A few questions about the break cue...

seven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
first of all...I'm new here.. I've been lurking for about 2 months or
so. I quit playing pool around 15 years ago. I'm starting to
get back into it. Alot of things have changed over the years.
so here is my question. Whats the diffrence between a Break
cues shaft taper & a regular pro taper on a normal cue?

How about stiffness...I've heard that break cues are stiffer. if
so...how stiff?

these questions arise from the fact that I dont like to carry around
2 cues. I would rather have one multi purpose cue. in other
words I would like to use the break/jump cue to play with. I'm
from the old school that has always been told that a stiffer cue
deflects less than a whippy cue. (I know there is debate about
this) so I think a break cue would play good for me.
I'm not financially endowed.. so I was looking at the mueller
Break/jump cue... any information or opinions would be
greatly appreciated.
thanks
 
I am not sure about the shaft tapering but the best break cue I ever had was a Lucasi, and one of the best playing cues I ever has was also a Lucasi. Fortunately for you, Lucasi makes a break/jump cue for like $150.
 
Personally, I wouldn't want to play with most "break" cues. I'd rather break with my playing cue. A good jumping tip would be no good for playing (for me). Lucasi makes a good solid cue for a great price.
 
A break cue should have a stiff shaft on it .and 13mm and weight about 17-18oz for speed.I just go a preadtor break q and i took out the bolt .It now wights about 17.5oz and i'm crushing the balls and have good speed.It and in speed and the stiffness of the shaft..
 
if you put a med.-hard tip or hard tip on you could play with a break cue. I play with mine in practice sometimes, and some of the players on my team use my break cue to play with (decent players). If there is an extremely hard jump tip on it you might have a little miscue problem. The shaft is definitely stiff, but I grew up with house sticks , so it isn't hard to get used to for me. It isn't the optimum, for me, (I like a thinner shaft and soft-med. tip) but if you only want one cue it is a possibility
 
...there's an old saying, "always use the right tool for the job".

Just about every cue maker markets a Shooting Cue, a Jump Cue & a Break Cue. Sometimes economics drives players to combine tasks in a Cue design, hence the Jump/Break Cue.

There are some great Break Cues on the market... if you can afford to purchase a good one, thats very good. If you can find something to use in lieu of using a great Break Cue, you are lucky.

My new Break Cue has a 13.5mm diameter flat-lam shaft with a Break Cue taper. The tip is very hard leather & has a half dollar radius. The Cue weighs 18.5 ounces & hits like a thunderbolt. It's also very nice looking with simple inlays & deco rings.... a nice Cue for a medium price.
 
I don't know about the taper. I do have a Falcon break/jump cue that I have also used as my playing cue and I like it very much. I'd recommend Falcon. Never any problem and a nice playing cue.
 
Ive had several break/jump cues and the best ive found was a mace cue. It broke well jumped, well and was an all around good playing cue. Makes me regret that I sold it.
 
Break Cue

Hey Billfishhead - I am looking at selling my Mace Break/Jump. I am going to buy a Sledgehammer, it's a little beat up but breaks the balls really good and is straight as an arrow. Just FYI - interested let me know. westjer@yahoo.com
 
imo,,,,if you can play with a break cue, it is not a good break cue. the break/jump cue serves a different purpose than a playing cue,,,,,like golf clubs. you are not going to drive a ball 300 yards with a putter.

there are quite a few pros who advocate using a playing cue to break with, and with the silliest reasoning..."you should break with what you're comfortable playing with". however,,,you break once every 10-20 shots, and it is a specialized shot.

since the whole point is generating speed/power on the break, as little energy as possible should be lost on the break. a lively, very stiff, very hard cue will generate all the energy you need, whereas the whippy cue absorbs all the energy. there are many ways to create the hard hit. i know this girl who has a pretty straight forward ebony cue. it is light, and is so-so in stiffness, but it has a nasty 3 inch brass joint that creates a thunder break! o my god!

and stiff cues deflect more because they drive, uncompromised, through the CB, so the CB will angle offline. however cues like the predator change the structure of the first 4-5 inches from the tip so that that area is not quite so stiff.
 
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everyone has opinions on what a cue should do, the cue i use in bars is a break/jump and very few people even know. it plays well all around. fewer people even see it as a custom....................btw no thanks on the mace, if i want another ill call rick
speed and power can be obtained by working on your break, after all you break em not the cue
btw i do break with my Barry Szamboti
 
dont cringe,,,,,,,,,,, Barry told me it was ok. lol,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,oh and btw,,,,,,,,,,,i play with my other Szamboti. not to worry
 
dont cringe,,,,,,,,,,, Barry told me it was ok. lol,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,oh and btw,,,,,,,,,,,i play with my other Szamboti. not to worry
 
I tend to break with my play cue, a Meucci Gambler 2. I have a break/jump cue by Cuetec but the more I use it, the more I dislike it - rubber grips suck!

I do worry slightly that I will damage the cue but I get such good action that I'm past caring
 
JimS said:
I don't know about the taper. I do have a Falcon break/jump cue that I have also used as my playing cue and I like it very much. I'd recommend Falcon. Never any problem and a nice playing cue.

Hey Jim. I also have a Falcon B-J, in fact, I've had it for 8 years and I still like it very much. I've taken out the weight bolt and I think my break improved some, though the cue is only ½oz lighter now, but I think it made a difference. Still, after the years of hard breaks, it's still dead straight. One time, I let my friend use it in a major tournament and she went out and bought one after the tournament. Also the jump part of the cue is one of the best around excluding the special jump cues Bungees and Frogs etc.
Never selling it !
 
J&J makes a really nice break cue for the money. you could pick one up for about $50
 
the "new" Break Cue by BreakRAK LLC is now appearing on eBay... My new Cue Line has a lot of great features for a mid-priced Break Cue. It's very nice looking, naturally balanced, 13.5 flat-laminated Shaft, hard triangle tip, serialized & hits very hard.

This new Break Cue is a winner.... cb
 
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