I was a way from the game for over 10 years and I'm coming back to it and I see that CF shaft is the big thing... I was curious about them, don't need it, I have too many cues and shafts but really wanted to see what the hypes is all about.
I chose Rhino as I felt it somewhere in the middles between the cheap ones you'll find in Temu or Amazon and the high grade ones that cost $400 and up.
Couldn't find a lot of information so it was a bit of a risk but not as big as a $500 shaft and ending not liking it.
I got one with a 3/8X10 joint, it is very tight very hard to screw it all the way, thinking of it, I should have gone with a 5/16X14 as I have more cues with this type of joint.
I'm a Predator 314 shafts user since 1997 (I currently own a bunch of older 314-2 shafts from the time I was active over 10 years a go, I have at least one for every joint type I have in my collection...) so I had two main concerns:
1. how does it compared in terms of deflection? after all it's not one of the top brands.
2. how would it feel compared to a wood shaft?
The packaging - the shaft is packaged really nice, looks and feel as if it's a premium product just like many product from Asia packaged so it doesn't say anything bout the product itself but it's nice to see it coming like that.
First thing - I found a video on YouTube that the guy showed that his hand got really dirty from the shaft but he git it cleaned with a few round of alcohol wipes, so I started with wipping the shaft from all the gunk, it took about 4-5 wipes to get it all off and the shaft felt nice and smooth.
Second thing - Everyone was commenting about the tip and the bad feedback and that soft tip is recommended. So I've replace the tip, the only soft tip I had in hand was a Kamui Black Super Soft, so I've installed it and off to the pool hall.
I took two cue butts, one with the Rhino CF shaft, the other with a 314-2 shaft.
First half an hour, I've tested and compared deflection so I'll know if I need to change my aim.
I'm happy to report that both shaft deflect just the same. I'm not a robot and my test was not scientific, but if I'm getting the same results while aiming the same, then it's the same in my book, so unlike many other cheap shafts out there that claim that they are LD shafts, I can confirm that the Rhino CF shaft is a low deflection shaft, at least at the level of the 314-2 shaft. I don't know if other premium shafts or even the 314-3 have a noticeable improvement, don't know if I want to go down that rabbit hall and find out, sometimes ignorance is a bliss... although, knowing myself, I'll probably end up getting a high end CF shaft just to know if they are much better.
The next hour I was lining up shots to see how it plays, feel and preform.
I was expecting a really hard and stiff shaft, I was expecting it to feel like a metal rod and I was expecting it to sound awful.
But it sounds OK, maybe it's the super soft tip but really nothing to write about. The soft tip worked well but I think that I would preffer a medium tip on it. I left the tip a bit high as I was sure after the first session it'll flatten a bit and mushroom a bit so I'll need to trim it and reshape but it held it shape so no need to touch it and the hight is fine for me
the shaft is thinner and the tapper is longer than the 314-2, it's something that needs to get used to but I don't think that it requires a long learning curve.
The shaft feels a bit more wippy than the 314-2, in fact it reminds more of the first OB-1 shaft, I still have one somewhere, I'll take it out with me next time to see if I'm right.
Next hour and a half I was playing 8ball with a guy at the club. Honestly, I didn't need to change anything about my game or aim, I didn't feel any imrovment in performance and CB action. So I can say that it performs just like a 314-2 shaft (or maybe an OB-1) and the only advantage that I find compared to the 314-2 shaft is the low maintenance and durability (this would be needed to test over time).
Last half hour I switched to the 314-2 shaft (on the same butt I was playing with) to see that all the above is right.
I do feel that the 314-2 is a bit more responsive and gives better feedback, but this is really by a small margin and it's not night and day and definitely something that one can get used to in a few session of playing.
I see that everyone that use CF shaft also use a glove, I didn't put a glove on, don't like them but brought one with me just in case but didn't need it, the shaft runs smoothly in my hands with a closed bridge. Only once I felt that it cought my skin and that's not bad for over 3 hours of use, a fast wipe with a towel and kept running smooth. Mybe in the summer when it's more humid the glove will have to be used, we'll see.
So bottom line:
The Rhino CF shaft is surprisingly good, it feels good, performs just as good as a Predator 314-2 shaft does, it is a low deflection shaft and the price is hard to beat (even cheaper than a Predator wood 314 shaft)
I chose Rhino as I felt it somewhere in the middles between the cheap ones you'll find in Temu or Amazon and the high grade ones that cost $400 and up.
Couldn't find a lot of information so it was a bit of a risk but not as big as a $500 shaft and ending not liking it.
I got one with a 3/8X10 joint, it is very tight very hard to screw it all the way, thinking of it, I should have gone with a 5/16X14 as I have more cues with this type of joint.
I'm a Predator 314 shafts user since 1997 (I currently own a bunch of older 314-2 shafts from the time I was active over 10 years a go, I have at least one for every joint type I have in my collection...) so I had two main concerns:
1. how does it compared in terms of deflection? after all it's not one of the top brands.
2. how would it feel compared to a wood shaft?
The packaging - the shaft is packaged really nice, looks and feel as if it's a premium product just like many product from Asia packaged so it doesn't say anything bout the product itself but it's nice to see it coming like that.
First thing - I found a video on YouTube that the guy showed that his hand got really dirty from the shaft but he git it cleaned with a few round of alcohol wipes, so I started with wipping the shaft from all the gunk, it took about 4-5 wipes to get it all off and the shaft felt nice and smooth.
Second thing - Everyone was commenting about the tip and the bad feedback and that soft tip is recommended. So I've replace the tip, the only soft tip I had in hand was a Kamui Black Super Soft, so I've installed it and off to the pool hall.
I took two cue butts, one with the Rhino CF shaft, the other with a 314-2 shaft.
First half an hour, I've tested and compared deflection so I'll know if I need to change my aim.
I'm happy to report that both shaft deflect just the same. I'm not a robot and my test was not scientific, but if I'm getting the same results while aiming the same, then it's the same in my book, so unlike many other cheap shafts out there that claim that they are LD shafts, I can confirm that the Rhino CF shaft is a low deflection shaft, at least at the level of the 314-2 shaft. I don't know if other premium shafts or even the 314-3 have a noticeable improvement, don't know if I want to go down that rabbit hall and find out, sometimes ignorance is a bliss... although, knowing myself, I'll probably end up getting a high end CF shaft just to know if they are much better.
The next hour I was lining up shots to see how it plays, feel and preform.
I was expecting a really hard and stiff shaft, I was expecting it to feel like a metal rod and I was expecting it to sound awful.
But it sounds OK, maybe it's the super soft tip but really nothing to write about. The soft tip worked well but I think that I would preffer a medium tip on it. I left the tip a bit high as I was sure after the first session it'll flatten a bit and mushroom a bit so I'll need to trim it and reshape but it held it shape so no need to touch it and the hight is fine for me
the shaft is thinner and the tapper is longer than the 314-2, it's something that needs to get used to but I don't think that it requires a long learning curve.
The shaft feels a bit more wippy than the 314-2, in fact it reminds more of the first OB-1 shaft, I still have one somewhere, I'll take it out with me next time to see if I'm right.
Next hour and a half I was playing 8ball with a guy at the club. Honestly, I didn't need to change anything about my game or aim, I didn't feel any imrovment in performance and CB action. So I can say that it performs just like a 314-2 shaft (or maybe an OB-1) and the only advantage that I find compared to the 314-2 shaft is the low maintenance and durability (this would be needed to test over time).
Last half hour I switched to the 314-2 shaft (on the same butt I was playing with) to see that all the above is right.
I do feel that the 314-2 is a bit more responsive and gives better feedback, but this is really by a small margin and it's not night and day and definitely something that one can get used to in a few session of playing.
I see that everyone that use CF shaft also use a glove, I didn't put a glove on, don't like them but brought one with me just in case but didn't need it, the shaft runs smoothly in my hands with a closed bridge. Only once I felt that it cought my skin and that's not bad for over 3 hours of use, a fast wipe with a towel and kept running smooth. Mybe in the summer when it's more humid the glove will have to be used, we'll see.
So bottom line:
The Rhino CF shaft is surprisingly good, it feels good, performs just as good as a Predator 314-2 shaft does, it is a low deflection shaft and the price is hard to beat (even cheaper than a Predator wood 314 shaft)
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