Are Break Cues Worth It?

EasyEd77

Registered
Let me start by saying that I mainly play pool on my home table. When I purchased the table, it came with a set of Cuetec 1 piece graphite cues. I have always used the 21oz house stick to break. Lately I have been playing a lot more pool and I see there are a ton of break cues on the market. How much difference would they really make? I am 42, have been playing pool all my life, and at 225 pounds can really lay into the cue ball.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Let me start by saying that I mainly play pool on my home table. When I purchased the table, it came with a set of Cuetec 1 piece graphite cues. I have always used the 21oz house stick to break. Lately I have been playing a lot more pool and I see there are a ton of break cues on the market. How much difference would they really make? I am 42, have been playing pool all my life, and at 225 pounds can really lay into the cue ball.
If you play at home and like the Cuetec i'd just keep using it. Some of the newer break cues can give more ball speed but they aren't cheap.
 

Andrew Manning

Aspiring know-it-all
Silver Member
The biggest value of a break cue is saving your playing cue from potential damage or excessive wear and tear on the tip. In this sense, literally any cue that isn't your main player provides 100% of this value.

If you want a little more power and a little better control on your break, a better (more expensive) break cue can help some. If you feel you have plenty of break power and good CB control, save your money and stick with what's working.
 

DelawareDogs

The Double Deuce…
Silver Member
I see a lot of lighter break cues nowadays, or very near what the playing cue is.

I buy a $100 players jump/break, generally in a low weight like 18oz.

Is it worth it? I can certainly tell the difference in breaking with a house cue and what's in my bag.

Being able to lay into a break shot has less value when control and spreading the balls well is at play.
 

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
You can put a much harder tip on it than your player
But a good player with a lepro tip will break just fine with good technique

I got one cause, **** it why not
 

pwd72s

recreational banger
Silver Member
The biggest value of a break cue is saving your playing cue from potential damage or excessive wear and tear on the tip. In this sense, literally any cue that isn't your main player provides 100% of this value.

If you want a little more power and a little better control on your break, a better (more expensive) break cue can help some. If you feel you have plenty of break power and good CB control, save your money and stick with what's working.

This..................
 

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
I use to have a nice little Break Cue, 16.9 or 17.0 Oz it was tip was Tiger Ice Breaker, that is why I was doing a 9 ball Bar Tournment weekly. Forgot to say it was a wonderful to for breaking.

Switch to One Pocket, Playing & Breaker SAME.
 
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EasyEd77

Registered
I see a lot of lighter break cues nowadays, or very near what the playing cue is.

I buy a $100 players jump/break, generally in a low weight like 18oz.

Is it worth it? I can certainly tell the difference in breaking with a house cue and what's in my bag.

Being able to lay into a break shot has less value when control and spreading the balls well is at play.

I am just curious when it comes to technique, where is your preferred spot on the cue ball to aim. I always place the cue ball about a foot in front of the table diamond on the rear RH rail, line a dot up on the cue ball with the head ball on the rack ball ,and try and strike the cue ball dead center. If its a good rack I usually spread the balls out well and pocket at least 1. Anyone have any tips to improve?
 

Toxictom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think my breaks have improved since using a dedicated break cue. I almost always drop at least one nowadays. I just have a Rhino jump/break with a phenolic tip and they're only $80 or so new. That's cheap enough to park it if you're not happy with it versus >$450 for a Predator BK2. However, I did use my teammates BK2 the other night and it felt great and hit em like a Mack truck.
 

Dave-Kat

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I believe so. If you do not have the money just snag an inexpensive dedicated breaker with super hard tip. Weight is personal. I get more speed and better results with lighter breaker because I lack the power.

BK2 if you can snag one for $300 or under ( you will never loose money only becoming more scarce) I bought one about a year ago on eBay for about $300 after trying some breaks with friends. My break was weak and horrible. Probably my most improved part of my game since it went into my case.

Tried a bunch of break cues, tips, shafts with incorporated composite ferrules/tips/technology over the last few years and that BK2 is the king for me. Always getting asked if I want to sell it by guys using new $600 breakers saying they should have kept their BK2 they let go for newer hype/technology.

Cheers,

-Kat,
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am just curious when it comes to technique, where is your preferred spot on the cue ball to aim. I always place the cue ball about a foot in front of the table diamond on the rear RH rail, line a dot up on the cue ball with the head ball on the rack ball ,and try and strike the cue ball dead center. If its a good rack I usually spread the balls out well and pocket at least 1. Anyone have any tips to improve?

How to break depends on the game and how the rack was done. No one size fit all. So many things affect it, how tight the rack is, where the gaps are, where you plan to leave the cueball for a shot at the next ball, where you want the balls heading, etc... There is a number of places to use as a starting point, then adjust based on what happens.

Find Joe Tuckers racking secrets video and pick it up, well worth it. I think there is also something on Youtube with Mika where he does a great job explaining how to break in a pretty short time.
 
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j2pac

Marital Slow Learner.
Staff member
Moderator
Gold Member
Silver Member
Let me start by saying that I mainly play pool on my home table. When I purchased the table, it came with a set of Cuetec 1 piece graphite cues. I have always used the 21oz house stick to break. Lately I have been playing a lot more pool and I see there are a ton of break cues on the market. How much difference would they really make? I am 42, have been playing pool all my life, and at 225 pounds can really lay into the cue ball.

I paid less than $100.00 for my J&J jump/break. It's a rack crushing weapon. Well worth every penny, IMO. ;)
 

trinacria

in efren we trust
Silver Member
The original sledgehammer by gulyassi before mcdermott bought the name, the only break cue ibe eber tried worth the money. My dumbass sold it when i was going through my try everythimg stage. But yeah, some break cues are good, better than a house cue. Mezz makes a pretty damn good one. If youre used to house cues they work too. Its all a personal choice
 

asbani

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I paid less than $100.00 for my J&J jump/break. It's a rack crushing weapon. Well worth every penny, IMO. ;)

I'm thinking of buying one, but how does it jump? have you compared the jump with other big brands for jump cues?
 

Brookeland Bill

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Let me start by saying that I mainly play pool on my home table. When I purchased the table, it came with a set of Cuetec 1 piece graphite cues. I have always used the 21oz house stick to break. Lately I have been playing a lot more pool and I see there are a ton of break cues on the market. How much difference would they really make? I am 42, have been playing pool all my life, and at 225 pounds can really lay into the cue ball.

Grab a House cue off the rack and just bust ‘em. It’s that complicated.
 

buckshotshoey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am just curious when it comes to technique, where is your preferred spot on the cue ball to aim. I always place the cue ball about a foot in front of the table diamond on the rear RH rail, line a dot up on the cue ball with the head ball on the rack ball ,and try and strike the cue ball dead center. If its a good rack I usually spread the balls out well and pocket at least 1. Anyone have any tips to improve?

Yeah.... do all if the above, and leave the cue ball in the middle of the table.

As for do you really need a break cue? Not really I guess. But what about you guys that play with a soft tip? Do you really want to break with it?
As for grabbing a house cue, it just became a dedicated break cue. You just dont have to pay for it.
 
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j2pac

Marital Slow Learner.
Staff member
Moderator
Gold Member
Silver Member
I'm thinking of buying one, but how does it jump? have you compared the jump with other big brands for jump cues?

It knocks a ball off of the table just fine. ;) I don't attempt jump shots that often, but it does the job. I have hit the best break shots of my life with it. :cool:
 

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
The biggest value of a break cue is saving your playing cue from potential damage or excessive wear and tear on the tip. In this sense, literally any cue that isn't your main player provides 100% of this value.

This^^^^^^^^

FWIW, in my experience I have tried numbers of various brands of break/jump-break cues on the market over the years, from the cheapest to the most expensive.

My findings have been that as far as breaking goes (jumping is a different matter), I have found the inexpensive break cues to be just as adequate as the expensive ones.

YMMV

Maniac
 

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
I paid less than $100.00 for my J&J jump/break. It's a rack crushing weapon. Well worth every penny, IMO. ;)

Yep.

I have a couple of the inexpensive Action jump/break cues and they not only break well, they jump as good as I need them to.

Maniac
 
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