Rhino MUST

From what they show, there will also be a more forward balance also. I'm waiting to see if any better deals next week.
 
After going the route of cheap CF shaft to start with and then getting some mid-priced shaft to end up with an expansive shaft, It would have just been a cheaper route to just go ahead and get the top brands more expansive shafts.
I have 2 Rhinos, one never been used... never again. I have a Cynergy that plays nice but the ferrule is soft and won't last long, unless you have someone in the area to fix it, pass on that as well. The SMO is nice but only comes in radial joint, pass if you need it for a different joint. That pretty much leave us with T60 and Revo. I've tried Mezz Ignite 12.2mm, it defelects more than the SMO, costs more and hard to get, was not that impressed.
 
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After going the route of cheap CF shaft to start with and then getting some mid-priced shaft to end up with an expansive shaft, It would have just been a cheaper route to just the get the top brands more expansive shafts.
I have 2 Rhinos, one never been used... never again. I have a Cynergy that plays nice but the ferrule is soft and won't last long, unless you have someone in the area to fix it, pass on that as well. The SMO is nice but only comes in radial joint, pass if you need it for a different joint. That pretty much leave us with T60 and Revo. I've tried Mezz Ignite 12.2mm, it defelects more than the SMO, costs more and hard to get, was not that impressed.
So which one do you prefer
 
After going the route of cheap CF shaft to start with and then getting some mid-priced shaft to end up with an expansive shaft, It would have just been a cheaper route to just the get the top brands more expansive shafts.
I have 2 Rhinos, one never been used... never again. I have a Cynergy that plays nice but the ferrule is soft and won't last long, unless you have someone in the area to fix it, pass on that as well. The SMO is nice but only comes in radial joint, pass if you need it for a different joint. That pretty much leave us with T60 and Revo. I've tried Mezz Ignite 12.2mm, it defelects more than the SMO, costs more and hard to get, was not that impressed.
How do you measure deflection? Reason i ask is the Ignite i tried was easily one of the lowest deflecting shafts i've ever hit. IMO about as practically close to no deflection you could get. The Rhino i had and the Cynergy deflected a tad more but still massively less than a reg. wood shaft.
 
So which one do you prefer
The Revo 12.9mm
I was used to the 12.75 314 shafts even though some of them are down to around 12.5mm from cleaning and sanding over the years so I started with 12.5mm CF shafts as I was sure that it would feel closer to what I was used to, but the 12.9 feel much better in my hand (maybe using a glove now also has something to do with it). it also more powerful and has the less amount of cue ball deflection.

I've tried a Revo 12.4 which I always thought would be too thin for my liking but the taper is nicer in my opinion and makes the shaft feels thicker (similar to my InFuze Kielwood at 12.5 that feels thicker), So if the 12.9 wasn't feeling so good for me, I would probably get the Revo 12.4
 
How do you measure deflection? Reason i ask is the Ignite i tried was easily one of the lowest deflecting shafts i've ever hit. IMO about as practically close to no deflection you could get. The Rhino i had and the Cynergy deflected a tad more but still massively less than a reg. wood shaft.
I run a few tests

1. put a CB on the kitchen line frozen to the rail and shoot with side spin parallel to the rail and try to pocket the ball in the corner. see which shaft can still pocket the ball with higher speed.

Screenshot 2025-11-23 at 2.05.18.png


2. place and OB on the center diamond on the short rail frozen, place the CB on the center of the kitchen line. shoot with side spin parallel to the line of shot, see which shaft hits the OB closer to the center and cuts it less, try at different speed, the higher the speed, the more deflection.

Screenshot 2025-11-23 at 2.03.58.png


3. place an OB about a foot from a corner pocket, place the CB about 2 feet away in a straight in shot. shoot it with side spin keeping the shaft parallel to the line of shot and hit it with different speeds. the higher the speed the more the OB will go in to the side of the pocket, untill it'll miss (the Rhino, Ignite and 314 missed a 4.5 inch pocket at high speed while the Revo and SMO still made)

Screenshot 2025-11-23 at 2.02.43.png


4. see attached shot, shoot it with bottom right spin, and see if you can make it with a parallel cue to the line of the shot with different speeds until you miss

Screenshot 2025-11-23 at 2.00.45.png
 
Don't need to do that many, just shoot at the center diamond on the end rail is all you need. That's THE standard defl. test done by all cue/shaft testers. That will tell you instantly how much the ball squirts. After you have a feel for that you have an idea how much to adjust on actual shots. I'm no champion but i can adjust to a shaft in about 50 shots, usually less.
 
Don't need to do that many, just shoot at the center diamond on the end rail is all you need. That's THE standard defl. test done by all cue/shaft testers. That will tell you instantly how much the ball squirts. After you have a feel for that you have an idea how much to adjust on actual shots. I'm no champion but i can adjust to a shaft in about 50 shots, usually less.
You don't have to do them all, but all are good to test deflection.
The standard test needs a more scientific tools to see the results, it's very hard to see while shooting exactly which deviates more from the center and by how much. That's why I added the OB on the rail, because you can see it's path after the hit and know for sure which had more deflection.
The standard test also use gadgets to swing the cue at a more accurate consistency but they all swing way harder than any player ever shoot and the results are often not that true to reality.

Actually, the third test is the most realistic as you actually shoot a ball into a pocket, which is something you do in a real game, and you shoot it with speeds that you will use in real life. You can add balls to the sides of the pockets to reduce it size in order to emphasize the results.
This is the only test that I actually used to test all the following shafts and here are the ratings from my test:
1. Revo 12.9
2. Revo 12.4 / SMO 12.5 (if there is a difference like shown on a JFlowers video, it's neglectable in real life)
3. Cynergy 12.5
4. Mezz Ignite 12.2
5. Predator 314-2
6. Rhino 12.5
7. InFuze Kielwood 12.5

The differences between the Cynergy, Mezz, 314 and Rhino are quite small and neglectable and I don't see a need to play differently when using either one.

I also have the original OB shaft, but I haven't used it since it came out, I remember that in terms of deflection it was similar to the 314 just more whippy which I didn't like that much.

And still, I don't care how better this new Rhino Must shaft is, it's still a Rhino with all their issues.
By advertising it as better and lower deflection than the original, they admit that the original is not up to par with the top brands like some think... unless it's just a marketing hype, in which case, save your money
 
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I have a Cynergy that plays nice but the ferrule is soft and won't last long, unless you have someone in the area to fix it, pass on that as well.

The SMO is nice but only comes in radial joint, pass if you need it for a different joint.

I’ve had a Cynergy for 3 years and never had any issues with the ferrule. And I’ve not seen any issues with friends who have them.

The SMO appears to come in Uniloc Quick Release and 3/8-10 as well (according to their website).

As it happens I have switched to the Whyte Carbon - just like the feel more.
 
i got me one of them $50 CF break shafts off aliexpress and it hits better than the stock maple that came on the joss thor hammer.

I dont think i would use cheap cf for a playing shaft, but it absolutely serves its purpose as a breaker.
 
I’ve had a Cynergy for 3 years and never had any issues with the ferrule. And I’ve not seen any issues with friends who have them.

The SMO appears to come in Uniloc Quick Release and 3/8-10 as well (according to their website).

As it happens I have switched to the Whyte Carbon - just like the feel more.
there are lots of reports about cracking ferrules and many videos that show replacing them.
I have a Cyenergy that is only lightly played and it has a scratch on the ferrule that I have no idea how it happened, I take good and careful care of my equipment, I store it in a good case, I don't bang it around and I never dropped it and it's still with the original tip so it couldn't have happened while working on the shaft, so it could have only happened from normal use.

 
there are lots of reports about cracking ferrules and many videos that show replacing them.
I have a Cyenergy that is only lightly played and it has a scratch on the ferrule that I have no idea how it happened, I take good and careful care of my equipment, I store it in a good case, I don't bang it around and I never dropped it and it's still with the original tip so it couldn't have happened while working on the shaft, so it could have only happened from normal use.

Exactly my experience. Mine got scratched one way or another and then started collecting chalk and dirt.
I have mentioned I switched to tomahawk but there are other answers.
My buddy is a big guy and he has cracked a tomahawk ferrule. I believe he switched to aegis.

As far as CF preference, it's hard to say. I've hit with many and what I like best was the Rogue, Cynergy, and some no-name shaft a kid had at the local room. It played just like my Cynergy. Early on I switched back and forth between the Revo and Cynergy and after every switch I was convinced the one in my hand played better than the one in the case. The stroke plays a role too. When I am hitting them well with a nice smooth stroke, the Cynergy appears to have ZERO deflection. When I am quick or don't stay down over the shot etc., it deflects almost as mush as a maple shaft.
You cannot guess which is right for you unless you hit with them and maybe not even then. ymmv
 
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