After Market Shaft Stiffness

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AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I read so many good things about the OB-1 and was thinking about getting one until i learned that it has a very long pro taper. I might be wrong, but a very long pro taper usually means a very whippy shaft.

I was wondering how the 314^2, Z^2, OB-1, I-Shafts, and any other after market shafts compare to each other in terms of stiffness.
 
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Ob-1 are anything but whippy one of the stiffer shafts available. A little to stiff for me. The 12 yr. old giant slayer Landon S. uses Ob-1 an I believe his game has improved since he started playing with one.
Pinocchio
 
Pinocchio said:
Ob-1 are anything but whippy one of the stiffer shafts available. A little to stiff for me. The 12 yr. old giant slayer Landon S. uses Ob-1 an I believe his game has improved since he started playing with one.
Pinocchio
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Thanks for the quick reply Pinocchio. I'm surprised to hear that OB-1s are one of the stiffer shafts available. Do you think it might be the foam core? or the type of construction? How does it compare to the Predators and I-Shafts? I would expect the 314^2 to be stiffer than the OB-1 and the Z^2 stiffer than both. But I could be completely wrong again.
 
Im not knocking Mcdermott but everyone I have talked to about the I shafts said they hated them.. I used an OB-1 for a month and liked it alot more than the Z 2. The OB-1 feels more stiff than the Z2 in my opinion. Yes Landon does use an OB-1.
 
Personally I play a Predator Z2 and I am confident it is the stiffest shaft on the market given the list you mentioned. I have also hit the OB1. It is noticeably softer in its hit that a Z2 but close to an original 314. I never found it to be whippy in the least. Simply that I had a softer feedback that I am accustomed to with the 314-2 and Z2.

The OB1 is a great shaft IMO and it is really a toss up to feel preference which to take the second gen Predators or an OB1.

Cheezdawg has both and switches regularly. Ask him.
 
My guess is that they've never been measured objectively, but should be.

Dave
 
pwd72s said:
Is the Tiger X shaft worthy of adding in this mix?
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Ohh yeah, the XShaft should be in there too. I can't believe I forgot about that one. It's one of the most popular at my local pool hall...but on PlatinumBilliards.com (http://www.platinumbilliards.com/rating_deflect.php) the Deflection is not comparable to the Predators, OB-1s, and I-Shafts. Was it built to be a low deflection shaft? or just a radially consistent one?
 
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PoolSponge said:
Personally I play a Predator Z2 and I am confident it is the stiffest shaft on the market given the list you mentioned. I have also hit the OB1. It is noticeably softer in its hit that a Z2 but close to an original 314. I never found it to be whippy in the least. Simply that I had a softer feedback that I am accustomed to with the 314-2 and Z2.

The OB1 is a great shaft IMO and it is really a toss up to feel preference which to take the second gen Predators or an OB1.

Cheezdawg has both and switches regularly. Ask him.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input PoolSponge. Even though I haven't tried any of these shafts yet, I would think that the conical taper of the Z^2 shaft would be stiffer than the Pro taper of the OB-1 and 314^2 just like you said. But someone else above said that the OB-1 is stiffer than the Z^2 so now I'm confused.

BTW, how long is the pro taper of of the 312^2? I've been looking around the forums and on dealer websites including the predator homepage and I can't seem to find it.

Thanks to all those who replied.
 
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