OB-1 transition issues

The swerve issue .... can someone give me an example of a shot or two and how many times the sweve comes into play. I cant view the cuetable so just a written example will do.


I have gotten used to mine I guess. Without being overly consistent anyway I think its hard to get an exact read on it. I will say that I can get more english while aiming closer to center and that took alot of getting used to.

Another issue was (not sure if I can explain it) that the cue ball seemed to go through the OB more. Say if I had a slight cut into the side and I wanted to follow to the side rail and down. With my Predator it would hit the ball and deflect then go on its path to the rail. With the OB1 the CB goes through (straighter) the OB more and theres not as much defelction of the CB on its path. This actually took me a few months to get 100% used to. Likely just rebuilding my memory because truthfully I am only judging off of what the other shaft did.

I recommend straight swapping to it as well. I couldnt imagine trying to go between shafts especially if it was a classic wood shaft.

I dont think I have ever noticed the swerve problem but maybe I dont shoot many shots where it would come into play. Mini Masses are much easier and MUCH more easy to figure than with my Predator.
 
I just bought a OB-1 shaft 1 month ago following all the hype about it. I hate predator shafts with a passion :), but still i said to myself if i don't try this i might regret it. And boy do i regret it.

I have a Schon cue for allmost 3 years now and like it. It has to be the best cue i have ever played with. I am in a country where you don't have many options when it comes to pool cues . There might be alot of other cues that could be better then my Schon but i don't have thousands of dollars to spend on cues ( the average monthly income here is 150-200$) .

So, back to the OB shaft. Boy this thing is like a wild animal, it's really hard to tame it , for me. When i'm trying to soft kill the ball , kill/spin the ball, hit dead center, the shaft just doesn't respond like i'm especting it to respond. It's just WILD. I can't find a better word for it.
If i can get away hitting just a bit off center with my schon , with the OB you get punished. I think you must have perfect fundamentals/stroke to be able to use one right. I don't and the shaft doesnt help me.

There's gonna be like 2-3 months of non stop tournaments in my country so i can't go into full mode practicing with the OB. But i'm ambitious and i want to give it a shot. Maybe change the tip (thos i had a Talisman M on my schon and liked it).

Hope i didn't make to many mistakes in spelling (english is not my native language) and you can forgive me beeing that long.
 
I have played with a OB-1 now for some time and I can't play with anything else.... Going back to my Predators is simply like playing with a hard plastic-something-strange thingy. That's definitely subjective judgement.

I have however discovered the following:

*I play much more relaxed with my OB-1, simply because it gives me easier spin/english and I don't have to use so much force as I did on my old 314.

* Since the shaft gives me easier/better english, I DO NOT HIT AS EXTREME AS I DID WITH MY 314.... In other words I rarely go for extreme right/left side spin, just some modes adjusting from cue center is enough.

*Going less extreme gives me even less deflection.... Not everybody thinks on this, but try and see. Do you really need to hit 3 O'clock extreme ?

*The shaft has some swerve effect which for me is noticed when I try to swerve... I guess this is related to the increased spin/english

I missed some easy shots in the beginning and I'm not sure if it was my 314 which had given me a bad habit or if it was a "special" effect by the OB-1. After some beefy playing everything feels natural and I play less stressed when having to go for a hard draw shot, I simply do it without any effort.

Belive me, I have gone back to my 3pc of 314 shafts (they match a really nice Schon I played with which is now parked) and as mentioned, it feels so hard that I can't figure out how I played with them earlier.

However, OB-1 is not for everybody. I have the feeling that either people hate them or love them. I guess it depends on what you are used to. If you play with a shaft which demands some work to produce english, well you would need to adjust for a while... If it's to hard, then stay with you're old one. "Never change a winning team" some one said. I do not live by that, since I'm looking for something new to improve my game every day, even if it require some adjustments :-)

As mentioned, do use the same tips on the shafts you compare. I have two cues, same type of joints, same producer/manufacturer but different butt wood and construction. They do for sure not feel the same even if they both have OB-1.

My last comment on this is the following; My "playing" 314 shaft which was used a lot on my Schon, has totally changed character from when I received it. My 314 backup shaft (hardly used) is so different that you would not believe that both are 314. It's like the playing 314 shaft has softened up - a lot...

This is something which has not happened with my OB-1, which is for sure heavily used. It feels consistent and stable.

By the way, that Earl is not playing with the OB-1 is for me not a measure on anything. I tried a Cuetech one time, and I still can't understand how he played with that for all those years. I guess everybody has their own taste which we shall respect.

Change you're tip and play with it for a longer period and then go back. That's my advice.

N
 
By the way, that Earl is not playing with the OB-1 is for me not a measure on anything. I tried a Cuetech one time, and I still can't understand how he played with that for all those years. I guess everybody has their own taste which we shall respect.
Only the butt was Cuetec.
The shafts were custom made.
 
Hehehe, I remember Mike and Earl endorsing their newly developed "perfect" cue with OB-1.
Now Earl describes it as crap. So much for promises...
 
Klopek said:
Pardon my ignorance, but isn't this exactly what the OB-1 and other low deflection shafts were designed to do... allow for point and shoot ease, eliminating the need to compensate for swerve. I mean, if you find a new problem arising due to a low deflection shaft that forces you to make different adjustments, does that not defeat the purpose?. :confused:

Of note, I just bought an OB-1 from Troy a few weeks back, and I hate it. Anyone want a cheap Radial OB-1 witht the silver ring?.:)
Click to expand...


Yes..... is the short answer.

The OB-1 like every shaft has deficiencies. Because of it whippiness, it tends to squirt on certain slow spinning shots.
 
BPG24 said:
Yes..... is the short answer.

The OB-1 like every shaft has deficiencies. Because of it whippiness, it tends to squirt on certain slow spinning shots.
Click to expand...
That's not squirt.
That's swerve due to the cueball spinning faster than it's forward motion imo.

OB-1's weight is another issue. I have to add some weight in there so it won't mess up a friend's cue's balance.
 
Klopek said:
Pardon my ignorance, but isn't this exactly what the OB-1 and other low deflection shafts were designed to do... allow for point and shoot ease, eliminating the need to compensate for swerve. I mean, if you find a new problem arising due to a low deflection shaft that forces you to make different adjustments, does that not defeat the purpose?. :confused:

Of note, I just bought an OB-1 from Troy a few weeks back, and I hate it. Anyone want a cheap Radial OB-1 witht the silver ring?.:)
Click to expand...

i see your point, but swerve and deflection are two different things. low deflection shafts minimize deflection. swerve is a different effect altogether. the particular effect with the ob-1 is when you hit with say 3 o clock right english at a soft/medium speed. the cue ball will swerve to the right quite a bit. and the same for left english of course.
 
JoeyInCali said:
That's not squirt.
That's swerve due to the cueball spinning faster than it's forward motion imo.

OB-1's weight is another issue. I have to add some weight in there so it won't mess up a friend's cue's balance.
Click to expand...


thats what i meant.... swerve.

See my post on page 1

My mistake
 
Klopek:
... isn't this exactly what the OB-1 and other low deflection shafts were designed to do... allow for point and shoot ease, eliminating the need to compensate for swerve.

BPG24:
Yes..... is the short answer.
Click to expand...

I have to disagree. The OB-1 reduces (not eliminates) squirt (not swerve). Like squirt, swerve always happens with sidespin, and swerve counteracts the effect of squirt, but they're not caused by the same thing and increasing or reducing squirt has no effect on the amount of swerve you'll get. That's purely a function of how much sidespin and butt elevation you use.

The OB-1 like every shaft has deficiencies. Because of it whippiness, it tends to squirt on certain slow spinning shots.
Click to expand...

I see the logic in this statement, but in tests whippiness doesn't seem to show any effect on the amount of squirt produced.

(I seem to have disagreed with you a few times lately, BP, but it's not intentional. Probably because we're both interested in the same things...)

pj
chgo
 
Example of using swerve without jacking up

http://CueTable.com/P

CueTable Help



SPINDOKTOR







frankncali said:
The swerve issue .... can someone give me an example of a shot or two and how many times the sweve comes into play. I cant view the cuetable so just a written example will do.


I have gotten used to mine I guess. Without being overly consistent anyway I think its hard to get an exact read on it. I will say that I can get more english while aiming closer to center and that took alot of getting used to.

Another issue was (not sure if I can explain it) that the cue ball seemed to go through the OB more. Say if I had a slight cut into the side and I wanted to follow to the side rail and down. With my Predator it would hit the ball and deflect then go on its path to the rail. With the OB1 the CB goes through (straighter) the OB more and theres not as much defelction of the CB on its path. This actually took me a few months to get 100% used to. Likely just rebuilding my memory because truthfully I am only judging off of what the other shaft did.

I recommend straight swapping to it as well. I couldnt imagine trying to go between shafts especially if it was a classic wood shaft.

I dont think I have ever noticed the swerve problem but maybe I dont shoot many shots where it would come into play. Mini Masses are much easier and MUCH more easy to figure than with my Predator.
Click to expand...
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I have to disagree. The OB-1 reduces (not eliminates) squirt (not swerve). Like squirt, swerve always happens with sidespin, and swerve counteracts the effect of squirt, but they're not caused by the same thing and increasing or reducing squirt has no effect on the amount of swerve you'll get. That's purely a function of how much sidespin and butt elevation you use.



I see the logic in this statement, but in tests whippiness doesn't seem to show any effect on the amount of squirt produced.

(I seem to have disagreed with you a few times lately, BP, but it's not intentional. Probably because we're both interested in the same things...)

pj
chgo
Click to expand...


NP bro

I squirted when I meant to swerve :D :D

I knew what i meant... lol

I find that it is easier to control when the shaft is stiffer. Maybe due to me forcing myself to get through every shot consistently.

BPG24 <----------- still waiting for an answer from OB-1 about an smaller tipped, stiffer shaft.
 
Swerve, squirt. My point always seems to get lost when I use one wrong term. The day someone lets it slide I'll have a coronary.
Click to expand...

Sure, anybody should be able to tell you mean reduce squirt when you say eliminate swerve, right? What's the difference?

pj
chgo
 
Klopek said:
Swerve, squirt. My point always seems to get lost when I use one wrong term. The day someone lets it slide I'll have a coronary.:D

My true point is this. If you develop new "issues" with a shaft designed to make your life easier, than wouldn't it just be better to compensate with a traditional shaft?. At least then you can walk into a room, pick up a house cue and still feel comfortable.

I've never liked any of the low deflection shafts but decided to give the OB-1 a chance figuring it may be the exception to the rule. Just found that I really hate it.
Click to expand...


I don't see the point in this statement. I've played with low deflection shafts for years and have no problem playing with house cues or other cues at all. And isn't the point of having your own cue that you don't have to use house cues anymore. I can't remember the last time I had to play with a house cue for anything other than going out drinking (not to play pool) at a bar with friends. And then I was still able to run a couple rack in a row while drunk with a tip/ferrule that literally slid off the cue in the middle of the second rack. I just slid it back on and kept playing with no problems.

I gotta say I find it hard to believe that one shaft will produce more swerve than another. It would have to produce more spin for that to happen (which I also find hard to believe). And swerve is usually only a problem when the cue is elevated and hitting at low speeds.
 
i see what you're saying Klopek but i think the idea is deflection is something that comes into play on nearly every shot. whereas this swerve issue is only something that happens on a long slow shot with extreme english really.

I gotta say I find it hard to believe that one shaft will produce more swerve than another. It would have to produce more spin for that to happen (which I also find hard to believe). And swerve is usually only a problem when the cue is elevated and hitting at low speeds.
Click to expand...

Believe me the OB-1 does produce more swerve it's fact. don't forget that on every shot the cue is elevated to a certain degree a bit.
 
Believe me the OB-1 does produce more swerve it's fact.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but your belief doesn't make it a fact for me. We're often wrong about the things we're "sure" we experience in pool, so a test of some kind would add some weight to your assertion.

Logic says the stick shouldn't make a difference - that the amount of swerve should only change with the amount of tip offset and butt elevation. Do you have any specific reason to believe the OB-1 produces more swerve other than your personal impression? Any theory for why it would produce more?

You shouldn't always "believe your eyes". Maybe not even most of the time.

pj
chgo
 
jingle said:
No, I'm not. I have a Sniper on the Josey and a Triangle on the OB-1. In my case, I don't think that's the problem. I had miscue issues using the Talisman M that was on the OB-1 originally too. I have used Triangles & Snipers for many years and never had persistent miscue issues with either.

I'm wondering if the OB-1 light end-mass doesn't allow it to stay on the cue ball and push through it as well on extreme english shots? Almost like a ricochet effect?
Click to expand...

Hear, hear!

You have miscue issues with the OB-1? Take the advice Larry Schwartz gives in his "8 Ball Handbook for Winners"... He says that a too loose bridge will cause plenty of problems when shooting off center on the cue ball, or words to that effect. A tighter bridge will definitely help that.

I have an OB-1 too, and the lower end mass helps lower cue ball squirt on off center shots. Most of the time I shoot with a closed bridge, but when shooting with an open bridge, I play plenty of attention to avoid miscuing, and of course, chalk up very well.

All that being said, I don't have too many issues with miscuing. I also shoot with Elkmaster tips, which may help avoid miscues in iffy circumstances.

My suggestion: use a tighter bridge when shooting off center shots. The way I manage to do that consistently without the crabbing that may occur in more humid conditions is to wear a glove.

Flex
 
Runnin8 said:
I'm surprised about the miscues based on my experience. My remaining issue is also swerve. I have stopped trying English when I'm on the rail because I still can't judge the swerve even though I've been using the OB-1 for about 4 months now. In all other aspects I'm loving it!:D
Click to expand...

Swerve isn't the fault of the cue...

Just be happy you have less of an issue with cue ball squirt. It's one less variable to deal with.

Adapt!

Flex
 
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