Are Break Cues Necessary?

B

Bellhemen

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It seems everybody has one, including me. But why not break with a shooting cue? If the most important shot of the game is the break, I don't smash the rack having the cue ball fly around the table. I usually use a softer break with alot of control leaving a nice spread and the cue ball in the center of the table. I get the most control out of my shooting cue. I have a 12mm shaft with a cheap elkmaster tip. Its not a big deal if I have to replace my tip a little more frequently.

Are break cues only needed by players with thunder breaks that would otherwise tear up a shooting cue or am I missing something?
 
I was raised being told that if you can't break with your cue, the is not worth the money you paid for it. I started using a break cue after about 15 years of playing and love it. There is a distinct difference in my breaks. I have to say that I quietly chuckle when people say they use a break cue to protect their shooting cue.
 
I personally use a break cue because I like having a dime radius on my playing cue and using it to break takes it down much faster. I also prefer having the nickle radius on my break cue. I also find that with the harder leather tip on my break cue and the stiffer taper I can have the same power in my break with less effort. This allows me to have more control of my stroke with the same power.

Brian
 
Bellhemen said:
It seems everybody has one, including me. But why not break with a shooting cue? If the most important shot of the game is the break, I don't smash the rack having the cue ball fly around the table. I usually use a softer break with alot of control leaving a nice spread and the cue ball in the center of the table. I get the most control out of my shooting cue. I have a 12mm shaft with a cheap elkmaster tip. Its not a big deal if I have to replace my tip a little more frequently.

Are break cues only needed by players with thunder breaks that would otherwise tear up a shooting cue or am I missing something?
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Personally, I use my playing cue as my break cue at the moment and have done so for years. However, I recently ordered a new cue and it came standard with a 13MM tip. My other cues that I play with have tip sizes between 12.5MM and 12.75MM.

I have noticed that breaking with a 13MM tip seems to give me a little bit better of a break and a little more control so I *may* switch to a break cue. However, I was not comfortable at all when I tried playing with a 13MM tip as it was just too fat for me.
 
I agree, i use a dime tip on my shooting cue but a nickel on my break cue. I also use a much softer tip on my shooter. One other factor is that if I am playing on good tables I shoot and break with a lighter cue, on some of my league nights we have to play on less than good quality tables with mudd balls. On those night I will put the weight bolt back in my breaker so that it is 21 oz. With it out it is 18.5.
 
i use a break jump with a phenolic tip and i seen to be more consistent with my breaks with that plus the shaft is thicker than the one on my playing cue
 
I can't break with either cue, that's what really sucks.
:(:eek:.

Seriously, I have a break cue becuase is has a different tip and stiff shaft.
On hill hill games, I will use my playing cue.

To answer your question, If you have a sorry break like mine, NO, you don't need a different cue.
 
Break Cue?

I have been playing good pool for 35yrs (yes I am old), I also build cues. The only concerns I have when considering break cue vs no break cue is the tip hardness over time, & tip shape. I( still break w/ my playing cue & it has an ivory joint & ferrule). I also have a lathe to maintain my cue. I also build break & br jump cues. Its a matter of results on the table.
Paul Sumrall
 
RRfireblade said:
Guess you don't have any Ivory ferruled and jointed cues huh ?

:)
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Actually the ferrule on my first cue was ivory with a metal joint. Best cue I ever had, shot with it for 20 years and refurbished it only once. I wish I never traded it. But it's all for the better.
 
NewStroke said:
Actually the ferrule on my first cue was ivory with a metal joint. Best cue I ever had, shot with it for 20 years and refurbished it only once. I wish I never traded it. But it's all for the better.
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I'll rephrase then ;) I guess you haven't broken any ivory ferrules then ?

:)
 
RRfireblade said:
I'll rephrase then ;) I guess you haven't broken any ivory ferrules then ?

:)
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Thank goodness I have not, just replaced my tips and took very good care of them. The only ferrules I have broken where on a Meucci about 25 years ago and 2 z2 Predator shafts mainly because they SUCK. :)
 
Bellhemen said:
It seems everybody has one, including me. But why not break with a shooting cue? If the most important shot of the game is the break, I don't smash the rack having the cue ball fly around the table. I usually use a softer break with alot of control leaving a nice spread and the cue ball in the center of the table. I get the most control out of my shooting cue. I have a 12mm shaft with a cheap elkmaster tip. Its not a big deal if I have to replace my tip a little more frequently.

Are break cues only needed by players with thunder breaks that would otherwise tear up a shooting cue or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

I recently broke a predator 314 2 breaking. I break upwards of 25mph at times though. It is hard on your tip and can be damaging to your cue. I learned the hard way. If u break under 19 maybe 20mph, I wouldn't worry. IMO
 
I have a $400+ break cue in my case that works great, however I can't recall the last time I bothered to use it. I just don't see the point when all I play is 9ball. If I needed to crush the rack playing 8ball or 10ball, that might be different, but in the last year or so it's never been the case.
 
NewStroke said:
I have to say that I quietly chuckle when people say they use a break cue to protect their shooting cue.
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I say keep chuckeling I use a break cue more to protect my tip shape than anything. I also recently started playing in the APA leagues (against my better judgement) In the APA you can not use a jump cue but a break cue is OK. My break cue is about 2 1/2 inches shorter than my playing cue and works quite well for jump shots.
 
Don't ruin your shooting tip............

Bellhemen said:
It seems everybody has one, including me. But why not break with a shooting cue? If the most important shot of the game is the break, I don't smash the rack having the cue ball fly around the table. I usually use a softer break with alot of control leaving a nice spread and the cue ball in the center of the table. I get the most control out of my shooting cue. I have a 12mm shaft with a cheap elkmaster tip. Its not a big deal if I have to replace my tip a little more frequently.

Are break cues only needed by players with thunder breaks that would otherwise tear up a shooting cue or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Hi there,
The main reason I use a break cue is so I don't ruin my shooting tip. Once I get that tip the way I want it I don't want to be pounding the heck out of it and then try to do a soft draw shot.

The more you shoot with a tip the more compacted it gets kind of making it hard. All of a sudden you don't get the draw you were getting. This could be why. We can sand the edge a few times but soon the tip will need to be replaced.

I use a la pro and it wouldn't hold up very good if I broke with it. I do like the leather tip for breaking though. You can control the cue ball on the break alot better.

At least that is my opinion. Have a great day...............
 
Jump/Break Cue

When I used to play BCA league, I used a J&J J/B cue as my shooter with a Talisman BK tip. If someone stole this cue it was not a major loss. I could break em up and then keep on shooting. Although hard, the tip was OK as a shooter. Many rooms have walls or poles too close and I would break down to a jump cue and shoot the shot and then put it togther and just keep on going. Not pretty but functional.
 
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