Break cues?

SloMoHolic said:
I break with a cheap Action cue. I have two shafts: One has a one-piece phenolic ferrule/tip. The other has a G10 ferrule and a Samsara tip.

The phenolic tip is absolutely solid. I feel like I get maximum energy transfer, along with a very satisfying TINK!!! sound. However, as others have said here, it can be hard to control.

The G10/Samsara breaks pretty solid, too, but I have more control over the spin that ends up on the cue ball. Ideally, I would choose to have zero spin in the cue ball.

As for what's happening when you scratch on your break, my guess would be that you are maybe lining up correctly, but veering off on the final forward stroke. If you're right-handed, you will probably be pulling your grip hand away from your body slightly as you deliver the cue. This makes the tip contact the cue ball a little left of center, causing the cue ball to squirt to the right, resulting in it hitting the head ball on the right, then generally rebounding towards either the right corner or side pocket.

Get a measle ball if you can. Watch for spin on the cue ball immediately after the break (if it stays on the table). Don't adjust after every break, but try to see if there is a pattern (i.e. usually some left spin on the cue ball).

Slow down your break, lighten your grip, and really focus on a center ball hit, and solid, head on contact with the head ball in the rack. Once you are doing that consistently at a slower speed, you can gradually work your way up to a faster speed.

This may also be caused indirectly by the soft tip. It won't feel as solid, and won't break as nicely as a good hard tip, so you might be overcompensating by really trying hard to smack the cue ball with all your might. That could be why you're scratching more now. Just a thought.

Probably my best advice is to skip all of my advice, and go spend a few bucks on lessons from a qualified instructor. It will definitely be worth it!

Hope this helps!

-Blake
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Thanks blake for ur feed back ill try some of what u said also gonna try a hard tip again see if that helps!
 
When I got a break cue with a phenolic tip, I thought it was obviously the best thing since sliced bread.

You would be much better off to try a leather break tip.

My preference in leather break tips.
Super Pro - Cheaper than borscht but lots of control. After initial break in, won't flatten or mushroom on you.
Mad Man break tip. Almost as hard as phenolic but you can feel a considerable amount of control over phenolic. Juan sells his tips in the Machinery Forum. Dirt cheap and worth a try.
A pressed Le Pro or Triangle.

A decent tip on your J&J will do you a world of difference. Try one before you spend the extra cash on an expensive break cue.
 
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Break cue

I have a J&J break/jump cue, and it is as stiff as they come. I picked up an extra shaft for $30. I got one of the phenolic tips replaced with one of Bob Owen's 'super dub' tips (leather), and now it is all I use. It offers a little better control of the cue ball.
 
SloMoHolic said:
I break with a cheap Action cue. I have two shafts: One has a one-piece phenolic ferrule/tip. The other has a G10 ferrule and a Samsara tip.

The phenolic tip is absolutely solid. I feel like I get maximum energy transfer, along with a very satisfying TINK!!! sound. However, as others have said here, it can be hard to control.

The G10/Samsara breaks pretty solid, too, but I have more control over the spin that ends up on the cue ball. Ideally, I would choose to have zero spin in the cue ball.

As for what's happening when you scratch on your break, my guess would be that you are maybe lining up correctly, but veering off on the final forward stroke. If you're right-handed, you will probably be pulling your grip hand away from your body slightly as you deliver the cue. This makes the tip contact the cue ball a little left of center, causing the cue ball to squirt to the right, resulting in it hitting the head ball on the right, then generally rebounding towards either the right corner or side pocket.

Get a measle ball if you can. Watch for spin on the cue ball immediately after the break (if it stays on the table). Don't adjust after every break, but try to see if there is a pattern (i.e. usually some left spin on the cue ball).

Slow down your break, lighten your grip, and really focus on a center ball hit, and solid, head on contact with the head ball in the rack. Once you are doing that consistently at a slower speed, you can gradually work your way up to a faster speed.

This may also be caused indirectly by the soft tip. It won't feel as solid, and won't break as nicely as a good hard tip, so you might be overcompensating by really trying hard to smack the cue ball with all your might. That could be why you're scratching more now. Just a thought.

Probably my best advice is to skip all of my advice, and go spend a few bucks on lessons from a qualified instructor. It will definitely be worth it!

Hope this helps!

-Blake
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Blake, what kind of speed difference, if any, is there between the phenolic and leather break tips on the same cue? I'm curious about the efficiency of energy transfer.
 
jka said:
Blake, what kind of speed difference, if any, is there between the phenolic and leather break tips on the same cue? I'm curious about the efficiency of energy transfer.
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Tough question for me to answer precisely, but I'll say this: probably not much. If I'm keeping everything else the same, having a good day, and only counting quality breaks, then maybe 0.5 to 1 mph.

However, I haven't done any true testing. That's just the general feeling I get when I compare the two.

I will say that my cue ball has dozens of tiny little crescent-shaped "cracks" from the phenolic tip. You can't feel them by running your finger over the surface of the ball, but you can see them.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1367631120.229175.jpg

Just for reference, I break around 18-19 mph with good control, 20-21 mph with mediocre control, and up to about 23 mph if I let the CB go. I can hit 26+, but there's a good chance someone in the room will lose some teeth. :)
 
I own break cues from $200-$500 and love the way my friends JJ breaks. Seriously. Stick with it, but get a real good tip like others suggested. I would recommend a White Diamond.
 
I can only speak from my experience, but many times a break shot that hits the ball on the nose, with less speed, is 100 times better than a break shot that is going 100 mph and results in total loss of cue ball control. My suggestion would be to slow down the break, and concentrate on hitting the head ball on the nose, right square on the kisser. I know for me, slowing down the speed, and focussing more on accuracy has helped. As you get more consistent at hitting the head ball dead on, you can slowly increase the velocity of the break shot.

The break is supposed to be an advantage, but if you are scratching it is actually a disadvantage. Slow down your break some, and see if that does not help. I know it did for me, as I still pocket balls and get a good spread, actually more so since I slowed it down some. Pool is a game of accuracy, and the break is no exception, it's just another shot.

I went to a leather (very hard mind you) on my break cue, and would never consider going back to the phenolic now. I like it much better, but of course like many things, that is personal preference.
 
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RunEm said:
Yea I think I'm just gonna try new tip see how that goes and most time when I scratch its in the corner pocket on the same end I break from!
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Ever try to break with your playing cue to see if it feels better and you have more control?
 
RunEm said:
I've been scratching a lot on my break its driven me nuts is there perks of a higher dollar break cue? Over my j&j
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It ain't the Break Cue thats causing you to Scratch. Most like your delivery in crossing the Shot Line...
 
There are several reasons not to break with your Play Cue.

1. The tip does take a beating. Does that harm your tip from doing what you ask it to? Some say Yes, some say Maybe & some don't know or care.

2. A dedicated Break Cue is made for the task at hand, hitting the Cue Ball hard & straight. A good Break Cue has several different characteristics integrated into the design, to help you do just that. Spending $350 for Cue that will last you a lifetime is a good investment. PLUS. it will always be worth a good portion of it's initial cost. If you compete for money (tournaments or Match Ups)... do it with a complete set of tools & train yourself to be a better player.

3. if you do harm your Play Cue by knocking the tip off, during a match, you might experience a handicap. I won't even mention the other harms that you might experience, while breaking with your Play Cue.

4. The tip of the Cue needs to have a different crown for controlled the Break Shot (less deflection because of shaft, ferrule & tip). The Break Cue can even have a different balance while having the same weight).

Good Luck with your selection.
 
ceebee said:
There are several reasons not to break with your Play Cue.

1. The tip does take a beating. Does that harm your tip from doing what you ask it to? Some say Yes, some say Maybe & some don't know or care.

2. A dedicated Break Cue is made for the task at hand, hitting the Cue Ball hard & straight. A good Break Cue has several different characteristics integrated into the design, to help you do just that. Spending $350 for Cue that will last you a lifetime is a good investment. PLUS. it will always be worth a good portion of it's initial cost. If you compete for money (tournaments or Match Ups)... do it with a complete set of tools & train yourself to be a better player.

3. if you do harm your Play Cue by knocking the tip off, during a match, you might experience a handicap. I won't even mention the other harms that you might experience, while breaking with your Play Cue.

4. The tip of the Cue needs to have a different crown for controlled the Break Shot (less deflection because of shaft, ferrule & tip). The Break Cue can even have a different balance while having the same weight).

Good Luck with your selection.
Click to expand...
All good reasons, but oddly enough none have happened to me. And I don't even change tips but once every few years.

The OP needs to break with his playing cue to ge an understanding of his break stroke with a cue he feels 100% with. At least a few times just so he can get some kind of understanding. It would be foolish not to try it. If it doesn't help, it doesn't help.

There is no pool police that will fine you for trying the break with your shooting cue. And hopefully one's shooting cue won't quit playing if he breaks with it.

Freddie <~~~ breaks best with playing cue for years
 
i can see both sides of the coin here, i remember back when maybe 1/20 guys carried a break cue, one friend did because he had/has about the most powerful break I ever saw-his break cue broke from breaking-forget the tip the whole cue shattered, so for him it was a good plan.

I never had the power to do any damage to my tip and never bothered with a break cue until a few years ago, i noticed that i was breaking better with "some" not all break cues, si i finally got one, got a break rack(best thing ever) and even tho my break aint the best its better with a break cue and practice.

Having said all that, i still break with my playing cue sometimes, because sometimes with 8ball hitting the 2nd ball i get better action wth my playing cue than a break cue.

So it works both ways.

or play one hole and never worry about it again, LOL
 
Well I changed my tip aand tried slowing down some on my break but still putting my power behind it and it helped a lot thanks guys! :thumbup:
 
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