Rubber bases on cues

cjr3559

cjr3559

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Dumb question and observation:

I was watching the Hustler again recently, and was noticing how the cues that Fats and Eddie were using didn't have rubber bases on them. Every time they dropped the butt of their cue on the floor it made a sound. It's especially noticable in their first matchup.

I would have thought that by 1960 cues would have had rubber bases on them, especially top models that I assume they were using.

Can any cue historians share some insight on this?
 
Kevin Lindstrom

Kevin Lindstrom

14.1 Addict
Silver Member
I agree

I am anxious to hear about this as well. I never understood the Hoppe butt with no rubber bumper. In addition I don't understand why the modern day "Hoppe" cues are without a rubber bumper. Other than the looks to match the old school cues wht would you NOT want a rubber bumper.

Thanks for any insight to my wonderings.

Kevin
 
Cornerman

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
Kevin Lindstrom said:
I am anxious to hear about this as well. I never understood the Hoppe butt with no rubber bumper. In addition I don't understand why the modern day "Hoppe" cues are without a rubber bumper. Other than the looks to match the old school cues wht would you NOT want a rubber bumper.

Thanks for any insight to my wonderings.

Kevin
Click to expand...

Here's one plausible reason:

Depending on the construction, there can be a distinct sound and feel difference with and without a bumper. The bumper can help to dampen vibration to the grip hand. That's desirable for some and a complete nuisance to others.

Fred
 
Tom In Cincy

Tom In Cincy

AKA SactownTom
Silver Member
IMO the sound track engineer added these sounds to the movie.
The engineer probably thought the cue butt end was solid and would make a solid hit on the wooden floor.
Did you ever see the bottom of the cues? or just listened to the sound?


Chuck (2) said:
Dumb question and observation:

I was watching the Hustler again recently, and was noticing how the cues that Fats and Eddie were using didn't have rubber bases on them. Every time they dropped the butt of their cue on the floor it made a sound. It's especially noticable in their first matchup.

I would have thought that by 1960 cues would have had rubber bases on them, especially top models that I assume they were using.

Can any cue historians share some insight on this?
Click to expand...
 
cjr3559

cjr3559

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tom In Cincy said:
IMO the sound track engineer added these sounds to the movie.
The engineer probably thought the cue butt end was solid and would make a solid hit on the wooden floor.
Did you ever see the bottom of the cues? or just listened to the sound?
Click to expand...

That crossed my mind, but there are some quick shots of the cue where you can see there is no rubber base on the cue.

I can see where the soundtrack engineer or even the director would have wanted to hear the sound of the cue hitting the floor especially when players tap their cue on the floor in appreciation of a nice shot. Fats does this to Eddie once.
 
Tom In Cincy

Tom In Cincy

AKA SactownTom
Silver Member
Not much of a sound on carpeted floors. Wooden floors yes.
Taping for good shots was a compliment from the non-shooting players.

But, more often in those days the snapping of the fingers from the 'sweaters' or 'railbirds' was the more common means of complimenting the shooter on GREAT shots.

I'll have to look at the movie again (always a pleasure) and see if I can capture the scenes where you can see the end Cap of the Butt.

Tom


Chuck (2) said:
That crossed my mind, but there are some quick shots of the cue where you can see there is no rubber base on the cue.

I can see where the soundtrack engineer or even the director would have wanted to hear the sound of the cue hitting the floor especially when players tap their cue on the floor in appreciation of a nice shot. Fats does this to Eddie once.
Click to expand...
 
Scaramouche

Scaramouche

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Snooker cues that accommodate a screw-in extension obviously don't have rubber bases, so were extensions used on pool cues when bigger tables were more common?
 
14oneman

14oneman

Straight, no chaser!
Silver Member
Chuck (2) said:
Dumb question and observation:

I was watching the Hustler again recently, and was noticing how the cues that Fats and Eddie were using didn't have rubber bases on them. Every time they dropped the butt of their cue on the floor it made a sound. It's especially noticable in their first matchup.

I would have thought that by 1960 cues would have had rubber bases on them, especially top models that I assume they were using.

Can any cue historians share some insight on this?
Click to expand...


The cues in The Hustler were made by Herman Rambow, and he never used bumpers to my knowledge. I once owned a Rambow, and it had no bumper. Neither did the Rambow my father had.
 
Kevin Lindstrom

Kevin Lindstrom

14.1 Addict
Silver Member
More opinion

14oneman said:
The cues in The Hustler were made by Herman Rambow, and he never used bumpers to my knowledge. I once owned a Rambow, and it had no bumper. Neither did the Rambow my father had.
Click to expand...

Did they hit with more vibration or a different feel as Fred has mentioned above?

I would think blindfolded I would not be able to tell the difference between a cue with a rubber bumper and one without. I think I will remove the rubber bumper from my own cues tonight to see if it changes the hit and feel of the cue(s).

I think the rubber bumpers were incorporated into cues as a way to protect a valuable investment. Especially if the butt cap is Ivory. Just my thought.

Kevin
 
Rich93

Rich93

A Small Time Charlie
Silver Member
14oneman said:
The cues in The Hustler were made by Herman Rambow, and he never used bumpers to my knowledge. I once owned a Rambow, and it had no bumper. Neither did the Rambow my father had.
Click to expand...

You beat me to it. Rambows didn't have rubber bumpers (I had one too once). In those days people tapped for a nice shot - there were no carpets in pool rooms.
 
cjr3559

cjr3559

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's more information I found about Herman Rambow for those who are interested. It even mentions that he normally didn't use the rubber bumper on the butt of the cue.

This is courtesy of the International Cuemakers Association - Hall of Fame:

Herman Rambow: Inducted 2004

Born in 1880, Rambow worked off and on for Brunswick from the time he was 14 until 1950. He started out as a mail boy and turned Ivory Balls, working his way up. Rambow built cues all the way up to his death in 1967.

Rambow is given credit with inventing the piloted joint. It had the screw in the butt and a brass insert with wood pilot tenon similar to the stainless steel jointed cues we see today. Rambow mainly used brass joints. Rambow had a lot of equipment that he built himself. He even had a homemade three jaw chuck that was completely made out of wood. Almost everything on his lathe was made out of wood.

His cues normally did not have a rubber bumper and often had a thin ivory ring around the bottom above the short plastic butt plate. This ring is now referred to as the Rambow ring.

It was a Rambow that Willie Mosconi ran his record 526 balls in a row with in 1956. In 1968 Herman Rambow was the first cuemaker ever inducted into the Billiard Congress of America?s Hall of Fame.
 
B

bell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tap tap

I love the old hardwood floors and the solid "tap" of those cues with no bumper. It was a clear and sonorous sign of respect for the opponent. Nowdays with carpets and ubiquitious rubber bumpers there is no more tap and players are reducted to verbally saying "tap, tap" or jacking a silent cue in the air. I dont think the bumpers are that necessary anyway. If I played in a joint with hardwood floors I would totaly have a cue with ABS/Delrin buttplate and tap tap to my hearts content.
 
Jack Justis

Jack Justis

CASEMAKER
Silver Member
Rubber Bumpers on Cues

It was mainly a carry over of the massive rubber shortage during World War 2 (1941 - 1945). All available rubber was using to build tires for the military vehicles. See, being old does have its advantages.:boring2:
 
14oneman

14oneman

Straight, no chaser!
Silver Member
Kevin Lindstrom said:
Did they hit with more vibration or a different feel as Fred has mentioned above?

I would think blindfolded I would not be able to tell the difference between a cue with a rubber bumper and one without. I think I will remove the rubber bumper from my own cues tonight to see if it changes the hit and feel of the cue(s).

I think the rubber bumpers were incorporated into cues as a way to protect a valuable investment. Especially if the butt cap is Ivory. Just my thought.

Kevin
Click to expand...


Kevin, I can't say that it made a difference. The cue hit like it hit. Since I never put a bumper on it, I have no frame of reference to compare. I will say that all the cues I've owned, have/had distinct hits, and I have shot with a few of them, with the bumpers removed, and noticed no difference, if that helps.

P.S. I didn't forget about your mention of The Yankee Club. I know it's been a long time, but a series of events called "life", has put a damper on some of my activities, but I will contact you, when time allows, I promise. It sounds like a nice place.
 
StudntofHmanMvs

StudntofHmanMvs

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cornerman said:
Here's one plausible reason:

Depending on the construction, there can be a distinct sound and feel difference with and without a bumper. The bumper can help to dampen vibration to the grip hand. That's desirable for some and a complete nuisance to others.

Fred
Click to expand...

I can attest to this. The past two cues I've shot with have had their weight bolts removed. First was a Lucasi I bought in '98, and I think the weight bolt actually held the bumper in place. So no bolt=no bumper. Then along came a moochie SP and by that time I was already used to shooting without a bumper, so I just kept it off.
 
Ralph Kramden

Ralph Kramden

BOOM!.. ZOOM!.. MOON!
Silver Member
bell said:
I love the old hardwood floors and the solid "tap" of those cues with no bumper. It was a clear and sonorous sign of respect for the opponent.
Click to expand...

Tap, Tap to you my friend.
It was a respectful way for complimenting an extremely nice or difficult shot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top