I would be more than happy to show you some photos of my work. However, I don't build cues, I do custom paint on Ducatis. Regardless, it matters not what the product is your finishing. Paint/clear bonds to the work by a chemical process. What would be the logic of it bonding better to a rougher surface than a smooth one? Would it be so it wouldn't slide off? Lol.
While it is true that cues will sometimes be exposed to some abuse, it's nothing like the abuse a motorcycle gets. Think of all the sand that gets blasted against the finish while riding or the effects of acid rain.
Unless the surface wasn't prepared correctly, the finish on a cue should last a lifetime if applied properly. Even with all the abuse a motorcycle gets, I have yet to have any issues with a finish lifting unless something physically hit the surface.
No offense Eric, but your designs lend themselves very well to final sanding with 600 grit. Not that there is anything wrong with the designs but I would like to see your results if you were using some nice silver rings or inlays if you did a final sand with 600 before the finish was applied. You can look at some cue makers work that use silver rings and they have a dull appearance to them while others look bright/polished. How do you think they get that polished look? It's done by sanding them with a very find grit before the finish is applied.
Having spent years painting Peterbilt trucks and muscle cars and now building cues. I can tell you what works on one is not what is best for the other. In my limited cuebuilding experance, I can tell you that sanding wood with anything finer that 220 will cause problems in my cues. The main one being. The fine dust from sanding with to fine a paper will get into the pores of the wood and not come out.
Larry