LOW D, miss diagnosed!!!
Does lamination itself create a LD shaft? Does radial lamination create one? Does it have to be hollowed out at the end and be foam filled? Help me understand what makes an LD and how does it work? I'm sure there is a detailed description or opinion, just help or point me please. Thanks to all.
There's something confusing in the description, Low Deflection Shaft. The issue is cue-ball squirt being described as "shaft deflection."
Here's where the problem begins with this miss diagnosed term, Low Deflection shaft.
Cue-ball squirt "IS" the issue, and it is "MUCH LESS," when the ferrule jumps to the side at cue-ball contact. When this occurs the cue-ball travels in a straight path instead of swerving away from the ferrule at contact.. In other words, the shaft actually deflects away from the cue-ball and the cue-ball travels in a straighter line down the table, this means what has been described as low "SHAFT" deflection is really a description of the path of the cue-ball, not the movement of the shaft. The vibration of the shaft is "ACTUALLY" HIGH DEFLECTION and is why the cue-ball travels straight after contact.
Now the point, a low deflection shaft would be a 15mm "solid" maple shaft with an Ivory ferrule. With this kind of construction, after the tip touches the cue-ball, the cue-ball will jump sideways with squirt, this "IS" cue-ball deflection. Now when a let's say, 12.6mm, hollow front end shaft contacts the cue-ball, the shaft jumps sideways and the cue-ball travels straight. In other words, the shaft exhibits high deflection characteristics and low cue-ball squirt. Just the opposite of what the current group of "shaft sales-hucksters" describe these properties as preforming, hence the attitude of some people today "that this type of shaft construction is just a sales gimmick!" In fact it is a breakthrough in modern shaft technology and (I.M.O.) will be the type of shaft construction that will be used in the future (most of the top players today use this type of shaft).These confusing terms have labled this technological breakthrough inappropriately. High shaft deflection allows the cue-ball to travel in a much straighter line after contact.
Now answering your original question correctly is much easier to understand and describe because we're talking about shaft deflection and NOT cue-ball squirt, labeled as shaft deflection. So when the front end of the shaft is considerably lighter, the mass of the cue-ball moves the shaft sideways and the ball goes straight. Lamination's, whether radial or straight, deal with the shaft's vibration performance consistency. The lamination's "DO NOT" make a shaft (what is inappropriately described as) Low D. It "IS" the lighter weight of the shaft's front end that causes this most rewarding playing characteristic to occur.