Break cues

FASTEDDIE427

FASTEDDIE427

BUSTIN' BALLS SINCE '86
Silver Member
As you can see at the bottom of this post the equipment I'm currently using. My question is why am i using it? I was always told you don't break with your playing cue. Why? What inevitable damage am i doing? Replace tips and ferruel more often? I like the hardness of my phenolic breaks but can get close to the same results out of a bar cue when I'm just baning ball and don't have my cue with me. 9 times out of 10 I see people breaking with an old player. What really is the consensus here?

Please hook me up with some oppinions going to get a haircut i"ll check back later.
 
I think you are asking why most 8 ball and rotation players have a separate break cue. I use a separate break cue because I can use a harder tip and have a lighter cue to break with.
 
My break cue weighs the same as my play cue (17.75 oz), but has a regular shaft (not low deflection and with a straight taper) and a 13mm ferrule (comapred to 12.25) and a harder tip (x-hard rather than hard) with more of a quarter face (compared to a dime).

The straight taper, and harder tip deliver more energy to the CB. The larger tip with flatter radius give it a bit of forgivness.
 
I like my break stick (BK2), as I think I can break better with the lighter cue with a phenolic tip. However, I break fine with my Josey player, and I break with it about 10% of the time with fine results. I am not concerned in the least that it will hurt the cue at all. I would have no reservations about breaking with it all the time. I have a identical spare shaft that is ready to go if I lose a tip any way. If you are breaking with your player I think it is a good Idea.
 
FASTEDDIE427 said:
As you can see at the bottom of this post the equipment I'm currently using. My question is why am i using it? I was always told you don't break with your playing cue. Why? What inevitable damage am i doing? Replace tips and ferruel more often? I like the hardness of my phenolic breaks but can get close to the same results out of a bar cue when I'm just baning ball and don't have my cue with me. 9 times out of 10 I see people breaking with an old player. What really is the consensus here?

Please hook me up with some oppinions going to get a haircut i"ll check back later.
Click to expand...

i think people don't break with their players because it can deform soft tips and their playing shaft might be too whippy for breaking

People using soft tips won't want flat spots on their tip, if they break with their player long enough the tip will compress round again but won't feel like a soft tip anymore. If they use a hard tip it won't have much of an affect because a hard tip will compress less over time anyway.

I see you're using an OB-1 for playing, if you feel its stiff enough to break with then it should be fine, if you think its not stiff enough to break with then stick with a separate break cue, simple as that.

Pro's will most likely use a separate break cue because they're looking for that added advantage wherever they can find it, and putting rock hard tip with very stiff taper gives them more power transfered into the break.
 
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I use my old player, Schon with an OB1 for my break cue. I used it for both until I got my current cue. The only reason I don't break with my player now is I'm a little gun shy because of the ivory ferrule on it.

With a true "break cue", you get more power and speed but sacrifice some control. At least that's my uneducated opinion on it.
 
The hit/ break you get is very different between break/ playing cues, i my experience.

Sometimes one gives better results than the other...better result being the goal, I have and use both.

Did you search?:grin::grin:
 
I break with a bk2 sport usually that is lighter than my playing cue. I find I can get about 3-4 more MPH (I've actually measured it) using my break cue vs my playing cue.

I attribute this to the laminated low deflection shaft, harder tip and the taper. I also get A LOT better control.
 
so i take it the general consensus is feel and control and just overall result. does anybody think they may be doing damage to their player by breaking with it
 
I do feel like according to what kind of shaft you are using you could damage it by breaking with it over and over. This partially will depend on how powerful your break is.
 
I break with my Sledge Hammer which has a milk dud tip (hits like a hard tip but grips like a soft tip) on it and I am more than happy with it. I jump with my X-Breaker.
 
I break w/ a Samsara made X Breaker, and I'm using an OB Break shaft on it. It's a good combo. (I use a Lomax jumper.) I think the OB1 shaft will probably flex more than best under breaking stresses, feels like to me that it gives up a little. But the OB Brk shaft has a stiffer taper & holds up real well. When you break with a house cue, you're probably feeling the stiffness of the one piece taper.
As far as damage... I agree it's probably mostly a matter of consistent tip life/performance that's the down side to using your player to break (barring an ivory or flimsy plastic ferrule). But unless you're a very strong or "flamboyant" breaker (ala bending the shaft into the table, etc), you likely aren't going overboard.
At this point, I just prefer a dedicated tool for the job.
Provided you're honest, thoughtful, & responsible about your equipment, I think a good quality cue should handle what you throw at it from the break.
 
I really like the way that was said, " dedicated tool for the job ". The last post I agree with completly. So I'll just stick with the equipment I have and be happy LOL.
 
I think a full splice house cue breaks better than most custom cues so i use an old Scruggs s/p with a hard triangle tip and crush the break. I play with an old Scruggs custom cue with standard maple shafts, can't beat Scruggs and Cochran cues IMO.p.s. steak, baked potato and salad please.
"country" Bob
 
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maxeypad2007 said:
I break with a bk2 sport usually that is lighter than my playing cue. I find I can get about 3-4 more MPH (I've actually measured it) using my break cue vs my playing cue.

I attribute this to the laminated low deflection shaft, harder tip and the taper. I also get A LOT better control.
Click to expand...

You might get 3-4 mph breaking with this cue, but the reasons you give are not why. A laminated low deflection shaft adds absolutely no speed whatsoever, and might actually cost a tiny fraction of a mph over a more solid shaft. A hard tip could maybe account for 1 mph...maybe...

The reason why you would get more speed is comfort. That particular cue, the shaft taper, balance, etc. allows you to more comfortably *swing faster*. Also, the light weight might contribute a tiny bit to faster speed, if the weight difference is significant. Differences as large as 3-4 mph are rarely due to the equipment per se, but rather to differences in technique. The technique might change in response to the equipment...

Hope this helps the OP,

KMRUNOUT
 
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