do shafts "wear out"?

junior

junior

Bill Aubin
Silver Member
All my shafts are over 10 years old and they are straight, but I've recently heard that shafts wear out and need to be replaced. Any thoughts on this?
 
An old time pool hall I use to play at had the old timers. They played snooker everyday for 20 years. These guys would use the scotch brite pad things on their shafts, and their shafts looked like hourglasses. They were 13mm at the tip......then taper in to about 9 mm.....lol! They can wear out like that, but not sure about just wearing out a shaft. Unless Earl burned one up runnin out! LOL
 
I have had my cue with 2 shafts for over 25 years...the shafts have NEVER had an abrasive on either of them...only used cloth to clean them...they are still like glass and the original sizes...obviously, they are not brite and white but I don't mind...(probably shot over a million balls with them)
 
I believe they do but it depends on how they are cared for. I have had the same cue for about 8 years now and for the past four years I have used it for at least 6 hours a day and had a new tip put on once a month. Everytime a new tip is put on, the shaft is cleaned and the sandpaper is used. My shaft started at 12.5 and recently someone asked what it was and I said maybe 12.25. Turns out the years of wear on the shaft had turned it down to 11.6. The shaft still plays great but it has now been retired. So it depends how much it is used and what is used on it.
 
What kind if tip were you using? Did you shape it alot?
Just wondering because having to replace the top once a month seems like a lot, but 6 hours a day is a lot of pool too. I hope you were getting a good price on the tips:D
 
No. Shafts do not wear out. If you don't use abrasives then they should stay the same size and only get better with age. The burnishing they receive from playing is enough to seal them against moisture.

A shaft can warp or crack depending on several factors but good solid shafts don't do this.

If you get your tips replaced by a repair shop make sure that they NEVER EVER take anything off the ferrule. A lot of shops will cheat by taking off the ferrule when they didn't get the tip on just right and this practice will reduce your tip size. Eventually you will find that the whole shaft gets thinner.

John
 
When I get a new shaft, I give it a light sanding with 600 grit paper. Just to remove the shine. Then I seal it with sanding sealer, let it dry, sand the sealer to make it smoth (600 then 1000 grit), and wax it. No dirt can get into the pores and wipes down clean as new everytime I use it. No need to sand when retipping. I will use Scratch Out compound on the ferrules. Bingo, like new. I will change the tips once a year. All my shafts look new. Been doing this for 5 years. jmho
Don P.
 
I will use Cris Hightower sealer or wood sanding sealer from HomeDepo. It just seals the pores. Darkens the shaft slightly. Not bad at all. Before the waxing, I will use some 2200o to burnish it with. Got it from a jeweler friend of mine. He uses it on gold. Shines it up real nice and doesn't remove any of the gold.
Gremlin, you can bring your shafts over to my shop and I will do them for ya cheep. Even put some moori tips on for ya for $20 a piece. Who else is gonna do that for ya pal. Heck, I will do your shafts for whatever you think is reasonable. I will do em for ya for nothing if you have a cash flow problem. No BS.
Your Friend, Don P.
 
I have been using a hard moori tip for the past 3 years and before that a le pro. I have no idea how I go through these tips so fast but it happens. I don't shape it often so I don't know what the problem is. And yes, I have been getting good prices on tips or if I am lucky some people will put them on for free.

Harry...I'm trying to stay healthy. I was so close last tournament. Maybe in Oregon.

Take care
 
The original LePro on my shaft has a 25 cent radius (a quarter) and has never been scuffed nor tip picked. And so far it's lasted 4 months. And that radius seems to give me better accuracy, too.
 
sarahrousey, try having the tip put in a vice to compress it a bit. It is like hitting the cue ball a hundred times. Then have it put on and shaped. It should last longer. I won't put on a LePro without doing this. I do house cues for a friend of mine and he loves it. Doesn't have to trim them for a long while. I don't know who it was, but I got the tip here on az. Thanks whoever you are.
Don P.
 
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