Met the buyer at a local bar so he could try it out. He proceeded to run out on eight ball twice. It was an important day of learning for me…..learned much about skill, stroke, and…..most importantly…..the mind.

Oh, very cool story.
 
Back
Top