Break Cue Weight

9 ball

9 ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Is there any truth in the thinking that the taller & lighter you are the lighter the break stick & the heavier & shorter you are the heavier the break stick you should use.

If so what weight of break stick would some of the more seasoned players on here suggest for someone 5'7" & 160lbs.
 
You're only moving ball that's 6oz. so having a lot of static weight/mass isn't the most important factor, what matters more is generating speed so like Golf clubs you want to be able to move the cue faster. Not only that but it's easier to move a lighter cue so you'll be more accurate plus you won't have to grip it as tightly so you won't be using the small muscles as much which can turn your cue one way or another. This is regardless of height/weight/physical ability.


Neil
 
ctyhntr said:
How about a break stick with the same weight and balance as your playing cue?
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Two different jobs so you would want two different setups to maximize performance, just like a jump cue it should be specialized in every legal way to get the most out of it.


Neil
 
This was the advice given to me by an open level player. Stick with one cue, one shaft so I get used to it that it becomes an extension of my arm. Break cue should be identical to my playing cue, except for the tip.

Fuji-whopper said:
Two different jobs so you would want two different setups to maximize performance, just like a jump cue it should be specialized in every legal way to get the most out of it.


Neil
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Cues

9 ball said:
Is there any truth in the thinking that the taller & lighter you are the lighter the break stick & the heavier & shorter you are the heavier the break stick you should use.

If so what weight of break stick would some of the more seasoned players on here suggest for someone 5'7" & 160lbs.
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Everyone's different.
I get requests for me to make them a break cue from 15 oz to 25 oz with all different sized shafts tips and ferrules.
Everyone is different.

I use one of my spare custom playing cues with a triangle tip ..
 
HawaiianEye said:
Tell that to SVB.
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"There's more than one way to skin a cat" ......who comes up with these sayings?

I was of the mindset that you should play pool with one cue for that reason also, this particular question depends on how you break also a) for control b) for maximum dispersion. If you're breaking 60-70% like SVB and you use a hard tip then you won't have issues with your tip losing it's perfect shape, also he has quite a few shafts in his case to choose from if something goes wrong and his tip flies off, damages his ferrule, etc. etc.

We don't have the same situation as one person, who is sponsored by a cue manufacturer, that has one of the most efficient breaks on the planet (if not THEE most efficient break) we are normal players with a normal number of shafts and need help maximizing the break shot.......at least I do.

When breaking for control I use my playing cue since I like hard tips since I'm a banger, love the Saga tips from Seyberts for many reasons. So in essence the answer to his question depends on what the intention of the break is in the first place, what if he was talking about one pockets breaks ha ha.


Neil
 
Fuji-whopper said:
"There's more than one way to skin a cat" ......who comes up with these sayings?

I was of the mindset that you should play pool with one cue for that reason also, this particular question depends on how you break also a) for control b) for maximum dispersion. If you're breaking 60-70% like SVB and you use a hard tip then you won't have issues with your tip losing it's perfect shape, also he has quite a few shafts in his case to choose from if something goes wrong and his tip flies off, damages his ferrule, etc. etc.

We don't have the same situation as one person, who is sponsored by a cue manufacturer, that has one of the most efficient breaks on the planet (if not THEE most efficient break) we are normal players with a normal number of shafts and need help maximizing the break shot.......at least I do.

When breaking for control I use my playing cue since I like hard tips since I'm a banger, love the Saga tips from Seyberts for many reasons. So in essence the answer to his question depends on what the intention of the break is in the first place, what if he was talking about one pockets breaks ha ha.


Neil
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I can break with any cue.

I was breaking with my main cue yesterday and it has a Kamui Black Super Soft on it. I was making balls and controlling the cue ball. I have a break cue with a White Diamond tip.

It all depends on what you want to do and how the table is playing.

FWIW, I have broke thousands and thousands of times at full power with my old playing cue with a Le Pro tip on it and never had a problem. I only had one shaft at the time and I used the same cue for breaking and playing. That cue is over 40 years old and I haven't knocked a tip off it or broke the shaft.
 
I am the same way. I can actually break better with my 19oz playing cue with a 11.75MM OB pro + / SS tip than I can with my 19oz break cue with a white Diamond. I can control the cue ball way easier with the OB.

HawaiianEye said:
I can break with any cue.

I was breaking with my main cue yesterday and it has a Kamui Black Super Soft on it. I was making balls and controlling the cue ball. I have a break cue with a White Diamond tip.

It all depends on what you want to do and how the table is playing.

FWIW, I have broke thousands and thousands of times at full power with my old playing cue with a Le Pro tip on it and never had a problem. I only had one shaft at the time and I used the same cue for breaking and playing. That cue is over 40 years old and I haven't knocked a tip off it or broke the shaft.
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I love the balance and weight of my playing cue and that's the same feel I want on my break cue. Whetever feels good. Both my playing cue and break cue are in the low 19's and I'm very satisfied. Don't get too caught up on what a so called expert tells you.
 
If I am not mistake I believe Dr. Dave has a write up on this and the bottom line came down to 1 thing: Speed.

If I recall correctly it basically said you should use a break stick that is as heavy as it can be without compromising your break speed or control.

He had pretty formula's and graphs to go along with it. :-)
 
I like my break cue to weigh 21 vs 19 because it makes me grin as I'm approaching the table. :grin-devilish:

EDIT: I did start breaking better when I first started using the heavier cue - not to discount anything being said. Maybe it's psycho-logical, but the heavier break weight is a win for me!
 
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Halfjack87 said:
I like my break cue to weigh 21 vs 19 because it makes me grin as I'm approaching the table. :grin-devilish:

EDIT: I did start breaking better when I first started using the heavier cue - not to discount anything being said. Maybe it's psycho-logical, but the heavier break weight is a win for me!
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Up until the last few years, my main playing cue (a McDermott C-14, which I used also as a break cue) was 21 ounces and had a 14mm shaft.

I can do anything with that cue than I can do with any other cue. The only reason I don't use it now is because I had it refinished and now it looks too pretty to shoot with.

Once you get used to a cue, the weight and balance isn't that big of a deal.
 
I prefer a lighter break cue, mine is 18oz.

The general consensus is that speed is more important than mass; there's typically more benefit from a faster cue than a heavier cue. Heavier cues are recommended for beginners or those who don't have a great break stroke, they can break slower and more controlled and let the mass of the cue work for them. However once you've developed a stroke that can hit consistently with speed, a lighter cue will move faster and translate into more energy than a heavier cue that moves slower. So the rule of thumb is to break with the heaviest cue that you can deliver at top speed and accuracy, in order to take advantage of both mass and speed.
 
If the weight of a break cue was the most important item, we would all own a 50oz break cue.

randyg
 
E = 1/2 m v2

Basically this equation will help you determine if it makes more sense for you to have a heavier break cue or a lighter one, plug in the numbers and whatever combination ends up with the highest "E" number is your answer.

E= dynamic energy
m= mass of the object
v= velocity of the object



Neil
 
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