Ferruless Shaft
- Thread starter zigcue
- Start date
I run a ferruless on one of my shafts to lower end mass and reduce deflection. I have a fiber pad installed between my tip and shaft. It does feel different. Advantage... for me atleast, it gives me more feel when I hit the CB, disadvantage is of course you're taking away protection to the end of you shaft. I dont break with it, I rarely hit extremely hard. So far I've had no issues with it and I played with it for the last 4-5 months about 20 hours or more a week. I love the way it plays. I also have a couple shafts with laminated maple ferrules and they play great too.
Richard
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I'm not a cuemaker, but here is my experience with 3 cuemakers here that make ferrule-less shafts...
I have a couple from the guys here namely: JoeyInCali(Joey Bautista), hangemhigh(Tommy Clements) and Kenny(Kenny Murrell). I ordered a cue from the 3 makers with 2 shafts (1 ferrule-less and another with ferrule). They all play really good, but the ferrule-less shaft have better feel than those with ferrule. The Joey toilet plunger is my main player right now since I received them. Before that was the Murrell and then the Ca$h Cue. All using the ferrule-less shafts.
I have a couple from the guys here namely: JoeyInCali(Joey Bautista), hangemhigh(Tommy Clements) and Kenny(Kenny Murrell). I ordered a cue from the 3 makers with 2 shafts (1 ferrule-less and another with ferrule). They all play really good, but the ferrule-less shaft have better feel than those with ferrule. The Joey toilet plunger is my main player right now since I received them. Before that was the Murrell and then the Ca$h Cue. All using the ferrule-less shafts.
http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/joeyincali/?action=view¤t=JJshaftcollarC.jpg
Must be that toilet plunger.
The grain count and orientation are crap.
I tried a couple of other makers cues that had no ferrule. It definitely feels different. To me a softer hit than what I am used to. The advantage or disadvantage would really depend on your own personal opinion. I break and play with the same shaft and my break is far from soft. I play with old Micarta and I like it. I've never offered non ferrule shafts as an option because:
It's not my design!
I like the ferrule I offer on my cues. It offers the hit I prefer til I find something else that I may like better. It hasn't happened in the past 5 years, but I'm always looking.
And carbon fiber backing.
I still like having a ferrule b/c it makes a distinct sound and feel when you draw the ball right.
Ferruless
A while back I had a friend ask me to do a ferruless shaft for a cue I was working on.When it was done I shipped it to him so that he could get a read on the hit...HE LOVED IT...After that I was asked to show it to.... Denis Hatch ....who hit some balls with it ....HE LOVED IT....I can't play as well as I'd like and I'm no where nere Denis ....Not even in the same universe ..Sooooooooo there is something ,what I don't know.......Just my 2 cents........ Ray Weeks
A while back I had a friend ask me to do a ferruless shaft for a cue I was working on.When it was done I shipped it to him so that he could get a read on the hit...HE LOVED IT...After that I was asked to show it to.... Denis Hatch ....who hit some balls with it ....HE LOVED IT....I can't play as well as I'd like and I'm no where nere Denis ....Not even in the same universe ..Sooooooooo there is something ,what I don't know.......Just my 2 cents........ Ray Weeks
RBC
Deceased
Just be careful about the term "Carbon Fiber" as most all pads out there are not carbon fiber. They are actually vulcanized fiber, which is an impregnated and pressed paper product.
Vulcanized fiber is usually strong enough for most applications like your talking here, but actual Carbon Fiber is much stronger and leaves no doubt. As far as I know, we are the only one who makes the Carbon Fiber pads.
We require them on all our OB cue shafts. They provide the high tensile strength we're looking for.
We often hear cuesmiths refer to the vulcanized fiber as carbon fiber, but it's not the same thing.
My CA$H ferrule-less shafts have been used for the past couple of years by many here on AZ. I recommend everyone give them a try and see for yourself how my high performance ferrule-less shaft plays for you. Here is a thread describing the shaft, it's characteristics, and many reviews from my customers. Enjoy:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=151655
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=151655
I don't know how you guys are installing the no ferrule shaft but I'm starting to bore half my layer tip and install it like a capped tip ferrule combo and it plays it great. This will help protect the shaft from splitting and re-enforce the tip integrity (especially for ferruleless break cue). I don't like fiber/carbon pad on my shaft as it produces a different hit for me so I came up with this method to protect the shaft and prevent tip from flying off in a miscue. Installing it like ferrule tip combo enforce the integrity of the grain on the shaft as well I think. I've also very selective of the shaft dowel that I use for my no ferrule shafts. Generally, the more linear the grain lines are on the dowel, doesn't have to lot of ring counts..just straight and even line, it will make a great ferrule less shaft.
Not to mention...it doesn't requires as much work as a traditional shaft. Slap it on after the taper and you're done!!
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Here's a few of the shafts that I've made for my own playing cue. Eg. Check out the first shaft in my pic below, the grain lines are straight and it have a shimmer to it in the light (probably due to the horizontal grain?? that the more knowledgeable builder can see through a lubes). I found that all top cue builder (especially Skip Weston) shafts have this quality and they are plays super solid.
Not to mention...it doesn't requires as much work as a traditional shaft. Slap it on after the taper and you're done!!
. Here's a few of the shafts that I've made for my own playing cue. Eg. Check out the first shaft in my pic below, the grain lines are straight and it have a shimmer to it in the light (probably due to the horizontal grain?? that the more knowledgeable builder can see through a lubes). I found that all top cue builder (especially Skip Weston) shafts have this quality and they are plays super solid.
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I can see why this would help to keep your tip from flying off, not that I've had a problem with that, but I don't see how this installation method would help to prevent the shaft from splitting. In my mind, you now have a smaller diameter interface with the tip that could be even more vulnerable to damage over time.