This may have been asked-n-answered here before but how/why/when did this shaft size become the default pool cue size for so many years? When i first started if you used anything less than 13 for pool people looked at you like, "Sweat the newb with the tiny shaft".
13mm shaft standard.......Why??
- Thread starter garczar
- Start date
I just works better for so many
Kiss
Smaller stuff was the engineering and marketing departments doing
Kiss
Smaller stuff was the engineering and marketing departments doing
One likely reason is that a 13mm tip curved to a common nickel shape includes a little more than 60 degrees of arc, enough to reach the CB's miscue limit (30 degrees on each side) a little before being right on the tip's edge.
pj
chgo
Just throwing out some "random thoughts"
When did cue sports turn to the metric system? 13mm = 33/64"
That's really close to 1/2" I've used 1/2" tools on old 13mm fasteners.
I'm thinking 1/2" was the original standard, if there was such a thing.
I'm also guessing that in the beginning 1/2" simply seemed satisfying to cue builders and players converting from a mace. No science. Just a reasonable size vs 19mm/3/4" that obscures too much ball and who can form a bridge around that? 6mm/15/64" may have been tried back then but adhesives weren't adequate to keep the newfangled leather tips on, so had to go for more surface area. Logically other problems with 6mm, like..........
I'm just thinking there's more tradition/history from "ancient" trial and error than real science behind 1/2" tip diameter.
I've been wrong before.
I think earlier today
Yes, the "scientific" tip shape/width was undoubtedly found by doing what worked best, not by analysis.
pj
chgo
Why, had to start somewhere.
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
Snooker called, they disagree with your statement.
That’s ok, different strokes for English folks
The old argument used to be that you couldn’t generate enough english/spin/manipulation with diameters exceeding 13.5-14. Shaft was too thick and rigid.
So it was a debate about control… that leads into the other end of that argument which is that once you get down around 12mm the shaft feels a bit whipy and overly flexible due to reduced volume. 13 being kind of a sweet spot.
AZB Disclaimer: I have no idea if the above is true. This post in no way suggests that I have any special or intimate knowledge expressed or implied. I do not endorse the above statement in any way. Simply passing on what I’ve heard over the years.
So it was a debate about control… that leads into the other end of that argument which is that once you get down around 12mm the shaft feels a bit whipy and overly flexible due to reduced volume. 13 being kind of a sweet spot.
AZB Disclaimer: I have no idea if the above is true. This post in no way suggests that I have any special or intimate knowledge expressed or implied. I do not endorse the above statement in any way. Simply passing on what I’ve heard over the years.
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The shaft fits more loop bridges. The skinnier stuff works better with open bridges where they self center.
Best guess...
Best guess...
Wow, that's deep. We'll call you 'Admiral Obvious'.
This subject comes up now and then. For U.S. pool cues only the shaft diameter tends to be measured in millimeters. The reason? Convenience. More people can remember 12 1/2, 13 millimeters, etc. than they can remember in portions of an inch.
Not too many people can recall off the top of their heads that 12 1/2 mm is .492 inches; 13 mm is .512 inches, etc.
It's no coincidence that length of cue is measured in inches. Can you imagine recalling number of millimeters to equal 58 inches? Too hard.
Kobachi
Scarred but Smarter
I’ve been called worse cigar guyWow, that's deep. We'll call you 'Admiral Obvious'.
I’ve wondered about this same point, as well as avg. pool cue weights & why are there so many joint pin choices?
13 mm seems to have evolved into a default norm. I seldom encounter a player with a shaft larger than 13.1-.2mm.
For me it’s about cue tip delivery and stroke accuracy. If I am off a tiny bit with a thicker shaft, the results are better
than if I hit the same shot in the same place with a shaft 1/2 - 3/4mm smaller. At my age, my stroke doesn’t hit with
the same pinpoint accuracy any longer, presuming of course it ever did. And using center ball with only 1/2 - 1 tip of
English seems easy with a 13 mm shaft, especially with a slower cue ball speed. If I could hit like I did 30-40 years ago,
I’d be playing with 12.5mm shafts but my stroke isn’t trustworthy any more to penetrate thru the CB without inducing
unintended side spin. So 12.8-13 mm shafts is what you’ll find in my case with extended pro tapers. All my cues have
at least one (1) 13 mm shaft & at least one (1) original, unplayed shaft; a couple of my cues have three (3) original shafts.
13 mm seems to have evolved into a default norm. I seldom encounter a player with a shaft larger than 13.1-.2mm.
For me it’s about cue tip delivery and stroke accuracy. If I am off a tiny bit with a thicker shaft, the results are better
than if I hit the same shot in the same place with a shaft 1/2 - 3/4mm smaller. At my age, my stroke doesn’t hit with
the same pinpoint accuracy any longer, presuming of course it ever did. And using center ball with only 1/2 - 1 tip of
English seems easy with a 13 mm shaft, especially with a slower cue ball speed. If I could hit like I did 30-40 years ago,
I’d be playing with 12.5mm shafts but my stroke isn’t trustworthy any more to penetrate thru the CB without inducing
unintended side spin. So 12.8-13 mm shafts is what you’ll find in my case with extended pro tapers. All my cues have
at least one (1) 13 mm shaft & at least one (1) original, unplayed shaft; a couple of my cues have three (3) original shafts.