Really how important is a spare (2nd) shaft???

Definite need. Every appropriate action required to prevent an accident is kinda what defines an accident.

Whassa man gonna play with while he get his tip done?

Can't just stand there like a simpleton!

Have had it happen in a big tournament before.
I was a bit inexperienced at the time.
An old salt told me to always have a spare shaft with
a tip on that has had some play time. Exactly the same
shaft and tip as my player.
Since buying one 8 years ago it has never come up again.
But, if it does I’ll be glad. A Boy Scout is always prepared.
A luxury, yep.

Having read the rest...sure, it is a luxury until it is a need.

Definitely had tips come off, ferrules loosen. smashed that damn thing in anger too. :shrug:

couldnthinkof01 said:

Have had it happen in a big tournament before.
I was a bit inexperienced at the time.
An old salt told me to always have a spare shaft with
a tip on that has had some play time. Exactly the same
shaft and tip as my player.
Since buying one 8 years ago it has never come up again.
But, if it does I’ll be glad. A Boy Scout is always prepared.
A luxury, yep.

Click to expand...

I like to have a few...slightly different, though I will admit to having 2 sets of identicals...and about 6 others of variying diameter and ferrule type.

Black-Balled said:

I like to have a few...slightly different, though I will admit to having 2 sets of identicals...and about 6 others of variying diameter and ferrule type.

Click to expand...

Your not that guy with a certain shaft/ tip for a certain shot/ game are ya?



**I think I should clarify for the o.p.

If there is a problem with your shaft/ferrule/tip during an
important match you will want to have the second one.

Confidence in your equipment is very important. You
want a shaft and tip that is the same so there are no
new variables. You just screw on the backup and get back to
work. You want a tip with some play on it because new tips
have a break in period ( in my experience). Having this in
place can be the difference in winning and losing.
Once you lost enough to be sick of it, you take all
precautions to limit variables and Stay prepared.

Is he an egomaniac because he carries a spare?

Or does he carry a spare because he is an egomaniac?

HeadCase said:

My playing cue is an old searing cue. I feel that it’s well made. I put my own tips on and have never had one fall off. Maybe I just don’t think it’s an absolute necessity I suppose. A luxury, yes... necessary- that’s the question

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I believe it is a necessity if I have a lot riding on my play.

Personal preference I suppose.

Some guys will just borrow a cue or grab another off the wall
and never miss a beat.

As bad as I play I need all the help I can get.

If your Doug Smith, better have about 30. I watched him snap 17, in one night. Pissed off, miss a shot, snap, get another one, snap, snap, snap, snap. We were crackin up. Anybody that knows him though (Dallas area) knows he always had about 40 shafts, and 12 butts, at any given time.

Its like having a jack and a set of jumper cables in your vehicle. You dont need them, until you need them. If you dont have them, you might find yourself SOL and JWF at an inopportune time. :thumbup:

Spare shaft

I am not leaving the house without one. Even just playing casually or league, I still want a spare.

I have had nights where I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, changed shafts and made a decent showing. Why? No clue, but it happens. For me it's a necessity.

I replace my own tips too and I have never had one fall off. But I like a spare just so if the tip on one starts getting too low and I don't have time to change it before the next league night, I can just switch over to the other one.

Plus, I like to practice every day. So while one tip is setting overnight, I practice with the other one that day.


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums

Insurance is everything.

HeadCase said:

I’m trying to settle something with an ego maniac.

Is it really important to have a second shaft for your playing cue?

I was explaining that as long as you have a good tip installed the chances of something happening to the shaft/tip during a tournament is pretty minuscule...

Am I way off? Isn’t a spare shaft a luxury or is it really that important?

Thoughts?
How many of you have had a tip pop off (playing cue) during an important event?

Click to expand...

I don't keep second/third/fourth shafts as only spares but also to try out different tips and shaft types along with different cues. Between my son and me, we have at least two and up to 6 shafts in three different joint types. One of my cues came with three 3/8x10 shafts and we also have two Players HXT shafts in 3/8x10 a 11.75 and a 12.5mm one, an OB1+ in 3/8 x 10, a custom cue maker LD shaft in 3/8x10 and two McDermott 3/8x10 shafts, along with 4 different 3/8x10 butts to use with those combination. In radial we have a single butt but we have 2 shafts that match that, the original custom and an OB1+ that was originally a 3/8x10 that we had converted to a radial to try out on different butts.

Do we use all of those often, no. But we do have them to try out if things are not feeling "right" in our playing, or for just a change, or for fun to play with a $1,000 cue using a $50 cheap shaft, or to have friends / new pool players try out cues and shafts to they can see what they like.

We do always carry at least two shafts for our playing cues to tournaments, it may get dinged during play, we may feel off and a different shaft may help confidence or shot making that day, or a tip issue (which has happened twice to me and at least once to my son). Both of us had a cue knocked over by someone, lost tips and got a cracked ferrule one time.

HeadCase said:

My playing cue is an old searing cue. I feel that it’s well made. I put my own tips on and have never had one fall off. Maybe I just don’t think it’s an absolute necessity I suppose. A luxury, yes... necessary- that’s the question

Click to expand...

Is having a Searing cue necessary to play with? I bet if I took your shaft and put it on another cue with similar balance and weight you are not likely to notice any difference in your shot making or position play.

In fact I do the same thing with my cues, I have a $1,000 Ned Morris, when I stick the shafts I use on it on a $50 Lucky cue that was left at a pool hall, I don't miss any more.

Is a fancy cue more important than a second shaft? I think not, you would be smarter to have a cheaper cue but several shafts.

A cue like a Searing is way more of a luxury than extra shafts. It's about like driving a Ferrari when you can do just fine with a Nissan 350ZX and a truck for winter along with a Mercedes sedan for family trips.

.



I just read on Facebook that there is no need for a spare shaft.

If a tip comes off the guy said he'll run racks with a broom from the closet.


Lots of funny stuff on the internet.




.

jimmyco said:

Is he an egomaniac because he carries a spare?

Or does he carry a spare because he is an egomaniac?

Click to expand...

I would say yes.

for me, I dont need 2nd 3rd shafts as spares, I need them to have different tips on and play with them all.

I don’t think anyone here is playing for a living so really how big a deal is it. I have had a tip come off while playing 1 time in 30 years. I’m all about carrying as little as possible now. My cue case is a 2x4 . in the 2 spare shaft holes I keep my jump cue. If it happens it happens. I’ll grab a house cue and finish the day. I’m not playing to pay the bills or in the u.s. open so at the end of the day it’s not the end of the world.