Break Cue Weight
- Thread starter gbs52
- Start date
A lighter cue...no heavier than a 19. I can generate more ball speed. I'm not a big person, but I always get asked how I can break so hard. Just last Sunday, a guy asked me how much I weighed and I told him around 160. He then said I hit them harder than the guys weighing well over 200. I have always been able to hit the balls as hard as, if not harder, than the big boys.
I had a pro tell me a long time ago that you should never break with a cue that weighs more than your playing cue. He said that you generate more speed with a lighter cue than what you are used to. I have tried it both ways (heavier and lighter than my playing cue) and I like/have more success with a lighter breaking cue than my player. I too am not a big guy, yet I have had several people comment on the "power" of my break when I feel it is really the speed. Just My Opinion. Good Luck in your search!
I prefer 19 oz, but I wouldn't be surprised if you got a wide range of answer between 16 oz and 24 oz. Optimal break cue weight is a very "individual" thing.
Regards,
Dave
Last edited:
Varney - 23OZ. solid Purple Heart/Bocote with a super stiff shaft. I don't swing too hard (17-18mph average) so it's perfect for me. The cue does most of the work and I can control whitey because I'm not swinging for the fences.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=160282
r,
Greg
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=160282
r,
Greg
Last edited:
I use a 20 oz break cue because I can't afford a heavier one 
Used a buddies 23 oz cue and I destroyed the rack and sqautted the CB in the middle.
I liked the heavier cue becasue I did not need to swing as fast but got more power and it was easier for me to control. I lost nothing at all when I contacted the CB.
I am a big guy, so maybe that matters, but my buddie is like 5' 7" and 180 lbs. He felt the same way and convinced me to try it in the first place.
I also wonder where does this idea that your break cue needs to be that same or close to the same weight as your playing cue?
Personally, get me a cue that makes a ball on every break that I can control. I could care less if it 10 oz or 25 oz.
Used a buddies 23 oz cue and I destroyed the rack and sqautted the CB in the middle.
I liked the heavier cue becasue I did not need to swing as fast but got more power and it was easier for me to control. I lost nothing at all when I contacted the CB.
I am a big guy, so maybe that matters, but my buddie is like 5' 7" and 180 lbs. He felt the same way and convinced me to try it in the first place.
I also wonder where does this idea that your break cue needs to be that same or close to the same weight as your playing cue?
Personally, get me a cue that makes a ball on every break that I can control. I could care less if it 10 oz or 25 oz.
Last edited:
For practice I use a heavier house cue, 21oz. For competition I use my 17.5oz J&J.
I find practicing with the heavier cue helps keep me accurate with my lighter break cue.
I find practicing with the heavier cue helps keep me accurate with my lighter break cue.
I think the most important thing at any particular point in time is to use a break cue that you are confident using. That probably provides better results that night than any changes you might make. But if you are trying to improve something, here is what I think the relevant basics are:
0. Only two things matter: cue ball speed and repeatable accuracy. Accuracy is more important. The goal is to maximize cue ball speed (even if you don't use it all on a break) while keeping consistent accuracy.
1. Changes of a fraction of an ounce are in the noise. If you experiment with break cue weights, you can just use 1 oz. changes. Your body doesn't notice the difference between 18.6 and 18.7 oz cues, and the cue ball barely does.
2. If you have separate break and playing cues, there is no reason to keep the weights the same. The strokes are so different that the difference in weight has no ill effect. This the the same reason that while full-swing golf clubs are carefully weighed across a set, the putter is weighted without consideration of the other clubs in the bag. Of course, a weight difference is noticeable, and if it bothers you that they have difference weights, then don't do it. There's not that much to gain.
3. Increased cue weight at the same cue speed means higher cue ball speed. Within a range of 16-24 oz, a one-ounce change doesn't affect cue speed much for most male adults. (I don't know about females.) You can usually add weigh without losing any speed, or so much speed it eliminates the gain from the additional weight.
To see how you as an individual respond to different weights, use something like "Break Speed Pro", a $5 smartphone app (there may be better ones, or free ones that do the same thing). Start with no weight bolts in the cue, and add weight until cue ball speed drops by 1 mph. That's about the most efficient weight for your current break stroke.
With any given cue speed, you can increase cue ball speed by using a harder tip; phenolic is harder than any leather. I think any cue and shaft characteristics besides weight and tip can be ignored: use whatever you are confident using.
0. Only two things matter: cue ball speed and repeatable accuracy. Accuracy is more important. The goal is to maximize cue ball speed (even if you don't use it all on a break) while keeping consistent accuracy.
1. Changes of a fraction of an ounce are in the noise. If you experiment with break cue weights, you can just use 1 oz. changes. Your body doesn't notice the difference between 18.6 and 18.7 oz cues, and the cue ball barely does.
2. If you have separate break and playing cues, there is no reason to keep the weights the same. The strokes are so different that the difference in weight has no ill effect. This the the same reason that while full-swing golf clubs are carefully weighed across a set, the putter is weighted without consideration of the other clubs in the bag. Of course, a weight difference is noticeable, and if it bothers you that they have difference weights, then don't do it. There's not that much to gain.
3. Increased cue weight at the same cue speed means higher cue ball speed. Within a range of 16-24 oz, a one-ounce change doesn't affect cue speed much for most male adults. (I don't know about females.) You can usually add weigh without losing any speed, or so much speed it eliminates the gain from the additional weight.
To see how you as an individual respond to different weights, use something like "Break Speed Pro", a $5 smartphone app (there may be better ones, or free ones that do the same thing). Start with no weight bolts in the cue, and add weight until cue ball speed drops by 1 mph. That's about the most efficient weight for your current break stroke.
With any given cue speed, you can increase cue ball speed by using a harder tip; phenolic is harder than any leather. I think any cue and shaft characteristics besides weight and tip can be ignored: use whatever you are confident using.