Purpleheart Shafts - Opinions?
- Thread starter Jive
- Start date
My break speed is from 22-24Mph with control. I think that's enough...
it's not how fast the ball goes
i don't care how hard you can hit a cue ball, 30+ MPH and a poor (thin or off center) hit on the head ball results in a poor break with little energy going to the rack and complete loss of control of the cue ball. you don't know where the cue ball is going and are probably just hoping it stays on the table.
The same holds true on where your cue tip impacts the cue ball. Very few people can deliver a cue tip where they think they are on the cue ball when hitting extremely hard. Again, off center = loss of power & accuracy. The reason low deflection break cues like the BK2 test out so well is that even with a slightly off center hit you still have a relatively good hit on the head ball.
Cue ball to head ball contact point & cue tip to cue ball hit are absolute necessities, but, if you don't control the cue ball then you are back to needing luck to have a good break.
The reason SVB has "the best 10 ball break" is because of his solid hit on the one ball (note the two balls behind it go to the side pockets and the one ball is driven to the head of the table) and he controls the cue ball positioning it mid table so he has a 1/2 table shot at the one. I have timed his breaks numerous times and he is in the 22-23 MPH range which with his stroke is a "firm" hit and well below him hammering the ball and losing control.
For us "mere mortals" a well struck, controlled break focused on solid contact on the head ball and cue ball control will yield the best results over the long run.
I further believe that any decent cue with a hard tip will get the job done but I do believe low deflection shafts give a slight advantage due to the power hit and need for accuracy. For me, a BK2 shaft and Samsara tip are the nuts.
i don't care how hard you can hit a cue ball, 30+ MPH and a poor (thin or off center) hit on the head ball results in a poor break with little energy going to the rack and complete loss of control of the cue ball. you don't know where the cue ball is going and are probably just hoping it stays on the table.
The same holds true on where your cue tip impacts the cue ball. Very few people can deliver a cue tip where they think they are on the cue ball when hitting extremely hard. Again, off center = loss of power & accuracy. The reason low deflection break cues like the BK2 test out so well is that even with a slightly off center hit you still have a relatively good hit on the head ball.
Cue ball to head ball contact point & cue tip to cue ball hit are absolute necessities, but, if you don't control the cue ball then you are back to needing luck to have a good break.
The reason SVB has "the best 10 ball break" is because of his solid hit on the one ball (note the two balls behind it go to the side pockets and the one ball is driven to the head of the table) and he controls the cue ball positioning it mid table so he has a 1/2 table shot at the one. I have timed his breaks numerous times and he is in the 22-23 MPH range which with his stroke is a "firm" hit and well below him hammering the ball and losing control.
For us "mere mortals" a well struck, controlled break focused on solid contact on the head ball and cue ball control will yield the best results over the long run.
I further believe that any decent cue with a hard tip will get the job done but I do believe low deflection shafts give a slight advantage due to the power hit and need for accuracy. For me, a BK2 shaft and Samsara tip are the nuts.
Apparently you don't have a clue about carom cue shafts.
Or the need to maintain cue ball control with power, that's something else that's lost on phenolic tips. Mines a 13mm with a Elliptical shape, adding material in the middle of the shaft. Excellent for controlling the cue ball on carom tables. Or it makes a heavy back bone shaft for breaking as well. Besides I got it on the cheep, the guy didn't really know what he had just wanted a quick 40 bucks. I would match you breaks all day long with it, but a stiff house cue is generally always handy. Like Royce says its all about controlling the cue ball not just slamming the balls as hard as possible.
When i break i use closed bridge & follow through almost 5' below joint. With carom tapered shaft that will be dificult IMO
True, but deflectiion is not the problem if you correctly determine pivot lenght for any shaft you use.
i have a TNT and i love it. it hits harder with less effort it seems. less effort=more control, with a hard tip on it it should keep control and still have power. check out the ones poolfool just listed, theyre TNT j/b with purpleheart, he might have different ones if you dont like those. The madman tips are supposed to be very good too. Koinnkid (troy) makes great break cues.
When i break i use closed bridge & follow through almost 5' below joint. With carom tapered shaft that will be dificult IMO
That is a loooong stroke as some have said control is essential.
I use a closed bridge on the table bed. That keeps me off the side rail just a bit more, I don't extenuate my stroke like you do its simply a faster more powerful stroke, slightly extended. Id be missing balls in normal play If my stroke ended below the joint. Thats what joelpope is talking about losing control. BTW if your closed bridge can hold below the joint a heavy taper shouldn't be a problem. But theirs a seat for every butt in this game, to each his own.
I will post video how i break. Maybe you will be suprised :thumbup:
I have no doubt you can hit-em hard but repeatable wing ball or head ball pockets takes consistency not power.
Edit
The topic was PH shafts. Try playing a game with a PH shaft.
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my point was that with the unusually hard stroke required to achieve the force of a break you are more likely to hit off center and if you hit off center the low deflection shaft will give you a greater margin of error on where the cue ball impacts the head ball in the rack.
Totally agree,the break is all about control.For the Pros they are always on stellar conditions and new cloth thats why the soft break works so well.If it was mud cloth the soft break would be crap.Now with the new 3balls have to pass the breakline rule ,your forced to break like a loonie tune.
Holy moly!!! I just woke up(8am here) and I definitely didn't expect to read this many replies(or debate)! But it's a good read, im gonna digest these info and decide on something. Well if there's anymore feedback do keep them coming.
Thanks again the valuable feedback guys I appreciate it, arguments or not I'd say this is good info!
Thanks again the valuable feedback guys I appreciate it, arguments or not I'd say this is good info!
Nope. Sounds like you totally misread my post. What I said is that a ball traveling a bit slower but with a more square hit on the head ball will result in more action out of the balls in the rack, compared to a ball hit a few mph faster but a less direct hit on the head ball. This was in response to your assertion that a ball hit 2-3 mph faster will *always* splatter the balls better (without the qualification of fullness of hit).
Hopefully that helps clarify things?
KMRUNOUT
What does that have to do with a PH shaft?
OK Lee!!
Rub it in Glad you like the set. I told you that jump cue was unbleepinreal.
I am no power breaker by any means but my breaks with a purpleheart shaft are way better than they have been with any of the MANY break cues I've tried/owned.
As a jump cue.....love it!
We do a full purpleheart TNT dedicated break cue stained black specifically for those who dont care for the look of purpleheart. I think it looks pretty sporty:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=222970
Rub it in
Glad you like the set. I told you that jump cue was unbleepinreal.I am no power breaker by any means but my breaks with a purpleheart shaft are way better than they have been with any of the MANY break cues I've tried/owned.
As a jump cue.....love it!
We do a full purpleheart TNT dedicated break cue stained black specifically for those who dont care for the look of purpleheart. I think it looks pretty sporty:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=222970
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Royce,
Well said. However, I'd go a step further and say the break isn't about putting the *most* amount of power into the rack, but putting the *right* amount of power. At the recent APA Masters, I started out crushing the balls for 9 ball. I was planting whiter center table. And rarely making a ball and even more rarely getting a good layout. I backed WAY down, started hitting like 18 mph, maybe less. Suddenly balls were dropping and I was getting Tom Cruise runouts. And I am quite certain that could be accomplished with a maple shaft and the squishiest tip available lol! (of course a purpleheart shaft with phenolic would have worked fine too).
Food for thought,
KMRUNOUT
Food for thought,
You make an *excellent* point about less effort = more control. Agree 100%. This is why you could end up with more control using phenolic. You could back off a bit and get the same speed. This is exactly why I sometimes practice maxing out my draw, so that regular draw shots seem to take less effort.
Great observation!
KMRUNOUT
I have been using a PH Break Jump cue for about 3 years.
Yes you can hit the crap out of the balls, but it is not always productive. It's nice to get all the ball to scatter all over the table, but if you don't a ball. It a great break for the other goy you are playing.
What I have found is I have to find what the table wants to give me.
With humidity, and temp, I have found that some times, I have to back off on my breaks and even break hitting the second ball. Talking about 8 ball. In 9 ball it could be from the rail or with in the box. I used Samara tips for a couple of yeas till I had one delaminate on me, and I found they were to hard for me on a PH shaft. I'm using Madmads 11 layer break tip. (he is not making them any more, but has some still in stock) I find that I can back off the power a little more with that tip.. When the table asks for power, the PH will deliver it. As it has been said before, if you don't hit the rack solid, a slegde hammer would not help.
My 2 cents worth from a ok player.
jeff
Right now, I'm looking at info about soft breaks. There is a time and place for a soft break. It's not as fun as hitting the crap out of a rack and watching the cue jump streight up and almost hit the lights.
Yes you can hit the crap out of the balls, but it is not always productive. It's nice to get all the ball to scatter all over the table, but if you don't a ball. It a great break for the other goy you are playing.
What I have found is I have to find what the table wants to give me.
With humidity, and temp, I have found that some times, I have to back off on my breaks and even break hitting the second ball. Talking about 8 ball. In 9 ball it could be from the rail or with in the box. I used Samara tips for a couple of yeas till I had one delaminate on me, and I found they were to hard for me on a PH shaft. I'm using Madmads 11 layer break tip. (he is not making them any more, but has some still in stock) I find that I can back off the power a little more with that tip.. When the table asks for power, the PH will deliver it. As it has been said before, if you don't hit the rack solid, a slegde hammer would not help.
My 2 cents worth from a ok player.
jeff
Right now, I'm looking at info about soft breaks. There is a time and place for a soft break. It's not as fun as hitting the crap out of a rack and watching the cue jump streight up and almost hit the lights.