Opinions on buying a "specialized" jump cue?

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charlieeeh

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Opinions on buying a "specialized" break cue?

EDIT: Just noticed I put "jump" instead of "break" cue. This post is regarding the merits of having a dedicated break cue.

A little background, I've used a predator z with a moori quick for the longest time (about 5 years). Recently, I've decided to make the switch to the 314-2 given having a few rounds with my buddy's 314. The larger diameter is really much more forgiving, and I get just about the same action as I do my z.

Having said that, I never paid too much attention to my break cue. I usually just break with the house cue, but more recently I've used a budget Players cue with 13mm lepro. It does okay, better than the house cues. Now I've never used a "real" break cue like the BK2, so I don't really have a basis to compare.

I've read somewhere that break cues shouldn't differ too much from your playing cue, and I made the impulsive (and in retrospect, stupid) buy on a Schmelke sneaky pete with the same 12.75mm tip diameter as my 314-2. I really have no real intention of using for playing given I already have a predator sneaky (big fan of sneaky pete design), so I'm pretty much relegating it to breaking duties.

Question is, I could sell the schmelke, maybe get a couple bucks for the players, and invest in a "real" break cue. I also have a lucasi jump cue sitting around somewhere that I never use that I could pawn. Granted, I probably won't have the budget to afford the likes of BK2 or sledgehammer or anything, even in used conditions. Are the differences really worth it? I'm not too concerned with the power on my break, but having a more consistent hit is something I'm looking for.

Or I could just keep the schmelke and put a samsara tip on it or something? Was the 12.75mm tip a big mistake considering break cues are generally 14mm?

Also, I don't really need a jump cue, since I jump just fine with my playing cue given the moori hard tip, and I generally try to just kick at things anyway, so breaking is the only real concern here. Budget would ultimately fall under $150.
 
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Long story short, is having a specialized "break cue" really worth it vs a regular cue + break tip?
 
I installed a Mad Man single layer break tip on a customers inexpensive sneaky.
I want to say that the sneaky weighed in at 24 ozs. Can't remember 100% but it was in the 20's.

He absolutely loves it. This guy is very picky about what he uses for equipment (player is a fairly pricey Bernie Mickleson) so if this didn't please him, it would be gone.

Do you need a $500 break cue in order to put balls in the pocket on a break.
No way Jose.
 
Yeah, I just caught that. Sorry for the miscommunication. I wanted to put something like jump/break cue, but decided to only go for the break part. However, I had a sarah palin moment...

This post is regarding the merits of having a special break cue.

I would honestly consider myself a power breaker. I hit em hard, I hit em square, and I try to leave the cue ball dead center of the table.

I'm considering turning my Schmelke sneaky into a break cue by installing a samsara on it, or selling it and fronting some cash for a "real" break cue. But because I don't have access to a BK2 or something, I really have no idea what a good break cue should feel like.

Also, what major differences would breaking with a 12.75mm vs a 14mm come from?
 
My break cue isn't a "break cue" at all. It's a custom cue that I ordered with the intentions of using it as my player. I didn't really like how it played, so I decided to hit a break shot with it and see how it did. Low and behold, it smashed that rack like the Hulk. This thing breaks a rack better than any "break cue" I've ever seen, including a BK2 and Sledgehammer. I've let a few people use it, and even they couldn't believe it. It's a monster, and it was never made to be a specialized break cue. It also has the stock tip on it. Not positive, but I believe its a Triangle.

Point is, use what works. Don't let marketing or hype affect your judgement. If you make a good spread and pocket balls with that Schmelke, what else would you ever need?
 
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I happen to believe in the dedicated break cue (and the dedicated jump cue). Other than the break cue having a hard tip and having the same weight and balance of the play cue, there is nothing special about it.

I happen to use a break cue that came with my Olhausen table--it reminds me of the build quality of an $60-$80 cue, but I have used it for over 3 years without ever even having to manitain or reshape the tip or do any other maintance (other than unscrewing it at the end of the night).

So to answer your question directly: Just use the Schmelke.
 
charlieeeh said:
I would honestly consider myself a power breaker. I hit em hard, I hit em square, and I try to leave the cue ball dead center of the table.

I'm considering turning my Schmelke sneaky into a break cue by installing a samsara on it, or selling it and fronting some cash for a "real" break cue. But because I don't have access to a BK2 or something, I really have no idea what a good break cue should feel like.

Also, what major differences would breaking with a 12.75mm vs a 14mm come from?
Click to expand...

The reason people use a larger diameter for the break cue is the same reason you switched to a 314, there is more forgiveness. With the speed generated on the break, many people don't have the control to hit as precisely, so a larger tip makes up for it slightly. However, depending on your ability, it is not always necessary and also depends on your comfort. Personally, I don't like larger sizes and I control the ball well on the break, so my break tip is around 12.5. When SVB was breaking with his playing cue, it was around 11.5-12, but his control is the best in the world.

Secondly, there is no such thing as a "real" break cue. I have tried a ridiculous amount of break cues, and I really didn't like the BK2 or Mezz cues. Part of it was the size of the shaft, but the Predator really felt different than other cues and I had to alter my breaking style to use it, which I wasn't willing to do.

The purpose of a break cue is to save wear on your tip and to perhaps have a different weight and setup than your player. It is perfectly fine to use your playing cue to break with. Using me as an example, I play with a 20.5 ounce cue, 12.5mm, Kamui black soft tip. My break cue is about 19.5 ounce, 12.5mm, with a Samsara leather tip. My dedicated jump cue is about a 13.5-14mm diameter with the smallest sliver of a Samsara on it.

Use what you are comfortable with. I have tried probably 100-200 cues in the past couple of years. Some are more comfortable to me, but there is no magic bullet. It is all about hard sweat, tears, and effort.

Also, if you consider yourself a power breaker, I would tear down your break until you consider yourself a controlled breaker with power. If you cannot stop the cueball and control what happens, you are just hitting and hoping. It takes many many hours of work to build up your power while maintaining control, but it is worth it.
 
I think the 2 biggest reasons to have a dedicated break cue is simple

1. Doesn't damage your playing cue, break a tip or something when you are gambling or in a tourney. Even with multiple shafts i think you get used to one

2. A break cue can be set up with a harder tip, and you get a more consistent result. I have had a BK 2 for about 10 years its just part of the game for me like chalk.

If you are playing in multiple tournaments, or paying decent size entry fees or fairly large sets you owe it to your game to have the right equipment. If your just banging them around it doesn't matter.

My advice is if you gamble play some $50 or $100 dollar sets with someone you can hang with, with the idea of winning some cash to put towards a break cue.

EDit> I saw your post with the Schmelke stick a hard tip on there and you should be good to go
 
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Lots of threads on this btw.....

In nutshell, not much makes a 'dedicated' break cue. The differences are usually very subtle so whether or not it is 'worth it' or not depends on how important those differences are to you.

I'd start there.
 
Thanks for the opinions guys.

Been looking at a couple different "entry" level break cues, like the Spark Break, J&J jump/breaks, and nick varner jump/break. And I honestly haven't a clue. So for around $70-80 (definitely under $100), would break cues be worth it at that price?

And it's my understanding that Schemelkes come with a pretty soft tip by default, so the entire tip + tip replacement would probably set me back $40 anyway.
 
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