Maybe stupid question about cue weight.

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
The touch is up to the player...I travelled with a 18.5 Joss and a 20.25 Szamboti....
...my touch felt good with either one.
Jimmy Moore had a fantastic touch...with a 21 ounce cue.


I am talking about for a challenging near vertical perfect masse.

Touch hardly matters for horizontal shooting, you might as well use a mop broom for horizontal shooting, its good enough most times.
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I am talking about for a challenging near vertical perfect masse.

Touch hardly matters for horizontal shooting, you might as well use a mop broom for horizontal shooting, its good enough most times.

If you’re going to talk specialty cues....the good ones aren’t like playing cues.
 

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
If you’re going to talk specialty cues....the good ones aren’t like playing cues.

That came up in another thread about equipment changes over the years in billiards.

Game still has 6 pockets and 15 balls and 6 rail sections and 12 points (4 sets of corners and 2 sets of sides).

What kind of special shots need specialty cues? I've seen a few, but whats on your mind?
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been playing with a cue for a very long time, a good player who I know personally wanted to try it, he's a very good player and a friend of mine, then he said to me, wow that is a light cue.

He asked me what the weight of that cue, and I told him that I don't know, I really didn't.

He brought a scale and it measured 17.1 oz, then he told me "Oh you're doing it wrong" now I didn't know why he told me this, he said that I will play much better with 19oz, or at least the minimum 18oz if I desire, but never below 18oz.

Why did he tell me this? What do you guys think, do you agree with him? I rate him as an A player so that's why his words may be right.

You should ask him what he meant. 17 oz is on the low side of what most people use. I own 3 cues. A 19 oz Schon. A Woodworth and Iorgov which I don't know the weight - probably 19 or 20.
 

worktheknight

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I may be duplicating what many good players have already said, but, over the years in selling
hundreds of cues, I have had people walk in and say they need a 18 oz. cue or a 21 oz. cue and
so forth. I do not have the weight of the cues posted on each cue and just tell them to put the
sample shafts on the butt ends and see what cue feels good.

Countless times a person wanting a 21 oz. cue walks out with a 18.0 oz or visa versa, Like some
posts here say, what feels good. The other factor is that cues from different makers are made different
where the balance point is forward or near the butt sleeve. Either way, not matter, what feels good is what matters.

In my opinion only, many may have a total different view point, but, to me, a lighter cue is easier to stroke and your
more apt not to over hit the cue ball as much which results in a few more, slightly, but a few more balls to drop.
You may not get around the table as much, but, if your on a 7 foot table, I tend to favor a lighter cue where if I am on a
9 foot table, I tend to favor a heavier cue.

I am just a amateur player so it would be interesting to hear if top players feel that way or it's just
locked in my mind.

Good Luck, shoot with what your comfortable with.
 

Ghosst

Broom Handle Mafia
Silver Member
He is the pro of the house, so I have no clue why he told me this then, he said I'm doing it wrong.

Tell your, "pro", I play with a 21-ounce cue, and break with an 18-ounce. His head will spin and shoot lasers. :D
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It is not just how much the cue weighs
it is also how that weight is distributed along the cue.

{more towards the back or more towards the front}
{low polar moment, higher polar moment}
 

3kushn

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Wonder if anyone against light cues here has tried one? What I'm reading is you can't get distance/speed while at the same time we all know that break cues are on the light side.

Currently using 15.4oz cue for 3Cushion. There may be something wrong with that but getting around the table isn't one of them unless I'm expected to get 11 rails. I can't do that with this cue. But so what. I can't do that with any cue BTW. Tried it with a 30oz masse cue. No luck.
 
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Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
What I'm reading is you can't get distance/speed [with lighter cues] while at the same time we all know that break cues are on the light side.
With a lighter cue you have to stroke faster to get the same CB speed - that might be a drawback for some. The reason they work for breaking is that you can stroke them faster, maybe (depending on your musculature) enough to move the CB faster.

If it works for you, a lighter cue can give more speed control because you use a longer range of stroke speeds to produce the normal range of pool shots - with a heavier cue you have to be precise within a shorter range of stroke speeds.

pj
chgo
 

zencues.com

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Play with whatever weight cue you want... tell your friend to shut up and go away.

That being said, a heavier cue will move the cue ball around easier.
 

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
I was hoping developers make cues that are fun to play with for children.

A cue stick and a clock radio

or a cue and fiberglass light

a cue stick with sensors in it

my personal favorite is a cue stick with a cup holder.

competition cue sticks are not fun for new generations
 

Ghosst

Broom Handle Mafia
Silver Member
I was hoping developers make cues that are fun to play with for children.

A cue stick and a clock radio

or a cue and fiberglass light

a cue stick with sensors in it

my personal favorite is a cue stick with a cup holder.

competition cue sticks are not fun for new generations

What, no ashtray? WTF kinda crap are you peddlin'?
 

3kushn

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
With a lighter cue you have to stroke faster to get the same CB speed - that might be a drawback for some. The reason they work for breaking is that you can stroke them faster, maybe (depending on your musculature) enough to move the CB faster.

If it works for you, a lighter cue can give more speed control because you use a longer range of stroke speeds to produce the normal range of pool shots - with a heavier cue you have to be precise within a shorter range of stroke speeds.

pj
chgo

Over and over I hear that CB speed is determined by tip speed, not the weight of the cue. If that's the case why would a tip on a lighter cue have to move faster than a heavier one?

I swear I'm not exerting any more effort with this cue vs other heavier cues on my rack.
 

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
saw some

I was hoping developers make cues that are fun to play with for children.

A cue stick and a clock radio

or a cue and fiberglass light

a cue stick with sensors in it

my personal favorite is a cue stick with a cup holder.

competition cue sticks are not fun for new generations



I saw some cues with liquid filling near the buttcap and dice. The dice would roll every shot. Saw some with chaser lights too. I was very tempted to build a half decent sneaky and add the chaser lights that ran every time you hit the cue ball!

Hu
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Over and over I hear that CB speed is determined by tip speed, not the weight of the cue.

The shock wave from the tip contacting the CB does not even reach the joint by the time the CB has left the tip traveling forward. So, the overall weight of the cue maters little.

If that's the case why would a tip on a lighter cue have to move faster than a heavier one?

Only by misunderstanding of the physics involved.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been playing with a cue for a very long time, a good player who I know personally wanted to try it, he's a very good player and a friend of mine, then he said to me, wow that is a light cue.

He asked me what the weight of that cue, and I told him that I don't know, I really didn't.

He brought a scale and it measured 17.1 oz, then he told me "Oh you're doing it wrong" now I didn't know why he told me this, he said that I will play much better with 19oz, or at least the minimum 18oz if I desire, but never below 18oz.

Why did he tell me this? What do you guys think, do you agree with him? I rate him as an A player so that's why his words may be right.
Cue weight is personal preference. If you like that cue weight and you are used to it which it sounds like you are, I wouldn’t be influenced by someone else’s opinion. Depending on the make of your cue, you might be able to adjust the weight in the butt of the cue under the rubber bumper with weight bolts. If so, you might experiment with some slightly heavier weights, but you could easily go back to the original cue’s weight that you like at any time.
 

3kushn

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The shock wave from the tip contacting the CB does not even reach the joint by the time the CB has left the tip traveling forward. So, the overall weight of the cue maters little.


If that's the case why would a tip on a lighter cue have to move faster than a heavier one?

Only by misunderstanding of the physics involved.

I'm happy someone found this.

I'm not a physicist but lets say I'm not dead yet.

Unless tip speed really isn't the main factor, then weight has no bearing.

Remember, no matter the weight of the cue, the flesh in your hand negates whatever the weight.

It's all about tip speed.


I'm not arguing this theory. I'm just arguing more tip speed is required for lighter cues when all the science guys say its not true.

Do I follow the science or opinion?
 
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Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
I'm just arguing more tip speed is required for lighter cues when all the science guys say its not true.
I think you've misunderstood the science guys - as far as I know they all agree with you that a lighter cue needs more speed for the same CB action.

pj
chgo
 
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