Cory Barnhart review (long and detailed)

Hal

Hal

Beer Player
Silver Member
This cue has a nice feel and good firm hit.

19.5-19.6 ounces
12.8mm at ferrule
LBM with layered tip (will change to Kamui asap)
4 point Goncola Alves into Maple
Black Linen wrap
Goncola Alves sleeve
Radial pin
Black collars with silver dot rings
Black Buttcap with matching silver dot rings
 

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Seriously the cue feels really nice. The wrap is tightly pressed and just feels good in my hands. I've always liked cues that are very hard to screw together. (I guess it's just the "machinist" in me) This cue does not do that but there is no slop in the threads either. It's a good fit.

The shaft has a stiff taper. I was afraid it would be too tough to stroke with a closed bridge but it's not. It's just right. I don't know the proper term for this taper. It's a somewhat short taper but not like some cues I've played with. My Dufferin house cues have a very short sharp taper that makes it hard to stroke. I'd say this Barnhart taper is less than a Dufferin and more than a Schon.

Overall I would compare this cue's hit to a South West. It's a little firmer than a Bluegrass which is probably due to the shaft taper.

Not too long ago I was a big stainless joint fan. (Again probably due to me being a machinist and knowing how tough stainless steel is.) Recently I've mad the transition to big pins and wood/wood joints.

Bottom line if you want a great playing cue this one is for you. I'm not a great player and haven't played with hundreds of fancy cues. I don't know a lot about what the hit should be either, but I've had some nice ones and this one plays very well in my opinion.

Cues I've owned in the past:

Meucci
Joss
Player
National
Dufferin
J&J
Huebler
mali
Predator
Dayton
Murrell
Adamson
Schon
Espiritu
Phillippi
Rick Howard "Mace"
Coker
Omen
Gilbert
Gullyassy
Woodworth
McDermott
Bluegrass
South West
Probably several more that I can't currently think of
 
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Hal said:
Seriously the cue feels really nice. The wrap is tightly pressed and just feels good in my hands. I've always liked cues that are very hard to screw together. (I guess it's just the "machinist" in me) This cue does not do that but there is no slop in the threads either. It's a good fit.

The shaft has a stiff taper. I was afraid it would be too tough to stroke with a closed bridge but it's not. It's just right. I don't know the proper term for this taper. It's a somewhat short taper but not like some cues I've played with. My Dufferin house cues have a very short sharp taper that makes it hard to stroke. I'd say this Barnhart taper is less than a Dufferin and more than a Schon.

Overall I would compare this cue's hit to a South West. It's a little firmer than a Bluegrass which is probably due to the shaft taper.

Not too long ago I was a big stainless joint fan. (Again probably due to me being a machinist and knowing how tough stainless steel is.) Recently I've mad the transition to big pins and wood/wood joints.

Bottom line if you want a great playing cue this one is for you. I'm not a great player and haven't played with hundreds of fancy cues. I don't know a lot about what the hit should be either, but I've had some nice ones and this one plays very well in my opinion.

Cues I've owned in the past:

Meucci
Joss
Player
National
Dufferin
J&J
Huebler
mali
Predator
Dayton
Murrell
Adamson
Schon
Espiritu
Phillippi
Omen
Gilbert
Gullyassy
Woodworth
McDermott
Bluegrass
South West
Probably several more that I can't currently think of
Click to expand...


Good post, Hal. I have known quite a few cuemakers and am lucky to live about 20 miles from Cory Barnhart. Cory is truly one of the most detail oriented cuemakers I have ever seen. He truly wants every piece of cue work that he puts out to be perfect.

He has a box in his shop with some very nice cues in it. I asked if they were for sale, and he said they were flawed and would not let them go out. The flaws are very, very minor. I even asked him to change the butt and remove any markings and I would never say who built them, but he declined.

I have had the pleasure of owning several of his cues. They all play great, and the workmanship is right at the top of the heap. You are dead-on in your assessment of his cues, IMO.

Joe
 
Bamacues said:
He has a box in his shop with some very nice cues in it. I asked if they were for sale, and he said they were flawed and would not let them go out. The flaws are very, very minor. I even asked him to change the butt and remove any markings and I would never say who built them, but he declined.
Click to expand...

I know he doesnt want the headache of dealing with whiny people because like you said they are somewhat flawed, but with the economy like it is he could some $$$$ off the deal I think. Hell if the flaws are minor most people wont care to pay to get it fixed on top of what Cory would want for the cue. I'd buy one if there was one in there that I liked. You might have to start begging for us:D
 
I own one and measured his stock taper with my calipers. It was about 12.8mm at the tip, 13.6 @ 6 in. back and 14.2 @ 12 in. back. So, quite stiff. Just using the naked eye, it looks like the taper is constantly getting thicker, so I guess it would be a straight/euro/conical taper.

They do hit great. He uses 3/4 in. ferrules and they deflect a little less than a standard 1 in. ferrule. You can really stroke the ball with his cues.

Good review Hal.
 
Yeah you really can put a stroke on the cue ball with this cue. Which is why I'm anxious to put a Kamui on it. I think it will only get better.

I'll get my calipers and post some measurements of the taper.
 
Here are some very interesting shaft measurements. The shafts are remarkably similar except at 9 inches where the Barnhart gets slightly bigger.

Barnhart
ferrule .497 (12.6 mm)
3 inches .510 (12.95 mm)
6 inches .525 (13.3 mm)
9 inches .540 (13.7 mm)
12 inches .550 (13.97 mm)

Sout West
ferrule .512 (13 mm)
3 inches .515 (13.1 mm)
6 inches .520 (13.2 mm)
9 inches .530 (13.46 mm)
12 inches .545 (13.85 mm)

South West Satin
ferrule .514 (13.05 mm)
3 inches .518 (13.15 mm)
6 inches .520 (13.2 mm)
9 inches .534 (13.56 mm)
12 inches .550 (13.97 mm)

Bluegrass
ferrule .515 (13.08 mm)
3 inches .513 (13.03 mm)
6 inches .523 (13.28 mm)
9 inches .530 (13.46 mm)
12 inches .542 (13.76 mm)
 
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This is my 2nd Barnhart and it plays just as well as the first one. You really owe it to yourself to get a Barnhart.

Radial pin
Butt 15.2oz
Shaft 1 4.1oz micarta(?) ferrulle layered tip 13mm
Shaft 2 4.1oz micarta(?) ferrulle layered tip 13mm

Barnhart2.jpg

Barnhart3.jpg

Barnhart.jpg
 
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Hal said:
Can anyone describe the Barnhart taper more accurately? Is there a name for it?
Click to expand...

probably a euro taper...an exagerated form of a snooker cue taper
 
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