How can you tell if a cue is straight?

[Fuji-whopper]

Gambling trick #394583495634965:

Put a dot of super glue on the bottom part of the butt sleeve, so that when you roll it the cue flops around like a fish out of water. Roll the cue back and forth on the table while making the game with your mark, the key is to hold eye contact with him/her. Their eyes will bug out of their head while watching your cue bounce around on the table and will think that you won't be able to make a ball with your "crooked" cue.

 

[cueandcushion]

Nothing is 100%

Most cues are made of wood. Wood expands and contracts based on humidity and temperature. Some days your cue may be 97% straight and some days it may be 99%. One thing is for sure. It will never be 100%. But if that is affecting your game.(or if you use it as an excuse) you probably just need more practice. If your ferrule never leaves the table while rolling it, you should still be able to make 99% of your shots. I mean 99% compared to a hypothetically theoretical cue that is 100% straight. If you miss a shot because the cue is warped; doesnt that mean if you rotate it 180 degrees the warp goes the other way and wont affect the next shot?

I figure if Nick Varner can run a rack of balls in our pool room with our broom, someone should be able to make balls with a cue that might have a slight wobble. Just some random thoughts from a guy that CANNOT run a rack with a broom. Must be a crooked broom I guess? Those broom companies never do anything right! Where is the Broom-makers association to ensure broom straightness? It must be George W. Bush's fault and his connections to big broom companies. Thats why I cant run a rack with a broom....Ok I am done.

 

[skins]

The pros in my opinion can still play close to 100% with a warped butt but with a straight shaft. Really, the most important thing is the shaft from the bridge hand to the tip has to be straight. The butt being warped a little shouldn't bother them b/c they can still see that shaft line.
I roll the jointed cue from just under the joint on top of a pool table rail and look at the ferrule if it's wobbling.

that's somewhat true but if the warp is even moderate or especially at the joint there can be big problems. if at the joint you can think that your hitting center but in actuality the tip is moving the direction of the warp during the stroke which can put unnecessary english on the cue and change a players consistency of position play. my experience, as for the butt goes, is shots become less affected the further back the warp is.

 

[Russ Chewning]

that's somewhat true but if the warp is even moderate or especially at the joint there can be big problems. if at the joint you can think that your hitting center but in actuality the tip is moving the direction of the warp during the stroke which can put unnecessary english on the cue and change a players consistency of position play. my experience, as for the butt goes, is shots become less affected the further back the warp is.

I don't agree... A lot of great players have the ability to change their stroke however is needed in order to deliver a straight stroke. So if the shaft is warped, they are able to lift the back of the cue enough to deliver a straight stroke if the tip curves upward due to warp.

I used to specifically practice with different cues, even warped cues, in order to get rid of my dependence on certain cue properties such as stiffness, flex, taper, etc.

Russ

 

[skins]

I don't agree... A lot of great players have the ability to change their stroke however is needed in order to deliver a straight stroke. So if the shaft is warped, they are able to lift the back of the cue enough to deliver a straight stroke if the tip curves upward due to warp.

I used to specifically practice with different cues, even warped cues, in order to get rid of my dependence on certain cue properties such as stiffness, flex, taper, etc.

Russ

that's just not true. i was a local touring pro for many years and have experienced this first hand. if you give any pro player in any tournament the same cue with a moderate or better warp in it and it will take them some time to get used to the defect. it will cost them position and that position may cost them an important match. any pro player can play strong with a warped cue if that's what their "stroke memory" has been trained to know but most all pro's play with a fairly straight cue and want that instrument to stay that way as much as possible to take away any negative factor that could mentally or physically distract them from that memory.

 

[Ascue]

I had a cue practically sold yesterday before the pool hall authority took a look. It rolled fine. Just fine. So he then took it to an unlit table and rolled it until a sliver of light could be seen between cue and table. There you go..... warped butt.