Change Shafts Like There Throw Aways

From what I can remember in my "back in the days", cues didn't come with 2 shafts. It was hard to get another shaft with the same ring work, or fit. Because no 2 shafts are completely alike, it was even harder to find one that hit as similar to your older shaft and you either bought another one (more expense) or you just adapted (with much resistance). I hated the hit from my everyday player cue. I bought an OB-1 (just out at the time) as a replacement and to try out their shafts. I've been with it ever since. I still have the original shaft, but I'm tempted to use it only for trying out different tips. Otherwise, it stays in the closet. There's really nothing wrong to changing your shaft anyways. Its like asking why would you buy another complete cue? Of Course, there's lots of reasons, but its a personal decision in the end.
 
I make shafts

The only people that I know that change their shafts like their underpants is the guys who are on the LD shaft quest thing.


I don't change shafts allot ! but I have allot of shafts for my main player ;)
 
I think we're always looking for our Holy Grail. I have purchased many cues and shafts while searching for mine.
I seem to always come back to my original though, you'd think after several thousand dollars I'd learn.....
 
I'm gonna guess that your "back in the days" isn't very long ago. I don't think there is a real custom cuemaker out there who only makes cues with one shaft. They have all come with 2, as a standard, for the past 40+ years. Even the early McDermotts came with two shafts. The reasoning was that if a tip popped off, you would have the same playing characteristics in the other shaft.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Skratch said:
From what I can remember in my "back in the days", cues didn't come with 2 shafts. It was hard to get another shaft with the same ring work, or fit. Because no 2 shafts are completely alike, it was even harder to find one that hit as similar to your older shaft and you either bought another one (more expense) or you just adapted (with much resistance). I hated the hit from my everyday player cue. I bought an OB-1 (just out at the time) as a replacement and to try out their shafts. I've been with it ever since. I still have the original shaft, but I'm tempted to use it only for trying out different tips. Otherwise, it stays in the closet. There's really nothing wrong to changing your shaft anyways. Its like asking why would you buy another complete cue? Of Course, there's lots of reasons, but its a personal decision in the end.
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Scott Lee said:
I'm gonna guess that your "back in the days" isn't very long ago. I don't think there is a real custom cuemaker out there who only makes cues with one shaft. They have all come with 2, as a standard, for the past 40+ years. Even the early McDermotts came with two shafts. The reasoning was that if a tip popped off, you would have the same playing characteristics in the other shaft.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
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Like I said, as far as I can remember. I don't recall the majority of cuemakers at the time providing 2 shafts. I could be wrong as I'm going on memory and not for advertisements,etc. Maybe custom jobs, as I was referring more to production cues. Not the stuff you find at sporting goods stores, but from pool halls, local dealers, and with the coming age of internet, online dealers. The point more being that changing shafts isn't such a big deal, from my perspective, as the OP makes it out to be.
 
Listen, you old curmudgeon...you wouldn't know something positive about pool if it smacked you in the face. I've bought many shafts over the past almost 50 years of playing. I also have known hundreds of 70+ poolplayers in my life. NONE have been as big a sourpuss as you are. Enjoy life as a whiny, complaining, nosey DB. You'll never change. :boring2:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Johnnyt said:
You probably have never bought a new shaft in your life. I'm sure you get most of them given to you to try out=pitch like snake oil for them. From a grain of salt.
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Scott Lee said:
Listen, you old curmudgeon...you wouldn't know something positive about pool if it smacked you in the face. I've bought many shafts over the past almost 50 years of playing. I also have known hundreds of 70+ poolplayers in my life. NONE have been as big a sourpuss as you are. Enjoy life as a whiny, complaining, nosey DB. You'll never change. :boring2:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...


Whiny, complaining, nosey DB= Questions snake oil pushers. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
It's funny, but every good player that I have known hated it when he or she needed to get a new shaft. Most kept there old playing shafts until the last minute. Now today people on here buy just about every knew shaft that comes out. Strange IMO. Johnnyt
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I like to try new things. In pool as in life. I have the money for it, so why not? I'm not blowing my money on hookers and drugs, so I figure I can buy some pool stuff and still come out ahead.
 
Most of my cues {at least the customs} were all ordered with two shafts. I've always played with both, alternating them every other day. I've done this for over 35 years now, I think. I've never "played a shaft out".
 
Im not one for aftermarket super shafts. I like the shafts that were made for my cue... I keep them as long as possible.
 
I think people should feel free to experiment with different equipment, we all have different opinions on things and your physique do play a part in what equipment will work best for you.
But it's important to spend enough time with your new shaft.
Lots of players try a product for an hour or two, and if their game isn't top notch those few hours, it's the new shafts fault, and they start looking for another shaft...
Not all LD shafts or regular shafts are constructed the same way, and a few brands out there are made in a way, where they clearly sacrifice durability and feel for low deflection characteristics, wich is a shame...
Another thing is that players often seem to have unrealistic expectations of their new equipment. Looking to fix flaws in your game, by buying new and more expensive equipment is a pipe dream and the sellers who come up with unsupported claims should have their nutsac stapled to the floor...
 
Kim Bye said:
I think people should feel free to experiment with different equipment, we all have different opinions on things and your physique do play a part in what equipment will work best for you.
But it's important to spend enough time with your new shaft.
Lots of players try a product for an hour or two, and if their game isn't top notch those few hours, it's the new shafts fault, and they start looking for another shaft...
Not all LD shafts or regular shafts are constructed the same way, and a few brands out there are made in a way, where they clearly sacrifice durability and feel for low deflection characteristics, wich is a shame...
Another thing is that players often seem to have unrealistic expectations of their new equipment. Looking to fix flaws in your game, by buying new and more expensive equipment is a pipe dream and the sellers who come up with unsupported claims should have their nutsac stapled to the floor...
Click to expand...

Maybe it is just me, but a change in shaft can be pretty dramatic. Balance, thickness, taper, deflection, stiffness, power, feel, etc..

I think because the changes are easily noticeable makes people continue to search for the magical perfect shaft.
 
I dont think the use of anything new is necessarily a bad thing. Lets look at this short list:
Phenolic/Layered Tips
Quick Release Joints
Laminated/LD shafts
Pro/Conical/Custom tapers
Butt/Mid Cue Extensions

All of these innovations, at the start have been shunned. Nowadays they are commonplace. Its the advancement of the game. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that nobody's game is perfect. If these advancements help, why not! Some might work better than others, but whatever it helps its a personal choice. The newer innovation that's come out is the DigiCue. Who knows whats next? (personally i was thinking a gps tracking chip in the butt to get back your stolen cue!) So if the OP has issues with the newer shafts replacing the original, so what?! Whats wrong with that? Where's the evil in using something different? Who really wants the same thing as everyone else?! I'm not saying the OP doesn't have a right to his opinion, but I fail to see whats he indicates as the problem. Maybe I'm missing his point. <shrugging>
 
mortuarymike-nv said:
There are several threads in here that were made that covers how to clean and maintain ones shaft without using any abrasives...
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They wear out just by running through your bridge hand. I have to replace mine about every three years. Never use anything on them except a clean towel just to wipe then down every once in awhile. Johnnyt is correct.
Just like the cue ball wears out just by rolling on the cloth.
 
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dabarbr said:
They wear out just by running through your bridge hand. I have to replace mine about every three years. Never use anything on them except a clean towel just to wipe then down every once in awhile. Johnnyt is correct.
Just like the cue ball wears out just by rolling on the cloth.
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Thank you for that. Problem is most don't keep a shaft long enough to wear out or get use to it. Johnnyt
 
Shaft wearing out

dabarbr said:
They wear out just by running through your bridge hand. I have to replace mine about every three years. Never use anything on them except a clean towel just to wipe then down every once in awhile. Johnnyt is correct.
Just like the cue ball wears out just by rolling on the cloth.
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Sorry I will have to disagree, if someone cleans and waxes their shaft religiously and never uses anything abrasive then the shaft will not get worn by the friction between the shaft and your bride hand ....

There are many players who only shoot with gloves, there are many players who cant handle the feel of the shafts surface tugging on the skin of their bridge hand , me being one of those people ..

I carry a glove with me.
I maintain my shafts using a synthetic wax, which is much harder then carnauba and has a higher melting point .
I have kind of studied this so my customers can get better life out of their pool equipment .
I make and sale shafts and cues and I know how to read a micrometer.
I hate giving customers bad news , and do everything to educate them on how to take care of there equipment ..

Why would do you think I started several threads on shaft maintenance and spent several hundreds of dollars doing the research buying different waxes and sending samples out to other members to get honest feed back ...
Those threads were noticed by people who have been in the cue making business for years.

Those are good honest informational threads , but each to their own .
I have no issues with what you believe or know, and you are welcome to your freedom of speech .

Respectfully I will have to disagree with you . but who really cares .....

Some of my favorite shafts are 12,25mm.
As said I make shafts and its not a big deal to me .
My cost to make a shaft is minimal,
All of my lathes have more then paid for themselves and I enjoy making shafts ....
I also want my stuff to last for my customers, that it can be pass down from one generation to the next generation .
I want my cues to last forever if they can be taken care of ........

Lots of different products on the market , allot of knowledge out there .
No time to be narrow minded.
My point is if you don't want unwanted wear on your pool cue shafts then there are ways to guard against that.....
But it requires a honest effort ,

Sorry you shafts keep getting worn out, I haven't had that issue sense I learned how to take care of mine ...
 
mortuarymike-nv said:
Sorry I will have to disagree, if someone cleans and waxes their shaft religiously and never uses anything abrasive then the shaft will not get worn by the friction between the shaft and your bride hand ....

There are many players who only shoot with gloves, there are many players who cant handle the feel of the shafts surface tugging on the skin of their bridge hand , me being one of those people ..

I carry a glove with me.
I maintain my shafts using a synthetic wax, which is much harder then carnauba and has a higher melting point .
I have kind of studied this so my customers can get better life out of their pool equipment .
I make and sale shafts and cues and I know how to read a micrometer.
I hate giving customers bad news , and do everything to educate them on how to take care of there equipment ..

Why would do you think I started several threads on shaft maintenance and spent several hundreds of dollars doing the research buying different waxes and sending samples out to other members to get honest feed back ...
Those threads were noticed by people who have been in the cue making business for years.

Those are good honest informational threads , but each to their own .
I have no issues with what you believe or know, and you are welcome to your freedom of speech .

Respectfully I will have to disagree with you . but who really cares .....

Some of my favorite shafts are 12,25mm.
As said I make shafts and its not a big deal to me .
My cost to make a shaft is minimal,
All of my lathes have more then paid for themselves and I enjoy making shafts ....
I also want my stuff to last for my customers, that it can be pass down from one generation to the next generation .
I want my cues to last forever if they can be taken care of ........

Lots of different products on the market , allot of knowledge out there .
No time to be narrow minded.
My point is if you don't want unwanted wear on your pool cue shafts then there are ways to guard against that.....
But it requires a honest effort ,

Sorry you shafts keep getting worn out, I haven't had that issue sense I learned how to take care of mine ...
Click to expand...

I understand what your saying and I respect all of it but there are many like me that that like to feel the untreated wood with my bare hand and no glove. I have no problem in spending for a new shaft when I feel it's time to do so.
 
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