Radial vs Other Big Pins

14.1'er

14.1'er

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This question is for cuemakers or anyone with an opinion.

There is a guy I play with occasionally that swears by the Radial pin. In fact, he says he can tell if a cue has one or not due to the hit/feel. He says a 3/8X10, 3/8X11 and so on feel different. Well, I say he's full of Sh$&...... I'm going to do a test with him to prove him wrong. What is your opinion?
 
Kim Bye said:
This have been discussed a million times. And obviously if all else is the same it's impossible to tell. I have a customer that thinks Uni-loc gives him more spin.
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Guess we'll discuss it a million and one times, lol. I like a nice fresh discussion.

He's one of those know-it-all types that is usually full of 💩.
 
Make sure there are more than two cues he will be hitting with as 50 50 chance proves very little. But if he picks it out of three or four cues then he may have sensitive enough hands, eyes and ears to tell the difference. When I installed the first Radial back when they were a new thing and tapped the side of the cue and watched the tip end vibrate it wiggled less than most other cues did. That solid aIignment shoulder and super tight thread does seem to make a difference in stiffness. When I was young I could hear and feel the difference between stainless, phenolic and plastic joints. A brass insert or or just wood threads. He may be full of it as you say, but I suspect there are people who could tell the difference, especially if the other joint pins are full threaded pins.
 
I'd have to think that if the joint made a difference it would have to be the mass, not the threads. If there is any discernable difference between radial, 3/8-10, 3/8-11, or any other similarly sized screw, I'd bet that the variation between different shafts of the same wood is greater. Probably more variation between tip tips of the same model, too.
 
Be careful betting on this. This guy might know what type cues use what type pins and he can win just by knowing the cue makers. Best if you have cues that have the pins replaced or CUSTOM cues he would not know about.
 
14.1'er said:
This question is for cuemakers or anyone with an opinion.

There is a guy I play with occasionally that swears by the Radial pin. In fact, he says he can tell if a cue has one or not due to the hit/feel. He says a 3/8X10, 3/8X11 and so on feel different. Well, I say he's full of Sh$&...... I'm going to do a test with him to prove him wrong. What is your opinion?
Click to expand...
yes he is full of shit
 
I have a mental block against the Radial and any 5/16 flat face joint configurations. I have purchased several really nice cues with Radial pins (Nitti, Blackcreek, PFD, Hunter Classics……) and for some reason didn’t like the hit. I finally got smart enough to just stop and only buy 3/8-10, 3/8-11, and piloted 5/16 jointed cues.

I know logically it should make no difference it’s just a method to screw two pieces of wood together but my mind can’t convince my body to play well with a radial pinned cue.

Weird and totally on me.
 
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