Cloned playing cue vs cue designed for breaking
- Thread starter newcuer
- Start date
I personally think there definitely some benefit to a harder tip. Some of that is in power transfer, though I don't actually thing that difference is huge. But just in tip longevity and shape holding for a break cue a hard tip is nice.
Beyond that, I think a good stiff taper and a reasonably thick shaft is good for breaking. If you already have a playing clue that is like that then taking the same specs and putting a hard tip on it would probably make a great break cue.
I play with an 11.8 Revo shaft with a soft tip. I would not want my breaker to be the same as my playing cue. I use a BK Rush now but previously used a nice wood OB break cue. I honestly don't think having a break specific cue makes much difference....just give me a good reasonably stout shaft and a hard tip on a cue butt around that 18-19oz range and I'm happy. I like my BK Rush but it's not noticeable better than any other cue I've used to break before. I do like not having to worry about shaft dings with the Revo though, my OB got pretty dinged up over the years of league use.
Beyond that, I think a good stiff taper and a reasonably thick shaft is good for breaking. If you already have a playing clue that is like that then taking the same specs and putting a hard tip on it would probably make a great break cue.
I play with an 11.8 Revo shaft with a soft tip. I would not want my breaker to be the same as my playing cue. I use a BK Rush now but previously used a nice wood OB break cue. I honestly don't think having a break specific cue makes much difference....just give me a good reasonably stout shaft and a hard tip on a cue butt around that 18-19oz range and I'm happy. I like my BK Rush but it's not noticeable better than any other cue I've used to break before. I do like not having to worry about shaft dings with the Revo though, my OB got pretty dinged up over the years of league use.
If your going to spend the money on another cue for breaking buy a dedicated break. Also, don’t assume you want the same specs as your playing cue. Try as many variations in brand, weight, ferrule/tip size/material, you can get access to. I have experience w a Standard Pechauer break cue and it works for me, can’t speak for anybody else. It’s no different than your playing cue, all personal preference. GL
would never do that. breaking is a very specific task requiring a cue unlike one you play with. my j/b is NOTHING close to my play cues.
Just pay girls in sports attire to practice pool with the cue
this is how the music industry is promoting drums in Asia
its multi angles, with a close up of the right food on the small toe side.
the hair movement keeps it interesting.
this is how the music industry is promoting drums in Asia
its multi angles, with a close up of the right food on the small toe side.
the hair movement keeps it interesting.
What, besides the tip, makes it break harder?
Someone I am sure will give you their encyclopedic knowledge of break cues, but it won't matter. Just try as many as possible and buy a dedicated one. You will be happy. If you buy a quality one you can get a decent portion of your investment back if you want to upgrade. Shooter08
stewie
Active member
there were threads about this before. You can buy spare break shafts for your joint and try with an old player. JJcue has them for ~$40. I am in the cloning camp, just with a harder tip. But, major rabbit hole alert! Like with all equipment. You can play as bad ( or even worse) with the most expensive/exclusive equipment. You see pros struggling with the break on certain days or tables, not even talking about racking conditions.
Yes sometimes I believe an exact duplicate of my playing cue with a hard tip would break better than a cue a designed for breaking. The familiarity and accuracy you gain with using your playing cue duplicate might override any benefit that the cue design for breaking provides.
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I tried the CF break shafts and found it makes a noticeable difference for me. I have the rogue break shaft on a nice butt, 3-8-10 joint. Love it, and people who try it love it. They are surprised at how it changes their break.
My player is solid maple shafts. Never could adjust to cf or extra low deflection cues to play with.l
Could i clone my player to for breaking, sure. Would it be as effective as my rogue break shaft, no.
My player is solid maple shafts. Never could adjust to cf or extra low deflection cues to play with.l
Could i clone my player to for breaking, sure. Would it be as effective as my rogue break shaft, no.
Doubtful. The amount of research and development that is done by major cue manufacturers will outweigh your accuracy and familiarity. Don't just buy a heavy cue thinking its a break cue. If you have a extra cue and do not want to buy a dedicated break cue, sure put a break tip on it, but don't buy another playing cue to make it into a break cue. Would you buy a Prius to hall a boat?
This is not a question of finance nor quality. My playing cue is just as expensive as my bk rush.
Personally, I do not see any merit to having a break cue weigh the same approximate weight as your playing cue.
Now I concede there’s debate about mass (weight) vs. velocity (speed) among players. Is a heavier cue better than
a lighter cue? The obvious suggestion being you can swing a lighter cue faster than a heavier cue. Baseball is proof or
example. But it is also true that a heavier mass, i.e., weight, swung at the same speed as the lighter mass (bat), striking
the object (ball) delivers more energy to the object struck. So I think the best approach is to select a break cue weight
enabling you to strike the cue ball as hard as you want without sacrificing accuracy. And by accuracy I mean exactly where you intended to strike the cue ball, without “any” unintended side spin and the contact point on the rack. As you
experiment you’ll discover cue weight has a big influence…..wanna see….try it with a 25 oz. cue and a 19 oz. cue…..
swing as hard as you can and then start dialing it back…..there’s a sweet spot you have to find for yourself.
Anyway, back to my point. Since I never swing my playing cue as hard as I do on a break, why would I want a break
cue to be the same weight as a cue I never swing that hard with? Don’t I just want a cue weight that works the best?
IMO, this suggests it’s trial and error for 2 reasons: people are anatomically different and one’s break shot approach.
p.s. Forgot to mention breaking with your playing cue just means you’ll have more tip shape maintenance to perform.
Now I concede there’s debate about mass (weight) vs. velocity (speed) among players. Is a heavier cue better than
a lighter cue? The obvious suggestion being you can swing a lighter cue faster than a heavier cue. Baseball is proof or
example. But it is also true that a heavier mass, i.e., weight, swung at the same speed as the lighter mass (bat), striking
the object (ball) delivers more energy to the object struck. So I think the best approach is to select a break cue weight
enabling you to strike the cue ball as hard as you want without sacrificing accuracy. And by accuracy I mean exactly where you intended to strike the cue ball, without “any” unintended side spin and the contact point on the rack. As you
experiment you’ll discover cue weight has a big influence…..wanna see….try it with a 25 oz. cue and a 19 oz. cue…..
swing as hard as you can and then start dialing it back…..there’s a sweet spot you have to find for yourself.
Anyway, back to my point. Since I never swing my playing cue as hard as I do on a break, why would I want a break
cue to be the same weight as a cue I never swing that hard with? Don’t I just want a cue weight that works the best?
IMO, this suggests it’s trial and error for 2 reasons: people are anatomically different and one’s break shot approach.
p.s. Forgot to mention breaking with your playing cue just means you’ll have more tip shape maintenance to perform.
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I like to follow suit like some players that like a set of cues (one playing, one breaking) with similar themes and materials, but the break cue may be less fancy (no points, etc). I carry 3 butts (all 19oz, all with same 3/8x10 pin, break butt is 1 piece bocote marywidow and I usually break with the same weight or lighter cues) and 6 shafts (5 are maple, one has a break tip on it). They all have a burl theme, the two main players have a high / low 6 point veneered them and they all have the same black leather football wrap as shown here:
Not a direct answer, but I wouldn't want a fancy cue as a break cue, even if the shaft was a break shaft. The butt on a break cue takes a lot of abuse. It can rub on the tops of the wood rails, or the tops of the pockets, and the finish can get damaged. At least that is what happens with my break cues and follow through. YMMV.