10 YEAR OLD TIME CAPSULE POST ...Is the world ready for cues to evolve?

8

8onthebreak

THE WORLD IS YOURS
Silver Member
When I think about pool cues, it's hard to believe that they are made almost exactly the same as they were 30-40 yrs ago. Matter of fact, they even look the same. They screw together much the same, and utilize similar woods and materials.

What's scary, is that we actually try to duplicate the past instead of inventing the future, ie bushka, titleist, diamonds and points...seems that when it comes to pool cues, the past is what's marketable. Which begs the question...why?

I consider myself a traditionalist when it comes to pool cues. I want points. Simple. Diamond shapes. Wood, not space age material. I'm not in the least interested in a futuristic cue. But how long can cues go unchanged?

Consider where cars were 40 yrs ago, air travel, computers and cell phones didn't even exist...yet the pool cue has not changed one bit (with the exception of ld shafts and layered tips)...is it because we are not capable or because we are not ready for it?

What will a cue look like in 10 years, gps tracking chips, break speed sensors built into break cue, laser pointers built in, or break cues that have higher mph... Spring loaded ferrules, lol. Joint pins that magnetic locking 1 second together or apart time. Materials that do not warp...forever, tips that don't mushroom, ferrules that don't crack...seems that an alloy material ferrule would make for an incredible hit, and not get scarred by chalk, never crack, etc.

If you step back and think about it...it's easy to imagine looking back, and laughing about when cues were actually made of wood that cracked and warped, and easily dented, and couldn't be left in your trunk.

Do you think cues will ever evolve, will we ever be ready for it. If so, what will they look like ?
 
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Oh I think there is plenty of technology that could be utilized, but this adds elements to the game that aren't accepted as fundamental. Cues have had some "so called" technological advancements, like ld shafts and stabilized core materials for example, but like golf clubs, fishing poles, and baseball bats, there is only so much we will accept. In other words, tech advancements in cues ain't at the core of this game, skill is. Just as with mastery of a musical instrument, pool should be on the player. A beautiful cue is like a beautiful guitar, or piano, or violin etc. there is artistry in the construction, but the skill of the user is the essence of the game. Cues should remain cues and should not become smart cues.
 
8onthebreak said:
When I think about pool cues, it's hard to believe that they are made almost exactly the same as they were 30-40 yrs ago. Matter of fact, they even look the same. They screw together much the same, and utilize similar woods and materials.

What's scary, is that we actually try to duplicate the past instead of inventing the future, ie bushka, titleist, diamonds and points...seems that when it comes to pool cues, the past is what's marketable. Which begs the question...why?

I consider myself a traditionalist when it comes to pool cues. I want points. Simple. Diamond shapes. Wood, not space age material. I'm not in the least interested in a futuristic cue. But how long can cues go unchanged?

Consider where cars were 40 yrs ago, air travel, computers and cell phones didn't even exist...yet the pool cue has not changed one bit (with the exception of ld shafts and layered tips)...is it because we are not capable or because we are not ready for it?

What will a cue look like in 10 years, gps tracking chips, break speed sensors built into break cue, laser pointers built in, or break cues that have higher mph... Spring loaded ferrules, lol. Joint pins that magnetic locking 1 second together or apart time. Materials that do not warp...forever, tips that don't mushroom, ferrules that don't crack...seems that an alloy material ferrule would make for an incredible hit, and not get scarred by chalk, never crack, etc.

If you step back and think about it...it's easy to imagine looking back, and laughing about when cues were actually made of wood that cracked and warped, and easily dented, and couldn't be left in your trunk.

Do you think cues will ever evolve, will we ever be ready for it. If so, what will they look like ?
Click to expand...

Major league baseball bats? Some things should be left alone in order to protect the integrity of the game as it was meant to be. Then came steroids.

What Vince Lombardi actually said was, 'Winning isn't everthing...but it's the only thing worth striving for.'

He was a very religous man & he denounced 'it's' the only thing' numerous times. He was mis-quoted by a writer. Writers often think their way sounds better.
 
I always wondered what a tip made out of a hard vulcanized rubber (like the cushions on a pool table are made of) would be like on a cue. I bet you could spin hell out of 'ol whitey with one of those bad boys.

Anyone ever tried it???

Maniac
 
Pool is a game of tradition, and the cue is one of the center pieces of that tradition IMO. When you find an old traditional style pool cue, it has a certain mystique that you can't get from something more modern. For that reason, I can't see pool cues changing much. The traditional is the pinnacle ;)
 
A cue is basically two pieces of wood jointed together, how much can it actually evolve?
No one has made a better violin than Stradivarius, some things are just best left alone.
 
Look at Tennis rackets and Golf clubs. Wood is imperfect even in a master's hands. The first legit cuemaker that uses high end materials like in other sports will get laughed out of the gym so to speak but later on will be thought of as an innovator.

Graphite, Titanium, alloys, carbon fiber, etc etc can and will be used in the future. Someone has to have the gonads to try.
 
Maniac said:
I always wondered what a tip made out of a hard vulcanized rubber (like the cushions on a pool table are made of) would be like on a cue. I bet you could spin hell out of 'ol whitey with one of those bad boys.

Anyone ever tried it???

Maniac
Click to expand...

I made a tip out of some hard rubber one time thinking the same as you. Although it did spin the ball well, it really bounced off the cue and was very unpredictable. I considered it a failure.
 
If I'm not mistaken, pool cues have been made trying some of things mentioned, laser pointers, titanium and aluminum alloy cues, high speed high impact break tips, I even saw a spring loaded cue on YouTube once, it was awful, you cocked it and pressed the button and it shot, no practice strokes required. I thought it was about the stupidist thing I'd ever seen. I can't imagine was cues would evolve into. Maybe we'll see a kevlar or diamond tip but it will still go on the end of a wooden shaft
 
Maniac said:
I always wondered what a tip made out of a hard vulcanized rubber (like the cushions on a pool table are made of) would be like on a cue. I bet you could spin hell out of 'ol whitey with one of those bad boys.

Anyone ever tried it???

Maniac
Click to expand...

DuPont made an experimental tip using the vulcanized rubber thingie. I used one for a while on a Thompson Snakewood custom and I'll say that it was different, but it was good. You could put a TON of english on a shot as the tip would grab the ball.... you could even here the snap of the rubber on aramith grab. I suppose it felt like a soft to medium hardness but it played different. Overall, I liked it and with I could get more. IT NEVER LOST ITS SHAPE or had to be scuffed up. It was supposed to last forever. Only reason I don't still use the rubber tip is because I sold the cue. Probably a dumb move but oh well!

As to the original poster.... I don't see things changing too much. Its a straight stick used to strike a ball causing it to go into the pocket. Not a while lot you can do to change how a person does that.

R,

Greg
 
DrOnePocket said:
Look at Tennis rackets and Golf clubs. Wood is imperfect even in a master's hands. The first legit cuemaker that uses high end materials like in other sports will get laughed out of the gym so to speak but later on will be thought of as an innovator.

Graphite, Titanium, alloys, carbon fiber, etc etc can and will be used in the future. Someone has to have the gonads to try.
Click to expand...

I already have a carbon fiber covered graphite cue with a titanium ferrule... it's called an X-Factor.. bought it at walmart. complete with extra screw on tips.. it's JUNK with a capital J..

I also have a higher end All maple McDermott that hits like gods fist... so that's the one I play with...

If it ain't broke.....
 
softshot said:
I already have a carbon fiber covered graphite cue with a titanium ferrule... it's called an X-Factor.. bought it at walmart. complete with extra screw on tips.. it's JUNK with a capital J..

I also have a higher end All maple McDermott that hits like gods fist... so that's the one I play with...

If it ain't broke.....
Click to expand...

Carbon Fiber is pretty expensive. I know about the cheap offerings from walmart and the sporting goods stores. You are missing the point. I won't explain as I can't see any benefit
 
I don't think it's about tradition.

The difference between cues and other examples like clubs, rackets, baseball bats, etc... is that those games are more athletic and the equipment is designed to enhance power hits, to make the ball go further... so the player can hit hard without working hard.

When pool is played correctly, most shots are not hit very hard and there's no need for excessive spin. With plain wood, you can play the highest level pool and compete with anyone. So there's really no incentive to use other materials. You might find a tip that grips the CB more and therefore applies more spin, but that isn't always desirable, you don't want a hair of accidental english to turn into something extreme.

Pool cues haven't changed much probably for the same reason basketballs and boxing gloves haven't.

Imagine players complaining if someday they made a special 'draw cue' for extreme draw shots, using a rubber tip or something, where a player can put a weak stroke on a long draw shot and still bring whitey back the length of the table. "Back in my day you needed a real stroke to do that shot, not some fancy special cue!"
 
$ drives innovation. That and hot chicks too.

There are very few hot chicks and less $ in the endeavor.
 
Cues are so different today than they were 30-40 years ago it's crazy. LD shafts, coring, g10 pins and other weight distribution techniques. Not to mention the fact that there are thousands of DIY custom cue builders out there, when there use to be like 10 custom builders in the entire world. On top of that add a computerized tooling system like CNC, and insane designs start coming out.

Your analogy sounds like this, "The modern day car 30-40 years ago, had 4 tires, a steering wheel, and an gas/break pedal. When will we see some inovation???"

I understand what your getting at, and the changes are not that drastic to most people, but if you started disecting the stuff they built in the 50,60,70's vs. today, with some one like Keith Hanssen, who has been at it for 30+ years, you would be able to identify the differences. (I say Keith, because that's my builder and he has personally shown me some differences. I'm sure there are plenty out there that can do the same.)


In addition, if it's not broke, don't fix it! ;)

best,

Justin
 
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