Is there anything wrong with breaking with playing Cue?

StormHotRod300

StormHotRod300

BigSexy
Silver Member
Ok, i know this subject has been talked about,

But i have stopped using my Break cue, because i too often would scratch or have the cue fly off the table.

So i began to break with my playing cue, and have found i can break better with the playing cue, i also can control the cue on the break better too.

I do know of several guys who break with a playing cue or a break cue, and just put a layer'd tip on it, or a Le pro.

But i just wonder if theres any notice-able difference when breaking with a phenolic tip VS a Le-pro or layer'd tip
 
Depends what cue you play with. Many players that use a whippy cue prefer to break with a stiffer cue.

As you note, some prefer to use a different type of tip when they break. Finally, I've heard some argue that breaking with your playing cue increases the likelihood that your tip will either mushroom or become uneven.

I think it's all personal preference.
 
Currently the most prevalent type break used by pros seems to be a more controlled soft break. Watching Corey Duel break during the US Open as slow as 13 MPH it seems no unusual tip wear or tear should occur. Even the power breakers are not hitting them as hard anymore. Unless one uses a full power break on all breaks I see no advantage.
 
I think it partly depends on what kind of shaft/ferrule/tip combo you're playing with. It is true that breaking with your playing cue will tend to wear it out faster. The tips might mushroom more often, the repeated stress from the break on your playing shaft might cause it to warp a bit faster, the stress may cause your (if you have one) ivory ferrule to crack more often, and so on.

A reason why the pros can get away with slow break is because of the TIGHT racks they can get with good racking, even cloth, or racking tools. I think its harder to make a good rack at most other places.

Maybe you should take a look at your break technique and break cue again. The cb flying off the table might be caused by you not hitting the 1 ball straight on. That used to happen to me a long time ago. Another reason might by because of the tip. I had an old break cue with a fiber tip poorly installed. It caused my cb to jump off the table for some reason. I switched to another break cue and the problem was solved.
 
Doug said:
Currently the most prevalent type break used by pros seems to be a more controlled soft break. Watching Corey Duel break during the US Open as slow as 13 MPH it seems no unusual tip wear or tear should occur. Even the power breakers are not hitting them as hard anymore. Unless one uses a full power break on all breaks I see no advantage.
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I agree with Doug, I break with my shooting cue these days. I used to break with a different cue before when I was really smashing the balls but now I am hitting them a lot softer when I break for more control and have had no problems with my tip. It all depends on your break, if you break 'em hard you might want to use a separate cue unless you like shooting with a mushroom tip!
 
thebigdog said:
I agree with Doug, I break with my shooting cue these days. I used to break with a different cue before when I was really smashing the balls but now I am hitting them a lot softer when I break for more control and have had no problems with my tip. It all depends on your break, if you break 'em hard you might want to use a separate cue unless you like shooting with a mushroom tip!
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I USED TO BREAK WITH MY SHOOTING CUE , AS FAR AS MUSHROOMING IT CAN ONLY MUSHROOM SO MUCH THEN AFTER RESHAPING A FEW TIMES ,NO MORE MUSHROOMING. AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE A VERY HARD TIP TO. JUST MAKE SURE YOU USE A VERY STRONG GLUE
 
RichardCranium said:
I also think that breaking over time will warp the shaft...and or could crack a "favorite shaft"
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IMO, this would be a freak thing. Alot of production cues stand behind their shafts. If you break/crack a shaft during a break, you can get a new shaft. I was once told that if you spend any type of money on a good cue, that you can break with it with no problems. Prior to this year, I have broke with my playing cue (predator) all the time. Never once have I had any issues with the shaft.

Most people I have heard talk about this issue usually mention the mushrooming and damage to a tip. A tip will last longer in the desired shape without breaking with it, so a break cue can be an advantage.
 
Well my problem i think is just that using my break cue with phenolic tip, i am just too inconsistent with it.

I mean its like some days i break excellent with it, and then other days its like i cant keep the cue ball on the table.

Or i keep the ball on the table but cant control the CB and always end up with bad position.

But i have been breaking with my playing cue for the past couple weeks and have found that i can control the CB better. I really dont notice a monsterous difference on the action of the balls on the break.

I do notice that when using a new tip, it does tend to mushroom alot more, but when you shape it a couple times, it doesnt mushroom as much.
 
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