Here is a conversation by Bob Meucci in 1999 about his opinion on cue ball deflection.
DEFLECTION
Written in 1999
It has come to my attention that the term "deflection," which we introduced in 1976 through our Meucci literature and through the professional ranks, has now taken on a different and very incorrect meaning. Deflection had always been clearly understood to mean cue ball deflection.
Whether through misinformation or as a result of not educating the new generation of pool players, deflection has now become falsely understood to mean the deflection of the cue shaft away from the cue ball as it strikes it or even the flexibility of the cue shaft itself. So, it is time to once again clear the air and re-educate the industry about cue ball deflection.
As a result of years of research and development, studying the hit of a pool cue, by using high-speed photography, the following information on cue ball deflection emerged as the industry standard.
Cue ball deflection occurs when the cue ball is struck off-center as when "English" or "side spin" is applied to the shot. This causes the ball to take a path off-angle, veering in the opposite direction from the side on which it was struck. In other words, strike the cue ball left of center and it will deflect off course to the right of the direction established by the alignment of the shaft.
Cue ball deflection will vary from very little (1/8 of an inch in the span of 8 feet) to a whopping 1 1/2 inches in the same span. These variations are a result of three factors;
1. How far off center the cue ball is struck (left or right); the more off center,
the more deflection.
2. The hardness of the surface striking the ball (tip & ferrule) creating varying levels of shock.
3. How much force is used when the ball is struck. The more force applied by speed of stroke, the greater the deflection.
Therefore, when selecting a cue for maximum deflection (which is highly undesirable in my opinion), get one with a stiffly-tapered shaft and a soft tip (13 1/2mm or larger). It should also have a very hard ferrule such as ivory or a phenolic resin type material and a stiff butt-joint such as steel.
Strike the cue ball off-center 3/8 of an inch; hit it hard and you’ll get maximum deflection. The cue ball will veer off-path from the direction the shaft is pointed by 1 1/2 inches in an 8 ft. span, missing the entire object ball when aiming center to center.
Obviously, any player, given enough time, can program his mental computer to make allowances for all deflection variations, if he is playing all the time and in perfect stroke. He can get by with it. In reality, the player has unwittingly handicapped himself.
Through an evolution of trial and error, players in the past discovered inexplicably that they could play better with a smaller mm tip. They dealt with poorly designed cues made with ivory ferrules, steel joints, and improper tapers by reducing the shaft size down to as small as 12mm, they put some flex back into the shaft and unknowingly reduced deflection; unfortunately, at the same time to some degree they also lost the ability to make long shots by having less tip surface and less control, which is only accomplished by using a larger tip.
At Meucci Originals, our focus has always been first and foremost the play of the cue. Secondly, a tasteful design and value for the dollar spent. With that in mind, it should be easy to understand why we designed a shaft with a special Pro-Taper to dramatically reduce deflection yet still enable a full tip size of 12 3/4 mm to 13 1/8 mm to give more control.
If you are looking for minimum cue ball deflection, you will need a cue with a soft/flexible ferrule which will absorb shock and allow the tip to wipe across the ball. The cue should also have a flexible shaft and a plastic joint. All to accomplish two purposes:
1. To increase English velocity by the compression of the flexible shaft at the moment of impact.2. To reduce deflection to its absolute minimum by carrying the shock wave from the tip down the shaft through the flexible joint and out the butt of the cue, thus allowing the chalk particles to stay in contact with the cue ball surface for a longer duration of time.
To test this for yourself, find a cue with a 13 1/2 mm stiffly-tapered shaft with an ivory ferrule or a very hard surfaced ferrule and a stiff joint. Put an object ball on the spot and the cue ball in the center of the table on the foul line. Strike the cue ball 3/8 inches off-center but keep the shaft on line or parallel for a straight-on, center to center hit (not using tuck or throw of course). Hit the cue ball firmly and you will probably cut the object ball 90 degrees or miss the object ball completely. Perform the same exercise with a 4-point Meucci cue and you will cut the object ball off the straight line to the end diamond by no more than 1 1/2 inch, which would still be within the error allowed in a 4 1/2 inch pocket with a 2 1/4 inch object ball.
Best,
Mike
DEFLECTION
Written in 1999
It has come to my attention that the term "deflection," which we introduced in 1976 through our Meucci literature and through the professional ranks, has now taken on a different and very incorrect meaning. Deflection had always been clearly understood to mean cue ball deflection.
Whether through misinformation or as a result of not educating the new generation of pool players, deflection has now become falsely understood to mean the deflection of the cue shaft away from the cue ball as it strikes it or even the flexibility of the cue shaft itself. So, it is time to once again clear the air and re-educate the industry about cue ball deflection.
As a result of years of research and development, studying the hit of a pool cue, by using high-speed photography, the following information on cue ball deflection emerged as the industry standard.
Cue ball deflection occurs when the cue ball is struck off-center as when "English" or "side spin" is applied to the shot. This causes the ball to take a path off-angle, veering in the opposite direction from the side on which it was struck. In other words, strike the cue ball left of center and it will deflect off course to the right of the direction established by the alignment of the shaft.
Cue ball deflection will vary from very little (1/8 of an inch in the span of 8 feet) to a whopping 1 1/2 inches in the same span. These variations are a result of three factors;
1. How far off center the cue ball is struck (left or right); the more off center,
the more deflection.
2. The hardness of the surface striking the ball (tip & ferrule) creating varying levels of shock.
3. How much force is used when the ball is struck. The more force applied by speed of stroke, the greater the deflection.
Therefore, when selecting a cue for maximum deflection (which is highly undesirable in my opinion), get one with a stiffly-tapered shaft and a soft tip (13 1/2mm or larger). It should also have a very hard ferrule such as ivory or a phenolic resin type material and a stiff butt-joint such as steel.
Strike the cue ball off-center 3/8 of an inch; hit it hard and you’ll get maximum deflection. The cue ball will veer off-path from the direction the shaft is pointed by 1 1/2 inches in an 8 ft. span, missing the entire object ball when aiming center to center.
Obviously, any player, given enough time, can program his mental computer to make allowances for all deflection variations, if he is playing all the time and in perfect stroke. He can get by with it. In reality, the player has unwittingly handicapped himself.
Through an evolution of trial and error, players in the past discovered inexplicably that they could play better with a smaller mm tip. They dealt with poorly designed cues made with ivory ferrules, steel joints, and improper tapers by reducing the shaft size down to as small as 12mm, they put some flex back into the shaft and unknowingly reduced deflection; unfortunately, at the same time to some degree they also lost the ability to make long shots by having less tip surface and less control, which is only accomplished by using a larger tip.
At Meucci Originals, our focus has always been first and foremost the play of the cue. Secondly, a tasteful design and value for the dollar spent. With that in mind, it should be easy to understand why we designed a shaft with a special Pro-Taper to dramatically reduce deflection yet still enable a full tip size of 12 3/4 mm to 13 1/8 mm to give more control.
If you are looking for minimum cue ball deflection, you will need a cue with a soft/flexible ferrule which will absorb shock and allow the tip to wipe across the ball. The cue should also have a flexible shaft and a plastic joint. All to accomplish two purposes:
1. To increase English velocity by the compression of the flexible shaft at the moment of impact.2. To reduce deflection to its absolute minimum by carrying the shock wave from the tip down the shaft through the flexible joint and out the butt of the cue, thus allowing the chalk particles to stay in contact with the cue ball surface for a longer duration of time.
To test this for yourself, find a cue with a 13 1/2 mm stiffly-tapered shaft with an ivory ferrule or a very hard surfaced ferrule and a stiff joint. Put an object ball on the spot and the cue ball in the center of the table on the foul line. Strike the cue ball 3/8 inches off-center but keep the shaft on line or parallel for a straight-on, center to center hit (not using tuck or throw of course). Hit the cue ball firmly and you will probably cut the object ball 90 degrees or miss the object ball completely. Perform the same exercise with a 4-point Meucci cue and you will cut the object ball off the straight line to the end diamond by no more than 1 1/2 inch, which would still be within the error allowed in a 4 1/2 inch pocket with a 2 1/4 inch object ball.
Best,
Mike
, just that all hype isn't always constructive. Representatives in any industry need to verify conjecture before pitch the sale. 
When a top notch repped cue comes along, I figured it was supposed to be the way a cue should hit. Though it felt different, I tried to get used to it. After all, what did I know about a great hitting cue?
