Just getting back to playing after a 5 yr hiatus. Can someone please educate me as to the benefits of a carbon fiber low deflection shafts. I had tried some of the old OB & predator shafts and am aware of the benefits of low deflection. I always found the old OB's & Predator shafts to have a hollow dead feeling so I never took to them but I am wondering about how the carbon fiber shaft "feel" and which one you would recommend. BTW, it would be on a Schon R-6. Thanks in advance for any and all input.
Carbon Fiber Shafts.....educate me
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10 Pros and Cons of Carbon Fiber Pool Cue Shafts - Pearson Cues
Wondering whether to use a carbon fiber cue or not? Explore the pros and cons of carbon fiber pool cue shafts to make an informed decision.
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Pros and Cons of Carbon Fiber Pool Cue Shafts - The Cue Cave
Last Updated May 12th, 2023Carbon fiber shafts haven’t been around all that long, but they have taken the billiards world by storm since they burst onto the scene. They have been revolutionary to the game of pool and have provided many advantages to pros and amateurs alike. While carbon fiber...
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skiergd011013
Well-known member
im a long time player, and within the last year started playing with a pechauer rogue. Theres not a huge difference in my opinion ( i came from a mcdermott gcore). I believe cf wont warp and wont dent. Many say they are slicker, but not mine. I have to keep it clean and i wear a glove. I have heard some of the cf's have a metallic "ping" sound and feel, and did research before i bought. The Rogue does not have any strange feel or sound. I like it. As far as playing and aiming, i didnt notice any real difference going to the cf, and there was no learning curve. I really like it because my cue is red, and the black shaft goes really good with the red wood. If you're interested, they can make you any joint style.
Here’s my rationale for adopting a carbon fiber shaft. My old cue was a basic Meucci I owned since I was 16 years old. It was in the trunk of my car from through going to college, winters, summers, etc. The shaft and backup shaft were both a bit warped. I had since acquired a disposable income and was ready to upgrade and was in a period where I was actively trying to improve as a player with relearning my fundamentals, doing drills, etc. I knew my stroke and aim needed improvement. I was interested in low deflection shafts. I believed then, and still today, that cue all deflection is something that your brain can be trained to compensate for intuitively. And it doesn’t hurt there are some tricks with bridge lengths, pivot points, back-hand english, and front-hand English that can assist that. But changing cues can definitely have a relearning period. And my mind gravitated to the idea that low deflection meant a smaller margin of compensation than high deflection did.
So with a Carbon Fiber shaft I knew I was going to give up some of the feel you get from a natural wood shaft as the contact with the cue ball reverberates through the wood. It was going to be different. And honestly I told myself I’d get used to it and I certainly have. It’s not that there’s no feel, or less feel, it’s just different feel. But the things that were important to me is that ideally I’d like that to be the last shafts (playing and backup) I buy for the rest of my life. I wanted two in case I have any tip issues or have maintenance being done. And I wanted to be highly confident that those two shafts would play identically which most people probably can trust also with two wood shafts purchased from the same maker at the same time. I also wanted to be confident if anything happened and I needed to replace a shaft in the distant future that the new shaft was going to play identically with a machinist’s level of accuracy and I trust that with carbon fiber where wood is more living and breathing and a shaft purchased years later from the same cuemaker isn’t guaranteed to be nearly as identical due to any differences in the profile of the wood, cuemaking process, or how the shafts were stored over time and in which climates.
And finally I learned to love that all it takes is an alcohol wipe for a carbon fiber shaft to feel as slick as the first time you picked it up. Wood shafts need someone to clean them up on a lathe to get the same result and that can change the profile of the shaft bit by bit over time. And it doesn’t hurt knowing carbon fiber is significantly more resistant to dings, dents, scratches, and warping. I’m pretty clumsy and drop my sticks multiple times a year.
I can appreciate that different people can approach this kind of decision from a different perspective and it wouldn’t be right for them. But at least in my mind with my thought processes, it was and has continued to be a good fit for me.
So with a Carbon Fiber shaft I knew I was going to give up some of the feel you get from a natural wood shaft as the contact with the cue ball reverberates through the wood. It was going to be different. And honestly I told myself I’d get used to it and I certainly have. It’s not that there’s no feel, or less feel, it’s just different feel. But the things that were important to me is that ideally I’d like that to be the last shafts (playing and backup) I buy for the rest of my life. I wanted two in case I have any tip issues or have maintenance being done. And I wanted to be highly confident that those two shafts would play identically which most people probably can trust also with two wood shafts purchased from the same maker at the same time. I also wanted to be confident if anything happened and I needed to replace a shaft in the distant future that the new shaft was going to play identically with a machinist’s level of accuracy and I trust that with carbon fiber where wood is more living and breathing and a shaft purchased years later from the same cuemaker isn’t guaranteed to be nearly as identical due to any differences in the profile of the wood, cuemaking process, or how the shafts were stored over time and in which climates.
And finally I learned to love that all it takes is an alcohol wipe for a carbon fiber shaft to feel as slick as the first time you picked it up. Wood shafts need someone to clean them up on a lathe to get the same result and that can change the profile of the shaft bit by bit over time. And it doesn’t hurt knowing carbon fiber is significantly more resistant to dings, dents, scratches, and warping. I’m pretty clumsy and drop my sticks multiple times a year.
I can appreciate that different people can approach this kind of decision from a different perspective and it wouldn’t be right for them. But at least in my mind with my thought processes, it was and has continued to be a good fit for me.
I played good with Jacoby Hybrids which play with less deflection than any woodshaft. Carbon is weird. It acts differently so you have to use Spin differently to get the same result. My key shot that would get me out of trouble doesn't work the same way and I'm not sure I like it. If you're 5 yrs out of the game, it won't hurt you.
Imo they play and feel the same (comparing Predator 314/Z line to Predator Revo line). The difference is in their durability. They stay smooth, ding free, and straight.
If you are worried about losing the "feel" of the cue, then CF is not the best. I find that OB shafts have very good feel and touch of LD shafts so odd that you felt they were dead. My OB1 with the wood ferrule has a great hit feel. Your Schon would have a pretty stiff hit to begin with so putting a CF shaft on it with a soft tip should be very similar to a stock Schon shaft hit feel. If you want the least deflection with OK hit feel and something that will get you a little more pop to the cueball action, get a Revo 11.8 or 12.4 or a Mezz Ignite. If you want the most wood feel in flex and deflection, get almost any other brand hehe.
Simply put... it's 10 to 15% easier to move the cue ball around. Plus they don't dent or warp.
BeCue Prime M 12.0 mm
BeCue Prime M 12.0 mm
Does anybody play with a 13mm cf?
I like 13mm wood shaft kinda wanted to check out a cf in that size most play with smaller size like I have in the 12mm range
I like 13mm wood shaft kinda wanted to check out a cf in that size most play with smaller size like I have in the 12mm range
I have an original OB that I really like. I have several different wood and LD's I've picked up over the years because I wanted to get a picture of how some of them play for myself without putting a ton on money on the brand new price. The OB orginal is not the least deflecting shaft, but it feels great. If you decide you want to sell yours, I might be interested if I leave carbon.
The too stiff part in my opinion is the worst thing.
Spin Shots at respectable distances between the object ball and cue ball that I was making with other shafts now have to be cued with back hand spin or I can't get the cue ball action to get them to do what I need them to. My favorite shot is to fire one in the corner and go two rails around to the 3rd rail and back into the center of the table. It can be done, but with a lot more effort, absolutely must use high right or left, I used to use 9 oclock or 3 oclock and in order to get that much spin it must be back handed spin and you better hit it good. I'm working on these shots now and they will determine if I stay with carbon.
No matter what people tell you - you either try it yourself or you do not - good to get up front opinions - but that cannot dictate your choice - you either invest in one or just forget about it and stay with wood - good reasons here to choose between either but only you will decide in the end.
BTW- I use a Predator Rush CF now to break and wood shafts- plain maple - for table play / I do not even see where my new Predator BK Rush break cue CF at $800 is actually better than my cheap maple shaft breaker - but I am trying it.
BTW- I use a Predator Rush CF now to break and wood shafts- plain maple - for table play / I do not even see where my new Predator BK Rush break cue CF at $800 is actually better than my cheap maple shaft breaker - but I am trying it.
I told myself I'd never buy one, yet I did a little over a year ago, for experimentation, and since I could easily afford it. Haven't played at all for about a year now, but not due to the carbon.
I've testet pretty much every carbon shaft and IMO there are no significant advantages in performance. How well you play with a particular kind of shaft is always going to be a matter of individual preferences. I don't play any better with carbon shafts than I do with wooden shafts. I think there is less feel with the carbon and I don't like the sound. If a carbon shaft was what I had, it wouldn't be a dealbreaker. I just think wood suits me better and is a lot cheaper. I enjoy the game more with a wooden shaft and I tend to play the game differently with wood.
All this nonsense about moving the cueball better etc. is just that, nonsense. If your budget is low, I'd probably buy a used wooden shaft instead, put a nice tip on it.
I've testet pretty much every carbon shaft and IMO there are no significant advantages in performance. How well you play with a particular kind of shaft is always going to be a matter of individual preferences. I don't play any better with carbon shafts than I do with wooden shafts. I think there is less feel with the carbon and I don't like the sound. If a carbon shaft was what I had, it wouldn't be a dealbreaker. I just think wood suits me better and is a lot cheaper. I enjoy the game more with a wooden shaft and I tend to play the game differently with wood.
All this nonsense about moving the cueball better etc. is just that, nonsense. If your budget is low, I'd probably buy a used wooden shaft instead, put a nice tip on it.
You said that right. I found it out in real time.
i found that when i go to a room to gamble the ones with the black shafts are the worst players. i suppose the shafts make them go from worse to slightly less worse.
same with golf, the worse players are always looking at equipment changes thinking that will improve their game.
same with golf, the worse players are always looking at equipment changes thinking that will improve their game.
Zerksies
Well-known member
Long time predator user here. I've pretty much have had every wooden generation.
1. I like CF because it doesn't warp.
2. In the year i have been using CF not a single ding in the shaft. Wooden ones i use to get weekly.
3. I only get a ping sound on my break shaft and I'm using a really hard tip. My play shaft doesn't have a ping.
4. Gloves are not needed. My hands don't sweat but i do have a towel if needed.
5. I think CF is smoother then wood and i was using 10k sandpaper on my wooden shafts.
6. Feel of the shaft can be spectulative. The tip and shaft come into effect. I used the same tip on my wood and CF. CF felt stiffer. I tried this a week or so ago and had the same result on feel.
7. Best thing to do is if you are able to "try" out a shaft somewhere's and get a guage. I was able to try one out at the US open last year and bought one there. I got my second one a month later.
8. LD can have a learning curve.
1. I like CF because it doesn't warp.
2. In the year i have been using CF not a single ding in the shaft. Wooden ones i use to get weekly.
3. I only get a ping sound on my break shaft and I'm using a really hard tip. My play shaft doesn't have a ping.
4. Gloves are not needed. My hands don't sweat but i do have a towel if needed.
5. I think CF is smoother then wood and i was using 10k sandpaper on my wooden shafts.
6. Feel of the shaft can be spectulative. The tip and shaft come into effect. I used the same tip on my wood and CF. CF felt stiffer. I tried this a week or so ago and had the same result on feel.
7. Best thing to do is if you are able to "try" out a shaft somewhere's and get a guage. I was able to try one out at the US open last year and bought one there. I got my second one a month later.
8. LD can have a learning curve.