McDermott I-1 shaft review

StormHotRod300

StormHotRod300

BigSexy
Silver Member
One day a buddy of mine was hitting some balls with my cue, and said something about how much squirt the shaft had. Well I started to really notice this on long draw shots or shots that I had to hit hard with a lot of english.

So I started shopping for possibly a new cue, something with a stiffer shaft, but was kinda un-decided. Then Sunday while playing in a tournament I goto, I noticed in the poolhalls, pro-shop, they had some Predator shafts and some I-shafts.

Well, I found 1, McDermott I-1 shaft that fit my cue. And decided to buy it and give it a try.

So monday nite, I'm shooting some pool and the first thing I notice, is NO squirt! I didnt have to compensate for anything. Plus making long draw shots, or shots with lots of english became very very easy.

I'm not saying I still cant make the same shots with my cue's original shaft, but I was always having to adjust for squirt, and sometimes would come up short, or over shoot, or the CB would end up somewhere else.

But anyways, the hit/feel of the I-1 is very stiff, which is exactly what the specs give for the shaft. They say it's a 13mm with a Moori Quick, I wasnt too thrilled about having to use a Moori, but I'll live. The tip hasnt gone to crap yet lol.

The shaft looks solid, and basically looks like regular shaft. Obviously it doesnt have the Predator lines running down the shaft. So whatever McDermott did to make this shaft, was excellent!!!!!

The super tiny ferrule is kinda weird, but I know it wont break or mushroom lol. Plus one of the reasons I bought the I-1 shaft is because, it has a lifetime warranty, so if GOD forbid the shaft snaps in half or something breaks, BAM I sent it in and get a new one. The whole part about how McDermott will replace the tip on your cue n stuff is all nice, but your still without the shaft for X amount of days.
 
StormHotRod300 said:
One day a buddy of mine was hitting some balls with my cue, and said something about how much squirt the shaft had. Well I started to really notice this on long draw shots or shots that I had to hit hard with a lot of english.

So I started shopping for possibly a new cue, something with a stiffer shaft, but was kinda un-decided. Then Sunday while playing in a tournament I goto, I noticed in the poolhalls, pro-shop, they had some Predator shafts and some I-shafts.

Well, I found 1, McDermott I-1 shaft that fit my cue. And decided to buy it and give it a try.

So monday nite, I'm shooting some pool and the first thing I notice, is NO squirt! I didnt have to compensate for anything. Plus making long draw shots, or shots with lots of english became very very easy.

I'm not saying I still cant make the same shots with my cue's original shaft, but I was always having to adjust for squirt, and sometimes would come up short, or over shoot, or the CB would end up somewhere else.

But anyways, the hit/feel of the I-1 is very stiff, which is exactly what the specs give for the shaft. They say it's a 13mm with a Moori Quick, I wasnt too thrilled about having to use a Moori, but I'll live. The tip hasnt gone to crap yet lol.

The shaft looks solid, and basically looks like regular shaft. Obviously it doesnt have the Predator lines running down the shaft. So whatever McDermott did to make this shaft, was excellent!!!!!

The super tiny ferrule is kinda weird, but I know it wont break or mushroom lol. Plus one of the reasons I bought the I-1 shaft is because, it has a lifetime warranty, so if GOD forbid the shaft snaps in half or something breaks, BAM I sent it in and get a new one. The whole part about how McDermott will replace the tip on your cue n stuff is all nice, but your still without the shaft for X amount of days.
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That's why I got 2 cues set up the same way. I can send one off for service and use the other one without having to adjust. I shoot the I-2 shaft (12.75 with moori med) and I just love it.

Banger
 
DelaWho??? said:
That's why I got 2 cues set up the same way. I can send one off for service and use the other one without having to adjust. I shoot the I-2 shaft (12.75 with moori med) and I just love it.

Banger
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I have the I-2 also and put away all of my others! :)
 
I agree with all the above and bought mine form Bill quite some time ago. I would love to know the weights of the shafts that others have. Mine are fairly light compared to a standard shaft and since I have several I/2's and an I /3 I recently did an experiment by adding weight to one of them. It weighed under three ounces so I added an ounce of weight to it. This brought my balance point more forward were I like it. The weight issue is my only complaint about these shafts.
Dan
 
quedup said:
I agree with all the above and bought mine form Bill quite some time ago. I would love to know the weights of the shafts that others have. Mine are fairly light compared to a standard shaft and since I have several I/2's and an I /3 I recently did an experiment by adding weight to one of them. It weighed under three ounces so I added an ounce of weight to it. This brought my balance point more forward were I like it. The weight issue is my only complaint about these shafts.
Dan
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They use a new "isolator" technology inside the shaft that got rid of the pinging, and also bumped the shafts up to about 3.5 ounces. They used to be really light - sub 3 oz.

A friend of mine plays Predator. He tried a cue of mine with the i-2 shaft on it. He called me last night. He's got a money game and wants to borrow the i-2, as he feels it plays better than the 314-2, and he wants me to get an i-2 for his 5K-5. How's that for a vote of confidence?
 
Hi Shawn, I never noticed any pinging from mine. But you are right about the weight. All my I/2 shafts were under 3 ozs, and my I/3 was 2.7 ozs. So I drilled out the insert and added a little more than an ounce of weight to them. The weight is added in the back end of the shaft near the joint and does not seem to affect the performance at all. They are hollow all the way to the ferrule!!! I got a long oak dowel and measured them to be sure. My shafts are all the older ones and I am very curious about the isolator addition if you have any info...
Dan
 
I must admit you guys got my curiousity up, but I looked around the cheapest availability was 200 bucks. Pretty expensive experiment.
 
catscradle said:
I must admit you guys got my curiousity up, but I looked around the cheapest availability was 200 bucks. Pretty expensive experiment.
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Catscradle,

If you have someone in your area with a I-shaft, just try it out for a few games. I noticed a big difference, right away. I know alot of guys always say they felt more confident shooting with a new cue or shaft, and alot of the time its just the luster of using a new toy, which tends to fade after a bit.

But, I did notice, alot of the big cut shots I had to shoot, I was making like it was second nature, were, it seemed with my old shaft, I wasnt able to make them because of the squirt i was getting.

As i said before, my english control was high improved, along with just having better CB control too. I didnt notice a "ping" noise while playing the other day, so I dont know if they changed something with the older shafts or what.

I myself would recommend the McDermott I-shaft's over the predator shafts for a few reasons, like a lifetime warranty, tip replacement, its a one piece shaft, better ferrule, and just made better too.
 
I-shafts

I have used all three of the I-shafts, and thought they were the cat's meow until I switched to OB-1.

They can't compare to the OB-1, they are good shafts, but the OB-1 is a much better shaft.

Just my 2 cents!
 
quedup said:
Hi Shawn, I never noticed any pinging from mine. But you are right about the weight. All my I/2 shafts were under 3 ozs, and my I/3 was 2.7 ozs. So I drilled out the insert and added a little more than an ounce of weight to them. The weight is added in the back end of the shaft near the joint and does not seem to affect the performance at all. They are hollow all the way to the ferrule!!! I got a long oak dowel and measured them to be sure. My shafts are all the older ones and I am very curious about the isolator addition if you have any info...
Dan
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As far as I was told they aren't hollow.........they have a carbon fiber rod running all the way up the center of the shaft!
 
cornerstone said:
they are the best out there, i sell them 4 to 1 over predators and they dont wobble!!!
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I don't care if you sell them a 100 to 1 over predators....................they aren't the best out there.

The best for radial consistancy and playablilty is the OB-1, hands down! Then I would have to say the predator run a really close second.

And this comes from someone that owned all 3 I shafts and gave them a fair shake down before I came to that conclusion.
 
txplshrk said:
I don't care if you sell them a 100 to 1 over predators....................they aren't the best out there.

The best for radial consistancy and playablilty is the OB-1, hands down! Then I would have to say the predator run a really close second.

And this comes from someone that owned all 3 I shafts and gave them a fair shake down before I came to that conclusion.
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Hate to burst your bubble, but the i-shaft actually is more radially consistent than the OB-1. For low deflection, the 314-2 beats the OB-1, and so does the Z-2 shaft.

The strength of the i-shaft lies in the core. The core of the shaft is a composite carbon core, similar to the shaft of a composite arrow. The strength of the shaft comes from this flex engineered core - it's better, in terms of consistency, than wood. The wood of the i-shaft is merely there for aesthetics and look. You could put plastic on it if you want. The ferrule is short on the cue because it has to be. The carbon rod only leaves about 1/16" of wood around the core at the tip end of the shaft. The ferrule is stemmed and glued into the ferrule.

TX, I know you wear OB-1 underwear, and that's fine, but have the shafts tested with a spine guage some time. The OB will lose to the i-shaft every time.
 
txplshrk said:
As far as I was told they aren't hollow.........they have a carbon fiber rod running all the way up the center of the shaft!
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They're HOLLOW. The isolator material is placed in the shaft after they are made. There is no composite core. I order blanks from the McD factory, and can get them with or without "isolator material" in them. If they don't come in with the goop in them, they are hollow enough that you could cut the ferrule off and use them as a blow gun.
 
Shawn Armstrong said:
Hate to burst your bubble, but the i-shaft actually is more radially consistent than the OB-1. For low deflection, the 314-2 beats the OB-1, and so does the Z-2 shaft.

The strength of the i-shaft lies in the core. The core of the shaft is a composite carbon core, similar to the shaft of a composite arrow. The strength of the shaft comes from this flex engineered core - it's better, in terms of consistency, than wood. The wood of the i-shaft is merely there for aesthetics and look. You could put plastic on it if you want. The ferrule is short on the cue because it has to be. The carbon rod only leaves about 1/16" of wood around the core at the tip end of the shaft. The ferrule is stemmed and glued into the ferrule.

TX, I know you wear OB-1 underwear, and that's fine, but have the shafts tested with a spine guage some time. The OB will lose to the i-shaft every time.
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Well you can have your opinion and I can have mine. Doesn't mean you have to hurle insults at me!


You can shoot and use the i-shaft if you want, but they suck if you are looking for low deflection, and as far as radial consistency they are better than a regular McDermott shaft, but I will still take the OB-1 or Predator over the I-shaft.

I agree that the wood on an i-shaft is just for the look and feel. I never said the predator didn't have a better deflection rating.

The OB-1 has a better feel than the I-shaft, and is more radial consistent in terms of being a wood shaft!

You can agree to disagree, but enough with the insults there buddy!
 
There were no insults. If OB made underwear, you'd probably wear them. I've seen your posts, and you seem to try to push your beliefs as fact. Radial consistency has nothing to do with low deflection. Ask yourself what is more consistent, wood or carbon. Then, look at EVERY golf club swinging pro on the tour and ask why he plays a graphite shaft in his driver instead of laminated wood. Maybe that will make sense to you.

The OB-1 is a great shaft for some, but I think it's totally unoriginal, and they are just putting a spin on someone else's idea. Just because you "feel" that the OB-1 is more radially consistent, doesn't make it so. Like I said, go get a spine gauge and measure. I have. The i-shaft is the most radially consistent shaft on the planet with a long pro taper - because the strength and radial consistency have nothing to do with the WOOD. Carbon is an engineered material. Wood is grown.
 
catscradle said:
I must admit you guys got my curiousity up, but I looked around the cheapest availability was 200 bucks. Pretty expensive experiment.
Click to expand...

billiards911.com has them for $189 and you can use the happy10 or special10 as a coupon code and get an extra 10% off. It works out to about $170.00. I have used this web site several times and they are very good. They are prompt and answer their email.

Banger
 
Shawn Armstrong said:
There were no insults. If OB made underwear, you'd probably wear them. I've seen your posts, and you seem to try to push your beliefs as fact. Radial consistency has nothing to do with low deflection. Ask yourself what is more consistent, wood or carbon. Then, look at EVERY golf club swinging pro on the tour and ask why he plays a graphite shaft in his driver instead of laminated wood. Maybe that will make sense to you.

The OB-1 is a great shaft for some, but I think it's totally unoriginal, and they are just putting a spin on someone else's idea. Just because you "feel" that the OB-1 is more radially consistent, doesn't make it so. Like I said, go get a spine gauge and measure. I have. The i-shaft is the most radially consistent shaft on the planet with a long pro taper - because the strength and radial consistency have nothing to do with the WOOD. Carbon is an engineered material. Wood is grown.
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You can read my posts all you want, I have never said that radial consistancy makes for low deflection. I have said that I feel they are the most radial consistent wood shaft, and that the low deflection is just a side effect. Even if they had a higher deflection I would probably use it because it is the most radial consistent wood shaft!

If you found that the I-shaft is more radial consistent then good for you! It isn't an all wood shaft, and you have said it yourself!

As far as golf I don't give a rats ass what they are using. I don't like golf, I don't play golf, and I probably never will! I am not using my cue to hit a golf ball several hundreds of yards either!

As far as the underware comment it was an insult! Yea I have my beliefs and what I feel is a better product. If you don't like my beliefs or my thoughts then you are free to post them in here, but no reason to hurl insults.

If you feel that OB-1 is inferior then by all means don't use them, but I have used all three I shafts, and they aren't anything special. If they were then I am sure that more people would be using them, but I see more predators and more OB-1 shafts being used than any other after market shaft. (Even if they weren't I would still use the OB-1 cause of the way it plays and feels.)

I still stick to my original statement that the OB-1 is the most radial consistent wood shaft availible.

The I-shaft is a carbon fiber rod with a wooden cover on it. Pretty similar to a cuetech being a wooden shaft with a fiberglass cover. So a lot of people aren't going to like the way it plays. There are also a lot of people that don't like the way that OB-1 plays. So you know what? Different strokes for different folks!

And as far as the underware comment.....................Kiss my Butt!
 
txplshrk,
Dont sweat it man. You have something you believe in and you have the right to sell your views. I have used all of the above and I like the I-2 better than all except the very first gen 314. (I don't own any of them anymore, I sell everything I touch).
PS
For the record both SUPERMAN and I wear TEBOW undies. :D
 
I-shaft Tip

I just bought a cue with a i shaft. I was wondering if they are still using the moori medium or if they switched to kamuri. I heard they switched
 
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