Break Cues

PoodlePuncher

PoodlePuncher

Registered
It's been over 20 years since i've looked at cues, so i'm wondering

Aside from a hard tip, what differentiates a "Break" cue from a "Regular" cue?
is there a different taper?

I see a few that are heavier (~25oz), but most are offered in the standard weights up to 21oz.

Any reason to buy a "purpose built" Break cue, vs throwing a phenolic tip on a regular cue?
 
SSDiver2112

SSDiver2112

2b || !2b t^ ?
The main thing is to have a stick that most efficiently transfers the energy to the cue. You may find one works better than another for you. Just like your playing cue it is best if you can try them out if you can. I tried a few of the break cues other guys had. A lot of them are just a heavy weighted cue. Most of those had a harder break tip. I first thought that was the way to go. Heavy battering ram. I was in the process of modifying one of my sticks to do the same. Then I got an opportunity to try a Black Ice. That is what I ended up with. I got the shaft to add to an existing cue.
The Black Ice shaft is specially treated to make it harder than a regular shaft and is slightly heavier giving the cue a forward weight. I took the weight out of the butt after breaking with it a while. I found I broke better with it lighter. It is probably around 21oz I would guess. My break has been much better and easier with it.

Try a few if you can, but for me I recommend one of the Pechauer break cues. Especially the Black Ice.

My Review here
 
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TEAM SLO

TEAM SLO

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
SSDiver2112 said:
The main thing is to have a stick that most efficiently transfers the energy to the cue. You may find one works better than another for you. Just like your playing cue it is best if you can try them out if you can. I tried a few of the break cues other guys had. A lot of them are just a heavy weighted cue. Most of those had a harder break tip. I first thought that was the way to go. Heavy battering ram. I was in the process of modifying one of my sticks to do the same. Then I got an opportunity to try a Black Ice. That is what I ended up with. I got the shaft to add to an existing cue.
The Black Ice shaft is specially treated to make it harder than a regular shaft and is slightly heavier giving the cue a forward weight. I took the weight out of the butt after breaking with it a while. I found I broke better with it lighter. It is probably around 19-20oz I would guess. My break has been much better and easier with it.

Try a few if you can, but for me I recommend one of the Pechauer break cues. Especially the Black Ice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Black ice shaft is great to use, for those that have always had a hard break, you will have to adjust down a bit. Once you do, youll see that it still provides a strong break while letting you maintain control of the cue ball.

As for the break vs regular cue discussion, for us, the important piece is that we aren't smashing the regular playing tip that we use and the break tip we use doesn't mushroom either.
 
cubswin

cubswin

Just call me Joe...
Silver Member
My break cue is a cheap j&j jump break with a white diamond tip and cored out the butt end to be a bit lighter than the stock ones.

The shaft is around 13.75mm, and the taper is fairly quick. For 8 and 9 ball it is perfect to me, and I can also jump with as a full cue or breaking it down as a jump cue. I can break with my playing cue, but I tend to bang the butt on the edge of the table and get too many dings. Not to mention I want a jump cue, so I get the best of both worlds in a very inexpensive package.
 
Texas Carom Club

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
right now im breaking with my players cue thats under 13 ounces better than ive ever broke in my life, and playing with the same cue,

both of my cheapo players cues can smash the rack and play fine as well

i go back and forth from using the player or my breaker with 13.5mm white diamond tip
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
cubswin said:
My break cue is a cheap j&j jump break with a white diamond tip and cored out the butt end to be a bit lighter than the stock ones.

The shaft is around 13.75mm, and the taper is fairly quick. For 8 and 9 ball it is perfect to me, and I can also jump with as a full cue or breaking it down as a jump cue. I can break with my playing cue, but I tend to bang the butt on the edge of the table and get too many dings. Not to mention I want a jump cue, so I get the best of both worlds in a very inexpensive package.
Click to expand...
Same thing i use. Works great for basically no money compared to some of the hi-dollar stuff.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
PoodlePuncher said:
It's been over 20 years since i've looked at cues, so i'm wondering

Aside from a hard tip, what differentiates a "Break" cue from a "Regular" cue?
is there a different taper?

I see a few that are heavier (~25oz), but most are offered in the standard weights up to 21oz.

Any reason to buy a "purpose built" Break cue, vs throwing a phenolic tip on a regular cue?
Click to expand...

Without trying out a bunch of them really no way to know what you will like. I swap break cues easily and don't complain much about any of them from a house cue to my son's $700 carbon fiber red Predator thing.

No reason to buy one or even use a phenolic tip on one till you tried out a handful to know what you prefer. It's not like you are buying a car based on how fast it is and nothing else, you are buying something that fits how you like the feel of the hit and the balance, which only you will know when you try it.

Anything you use that is the only thing you have used is a beginning, that is why they sell 4x8 cases LOL

Go to a pool hall, make some friends and ask to try out what they use, I feel you need to have tried at least 5-6 different things to get an idea of what you will like and 10+ to become a bit of an expert on it. Same advice I give to anyone asking about opinions about anything, speakers, cars, headphones, keyboards, anything that has a personal side to the feel of it.
 
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PoodlePuncher

PoodlePuncher

Registered
I'm not looking to buy one... was just curious if there was a design difference or if is purely a marketing thing to sell more cues.
 
justnum

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
PoodlePuncher said:
I'm not looking to buy one... was just curious if there was a design difference or if is purely a marketing thing to sell more cues.
Click to expand...

this forum is not trained in sales promotion yet.


please see pre recorded billiard material on youtube

there should be a section for it on the Main AZ site

what is a cue stick. cue companies should have press packs for that stuff
 
cubswin

cubswin

Just call me Joe...
Silver Member
PoodlePuncher said:
I'm not looking to buy one... was just curious if there was a design difference or if is purely a marketing thing to sell more cues.
Click to expand...

Yes, thicker shaft, stiffer taper, hard tip, usually shorter phenolic ferrule. At least for most break cues.

Gilbert jump/break cue actually makes a great playing cue.
 
lakeman77

lakeman77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Download a Predator break speed app for your phone. Not expensive. Measures cue ball speed by sound, like sonar in milliseconds. I think you will find there is almost no difference in cue ball speed with different cues. It's all technique.
Playing cue, fancy break cue, all the same more or less. At least it was for me.
 
Ghosst

Ghosst

Broom Handle Mafia
Silver Member
PoodlePuncher said:
I'm not looking to buy one... was just curious if there was a design difference or if is purely a marketing thing to sell more cues.
Click to expand...

Most purpose-built breakers are quite a bit different from a regular cue. The answers have been given a few times but in general:

Conical taper
Hard tip
Short ferrule

The weight is dependent on the player. I like a lighter break cue, some people like heavier ones.

Every pool company wants to sell more stuff. These work and are worth it for me. YMMV.
 
PoodlePuncher

PoodlePuncher

Registered
cubswin said:
Yes, thicker shaft, stiffer taper, hard tip, usually shorter phenolic ferrule. At least for most break cues.

Gilbert jump/break cue actually makes a great playing cue.
Click to expand...


Ghosst said:
Most purpose-built breakers are quite a bit different from a regular cue. The answers have been given a few times but in general:

Conical taper
Hard tip
Short ferrule

The weight is dependent on the player. I like a lighter break cue, some people like heavier ones.

Every pool company wants to sell more stuff. These work and are worth it for me. YMMV.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys, That's what i was looking for.
 
S

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
cubswin said:
My break cue is a cheap j&j jump break with a white diamond tip and cored out the butt end to be a bit lighter than the stock ones.

The shaft is around 13.75mm, and the taper is fairly quick. For 8 and 9 ball it is perfect to me, and I can also jump with as a full cue or breaking it down as a jump cue. I can break with my playing cue, but I tend to bang the butt on the edge of the table and get too many dings. Not to mention I want a jump cue, so I get the best of both worlds in a very inexpensive package.
Click to expand...
If you quit dropping your elbow, you will quit bashing your cue on the edge of the rail.

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour
 
justnum

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
does the elbow drop apply to the taller long armed players with a wrist tricept ratio of 0.25 or only to shorters players with a ratio of 0.87?

this billiard preaching might by applied in the wrong setting.
 
cubswin

cubswin

Just call me Joe...
Silver Member
Scott Lee said:
If you quit dropping your elbow, you will quit bashing your cue on the edge of the rail.

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour
Click to expand...
Well I'm not changing the break, since it works quite well for me.
 
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