Cue Weight

Sambo

Sambo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am looking for some help here...the other night i was testing someone else's cue that weight alittle more so it felt. my made my shots with less effort and seemed to straighter on longer shots. so my question is...does the weight have that much inpact on your stroke?

Sambo
 
At one time I played with a 21 oz cue. This was when I was hitting each shot hard. (Poke and hope!)

Then I learned that the idea was to leave the cue ball in a spot after the hit so you can shoot in the next ball, and sometimes a very soft hit was the best thing. Also some safety shots require an extremely soft hit. It was easier for me to make these slow soft hits with a lighter cue.

But what weight cue should I get?

I searched the internet and found some lists of pro players cues and their weights. 19.5 oz seemed to be a common weight for the pros. So I got a 19.5 oz cue. And this weight seems pretty good to me. Kind of in the middle. I can shoot very slow shots and very fast shots.

The next thing I learned was speed control. Being able to shoot a shot and get the cue ball to roll a specific distance after the shot (to leave the cue ball in a good spot for my next shot).

It seems to me that for *accurate* speed control - being able to judge how far the cue ball will roll after the hit, if I *always* play with the same weight cue, then it will be easier to learn this - be able to predict how far the cue ball will travel after the hit.

So I *always* play with a 19.5 oz cue. And I'm getting to be pretty good at shooting a shot and getting the cue ball to roll exactly where I want it to stop.

Next I learned that some cues are not marked correctly as to their weight. I learned this when I purchased an accurate scale and weighed various cues I have for my pool table at home and weighed friends cues. So a cue may say 19 oz and actually be 18 or 20 oz! Then you go and buy a new cue which really is 19 oz and suddenly your speed control is off.

Also note that better quality cues have weight bolts in the butt. These can be changed to adjust the weight of the cue.

So bottom line, I would suggest finding the right weight cue for yourself (people are different, what works best for me may not work best for you), then stick with that weight of cue. Also verify the true weight of the cue with an accurate scale. Then if in the future you buy a new cue, you can get another the same exact weight.

Here is an example of an accurate scale...
(KD-200-110)
http://www.scalesgalore.com/tanitakd200.htm
 
Billy_Bob said:
At one time I played with a 21 oz cue. This was when I was hitting each shot hard. (Poke and hope!)

Then I learned that the idea was to leave the cue ball in a spot after the hit so you can shoot in the next ball, and sometimes a very soft hit was the best thing. Also some safety shots require an extremely soft hit. It was easier for me to make these slow soft hits with a lighter cue.

But what weight cue should I get?

I searched the internet and found some lists of pro players cues and their weights. 19.5 oz seemed to be a common weight for the pros. So I got a 19.5 oz cue. And this weight seems pretty good to me. Kind of in the middle. I can shoot very slow shots and very fast shots.

The next thing I learned was speed control. Being able to shoot a shot and get the cue ball to roll a specific distance after the shot (to leave the cue ball in a good spot for my next shot).

It seems to me that for *accurate* speed control - being able to judge how far the cue ball will roll after the hit, if I *always* play with the same weight cue, then it will be easier to learn this - be able to predict how far the cue ball will travel after the hit.

So I *always* play with a 19.5 oz cue. And I'm getting to be pretty good at shooting a shot and getting the cue ball to roll exactly where I want it to stop.

Next I learned that some cues are not marked correctly as to their weight. I learned this when I purchased an accurate scale and weighed various cues I have for my pool table at home and weighed friends cues. So a cue may say 19 oz and actually be 18 or 20 oz! Then you go and buy a new cue which really is 19 oz and suddenly your speed control is off.

Also note that better quality cues have weight bolts in the butt. These can be changed to adjust the weight of the cue.

So bottom line, I would suggest finding the right weight cue for yourself (people are different, what works best for me may not work best for you), then stick with that weight of cue. Also verify the true weight of the cue with an accurate scale. Then if in the future you buy a new cue, you can get another the same exact weight.

Here is an example of an accurate scale...
(KD-200-110)
http://www.scalesgalore.com/tanitakd200.htm
Click to expand...

I pretty much agree with every thing you said except that one line.

Schon cues are considered a well made cue, and they don't all have weight bolts...Some only have "assembly bolts" and have almost no weight at all.

Also some of the top line custom cue makers would argue that the weights should be balanced without the use of weight bolts.

Some cues won't require weight bolts becuase "inlays" when you really break it down are weights that can have an effect on overall weight "and" balance of the cue.

I would argue that the really top line, top hitting cues are "balanced" by stratigec inlay positioning....(not by just a weight bolt in the butt of the cue) .....JMO

Now for adjustability...The rear wieght bolt is the easiest and quickest wieght to adjust....but just 1/2 ounce can have a dramatic effect on the way a cue feels / plays.

EDIT: I should also add that some cues that are well balanced my actually have a total weight of 19.5 but feel like they weight about 18....The opposite is also true..some cues that weigh in at 19 ounces feel like 20....it all depends on the balance of the cue.
 
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weight bolt

Billy_Bob said:
Also note that better quality cues have weight bolts in the butt. These can be changed to adjust the weight of the cue.

So bottom line, I would suggest finding the right weight cue for yourself (people are different, what works best for me may not work best for you), then stick with that weight of cue. Also verify the true weight of the cue with an accurate scale. Then if in the future you buy a new cue, you can get another the same exact weight.

Here is an example of an accurate scale...
(KD-200-110)
http://www.scalesgalore.com/tanitakd200.htm
Click to expand...

IMHO, a weight bolt is not an indicator of a better quality cue. My TAD for example has no weight bolt, and I cannot imagine anyone with any cue sense saying it is not a "better quality cue".
 
Sorry!

I was thinking about the house cues for my pool table at home which I purchased at discount department stores for under $50. These do not have weight bolts which can be unscrewed and replaced with a different weight.
 
yeah i think most of ur better cues wont have a weight bolt. As far as how weight effects your stroke, i really dont think it should have much effect........your stroke is your stroke. If you normally shoot with a 20 oz, you should be able to shoot with a 19 or 21 as well, a little adjustment with ur speed but it shouldnt be a major thing. I think whats more important really is how the weight is distributed........i think a forward or backend weighted cue will vary your game more than a weight change on an evenly balanced cue.
 
Sambo said:
I am looking for some help here...the other night i was testing someone else's cue that weight alittle more so it felt. my made my shots with less effort and seemed to straighter on longer shots. so my question is...does the weight have that much inpact on your stroke?

Sambo
Click to expand...


for you it does. it means the cue is steadying your stroke. you are also finding it takes less effort to move the cb.

for me, for instance, if i haven't played in a long time, my stroke is all over the place and a heavier cue will steady my stroke. then i gradually move to a lighter cue because i feel i have more control over the cue. in the end, i feel i need more control of my cue, and a heavy cue has "a mind of it's own". but that's me. lots of filipinos do or did play with very heavy (20oz) cues, and you'll find a lot of oldtime cuemakers made heavy cues(slower cloth?)
 
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i prefer a heavier cue, i let the cue do the work, however my cue has a forward balanced so when i am shooting it feels lighter than when i have it in a verticle position...............
 
I agree lighter is better,mine is around 18.5 i believe,i will never go back to a heavy cue,i had a helmstetter that weighed like 22 ounces,horrible!:(
 
My cues are all over the place in weight from 18 to 20 oz....Like others have said....balance is the key. I don't think having or not having a weight bolt is any absolute factor in the quality of a cue. I just think it's another tool for the cue maker to use for balance.

Lately....I can't believe I'm saying this....I have started to play with cues that are neutral to slightly rear balanced....with phenolic joints. I have played with SS piloted joint cues that are forward weighted for ever.....I dunno? maybe Yoga is next!:D

Gerry
 
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