Another Predator shaft Bites the dust .

[sly_shooter]

oucch!!! is that considered a foul? hehe, just kidding.

As others have said, I can only think you raise the butt of the cue
but keep the shaft planted on the table, thereby cracking the shaft.
The wood does seem to thin in that area though.

Maybe you can have someone videotape you breaking and take a look.

 

[Rob_jerrylee]

oucch!!! is that considered a foul? hehe, just kidding.

As others have said, I can only think you raise the butt of the cue
but keep the shaft planted on the table, thereby cracking the shaft.
The wood does seem to thin in that area though.

Maybe you can have someone videotape you breaking and take a look.

Well heres a video taken about two months ago of my break , Forgive me for the Charlie Manson look , I look normal now since I got a hair cut .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c0XUJqtRP8

 

[mosconiac]

For it to happen once, I could believe a manufacturing defect causing a (truly) catastrophic failure. Just a fluke...but for it to happen for a second time, in short order no less, I would look for another reason. I'm betting you bend the cue a hell of a lot more than you think you do.

EDIT: In looking at your videos, does you shaft have a lot of dings in the area of the failure? Your back hand really drives down and it looks like the center of your cue could be contacting the table.

 

[HeLLFiSH]

I guess thats why they're called BREAK shafts.

 

[Rob_jerrylee]

In looking at your videos, does you shaft have a lot of dings in the area of the failure? .

Not one ding in the area .

 

[mosconiac]

...and I'm not trying to bust your balls either...just trying to help determine what's causing your troubles. In looking at another video you have on youtube, you break very different in that one. This one was the more typical finish with a bent cue (see pics below). In fact, your tip stays on the table for a long time.

BTW, I'm NOT suggesting you are doing anything wrong here...IMO a good break cue should be expected to survive this type of use. It is VERY common to bend the cue to this level and a good cue should not sweat it.

 

[Rob_jerrylee]

Good Call mosconiac I guess I've never really noticed that I bend my cue that much , when you got the frame by frame I was like wow , I guess this is something that I'm going to have to change .

I wonder if I've broken a mirror or walked under a ladder lately my luck is horrible .

 

[JoeyInCali]

I see a lot of breaks just like this. IMO, its a flaw in the design. The phenolic collar and tenon are one piece. If it were a separate collar, made longer and at a smaller diameter, it would be stronger. If they would use the same phenolic insert as the 314-2 at the joint, this wouldn't happen.

It's a flawed design imo too.
To cut down one more step in the production of that shaft, they have weakened it.

 

[sly_shooter]

...and I'm not trying to bust your balls either...just trying to help determine what's causing your troubles. In looking at another video you have on youtube, you break very different in that one. This one was the more typical finish with a bent cue (see pics below). In fact, your tip stays on the table for a long time.

BTW, I'm NOT suggesting you are doing anything wrong here...IMO a good break cue should be expected to survive this type of use. It is VERY common to bend the cue to this level and a good cue should not sweat it.

Ohh.. yeah, I use to break like that a long time ago, probably from watching people like Mike Sigel. Now I think I kind of break like Earl Strickland. Breaking like that might be the cause of failure, but a good old fashion style cue should never break so easy like the Predator.

But if it's designed and made as a break cue, then it should be made very strong.

 

[Rob_jerrylee]

Well guys I just got a e-mail from Predator and they said the following " I do apologize you had a problem with your BK2 shaft. Please send it to us so that way our repair facility can do a warranty inspection claim on your shaft"

So I'm going to send it and see what they say .

I was never a big fan of Mike Segals break how he bent the shaft so much , but I guess seeing the stills of by break Now I notice that I do bend it and I will have to start practicing more on not doing it .

 

[ShootingArts]

shouldn't fail there

Well guys I just got a e-mail from Predator and they said the following " I do apologize you had a problem with your BK2 shaft. Please send it to us so that way our repair facility can do a warranty inspection claim on your shaft"

So I'm going to send it and see what they say .

I was never a big fan of Mike Segals break how he bent the shaft so much , but I guess seeing the stills of by break Now I notice that I do bend it and I will have to start practicing more on not doing it .

Take a good look at Django's break since you have his picture in all of your posts. I don't know if he still does but he bent a cue on the break! Danged near a horse shoe bend. That moderate bend that you are putting in a shaft shouldn't be an issue. A combination of a questionable design, adhesive issues, and your break seems to be destroying the shafts but if that is all that it takes to break what should be one of the stronger parts of the shaft I'd say the issue isn't your break. Even if your break destroyed shafts that isn't where one should fail, my opinion anyway.

Hu

 

[RBC]

Bending the shaft on the break

Bending the shaft does create a lateral or side load on the joint area of the cue. The joint area is built to handle linear loads, and not side loads, but it should stand up to a certain amount of pressure for sure.

I would say from the stills that you may be bending it too much. Remember, a break shaft is much stiffer than a regular playing shaft. Bending a playing shaft that much would not put a tremendous amount of stress on the joint, but bending a stiff break shaft that much would put much more pressure right at the joint.

The best break advice I have ever received came from Charlie "Hillbilly" Bryant. I heard it second hand through Amanda Lampert, but Charlie told her to try to follow through on the break and not let the tip touch the table. What this does is keep you level and moving into the break and not up and out of it. This works amazingly well! Amanda said that it did wonders for her break and it helped mine too. You keep the cue ball on the table more!


Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com

 

[Bigjohn]

IMO...the flaw is in the breakee... not the breakor

 

[TXsouthpaw]

Craig,
We do offer our Break Shaft, by OB Cues in the UniLoc joint. Our shaft comes with the Samsara Break Tip, which is leather and meets all the new BCA rules and regulations. It also gives a better feel and cue ball control.

And, it's 100% Made in the USA!

Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com

Yeah but does it come with that ugly ferrule?



Ive got a really expensive Schon thats loaded with ivory and the all white ferrule makes the whole thing complete, it's a matching ivory ferrule right now but it doesnt have to be ivory, as long as its all white. I really wanna buy from yall but I cant get over the ferrule. That why im getting a predator LD shaft. Oh well

 

[alstl]

I've got a J & J jump/break and I've used and abused it extensively without a problem.

 

[phishman]

break cue

call Jerry Powers (Jerico Cues) and get a Stnger--end of problem and better breaks

 

[Ball Banger]

call Jerry Powers (Jerico Cues) and get a Stnger--end of problem and better breaks

phishman

I have a Stinger jump break and love it. But the other day someone told me they sold out to McDermott. ?????????

 

[manwon]

Craig,

The answer is yes, Predator uses the same manufacturer in China as Cue and Case Sales. I am not 100%, pretty sure that Cue and Case had the Smart shafts made in the same plant.

We do offer our Break Shaft, by OB Cues in the UniLoc joint. Our shaft comes with the Samsara Break Tip, which is leather and meets all the new BCA rules and regulations. It also gives a better feel and cue ball control.

And, it's 100% Made in the USA!

Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com

Hello Royce, I contacted Cue and Case and sent them Copies of the OP's photo's and it appears that my assumption was correct, in more than one way.

First, the Predator Products are certainly made in the same factory as the Lucasi, Players, and other lines of cues made for Cue and Case.

Second, it appears that Cue and Case was not aware that Predator was using their design for the Universal Smart Shaft, like the Op's photo's clearly show.

Third, as others have said this type of shaft insert was never designed to be used for a Break shaft. Cue and case had already discovered this problem when the Smart Shaft was introduced, and they put out a disclaimer about breaking with shafts with this insert. But I suppose that since no one knew that Predator was going to use the design for a break shaft they were not given this information!!!!:grin:

I find it kinda funny that even in the factories in China that they are borrowing designs from other companies who also are manufacturing their products in that factory, so I suppose in this case it is Poetic Justice where Predator is concerned.:grin:

I will post more information as I get it.

 

[manwon]

phishman

I have a Stinger jump break and love it. But the other day someone told me they sold out to McDermott. ?????????

I am unsure if Stinger is still making any of these cues today, but they have sold the right to produce them to McDermott, and McDermott is making a Variation of the cue, and it does carry the name Stinger. I suspect it is kinda like the Sledgehammer Jump break which they are also making now.

Hope this Helps

 

[mnorwood]

Usually I am not in the biz of smearing anyone even when I have just cause. I had no desire to start my own complaint thread but I am so pissed that I will sound off on this one.

I bought a predator sneaky pete with a 314-2 shaft. After 3 months the ferrule split on it. I sent it in and they warrantied it. At that point I was satisfied and kept shooting with it. A few months ago the ferrule split again. I sent it in and they fixed with no cost to me. However they told me the shaft had been turned a half millimeter and they would no longer do any warranty work. The problem with that is I shoot with a glove and never use any abrasives on my shafts ever. I also have problems with the shaft coming unscrewed from the butt, I followed the directions to remedy this with no success. I like the way the shaft hits, but hell if it keeps breaking and coming unscrewed I don't want it.

I want to take moment to tell everyone what type of dude I am. I am a b player on a good day and I have been lucky enough to build a huge audience on youtube for pool instruction. I get no less than 4 emails a week asking what type of cue they should shoot with. I am one unhappy customer but I have never slandered predator in any way, but I have not recommended them either. If they would have made my problems right yeah, but until such time as they fix the issue my viewers will be directed to mcdermott and cuetec. Its funny how the cheapest cue I have ever bought has had the least problems.

Dunno... Set me straight.