Modern Cue Construction, Corded Cues, and a few other questions for our Cuemakers

[azbicyclis85376]

Hopefully I will be able to communicate a couple of questions about how modern Cues are being made.

As I have been looking at several Custom from a Variety of Makers. These are Cues people are playing with that sparked some questions.

1. Apparently some makers are building Cues on some sort of Hard Wood Inner Shaft or Cores. Like Maple, than for better use of words Stacking Cones, or Donuts of Exotic Wood on the Base Shafts/Cores. (i.e. Cocobolo or ? On to an Inner Shaft, or Core of Basewood like Maple), Is this a true observation, and what is this accomplishing.

2. What is the advantage of Real Ivory, over the Modern Synthetic Material used for Shaft Ferrules. Pros, and Cons.

3. What are the pros, and cons of using a Metal, verses Phenolic or some other Synthetic Material for Joint where the connecting screw/pin leave the Forearm of the Cue.

Answers, and information appreciated. Thanks,

 

[bandido]

Hopefully I will be able to communicate a couple of questions about how modern Cues are being made.

As I have been looking at several Custom from a Variety of Makers. These are Cues people are playing with that sparked some questions.

1. Apparently some makers are building Cues on some sort of Hard Wood Inner Shaft or Cores. Like Maple, than for better use of words Stacking Cones, or Donuts of Exotic Wood on the Base Shafts/Cores. (i.e. Cocobolo or ? On to an Inner Shaft, or Core of Basewood like Maple), Is this a true observation, and what is this accomplishing.

It's a true observation. Quite a number of current cuemakers now core cues which 1. allows us to use a variety of hardwoods with interesting grain patterns and 2. gives us the flexibility in configuring the weight, balance and stiffness of the end product. The straight-through core is mostly used, whether with straight grained one-piece core or the laminated variety, but other configurations such as step-coring and bi-directional can also be done. The system used depends on what the cuemaker wants to achieve. Some may think that it is an easy thing to do or a short cut to ending up with a higher net profit but that understanding is so far off left field. Coring involves making a lot of right choices (woods, other components and adhesives used in relation to final results desired) and precision machining.

2. What is the advantage of Real Ivory, over the Modern Synthetic Material used for Shaft Ferrules. Pros, and Cons.

IMO, aside from historically dictated desirability, ease of keeping it clean and maintaining its lustre are its pros until Ivor-X came along. A number of players too like its stiff hitting characteristic. Cons? Being a natural material it's durability is dependents on its origin, location and section of the tusk it was taken from, aside from the preparation process that it went through before it's used. As all natural materials, the environment that it's at directly affects it.

3. What are the pros, and cons of using a Metal, verses Phenolic or some other Synthetic Material for Joint where the connecting screw/pin leave the Forearm of the Cue.

Answers, and information appreciated. Thanks,

All I can say about this is that the structural configuation and materials employed negates the differences.

Edwin Reyes