McDermott I shafts

alstl

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm thinking about ordering an I shaft for a McDermott cue I have. After looking at the web site I get the feeling the I-1 is for break cues, the I-2 is similar to the predator 314 and the I-3 is similar to the predator Z, at least as far as the taper is concerned.

Do these shafts acheive the lower deflection the same way as the predators or do they use a different construction method?

I'm leaning toward the I-2 based solely on what I've seen on the web site. I would appreciate any feedback from people who have one of these shafts.

Thanks
 
alstl said:
I'm thinking about ordering an I shaft for a McDermott cue I have. After looking at the web site I get the feeling the I-1 is for break cues, the I-2 is similar to the predator 314 and the I-3 is similar to the predator Z, at least as far as the taper is concerned.

Do these shafts acheive the lower deflection the same way as the predators or do they use a different construction method?

I'm leaning toward the I-2 based solely on what I've seen on the web site. I would appreciate any feedback from people who have one of these shafts.

Thanks
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The I-1 is NOT for break cues only. It's a regular 13mm shaft and plays great. They ARE very light...around 3.5 oz. I don't know how the I-2 plays when comparing it to the Predator. If you want to keep the weight up higher, consider the Universal shaft. Both are very good shafts.
 
I know Platnium Billiards did a test and the predator shafts deflected less than the Mcdermott shafts....just food for thought.

Zach
 
DEATHTRON said:
I know Platnium Billiards did a test and the predator shafts deflected less than the Mcdermott shafts....just food for thought.

Zach
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So, does that make it better? Since when did deflection become the end all or most important factor in a shaft, other than to deflection freaks that can't shoot? And how much less or more are we talking about, 1mm fired at warp speed? What about even so much as a variable in the tip used or tip shape or the amount the tip was scuffed prior to the test? Chew on that food for a little while....
 
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DEATHTRON said:
I know Platnium Billiards did a test and the predator shafts deflected less than the Mcdermott shafts....just food for thought.

Zach
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True. But I doubt it's a significant difference. I did a lot of research on these shafts before I bought one and people on the forums that compared the two often could not tell a difference in deflection.

The main reason I got an I-2 over a 314 is because I wanted a one piece maple shaft with nice grain that would be perhaps more durable than the spliced together 314. But I can't compare the two since I've not owned a 314.

The I-2 plays well. You have to ignore McDermott's magical marketing mumbo jumbo. One is for breaking and slow cloth? One is for more advanced shots and fast cloth? Give me a break. The differences between them seem to be that the I-1 is 13 mm and a shorter taper. The I-2 is 12.75 and longer taper (most like a 314). And the I-3 is the 11.75 european taper (most like a Z). My guess is they all play well on slow or fast cloth. :D
 
I have the I-2 and I love it. The main reason I got it is because I like 12.75 and a longer taper. I've tried my friends 314, and although it is nice, I still like the I-2 better. Even my friend likes my cue better than his. :eek:
 
I was looking at their site, so there is a carbon core and the outside is wood. Would this be similar to the new cuetec shafts sans the fiberglass coating?
 
I have both a 314 and an I 2. I have used the 314 for quite a while and am most comfortable with it at this point. I do like the I shaft and am slowly changing over to it. I seem to get a good solid feel and a nice flex. I don’t over analyze things (deflection, blah, blah blah) I just think it feels good. Hats off to McDermott for investing in new technology. I’m sure there will be more generations of various synthetic shaft designs and I think it is about time. Pool seems to behind the technology curve in relation to other sports. It was not long ago fishing rods, tennis rackets and golf shafts were all made of wood. I’m sure there were those that baulked at the first golf clubs that departed from the traditional hickory shaft. But with enough time and research the old hickory shafts became pretty much just wall ornaments. I don’t expect to see maple shafts go away any time soon but this may be the front of the wave of things to come. Imagine even if they just play on par with maple shafts ( which
I think they do, hands down) what a breakthrough that is in itself from the standpoint the shaft is synthetic and presumably in time many of the variables can be controlled such as where and how much the shaft flexes. That could be a function of design opening up endless possibilities for personal
preference. Taper and flex could be independent from one another. Remember when some cuemakers would make a shaft that had a pronounced hourglass shape to it? ( Adams for one). Maybe that extreme flex would be attainable in a traditional taper. That is just one example for how the mechanics of the shaft could be tweaked and numerous variations could be available to suit personal preference. I’m just guessing at possibilities but it seems to be a breakthrough to manufacture a shaft and control the variable in the construcion process and not be constrained by how the maple tree made it. For now I like the I shaft just fine I think it plays better that either my original shaft or my 314 and well worth the investment. Of course it is not a magic wand, the bottom line is it’s still the sticker not the stick
 
Well I am no expert but here is my 2 cents. I own and played with a 314 for two plus years and liked it just fine. Then it developed a slight warp which was ok according to predator.{ I shipped it to them for straighteing} I then bought an I2 since they are guaranteed not to warp and loved the way it played. Then I bought the I3 shaft and liked it better than the I2. I have not played with Z shaft so I cannot compare that shaft, but I think the McDermott shafts are terrific..
Dan
 
I hear all this talk about how deflection doesn't matter. It will make the difference between a good player and a great player. (remember good is the enemy of great) A person can learn to shoot well or even good with a shaft with an excessive amount of deflection. When I step to a table I want to know that my equipment shoots more or as accurate as my opponent. These days there are to many awesome players out there and you need every advantage you can get. Do you want to be good? or great?
 
Sharkey said:
I hear all this talk about how deflection doesn't matter. It will make the difference between a good player and a great player. (remember good is the enemy of great) A person can learn to shoot well or even good with a shaft with an excessive amount of deflection. When I step to a table I want to know that my equipment shoots more or as accurate as my opponent. These days there are to many awesome players out there and you need every advantage you can get. Do you want to be good? or great?
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PAGING ST. PETER...PAGING ST. PETER....Can you please bring any one of these gentlemen to the podium or all of them at once:

Willie Mosconi
Luther Lassiter
Irving Crane
Eddie Taylor
Jimmy Caras

Gentlemen...can you please answer Sharkey's question for him? (don't remember if these guys qualified as good or great)
 
drivermaker said:
PAGING ST. PETER...PAGING ST. PETER....Can you please bring any one of these gentlemen to the podium or all of them at once:

Willie Mosconi
Luther Lassiter
Irving Crane
Eddie Taylor
Jimmy Caras

Gentlemen...can you please answer Sharkey's question for him? (don't remember if these guys qualified as good or great)
Click to expand...

Just think how much better they would have been had they been playing with low deflection shafts! I'm sure Mosconi would have run in the 1000's if he had a low deflection shaft!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I've got a I-1 shaft on a DZ sneaky and agree with DM that it makes a great playing shaft. The quality of the wood seems nicer than the Predators shafts that i've tried.

But saying that.......

I don't know if i'm just lucky (or unlucky) but the I shaft i have doesn't seem to deflect any less than the maple shaft thats on my regular playing cue. I used to play with a Viking that did deflect quite a bit when using english but the cue i shoot with now doesn't defelct that much at all, its took quite a bit of getting used to!
 
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