Linen, Leather, or no-wrap?
- Thread starter ddg45
- Start date
Like leather ( lizard the best ), then a close second wrapless. Can't stand linen, even when cleared over for some reason lol.
After I started using wrapless cues I've never looked back.
And there's no way I'll ever use anything else.
Depending on your grip hand, is it too sweaty, too dry or?? The material that works best under all conditions is Irish Linen. I had a new 78 Zamboti with leather for ten years, I've had Gina cue with cork, I've had a new SW with lacquer finish. Through time, I found the grip needs of my grip hand work best with linen. I got rid of my new SW after about 3 years, the lacquer would slip my grip under damp/rainy/humid play conditions. Leather.............took too darn long to warm up to get the tack just right with my hand and the leather.
Early 90's, I talked to Varner, he convinced me to go back to waxed irish linen, and I haven't had one issue since the nineties.
Early 90's, I talked to Varner, he convinced me to go back to waxed irish linen, and I haven't had one issue since the nineties.
That what I like. Take nicely pressed irish linen and and periodically use wax paper to give make it slightly tacky. This combination absorbs sweat yet allows you to grip the cue. I personally dislike any hide wraps of any kind. Wrapless is ok in some situations, but in damp conditions is not great.
For me I have tried everything...leather grip, linen..no wrap. I find no wrap feels the best.
For feedback, wrapless.
For no maintenance, easy to clean - wrapless.
For feel consistency, wrapless. With the exception of cues like the Predator Roadline where the wrap is down where it should be where most people grip.
For grip, linen. Although not a big deal...I can remember only twice in 20 years where for some reason, my grip hand started sweating abnormally more and the cue actually felt slippery. Wasn't a pressure situation either. Leather can get slick in those scenarios too.
For cleanliness, wrapless. This is the main reason I like wrapless cues. I don't smoke. When I'd shoot with my linen and leather wrapped cues at the pool room, they would soak in the nasty cigarette stench. Then at home, playing on my table - I would get an occasional whiff of smoke / ashtray scent. Which is distracting because you don't expect it in a smoke-free, clean home. You really realize how bad your gear smells when outside that environment. Another reason why I got rid of my expensive leather cases, and prefer synthetics. They can actually be cleaned.
For aesthetics....I like wrapless if the design warrants it, such as sneakies and plain cues. For a design that has a wrap, leather is far better looking to me.
I don't dislike linen, but most linen wraps are inferior. A very high quality linen wrap, with a very well pressed, pro installation has a great feel.
For robustness, leather. Get a ding on a wrapless, and you'll feel it. A ding on a linen can also be felt, or worse - if it breaks the linen you can really feel it. Especially if the linen gets a fuzzball. Leather can take a ding and it absorbs it. Being textured, it all blends in.
For stability, wrapless. Most cues with a linen or leather wrap are not finished under the wrap. Thus, the wood can and does change in moisture content over time and environment. The butt is not completely "sealed" ...and this can cause very slight warpage.
For no maintenance, easy to clean - wrapless.
For feel consistency, wrapless. With the exception of cues like the Predator Roadline where the wrap is down where it should be where most people grip.
For grip, linen. Although not a big deal...I can remember only twice in 20 years where for some reason, my grip hand started sweating abnormally more and the cue actually felt slippery. Wasn't a pressure situation either. Leather can get slick in those scenarios too.
For cleanliness, wrapless. This is the main reason I like wrapless cues. I don't smoke. When I'd shoot with my linen and leather wrapped cues at the pool room, they would soak in the nasty cigarette stench. Then at home, playing on my table - I would get an occasional whiff of smoke / ashtray scent. Which is distracting because you don't expect it in a smoke-free, clean home. You really realize how bad your gear smells when outside that environment. Another reason why I got rid of my expensive leather cases, and prefer synthetics. They can actually be cleaned.
For aesthetics....I like wrapless if the design warrants it, such as sneakies and plain cues. For a design that has a wrap, leather is far better looking to me.
I don't dislike linen, but most linen wraps are inferior. A very high quality linen wrap, with a very well pressed, pro installation has a great feel.
For robustness, leather. Get a ding on a wrapless, and you'll feel it. A ding on a linen can also be felt, or worse - if it breaks the linen you can really feel it. Especially if the linen gets a fuzzball. Leather can take a ding and it absorbs it. Being textured, it all blends in.
For stability, wrapless. Most cues with a linen or leather wrap are not finished under the wrap. Thus, the wood can and does change in moisture content over time and environment. The butt is not completely "sealed" ...and this can cause very slight warpage.
Visually I like Irish Linen, but.
I've been playing with a Lucasi for some time and while I thought I'd hate it, I absolutely love their G5 Grip.
It's super comfortable and contrary to what I thought, it does NOT make my hand sweat.
Yeah, it looks like a frakenstein addition on the cue, but as soon as I played with the cue for the 1st 20 minutes, I was over it. -Z-
I've been playing with a Lucasi for some time and while I thought I'd hate it, I absolutely love their G5 Grip.
It's super comfortable and contrary to what I thought, it does NOT make my hand sweat.
Yeah, it looks like a frakenstein addition on the cue, but as soon as I played with the cue for the 1st 20 minutes, I was over it. -Z-
Wrapless all the way. Any linen wrapped cue I have is for sale. But I don't need the money so they sit in cases, all alone, never used. But I never tried leather so I just might take a linen wrapped cue and have a leather glove made for it.
I'll fool around with a leather wrap cue at SBE this year, then decide.
I'll fool around with a leather wrap cue at SBE this year, then decide.
Linen, Leather, or no Wrap
Personally I prefer the no wrap cues like the Meucci cues. I enjoy the look of the fine Irish linen, but I don't like the feel. Like you say, too slick. I also have an older McDermott D1 that was refinished and has the leather wrap. The leather has a good solid feel to it unlike the exposed linen! Wow, I thought I was the only one! LOL. Look at some older Meucci Originals! Covered wrap and that great Meucci feel IMHO. The newer Meucci's don't have the same solid feel as the older ones! One can still find some new Meucci's from the mid nineties and before! Good luck, bobzon1
Personally I prefer the no wrap cues like the Meucci cues. I enjoy the look of the fine Irish linen, but I don't like the feel. Like you say, too slick. I also have an older McDermott D1 that was refinished and has the leather wrap. The leather has a good solid feel to it unlike the exposed linen! Wow, I thought I was the only one! LOL. Look at some older Meucci Originals! Covered wrap and that great Meucci feel IMHO. The newer Meucci's don't have the same solid feel as the older ones! One can still find some new Meucci's from the mid nineties and before! Good luck, bobzon1