Hairline ferrule crack

Runnintable

Runnintable

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So, I guess I waited a wee bit too long on replacing my cue tip. The shaft is a predator Z shaft.

I just had a Kamui Black S or SS put on by a local Cue maker. Once it was cleaned up and shaped, we noticed a crack inline with the shaft but closer to the shaft side on the ferrule. The crack does not go through to the tip.

So, the question is does anybody have experience playing with cracked ferrule and longevity?

I love the tip so far and have not noticed any difference in hit and/or sound. I am hoping to get some playing distance on this tip prior to popping it off and replacing the ferrule and all.

Also, any thumb rules on when to replace tips? Obviously, before the ferrule breaks....
 
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Runnintable said:
So, I guess I waited a wee bit too long on replacing my cue tip. The shaft is a predator Z shaft.

I just had a Kamui Black S or SS put on by a local Cue maker. Once it was cleaned up and shaped, we noticed a crack inline with the shaft but closer to the tip side on the ferrule. The crack does not go through to the tenon side (shaft side) of ferrule.

So, the question is does anybody have experience playing with cracked ferrule and longevity?

I love the tip so far and have not noticed any difference in hit and/or sound. I am hoping to get some playing distance on this tip prior to popping it off and replacing the ferrule and all.

Also, any thumb rules on when to replace tips? Obviously, before the ferrule breaks....
Click to expand...

:rolleyes:


And this is how half the cracked ferrules and shafts happen. The cue repair guy didn't know how easy it was to crack a Predator ferrule or shaft and cracked it by chucking it up it the lathe.

This is only my guess....

People putting tips on a Predator cue need to know how they are made and how easy it is to crack a ferrule and shaft.

I would use it but not break with it. I'd keep a close eye on it.


You can send it back to Predator for a replacement...but its a darn shame to lose the good tip.
 
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poolguy4u said:
:rolleyes:


And this is how half the cracked ferrules and shafts happen. The cue repair guy didn't know how easy it was to crack a Predator ferrule or shaft and cracked it by chucking it up it the lathe.

This is only my guess....

People putting tips on a Predator cue need to know how they are made and how easy it is to crack a ferrule and shaft.

I would use it but not break with it. I'd keep a close eye on it.


You can send it back to Predator for a replacement...but its a darn shame to lose the good tip.
Click to expand...

If it is cracked at the tip side....how is it the cue repairman's fault??? It is chucked up on the shaft and not the ferrule anyways. :rolleyes:
 
Cue repairman

I really do not think it happened on installation. I am pretty sure it developed on a hard stroke, maybe even a break stoke when I was too lazy to get a house cue and/or my breaker out. In fact, I think I know exactly when it happened.

I usually if ever break with this shaft and I will not as of now.

On the bright side I have won all my matches since getting the tip put on. :thumbup:
 
I could be totally wrong but I have a theory on cracking ferrules. I'm thinking a hard hit break shot isn't as likely to crack a ferrule as is a very hard hit spin shot, for us mere mortals at least. If you are really cracking the break (say over 23 mph) then disregard. The reason being is the break shot tends to be a center cue ball shot, where the force of the impact is more evenly distributed around the ferrule. Whereas, on a extreme english shot the impact is more on the edge of the ferrule and therefore more likely to crack it.

At least that's how I've cracked a couple of predator ferrules.
 
BasementDweller said:
I could be totally wrong but I have a theory on cracking ferrules. I'm thinking a hard hit break shot isn't as likely to crack a ferrule as is a very hard hit spin shot, for us mere mortals at least. If you are really cracking the break (say over 23 mph) then disregard. The reason being is the break shot tends to be a center cue ball shot, where the force of the impact is more evenly distributed around the ferrule. Whereas, on a extreme english shot the impact is more on the edge of the ferrule and therefore more likely to crack it.

At least that's how I've cracked a couple of predator ferrules.
Click to expand...

Or, the inadvertent extreme english (sometimes called a miscue) on a break shot. I popped my Samarsa tip right off my break cue on a miscue. It literally went flying across the room.

Of course, the power to pop off the tip came from extreme pressure on one side of the tip and no pressure on the other side. Leverage.

I can see how the same situation would damage a ferule.
 
Ferrule

Had this issue with one of my predator shafts. The only real way to take care of it is to send it back to predator. Sucks that it will take 2-3 weeks, but the upside is all you will be out is shipping because of the warranty. I am not even the original owner of my shaft and they still took care of me, plus sent the shaft back in a predator sleeve.:thumbup:
 
eddie0776 said:
If it is cracked at the tip side....how is it the cue repairman's fault??? It is chucked up on the shaft and not the ferrule anyways. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I always use a collet and have it chucked up on the ferrule to face off the old tip.

I also have it chucked up on my collet on the ferrule when turning the tip down to size or close to finish size.

The only time I chuck up on the shaft is when I'm finishing the job.



How does one not notice a cracked ferrule up near the tip side, before a tip is put on?:yikes:
 
The best you could do is buy a small bottle of thin CA glue, if you don't have plans to replace the ferrule in the near future.

Drizzle some over the crack and wipe off the excess. Tape off your tip and try not to get any on the sides.

Hopefully, the thin glue will penetrate the crack and seal everything up for you for a bit.

As long as it isn't loose or making funny sounds when you hit with it.

Kind of a Hack fix but the only option that I can think of, short of replacing the ferrule.

Well, there is also Duck Tape. Silver ferrules are pretty.
 
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Input

Thank you to everybody for your inputs and comments/suggestions.

I do need to correct my initial post I made an error in where the crack is, it is closer to the shaft not the tip. :sorry:

If I get a chance I will take a picture and add that to this thread.
 
If it doesn't extend all the way to either and then most likely it was no ones fault. Except well maybe predator. :-)

Anyways a little crazy glue in the crack will most likely halt its further continuation, that little fix has saved ferulles for years of play.

Most cracks in ferrules result from temperature changes and differences in expansion between the wood and the ferrulel material, the predators are so damn thin it seems like some of them just crack whenever they feel like it.

But my guess is you should be able to get a good amount if not all of the playing time out of that tip before you have to replace it completely. I just wouldn't go to nuts on it in the meantime.
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
The best you could do is buy a small bottle of thin CA glue, if you don't have plans to replace the ferrule in the near future.

Drizzle some over the crack and wipe off the excess. Tape off your tip and try not to get any on the sides.

Hopefully, the thin glue will penetrate the crack and seal everything up for you for a bit.

As long as it isn't loose or making funny sounds when you hit with it.

Kind of a Hack fix but the only option that I can think of, short of replacing the ferrule.

Well, there is also Duck Tape. Silver ferrules are pretty.
Click to expand...

Terry knows. The only thing I'd add is clean the ferrule first, and after drizzling the glue on the crack, rub it into the crack with a small piece of paper and wipe off the excess before it dries. I've used cracked ivory ferrules for years after doing this.
 
ferrule

The thin super glue may work...your best bet is replacing the ferrule because if you don't and it keeps cracking it could crack the shaft. So I would advise having your cue guy take the kamui off and then replace your ferrule and re install it. I have done this for my customers and it works. It will costs you a few bucks up front but then you dont have to worry about your shaft in the long run.

Joe
 
I have seen guys with cracks in ferrelles play for years.

If it gets in your head, then change it. Otherwise, I would play with it as is.

Best of rolls.

Ken
 
Runnintable said:
So, I guess I waited a wee bit too long on replacing my cue tip. The shaft is a predator Z shaft.

I just had a Kamui Black S or SS put on by a local Cue maker. Once it was cleaned up and shaped, we noticed a crack inline with the shaft but closer to the shaft side on the ferrule. The crack does not go through to the tip.

So, the question is does anybody have experience playing with cracked ferrule and longevity?

I love the tip so far and have not noticed any difference in hit and/or sound. I am hoping to get some playing distance on this tip prior to popping it off and replacing the ferrule and all.

Also, any thumb rules on when to replace tips? Obviously, before the ferrule breaks....
Click to expand...

I also had a z shaft and I thought there was a hairline crack in the ferrule aswell. Had it put it on a lathe and did a quick clean on the ferrule to find out it actually wasn't split more than 1/32". Cleaned up the ferrule, sealed it and was back in business.
 
Sealegs50 said:
I have a hairline crack on a 314-2 shaft that developed soon after I started using it. I am the original owner and this is the original tip. I don't break with the cue and you can see that the tip has not mushroomed. I do not hear any buzz and there is no affect on play. I wrote to Predator about the shaft and enclosed a picture to ask if they would fix it under the warranty. Unfortunately, they will not make any judgments unless I send them the shaft and have them cut off the tip. I don't use the shaft and would like to sell it. Being used, it will already have lost some value. Disappointed that I need to risk investing more money in a shaft that I am going to take a loss on for what should be a warrantied repair.
Click to expand...

Why do you think it won't be taken care of by predator? It is their way of doing things, to examine it befor commenting on warranty issues.

If it is the first then you get best $, if the latter, you just cost yoursel a tip and a ship.
I'd send it, either it comes back like new or it comes back needing a tip.
 
Black-Balled said:
Why do you think it won't be taken care of by predator? It is their way of doing things, to examine it befor commenting on warranty issues.

If it is the first then you get best $, if the latter, you just cost yoursel a tip and a ship.
I'd send it, either it comes back like new or it comes back needing a tip.
Click to expand...

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It's probably just standard policy, it can be hard to tell from a photo if a line is a hairline crack, a scratch with chalk in it, or something else entirely. It just makes sense for them from a business standpoint to not speculate when they can look at it in person. If it's the original tip, I don't see why they wouldn't put a new tip on, regardless of the results of their inspection. The most you should be out is shipping.
 
EtDM said:
It's probably just standard policy, it can be hard to tell from a photo if a line is a hairline crack, a scratch with chalk in it, or something else entirely. It just makes sense for them from a business standpoint to not speculate when they can look at it in person. If it's the original tip, I don't see why they wouldn't put a new tip on, regardless of the results of their inspection. The most you should be out is shipping.
Click to expand...


Problem handled by Predator at SBE. In person, they were very nice to deal with. Too bad this was so hard remotely.
 
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