Cue Weight

MattPoland said:

Question
Anyone have strong opinions about heavy/light playing/break cues?

Background
Tonight I tried making my playing cue maximum heavy (Uniloc Weight Kit) and would swap between my BK Rush shaft to break and Revo shaft to play (same butt). Something dawned on me. I think I like it.

As a break cue it felt normal to me. The playing cue felt heavy. I’ve been playing with a light cue trying to shoot daintily with finesse. I learned I can still finesse with a heavy cue. I also learned a heavy cue has its own mass, momentum, inertia. By that I mean my stroke might not be perfect. But a heavy cue seems to resist any lateral movement in my stroke.


Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)

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My player weighs 20.5 oz to 24.5 oz depending on which extension is on.

I believe a slightly heavier cue helps stroke errors. I have noticed that in high pressure games that I do best with a heavier cue. It seems to help me keep the cue on the shot line much easier.

As for using spin and English, well, after one adjusts to the extra weight it's really not a big deal as they get use to letting the cue do the work.

To me, learning to "let", not "make" the cue do the work is what makes the difference between a good stroke and a great stroke.

I think we all have sweet spots in cue weight. I also think that particular weight changes as we age.

I also think that complete beginners are better off with heavy cues and reducing a little weight ever so often till they have developed a stroke.

Rake

One of the top local players has a HEAVY Durbin cue. Its around 23oz iirc. I tried it the other day and really liked it. Seemed like it stayed on-line by itself. Current cue is 19.5oz and i'm thinking off getting a inexpensive, heavy import cue just to test for a while.

A few years ago one of our league players/casual cue collectors asked me to replicate the dimensions of a big name cue he had stolen in the 70's after a block of lockers at his regular hall in NY were jimmied and ransacked. In his memory, it weighed 24oz x 61" long.

I made a simple full splice 'Pete with those dimensions. What was interesting is how many of the women, (small young women, mostly) loved shooting with that cue. Innuendo aside, there was something about the mass and tracking that helped some of the beginning and mid-level players.

OTOH, I've often said "when things aren't working, change your cue, any cue" It's less that a new or different cue will really do anything physically to make you shoot better; however a "different" cue will often re-focus your mind by subtly making you pay attention again in ways that had slipped. When you start noticing how the "new" cue is deficient and can consciously and efficiently compensate, go back to one of your regular, comfortable players.

smt

My preference is lighter because it is easier to get more Cue speed with a light Cue than say a 22-OZer.

The simple reply or answer is "Yes" and IMO, the cue butt weight & shaft
weight proportionality (ratio) becomes very imporfant to get the best results.


Matt B.

Bavafongoul said:

The simple reply or answer is "Yes" and IMO, the cue butt weight & shaft
weight proportionality (ratio) becomes very imporfant to get the best results.


Matt B.

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Thank you for a nearly succinct reply

MattPoland said:

Question
Anyone have strong opinions about heavy/light playing/break cues?

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... I don't have strong opinions, but I have lots of useful info here:

optimal cue weight

Enjoy,
Dave

I want it to be well balanced just a little forward heavy and weighing about a pound and a quarter.

dr_dave said:

... I don't have strong opinions, but I have lots of useful info here:

optimal cue weight

Enjoy,
Dave

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great info there. k.

i played cues around 19 for a few years
then john Chaplin made me a 68 inch cue that weighed 24 oz

i played my best pool ever with it

I just ordered a Bob Runde at 59 inches and 20.5

Can't say that it makes a lot of difference except the long cue was better for some reason

I used to play golf,we always put lead tape on the clubs to affect the flight of the ball


I think if I were serious and playing,I would get some lead tape and experiment with where and how much weight was best

the weight is the same and it won't hurt the cue,its a cheap way to experiment

deanoc said:

i played cues around 19 for a few years
then john Chaplin made me a 68 inch cue that weighed 24 oz

i played my best pool ever with it

I just ordered a Bob Runde at 59 inches and 20.5

Can't say that it makes a lot of difference except the long cue was better for some reason

I used to play golf,we always put lead tape on the clubs to affect the flight of the ball


I think if I were serious and playing,I would get some lead tape and experiment with where and how much weight was best

the weight is the same and it won't hurt the cue,its a cheap way to experiment

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Years ago, when I played my best, I had all my cues made at 21 ounces.

I only started shooting with lighter cues a few years ago, when I sent my main player off to be completely refinished. I bought lighter cues because they are easier to sell, should I decide to sell them.

I used to have a friend who used lead tape on his cue all the time. He wasn't a champion, but he liked to experiment. He would wrap it around the forearm in different amounts and places to experiment with forward weighting and balancing. If he didn't like that, he would change the amount of tape and move it up or down the cue.

I actually think that may be a good way to decide exactly what you like best.

Dean...I really wish you could try a Becue out. I think you would like them.

Is a Be cue theblack graphite

i want to try one,i have been eager to try one

but no one has offered to loan me one or trade one in on somethomg

deanoc said:

Is a Be cue theblack graphite

i want to try one,i have been eager to try one

but no one has offered to loan me one or trade one in on somethomg

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The Becue is the carbon fiber cue made in Italy. The shaft is solid white, not black like the REVO. The butt is made of carbon fiber also.