Please go back and read my response again....it clearly states, "it doesn't look like a full splice to me." And guess what? It still doesn't. Doesn't mean that it isn't, but it definitely does not LOOK like one. I NEVER said it wasn't a full splice...not once.
What I have already also stated, is that I missed where Bob said that he had sleeved on a maple handle. I also asked what, if any, advantage sleeving a handle onto a full splice blank would be. Or was the decision purely aesthetic? But I got ignored. Fine by me...I am friends with plenty of other cue makers that will be happy to answer that question for me. One's that don't over-react and start accusing people of calling them liars and such behind their backs. None of which, I might add, I did.
I have not owned or played with a cue with a wrap in longer than I care to think about. And I don't just prefer wrapless cues...I prefer full splice wrapless cues, and it has been all I have owned, or had commissioned in a very long while. Most people who know me here...since 2004...KNOW I am a wrapless full splice freak.
As a result of MY obsession, I have been privvy to how these cues are constructed, and so have a FULL understanding of what goes into building one. Anyone who has a passion for cues will eventually come to the point when they want to know what goes into making one...and I did just that. I'm not just talking out of the side of my neck, and would appreciate if you did not intimate that I am.
I understand fully HOW Bob did it....I only question as to why? It LOOKS more like a conversion cue, than a true wrapless full splice. Since you may have an issue grasping this, I'll explain it for you.
Typically, a conversion cue starts life as a full splice, but at some point, the wood in the 'handle' area off the butt has moved, or warped. A prime example would be an old Titlist cue. The only way to make the butt straight again, usually, is to cut out the warped section, and add in an A-joint, handle, butt sleeve and butt cap. The minute you cut into the 'wrap' or 'handle' area, the cue ceases to be a full splice cue any longer, because the A-joint is added. Now it's a short splice cue. Not that that is a bad thing...plenty of extremely talented makers making exclusively short splice cues, and some commanding very high prices, at that.
Now....I did mention that there had been some tom-foolery in the W/FS section. I can think of two or three cue listed for sale in the last year that were misrepresented as full splice cues, that turned out to not be the case. The sellers were trying to bank on the fairly recent popularity that not only full splices, but wrapless full splices have garnered in recent years. Since one of the things I am known for is looking out for scammers on the W/FS...and I did not immediately recognized the OP, I just mentioned that it did not look like a wrapless full splice to me.....which it doesn't, in the traditional sense. I never said that Bob was a liar, and I damn sure did nothing behind his back...since I posted right out in the open. I did not contact anyone via PM and say, "That QMAKER is a liar, and that is absolutely not a full splice cue." Never happened. So, yeah, I took offense at being called out for something I did not do....and I owned what I did do...down to missing the word 'sleeved' in his description.
I never said it was a bad cue, or an ugly cue, or any other kind of cue. I am glad you are happy with it...that is a good thing. I am not happy over the reactionary behavior...or even you trying to tell me that I couldn't possibly have a clue as to what I am talking about because I have not built a cue...yet. BTW...I am definitely NOT a spring chicken, and have lived my fair share of life on this rock.
Nice try, and thanks for playing!
