Decorative Pins in Cues

Mikey Town

Mikey Town

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi all,

I had an idea that I thought turned out well and wanted to hear your thoughts on it.

I feel like the pin of the cue offers some creative possibilities that haven't been fully explored. We've seen pins made of different materials, but not many that are a decorative feature of the cue (though I'm a big fan of copper pins that compliment a cue design).

I purchased some 3/8X10 Stainless Steel pins and sent them to a gentleman who has done some wonderful work for me in the past with refinishing golf clubs (putters, mainly). He put them through a heat treating process (which involves a torch, and some other details that I don't know) and was able to bring out some great colors in them.

I was a bit concerned with the durability of the finish, so I took the pin in the middle of the photo and screwed/unscrewed it from a shaft a couple hundred times over a few weeks (turns out that this is a healthier option than using your hands to kill a bag of pistachios while watching a baseball game) and I saw no noticeable change to the finish whatsoever.

The pin on the right will be going into a cue I'm currently having built. The other two will most likely sit on my desk until an opportunity to use them comes up. I'm not sure if this has been done before, but I've never seen anything like it, so I'm really looking forward to seeing one of these in a cue with complimentary colors.

What do you guys think? Is this something you'd like to see more of?

Pins.jpeg


Cheers,

Mike
 
ideologist

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
I've tested different steel treatments.

With a metal insert, it will wear off quickly. With a big pin into wood, it will wear off slowly.

What you really need to do is use a different material. I've tested custom forged steel and "Damascus" type before. They work but don't polish out the same.

Lots of trade-offs.

Yours look great, especially the center pin!
 
greyghost

greyghost

Coast to Coast
Silver Member
ideologist said:
I've tested different steel treatments.



With a metal insert, it will wear off quickly. With a big pin into wood, it will wear off slowly.



What you really need to do is use a different material. I've tested custom forged steel and "Damascus" type before. They work but don't polish out the same.



Lots of trade-offs.



Yours look great, especially the center pin!
Click to expand...



Black iron browned and carded would be cool

Anyone need any piss and vinegar you let me know!🤣 I’m out on the water so you know it’s gonna be volatile hahahahaha

On planet bullshit,
-greyghost


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Mikey Town

Mikey Town

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ideologist said:
I've tested different steel treatments.

With a metal insert, it will wear off quickly. With a big pin into wood, it will wear off slowly.

What you really need to do is use a different material. I've tested custom forged steel and "Damascus" type before. They work but don't polish out the same.

Lots of trade-offs.

Yours look great, especially the center pin!
Click to expand...

I was testing it into wood... I can see how metal on metal would yield different results.

Damascus is a great idea... You're right, though... it's doesn't polish out the same. An acid etch would still give you a nice effect, though.

Maybe some Ti-mascus or Mokume Gane would give a more finished looking result.
 
ideologist

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
Mikey Town said:
I was testing it into wood... I can see how metal on metal would yield different results.

Damascus is a great idea... You're right, though... it's doesn't polish out the same. An acid etch would still give you a nice effect, though.

Maybe some Ti-mascus or Mokume Gane would give a more finished looking result.
Click to expand...

I heat treated a pin for a local guy and it was starting to streak off after a few months. A new material would really be the answer.
 
PRED

PRED

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Damascus will delaminate and cause all kinds of problems. I had a Schick with an Ivory nose on the pin. Very decorative.
 
ideologist

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
PRED said:
Damascus will delaminate and cause all kinds of problems. I had a Schick with an Ivory nose on the pin. Very decorative.
Click to expand...

"Will" is pretty strong language there. For the load of holding a shaft onto a butt, it should last forever

You get what you pay for with custom forged metal
 
DawgAndy

DawgAndy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
neat idea with the Damascus, wouldn't think wooden threads would stress it very much at all. I've got an ivory tipped pin that I really dig
 
PRED

PRED

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ideologist said:
"Will" is pretty strong language there. For the load of holding a shaft onto a butt, it should last forever

You get what you pay for with custom forged metal
Click to expand...

That forged rod has to have threads cut or rolled.
 
Last edited:
O

octy81

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If the pins were made from titanium then you could have them anodized and the color should stay for the lifetime of the cue
 
Kingpin

Kingpin

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Anodizing Titanium can be done with 9volt batteries and borax i believe. The more 9 volts you use the more voltage you have, the different voltages are what gived the many different colors. Im sure theres a youtube video for it. lol
 
greyghost

greyghost

Coast to Coast
Silver Member
Mikey Town said:
Hi all,

I had an idea that I thought turned out well and wanted to hear your thoughts on it.

I feel like the pin of the cue offers some creative possibilities that haven't been fully explored. We've seen pins made of different materials, but not many that are a decorative feature of the cue (though I'm a big fan of copper pins that compliment a cue design).

I purchased some 3/8X10 Stainless Steel pins and sent them to a gentleman who has done some wonderful work for me in the past with refinishing golf clubs (putters, mainly). He put them through a heat treating process (which involves a torch, and some other details that I don't know) and was able to bring out some great colors in them.

I was a bit concerned with the durability of the finish, so I took the pin in the middle of the photo and screwed/unscrewed it from a shaft a couple hundred times over a few weeks (turns out that this is a healthier option than using your hands to kill a bag of pistachios while watching a baseball game) and I saw no noticeable change to the finish whatsoever.

The pin on the right will be going into a cue I'm currently having built. The other two will most likely sit on my desk until an opportunity to use them comes up. I'm not sure if this has been done before, but I've never seen anything like it, so I'm really looking forward to seeing one of these in a cue with complimentary colors.

What do you guys think? Is this something you'd like to see more of?

View attachment 491519


Cheers,

Mike
Click to expand...


mikey, what kind of stainless steel is it?
 
Mikey Town

Mikey Town

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
greyghost said:
mikey, what kind of stainless steel is it?
Click to expand...

I’m not 100% sure, but the guy who did the finish said they behaved very much like most of the American 303 Stainless that he’s worked with. That’s a very common material in putters, so he’s very familiar with it.
 
Bavafongoul

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
To be completely candid............why?

When I play with any of my pool cues, I never look at the forearm, butt or joint.
The only thing I see are the ferrules because that's all I look at when I sight in.
Sure, I may glance at my cue when it lays on the pool table when I am racking.
But I do not look at my cues because it is either in my hands shooting or being held.


When my cue isn't assembled, well, my cues have protectors so the pin isn't visible.
When my cue is assembled, the cue joint is screwed togthere so the pin isn't visible.
So why would I, or anyone, want to have a decorative pin that essentially goes unseen.

The only thing I want in a cue is a big pin, or radial pin and also accompanied by flat ivory.
The pin is exposed for maybe 10 -15secs. when I either put on or remove the shaft & protector.
It's never really going to be viewed unless I make it a point to stare at it or flash it around to others.

So with all due respect, I have to again ask why? Aside from a different look, it still plays the same.
When was the last time you were at a tournament or pool hall and asked someone could you see
the pin on their custom made cue? Other than asking what type, that's really all you need to know.


Matt B.
 
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