Cue Design - Points
- Thread starter ScottR
- Start date
from an aesthetic pov, there's really no where to go. the cue has a very limited work surface and very much dictates the design. even with today's designs, small elements combine to create longer flowing designs along the length of the cue.
in the older cues from a century or more ago, there's no denying that aesthetics was foremost in the minds of the cuemakers.
probably, a knowledge of those cuemakers' backgrounds might lead you to a better understanding of what was uppermost in their thoughts,,,ie,,,were they formerly furniture makers,,,,,artisan/craftsmen,,,,weapons makers,,,,,before they began building cues????? furniture makers, for instance, i would guess used design with a functional purpose,,,while artisans were all about the art of the cue,,,,and maybe weapons makers brought some functionality of design that made their weapons more powerful.
i happen to think it was purely artistic,,,,like the way lances were embellished for jousting. first came the lance, then came the fancy doodads.
in the older cues from a century or more ago, there's no denying that aesthetics was foremost in the minds of the cuemakers.
probably, a knowledge of those cuemakers' backgrounds might lead you to a better understanding of what was uppermost in their thoughts,,,ie,,,were they formerly furniture makers,,,,,artisan/craftsmen,,,,weapons makers,,,,,before they began building cues????? furniture makers, for instance, i would guess used design with a functional purpose,,,while artisans were all about the art of the cue,,,,and maybe weapons makers brought some functionality of design that made their weapons more powerful.
i happen to think it was purely artistic,,,,like the way lances were embellished for jousting. first came the lance, then came the fancy doodads.
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I might be wrong here, but I've gotten the impression that points were originally just a side product when attaching two pieces of different wood together. Finding a suitable wood for a one-piece cue could be more difficult and some early cuemakers started attaching woods together to add strength etc. Well, I think the look of the cue was also important when looking at some century old buttersplice cues...
Anyone with more knowledge on this ?
Anyone with more knowledge on this ?
That would be My best non-educated guess 
That It started as a method of joining the woods. With methods of such being used so much in furniture of the period, and access to threading being so limited, It probably was considered the best method of craftsmanship of the time. I imagine just as in furniture, the arts in crafts style followed with the use of veneers & inlay. This is just a guess.
I am curious to know if any of the oldest, original maces made were joined that way.
Greg
That It started as a method of joining the woods. With methods of such being used so much in furniture of the period, and access to threading being so limited, It probably was considered the best method of craftsmanship of the time. I imagine just as in furniture, the arts in crafts style followed with the use of veneers & inlay. This is just a guess.I am curious to know if any of the oldest, original maces made were joined that way.
Greg
I was told they started making full-splice b/c that was the only way to join two pieces then and that it had the most gluing surface that way ( they used horse glue then ).
Did the cuemakers decide to join different woods because they realized the importance of the weight and balance of a cue or because of aesthetic reasons? Thanks!
Tim.
Tim.
Beyond the weight and balance point, which is quite important, splicing woods together prevents warping and twisting as well, that is also something that came form the furniture industry. I'm sure the first cuemakers probably tried to make their first cues from one piece of wood but they probably warped like crazy. I've heard the horse glue thing before too.....
Mike
Mike
I have heard the horse glue & more gluing area thing also, probably an issue in furniture as well. I agree the splice was probably already reconized to help prevent warping early on. Might have something do do with them being used up in the shaft part sometimes as well, because in the one pieces they always seem to want to warp above the butt splice. Then again maybe it was just for looks when used up top also, as that was'nt as widely used as the bottom splice.
Talking about doing things by hand, I bet those were the real good ol days.
Greg
Talking about doing things by hand, I bet those were the real good ol days.
Greg