The 'A' jnt., it's the weakest connection within a cue.
The base of the forearm is 1"+/-.
The tenon from the handle is 5/8" dia. or there abouts.
That leaves a 3/16" F/A sidewall thickness.
The 5/8"+/- tenon is all that keeps the handle connected to the F/A (and the rest of the cue).
With the shaft attached, you've got a 42"+ lever out in front of it.
That tenon can be strengthened with a screw running THRU it but that's not always the case.
Sometimes the metal screw exists only at the front half of the tenon.
Just to ask the question, I wonder the force needed to snap a 5/8" dowel at 42"?
The jnt connecting the shaft is .840"+/- though it resides on a 5/8" tenon,
but this one has a metal screw running thru it.
Some of those don't get as deep into the F/A as they should be.
That leads to a 'shear-point' at the base of the tenon.
The 'A' is one of the areas that I look upon as the 'art' of cue construction.
That's where it all begins.
KJ
BTW, You're correct, the butt is at risk being forceably bent.
