Should LBM be the most popular break ferrule material?

[Pre-Flag Master]

There are a couple of semi-ongoing threads about the hardness and density of ferrule materials. I just noticed that LBM is one of THE hardest materials, harder than phenolic and harder than G-10.

So why isn't LBM the "go to" material for break cue ferrules? I see no info on the density of phenolic or G-10, are these lighter than LBM? Would that have something to do with it? In any case, LBM is not considered too heavy for this application right?

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=252463

Fatz

 

[vasilios]

There are a couple of semi-ongoing threads about the hardness and density of ferrule materials. I just noticed that LBM is one of THE hardest materials, harder than phenolic and harder than G-10.

So why isn't LBM the "go to" material for break cue ferrules? I see no info on the density of phenolic or G-10, are these lighter than LBM? Would that have something to do with it? In any case, LBM is not considered too heavy for this application right?

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=252463

Fatz

It will split,used as break surface.

 

[Pre-Flag Master]

It will split,used as break surface.

I had the impression that LBM was one of your more durable ferrule materials. Especially if capped, which I would think if used on a break cue you would want to cap it anyway. But I don't have a lot of experience with it. Any other opinions about its suitability as a ferrule material for breaking? I'd like to get more than just one opinion (no offense vasilios :smile.

Just seems that if it really is harder than phenolic and G-10, A LOT of people would be using it this way.

Fatz

 

[scdiveteam]

Hi,

I bought some Garolite XX (glass reinforced phenolic) material thinking it would be the best stuff to use for breaking and I was right as it is hard as nails.

One problem, it's so hard that is wears out your bandsaw blades stat and it damages cue balls.:barf: Reminds me of the joke, "They made some new acid in the chemistry lab that will burn through any material in the known universe", the only problem is they can't find anything containers to store it in.:kma:

Oh well back to the drawing board.:scratchhead: Maybe regular phenolic is like Goldie Lock's porridge, "It's Just Right".


Rick

 

[KJ Cues]

Harder isn't always better. Generally speaking, the harder the mtrl., the more brittle it is.
Case in point, glass. A very hard mtrl. but drop it on the floor and you'll understand the term 'brittle'.
Another hard mtrl. is carbide, unbelievably hard. Again, drop a carbide drill on the floor and it's
likely you'll be buying a replacement. They're a tad expensive.

Make no mistake, good LBM is hard. Personally, I want it to be, as it contributes to the hit of the cue.
I wouldn't guarantee that every batch made is exactly the same. Some is harder and some not so much.
I had a batch many yrs. ago that at the time, I thought was just perfect.
As yrs. went by, I found this batch to be getting harder and harder just from age.
It got to the point to where as I was drilling it, the ferrule would crack all the way through.
I could even hear it when it cracked. Obviously, I couldn't make anymore ferrules from that batch.
It could be that the manufacturer recognized this condition and quickly went about developing LBM2.
The newer version isn't quite as hard. Will LBM2 harden with age??? Probably not as quickly, only time will tell.

What you want in a break-cue ferrule is 'tough', durable, resilient and able to withstand impact.
IMO, rolled & molded phenolic has those properties.

KJ

 

[CuesRus1973]

There are a couple of semi-ongoing threads about the hardness and density of ferrule materials. I just noticed that LBM is one of THE hardest materials, harder than phenolic and harder than G-10.

So why isn't LBM the "go to" material for break cue ferrules? I see no info on the density of phenolic or G-10, are these lighter than LBM? Would that have something to do with it? In any case, LBM is not considered too heavy for this application right?

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=252463

Fatz

LBM is not harder than G10. Aegis 2 is the same as LBM, but rolled and molded and less likely to split.