Can You Increase a Shaft's Deflection Properties?

Mikey Town

Mikey Town

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi all,

I have a cue... a simple sneaky Pete from Al Romero. Absolutely love the way it hits (no surprise there), but I'm having a hard time adjusting to it, as the shaft is very low deflection for a standard maple shaft (plays in-between a more "normal" shaft and a 314-2).

Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but I got pretty well adjusted to using back hand English with my old cue, and have come to be fairly dependent on the technique for certain shots. Because this cue is so low in deflection, BHE puts my bridge length out over 12 inches. For the gorgeous, long smooth strokes we see on the tours, that wouldn't be a problem... For a once-a-week banger like me, I'm just not comfortable with a bridge length that long.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can have this shaft adjusted to produce a bit more cue ball deflection? Lengthen the taper, replace ferrule with a heavier material, etc... I'm open to anything, so please let me know what you think.


Cheers,

Mike
 
Adjust your bridge length. You can still use the back hand English but it will be a more longer bridge than what you're used to.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
 
I have to admit that's the first time I remember that question coming up!
Usually it's "How do I reduce deflection?"
:thumbup:
Gary
 
Ok, you don't want to hear that:

You ****ing get it on with the new equipment, train how to properly use it and embrace it's better properties.
It's you who are wrong, not your new and better shaft!

Dah!
M.
 
Mikey Town said:
Hi all,

I have a cue... a simple sneaky Pete from Al Romero. Absolutely love the way it hits (no surprise there), but I'm having a hard time adjusting to it, as the shaft is very low deflection for a standard maple shaft (plays in-between a more "normal" shaft and a 314-2).

Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but I got pretty well adjusted to using back hand English with my old cue, and have come to be fairly dependent on the technique for certain shots. Because this cue is so low in deflection, BHE puts my bridge length out over 12 inches. For the gorgeous, long smooth strokes we see on the tours, that wouldn't be a problem... For a once-a-week banger like me, I'm just not comfortable with a bridge length that long.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can have this shaft adjusted to produce a bit more cue ball deflection? Lengthen the taper, replace ferrule with a heavier material, etc... I'm open to anything, so please let me know what you think.


Cheers,

Mike
Click to expand...

More front end mass will be the way to go. That means a heavier ferrule material, or a longer ferrule or both.
You could do even more drastic stuff, like replacing the tennon with a heavier type of wood, but that's maybe going too far..?
 
M.G. said:
Ok, you don't want to hear that:

You ****ing get it on with the new equipment, train how to properly use it and embrace it's better properties.
It's you who are wrong, not your new and better shaft!

Dah!
M.
Click to expand...

"Better" is subjective. Lower deflection properties do not make a shaft "better." What makes a shaft "better" is dependent on what a particular player's wants and needs are.

Thank you for your personal opinion, that did not address my question at all.


Kim - Thank you for confirming that I may be on the right track with a new ferrule.

GBCues - I know it's an odd question... I honestly felt kinda weird just typing it out. LOL
 
Al still uses old fiber ferrules to this day afaik.
Really light but absorbs chalk .
Try switching to a heavier ferrule like Saber-T.
 
If you understand him, deflection is your best friend. Use a harder ferrule.
 
Mikey Town said:
Hi all,

I have a cue... a simple sneaky Pete from Al Romero. Absolutely love the way it hits (no surprise there), but I'm having a hard time adjusting to it, as the shaft is very low deflection for a standard maple shaft (plays in-between a more "normal" shaft and a 314-2).

Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but I got pretty well adjusted to using back hand English with my old cue, and have come to be fairly dependent on the technique for certain shots. Because this cue is so low in deflection, BHE puts my bridge length out over 12 inches. For the gorgeous, long smooth strokes we see on the tours, that wouldn't be a problem... For a once-a-week banger like me, I'm just not comfortable with a bridge length that long.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can have this shaft adjusted to produce a bit more cue ball deflection? Lengthen the taper, replace ferrule with a heavier material, etc... I'm open to anything, so please let me know what you think.


Cheers,

Mike
Click to expand...
Add weight.

Two fiber pads on a 314-2 does it for me. You or you cue mechanic could change the ferrule (see other post). For drastic measures, Viking and others used to have metal under their ferrules.

There are a few other idea that I've been talking to my cue mechanic about on adding weight.

Freddie <~~~ not a mechanic
 
1) Am I understanding you want more deflection to where your cue ball goes off center more?
2) Or are you not able to get as much draw or back spin on the cue ball as you want?
If it is the first most have given great advice in my opinion and a heavier harder ferrule might help..
But if it is the second then you need to either retaper the shaft so it is a little more limber or put on a ferrule designed to produce more English or Draw. Not a heavier harder ferrule but a softer ferrule that gives that extra snap to the cue ball like Meucci used to use. Too soft can be also bad so it needs to be the right hardness.
 
Before you start swapping ferrules, my advice would be to invest in a little solder. You can wrap it around the ferrule, much like a mini wrap on your cue, tape it in place and figure out exactly how much weight you need to add to the ferrule. Either talk to your repair guy or come back here and someone can give you an idea of which material to switch over to make it the closest in weight.
 
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