Cue weights and interia

T

tobyjoe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For a given player, how much does a lighter cue (18.5, 18) affect a smooth, straight stroke and follow-through? Since the cue is lighter, there is less inertia, and it's easier for the tiniest sideways movement before or, more importantly, *after* hitting the cue ball to 'take' - right?

Of course, *we* all have perfect, smooth, graceful strokes all the time, but for mere mortals, does a heavier cue really equal straighter follow-through and a smoother stroke?
 
Sure it does. Heavier is more solid to the feel. Some folk just don't feel good with a heavier cue. [ if your not sure, try a heavier cue and go from there.
It's a personal thing.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
blud
 
i'm playing with an 18.5ox Dominiak and the only time i'm not really happy with my stroke is on shots where i have to really hit the cue ball hard. i've played with a heavier cue (tried one out) and it definitely felt more stable, but i'm good with the one i have. i know i can fix it just by working on my stroke and getting used to the cue. i was really just wondering in general if that extra ounce made much of a difference in stability...
 
if i haven't played for a long time, i play with a heavy cue(19.75oz) for just the reason you say. after a while, i find 19.75 is too heavy, and because of this "inertia", i feel i have less control over the cue, so i switch to a 19 ,,,,,or 18.2 if i really feel good.
 
Bruin.......I noticed the same effect. Started off using a real heavy house stick some while back. Then went to several others each lighter over a period of several years. Bought them for $5 and just switched with the pool hall owner every time. Good guy!

Now I find I can't hang on to a heavy cue without worrying about chunking the thing down range. Especially if it has one of those slick linen wraps. Staying with a 18 oz no wrap cue now.
 
i used to play with my old 20 oz cue, my skills got better and my stroke was very well disciplined with that cue. now im using 19 oz because im controlling the ball more accurately with it. ;)
i think for starters, its good to use a heavy cue to discipline their strokes, then as the stroke becomes a natural feel to the player, he can then switch to a lighter cue for more control.
 
same ... same...

Most of my cues are 19oz cues...and they work fine for me.

But, I do play better with my 19.75 Arnot or Kennybuilt cue. Just a more smooth stroke. As for controlling the cue ball, well, I actually do it better with my heavier cues, probably because I tend to be a bit more conscious with how hard/fast I have to hit the cue ball.

In the end, it's all relative...

nbc
 
I use a light cue, but I have nothing against a heavy cue. Blud is right. It's a personal thing. I think anyone can play with any reasonably weighted cue as long as the balance point is their preferred balance point. The only difference will be cue ball control.

The down side of using a light cue is that sometimes, you cannot use the weight of the cue stick for soft, tiny draws and stuns. Another is the long forceful follow shot on an open bridge.

On the other hand, heavier cues tend to wear out the muscles during long hours of play, especially when the muscles are not toned well.

Otherwise, I think it all depends on the stroke adjustment - same motion, different intensity.
 
cue weight science

The heavier cue tends to be more accurate according to Sir Iaasic Newton's theories while the lighter cue tends to allow for better "FEEL".This is where personal choice gets involved.
 
Imo, people who like light cues grip their cues a little tighter and they drop their elbow more.
Players who like heavier cues let the cue hang and slide through the bridge hand.
 
hey guys...im just wondering, how do you consider whether the cue is heavy or not...for me, my 19 oz is a little light, well maybe because i got used to a 20 oz cue. my friend has an 18 oz cue, i tried it and it just feels too light for me. my 20 oz is...for me...heavy. so for me, 18-19 oz are light while 20-21 oz are heavy....how about u guys?
 
Last night, while practicing shotmaking and position, I grabbed a 20oz house cue to see how it compared to my 18.5oz.

It was like night and day.

Since I'm fairly new to taking the game seriously, I still have frequent days where my stroke just isn't there 100%. The extra weight really helped. It was almost like I was more confident. My follow-thru was perfect every time, and I was able to do certain things that had been giving problems with my light cue: good draw off long-green shots, long precision shots, playing off the rail...

I did notice that I didn't get nearly as much feedback, but my shotmaking was so much better, I didn't mind...

odd how much 1.5 ounces can matter.
 
It really is a big difference. I have found that my perfect weight is around 19.7 oz. Weird but I had a 19.2 and it still felt a little light. I think the balance plays a huge role as well. I had a Schon that was extremely back heavy. I didn't care for the feel but my accuracy was excellent. I don't play with the big boys so I'm not shooting for any extended period of time but I could see how a heavy cue could wear on you after a while.

Also, I have found that I prefer the hit with a stainless steel joint over the wood to wood. Probably why I am kicking myself that I got rid of the Schon.

Dave
 
I *LOVE* the softer joints. One of the main reasons I got a Dominiak is that it's one of the few relatively plain cues with a soft joint that was within my budget. The reason I ended up with a lighter cue was that I figured the more feedback, the better, since I tend to hit soft and worry a lot about cue ball control.

But immediately after getting the cue (which is really beautiful, I must say), I realized that I couldn't do a 30 degree cut into the corner from the kitchen downtable. Forget spot shots (and I play mostly straight pool). I just couldn't cut consistently anymore, unless I shot REALLY softly.

Being pretty new to the game as a serious player (ie, not a typical drunk goofing off), I've come a LONG way, and can typically fare pretty well against better players. My safes are pretty clever and decent, and my pattern play in 14.1 is pretty good. My caroms, billiards, and breaks are good. I can kick to make contact (not to pocket) 80% of the time, and I can play good position. But suddenly, I couldn't shoot for sh*t! haha.

it wasn't THAT bad, but I wanna move up to the level of a B class player and I think the extra ounce could really help, until stroking perfectly becomes second nature to me, like it is for most of you.
 
locki said:
hey guys...im just wondering, how do you consider whether the cue is heavy or not...for me, my 19 oz is a little light, well maybe because i got used to a 20 oz cue. my friend has an 18 oz cue, i tried it and it just feels too light for me. my 20 oz is...for me...heavy. so for me, 18-19 oz are light while 20-21 oz are heavy....how about u guys?
Click to expand...

for me, 19.75 hits a very heavy Qball.
 
mine, as mentioned, is 18.5

i spoke with the guy who sold it to me (a store) and he mentioned that adding a 1oz heavier weight bolt won't mess the balance up that much, and that way I can take it out if i end up wanting something lighter later on...

you guys think adding 1oz to the rear end will shift the balance too much?
 
tobyjoe said:
mine, as mentioned, is 18.5

i spoke with the guy who sold it to me (a store) and he mentioned that adding a 1oz heavier weight bolt won't mess the balance up that much, and that way I can take it out if i end up wanting something lighter later on...

you guys think adding 1oz to the rear end will shift the balance too much?
Click to expand...
I think so. A butt weighs about 14-15 ounces and the shaft weighs around 4 ounces or so.
Try adding weight. Tape a lead at the rear and feel if you like it.
If you don't, just remove the " trial weight" add-on.
 
We used to have this kid that played extremely well! He gambled all the time, as a matter of fact, he wouldn't play for free. Anyway, this guy always played with a house cue and it didn't matter much what it weighed. He just wanted it to have a decent tip and a straight shaft. He played Kim Davenport 9 ball and lost, but not by a lot. Then he asked Kim if he wanted to match up on the snooker table, 6X12. It didn't take long for him to get his money back. Kim didn't like it much. Of course this was a long long time ago.

My point is, I don't think anyone should put that much emphasis on the cue. Make sure the tip is good and it's straight. If you're not shooting good, it's probably not the cue.
 
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