Cue butt a bit warped - fix it or leave it?

Vahmurka

...and I get all da rolls
Silver Member
Recently I discovered the butt of my cue got slightly warped. I never really bothered about checking so far, and even now I don't think it does influence the cue delivery line. Yet subconsciously, you know, it might get on me, especially if I it happens I miss a ball - and I sure will miss :grin-square:

So the question is
a) whether I should try to fix it
b) is there any way of doing that other than applying pressure to the "high point" of the warp?

Our local cuemaker (Russian cues, mind you, are built differently), who is very skilled at repairing all those warps these cues develop, likes to say that pool cues have a basic flaw in construction, and that's a point where the forearm is connected to the wrap/grip part - namely a tenon. Most often pool cue butts get warped in that point, and he says it is of no use to try to bend them back because one is likely to just break that weak part.
So he says in regard with that "flaw", pool cues are as good as they remain straight (and that might be forever), but as long as they get warped, that's it and there is nothing to do about that.

My cue butt warped a bit at this very point he talks about...

All that said, please share your opinion whether I should give it a try to apply some pressure on the warp or just leave it? I know how to repair the warps in general, but never tried to deal with pool butt sleeves so far.
 
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KJ Cues

Pro Cue Builder & Repair
Silver Member
The 'A' jnt., it's the weakest connection within a cue.
The base of the forearm is 1"+/-.
The tenon from the handle is 5/8" dia. or there abouts.
That leaves a 3/16" F/A sidewall thickness.
The 5/8"+/- tenon is all that keeps the handle connected to the F/A (and the rest of the cue).
With the shaft attached, you've got a 42"+ lever out in front of it.
That tenon can be strengthened with a screw running THRU it but that's not always the case.
Sometimes the metal screw exists only at the front half of the tenon.
Just to ask the question, I wonder the force needed to snap a 5/8" dowel at 42"?

The jnt connecting the shaft is .840"+/- though it resides on a 5/8" tenon,
but this one has a metal screw running thru it.
Some of those don't get as deep into the F/A as they should be.
That leads to a 'shear-point' at the base of the tenon.
The 'A' is one of the areas that I look upon as the 'art' of cue construction.
That's where it all begins.

KJ

BTW, You're correct, the butt is at risk being forceably bent.
 

Vahmurka

...and I get all da rolls
Silver Member
I see our local guy is right that he refuses to deal with warped pool butts.

well, let me put it like this. I roll the butt at a flat surface and eyeball the wobble, there is about 2-3 mm warp, the joint end lifts about 1-2 mm when I rotate the cue. Still at a flat surface, I push the warped point down and this straightens the butt.
I have a jig for straightening (fix the ends, apply pressure with a rubber strap). Would you recommend trying to fix the warp in it? I need to bend the butt just so little.
For how long should I leave it in the jig (if I give it a go) - 2 hours, 6 hours, overnight?
 

KJ Cues

Pro Cue Builder & Repair
Silver Member
Bending the cue

I'm not going to try to talk you out of doing it because I have done it myself.
Be advised that should you bend it straight again, it may not stay there.
Go cautiously applying the pressure gradually.
If you have a 2mm rise, go to straight and 2mm further.
Leave it in the fixture for as long as you can stand to be without the cue.
If the cue can experience temperature changes while in the fixture,
you may see a more successful result.

HTHs, KJ
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
The 'A' jnt., it's the weakest connection within a cue.
The base of the forearm is 1"+/-.
The tenon from the handle is 5/8" dia. or there abouts.
That leaves a 3/16" F/A sidewall thickness.
The 5/8"+/- tenon is all that keeps the handle connected to the F/A (and the rest of the cue).
With the shaft attached, you've got a 42"+ lever out in front of it.
That tenon can be strengthened with a screw running THRU it but that's not always the case.
Sometimes the metal screw exists only at the front half of the tenon.
Just to ask the question, I wonder the force needed to snap a 5/8" dowel at 42"?

The jnt connecting the shaft is .840"+/- though it resides on a 5/8" tenon,
but this one has a metal screw running thru it.
Some of those don't get as deep into the F/A as they should be.
That leads to a 'shear-point' at the base of the tenon.
The 'A' is one of the areas that I look upon as the 'art' of cue construction.
That's where it all begins.

KJ

BTW, You're correct, the butt is at risk being forceably bent.

Ah!
Some use wood threads down the handle . Handle has phenolic tube threaded inside.
Paranoid people.
 
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3kushn

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A little warp in the butt of the cue will not make any difference in how it aims or plays. As long as the shaft is 'playable' straight, you are good to go.

I've seen many good players ruined by rolling their cues...

And wait a few months. It might move back to straight.
I have 2 butts that are alive. Right now they're straight. Summer comes they move around a bit. Who cares, shafts are perfect.
 

Floyd_M

"Have Cue, Will Travel"
Silver Member
I talked to a wood specialist last night during pool league and mentioned about warped pool cue.

He said make a rig to hold it from rolling and place warp curve UP and hang some weight, not a lot, on the warps center. Different woods and there thickness dictates the amount of weight. His guess was about 5 Lbs. for a cue butt.
A gallon milk jug 1/2 filled with water is usually handy and about 4 Lbs.
At first, roll check it twice a day. If no noticeable movement every couple days.

Wood will move in it's own time. Don't rush it, the wood cell fibers need gentile persuasion. Otherwise like others said, it can crack.
And since cues are sealed, moisture will take a very long time to infiltrate throughout, not worth that effort, he said.

GOOD LUCK :thumbup:
 
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Vahmurka

...and I get all da rolls
Silver Member
A little warp in the butt of the cue will not make any difference in how it aims or plays
I've seen many good players ruined by rolling their cues...
that must be well the best advice here :thumbup: I persuaded myself to leave it "as is" at least for the time being, as this slight warp hardly influences my game as long as my arm is true.

I agree about rolling! Like we have a saying here, you are supposed to hit a ball with your cue, not be rollling it on the table :p
 

Snooker Theory

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Our local cuemaker (Russian cues, mind you, are built differently), who is very skilled at repairing all those warps these cues develop, likes to say that pool cues have a basic flaw in construction, and that's a point where the forearm is connected to the wrap/grip part - namely a tenon. Most often pool cue butts get warped in that point, and he says it is of no use to try to bend them back because one is likely to just break that weak part.
So he says in regard with that "flaw", pool cues are as good as they remain straight (and that might be forever), but as long as they get warped, that's it and there is nothing to do about that.

My cue butt warped a bit at this very point he talks about...

Interesting, did he give a reason why? I was under the assumption this could sometimes be fixed with a handle change...
 

Snooker Theory

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You do realize you are replying to a post from 5 years ago, right?

Yes I do.

Something to note on my time here, sometimes when folks use the search function like this, they get comments like yours, and then when they post a question/new thread, they are told to use the search function since it has been discussed before.

Since you are a cuemaker and this is your section, do you have a preference? BTW, the original poster who started this thread still signs in and was last on here a few days back, not like I am bumping a thread from a member who no longer posts here.
 

Floyd_M

"Have Cue, Will Travel"
Silver Member
IF there were a vote, I'd vote to keep a thread OPEN until all the pertinent info is acquired.
But then, who's to say NEW info can't be interjected in the future?

I for one would like ALL info to stay in one thread instead of seemingly endless searching threads. Hence, a sticky.

As for Forearm warp. If you think about it, the 2 points, butt hand grasp and shaft hand bridge. If there were even moderate warp, your practice strokes "SHOULD" rule out misalignment., you make adjustments and almost always subconsciously.
The contact point on the cue-ball is momentary. W.C. Fields in his comical movies basically showed even a drastically warped cue can still be used.

BUT OF COURSE, I'm going to get flack from the 'Straight cue' purists. It's all part of the territory of 'HATE' before understanding. :shrug:

So the question arises...
Does an absolutely straight cue make you shoot better? :rolleyes:

.
 

BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
If you never shot a ball straight, :eek:
a straight stick won't make you miss-less, :rolleyes:
it'll make you a (drum roll) . . . a master-misser. :thud:

You were not asking about the indian. So roll your drum someplace else.

Does an absolutely straight cue make you shoot better?

YOUR quoted words ^^^^^

Don't change your answer based on what you thought your question was.
 

Floyd_M

"Have Cue, Will Travel"
Silver Member
You might have skipped class when this was defined...
JOKE:
_A thing that someone says to cause amusement or laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline.
_Talk humorously. Use of lyrics, limericks, parody or rhyme.
_Something said or done to provoke laughter.
_The humorous or ridiculous element in something.

.
 

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BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
You might have skipped class when this was defined...
JOKE:
_A thing that someone says to cause amusement or laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline.
_Talk humorously. Use of lyrics, limericks, parody or rhyme.
_Something said or done to provoke laughter.
_The humorous or ridiculous element in something.

.

Trust me....I can joke with the best.
Just exactly how was I supposed to know you were trying to be the class clown?;)
 
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