Does a Break Cue have to be a Break Cue?

Years before break cues became popular, I broke with my playing cue or a house cue all the time, mostly the playing cue. Custom Joss East {tells you how long ago this was} with a steel joint, ivory ferrules, and Champion tips. I have never broke the balls better than I did with the Joss, including when I had a pre-Sledgehammer Gulyassy. Since breaking with the Joss I've used various cues as break cues including a Mali, a '70s Adam, a Joss Boss, Meucci, the Gulyassy, and several others. Other than the Boss and the Gulyassy I haven't owned a cue specifically for breaking. While special made cues may help, I think that it may be technique more than the cue itself. When 9 ball became the main tournament game in the '80s, I began to change my break like a lot of other people did. I've experimented with the side rail, which doesn't work well for me, and a few others. I've always had more accuracy and control from around the spot and never more so than with that Joss cue. It's one of the two or three cues I sold that I wish I never had.
I'm now giving serious thought to breaking with my Dishaw.
 
the short answer

Surly said:
I know there was a long thread on Break Cues about 3 months ago, but I can't find it...

A friend of mine has an Allison Fisher CueTech cue that he uses for breaking, simply because of it's fiberglass construction. He let me break with it several times and there was a significant difference from the bar sticks I usually use - my breaks felt much more powerful and the balls scattered beautifully.

So should I get a "Break Cue", or is it really the shaft construction that makes a cue a good breaking cue?
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NO............
Little Debie
 
Surly said:
I just want a Break Cue for Christmas. I'm tired of breaking with fat, sticky, warped bar sticks.
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I feel your pain... Try playing with one of those fat, sticky, warped, (or fiberglass) bar sticks every day LOL
 
YOLO said:
I feel your pain... Try playing with one of those fat, sticky, warped, (or fiberglass) bar sticks every day LOL
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I nearly died laughing... :grin: :grin: :grin:
 
My break has improved dramatically since I changed tapers. I used to be inconsistent and no power on the break. Now I am breaking unbelievable for my game. I was clocked at the pool school at Randy Gotlickers in Dallas at a whopping 12 mph when I was playing professionally. I believe now I am in the 20's may be even 25 mph. The shaft taper made all the difference. If the shaft cannot slide or if it opens up your fingers or bridge it cannot produce the same mph as one that slides easily and does not open the bridge. Look at Shanes V's. cue, it is very giving. If the taper is wedgy or sticky it will not work as well as the right equipment.
 
Surly said:
I know there was a long thread on Break Cues about 3 months ago, but I can't find it...

A friend of mine has an Allison Fisher CueTech cue that he uses for breaking, simply because of it's fiberglass construction. He let me break with it several times and there was a significant difference from the bar sticks I usually use - my breaks felt much more powerful and the balls scattered beautifully.

So should I get a "Break Cue", or is it really the shaft construction that makes a cue a good breaking cue?
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The main reason i have a break cue is so i don't flatten my tip on my shootin cue...
For a jump cue you want to have a hard tip so it makes jumping a lil' easier...=)
 
you don't HAVE to have a break cue for breaking, but its a nice addition.

But the J&J break cues that are $50 do wonders for your break.
 
maxeypad2007 said:
But the J&J break cues that are $50 do wonders for your break.
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Some do, some don't. My friend who wound up with my Mali had a J&J that he bought on Ebay and it's about worthless. He's much happier with the Mali and I think it's due to the taper of the shaft and the stiffness, kinda like Mike Gulyassy was talking about.
 
Surly said:
So should I get a "Break Cue", or is it really the shaft construction that makes a cue a good breaking cue?
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Get a CHEAP SNEAKY PETE, and put a Special Breaking Tip on It!
 
My break cue is a Meucci Sneaky Pete. My playing cue is a Joss Sneaky with phenolic ferrule and phenolic tip
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girl's opinion

I think most of the replies here were from men.

As a woman (being shorter than most male players) I accidentally found something that works well for me. I was playing frequently at a couple of places with "wall in the way" issues. I was using the first cue that I had ever purchased as my breaker. I had a local cue builder make me a shaft that was about 4-5 inches shorter (can't remember anymore) than normal so that I wouldn't have to use that stupid "toothpick" of a short house cue for when the wall was in the way. Makes a great "wall" cue because you have the full weight of a normal butt in your hand.

One day the short shaft was on the cue and I just broke with it anyway. What a difference. I did not have to pull back as far (this kept my stroke straighter) and also didn't have to reach as far forward (also kept the cue straighter for better control). I could produce a much faster stroke just like using a much lighter cue (which I was contemplating buying to break with). It is 14 MM which gives me maximum "forgiveness" if I miss exact center CB (especially when using a draw break for 9 ball)

So - $40 bought me a new "break" cue
 
Predator break cue

Pred. makes excellent break cues. And of course you need to stroke the ball, I prefer the same tip on a break cue as I 'm playing with. But I know speed is power and a 15 lets you really stroke the ball. I don't own a cue I'd be afraid to break with. the break requires an accuracte stroke. I have used the phenolic tips and ferrules, Aegis, Ivoine 4 -I think the g-10 is the only one to stay together. I have a fillippino jump break with a funny looking short black ferrule(its legal)light and destroys the balls. the shaftwood was 85 yrs,.old mark
 
Pinocchio said:
I've had different break cues over the years an I've come to the conclusion that what probably works for me won't work for you and
vice versa. Many cuemakers make many different kinds of breakcues an I think thats what works for them. Pool is a game of individuality, find out what works for you. Experiment with as many different styles as possible. I've posted a couple of my break cues they are made to my style of breaking and are quite simular in construction tecniques. They both weigh in the 17 an a half to 18 an a half range. They both have 12 3/4 mm shafts. They both have phenolic ferrules with phenolic tips. They both have extra shafts for playing. When playing one-hole I use a cue reach on
one of these cues as I'm not proficient with a rake.
I believe the break is a stroke. My break cues are merely extensions of my playing cues but much lighter and with phenolic tips. I have no trouble generating power so this is what works best for me.........................
Pinocchio
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what kind of break cue is the brown one? were can i get one?
 
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