Do you move balls using the body of a carbon fiber shaft?

[7stud]

While not a pool cue shaft, hollow carbon can be made pretty tough:

That's a pretty big guy taking full swings onto the corner of a concrete pillar.

 

[MeeLosh]

My CF shaft (Cynergy) was completely unscathed in a fight with a ceiling fan, moving balls is not a concern.

Good to know as I have the same shaft coming my way soon, ergo the thread.

 

[MajorMiscue]

Imagine firing your CF shaft at 300+ FPS into a dirt bank or rotten tree stump (sometimes not so rotten) or other medium. Thats what CF arrows go through constantly. I was always amazed at the abuse CF shafts could absorb without damage.I lost far more than I broke. Broken ones were in elk typically and the shoulder motion with the shaft through the ribs would occasionally break one.

 

[MmmSharp]

I try not to use the shaft to move balls around. Any shaft. I was taught it was a bad habit when i started so i have always been careful to avoid it.

I realize it being a bad habit is an opinion. Just the way i was taught.

 

[MmmSharp]

Good to know as I have the same shaft coming my way soon, ergo the thread.

And there is a ceiling fan you have a grudge against. Perfect combination.

 

[MeeLosh]

And there is a ceiling fan you have a grudge against. Perfect combination.

It's payback time.

 

[hang-the-9]

Like the title says - do you move balls around the table using the body (so not the tip) of the shaft when you're practicing, setting up a shot, placing the cue ball, gathering balls or whatever?

Apart from the awful sound it makes compared to wood, are you afraid it might damage the shaft in the long run?
And, unlike wooden shafts, carbon fiber shafts are not really all that conducive to repairs or buffing out minor dings or scratches, so any damage would be that much more painful.

I have never dented any shafts doing this, CF or wood, but I make sure I don't actually whack at the ball with the shaft, just guide it a bit.

This is actually one of the pet peeves for me seeing people do that with their cues. So many players hit the balls way harder than needed with the side of their shafts. That along with leaning the cues on the side of the table instead of laying it flat on it or in a holder. A bunch of my friends do that with the cues, hit the balls with the side of the cue/shaft, hand and them out to drunk people at bars to use, etc... Scary stuff. Then I check them and cues they had for a few months are dinged up more than cues I had for 10+ years.

It's not really a matter of if it will cause issues or not, it's not doing it to lessen the chance of any issues, like wearing a helmet when biking or a seat belt when driving or not smoking. Lesser risk is always better, if there is a chance to dent the shaft when whacking at balls, it's best not to do so or at least move them around gently enough to make sure there is no damage.

 

[MajorMiscue]

I have never dented any shafts doing this, CF or wood, but I make sure I don't actually whack at the ball with the shaft, just guide it a bit.

This is actually one of the pet peeves for me seeing people do that with their cues. So many players hit the balls way harder than needed with the side of their shafts. That along with leaning the cues on the side of the table instead of laying it flat on it or in a holder. A bunch of my friends do that with the cues, hit the balls with the side of the cue/shaft, hand and them out to drunk people at bars to use, etc... Scary stuff. Then I check them and cues they had for a few months are dinged up more than cues I had for 10+ years.

It's not really a matter of if it will cause issues or not, it's not doing it to lessen the chance of any issues, like wearing a helmet when biking or a seat belt when driving or not smoking. Lesser risk is always better, if there is a chance to dent the shaft when whacking at balls, it's best not to do so or at least move them around gently enough to make sure there is no damage.

1992, I was taking a lunch break from a conference at a casino near Seattle. They had a couple pool tables and some kid was shooting a nice looking cue but whenever he missed he would smack the shaft of the cue against the table thwack! I didn't care for the way he was treating the cue so I challenged him to play, "$100 against his cue". I was wearing a sports coat and tie and he must have thought I was a rube so he accepted the bet and that's how I acquired my first Meucci. It came in a hard case with two shafts. It took a little work to get the dings out of the shaft but it is still one of my favorite cues.