Stainless Steel vs. Linen/Phenolic Joint Collars
- Thread starter Safety
- Start date
If you are using flat faced joints, then a steel collar will weigh a little bit more than phenolic, depending on thickness. Steel may feel slightly different, not necessarily better or worse. The cue may vibrate differently with one or the other. Nobody really knows specific answers to your questions because it is all based on opinion. Its all personal preference on look and feel. A steel joint will not be any better or worse on slower cloth. The person who builds the cue will be able to achieve the balance and weight he wishes with either of these collars. I like a flat faced wood to wood joint w/steel collar and a 3/8x10 pin. Feels good to me.
chilli66 said:At least a steel joint won't chip when you drop the shaft while taking out of the case. Yep, I did this 2 weeks ago & I'm still pissed about it!!
Joint protector???
I dont think it would make a difference since the steel part is on the butt and not on the shaftchilli66 said:At least a steel joint won't chip when you drop the shaft while taking out of the case. Yep, I did this 2 weeks ago & I'm still pissed about it!!
i like SS it moves the balance point foward a tiny bit-which i like, ivory joint cues seem to have a softer hit but its very close, it could just be the balance point change because ivory isnt soft, flat faced radial pin ivory joint cues play great too, but i'm a SS guy, these are my opinions and not facts.
chilli66 said:At least a steel joint won't chip when you drop the shaft while taking out of the case. Yep, I did this 2 weeks ago & I'm still pissed about it!!
you ought to buy youself a pair of joint protectors
Joint
The differences in joint collars are slightly more than aesthetic.
The feel will be slightly different but I don't think that one has
an advantage over another. Everyone has a preference though.
I like a 3/8" pin and am really excited about my new g10 3/8x10
flat faced phenolic collars.
-cOOp
Safety said:
The differences in joint collars are slightly more than aesthetic.
The feel will be slightly different but I don't think that one has
an advantage over another. Everyone has a preference though.
I like a 3/8" pin and am really excited about my new g10 3/8x10
flat faced phenolic collars.
-cOOp
poolplayer2093 said:
LOL, I use joint protectors. I've often wondered how many shafts and butts have been dropped while fiddling around trying to get them on?
Spose it's worth the risk and time to mess with them.My favorite cue has a steel joint with a 5/16 x 14 pin. Feels slightly more forward balanced with a metallic and harder hit than the typical phenolic jointed cue.
Some time ago, a thread discussed a semi-scientific blind test at a tournament. The joints were all taped up and 80 "pro" players pretty much failed to reliably identify which joint was which . Tried a search and couldn't find the thread but will keep trying.
The Natural
Gentleman’s Game
I have had quite a bit of experience using several types of joint collars. I have noticed that I get more “feel” and vibration with the white collars vs stainless. It’s almost like the stainless absorbs some of the feeling you get throughout the cue.
Personally I really like the white collar, because I like to feel the hit all the way through the cue as I hit. I also shoot soft quite a bit and I feel like I have better control when I feel whats going on. This is just my personal preference. I just dropped 3k on a cue and my number 1 requirement was that the joint collar was white. I am not a cue maker or a professional by any means, this could all just be in my head. However, I felt so strongly about it and I have played with so many cues and felt that difference that it was the first thing I made sure of before I bought my new everyday playing cue. Hope this helps, and if it’s just a placebo and I’m wrong..... well... I still feel like I’m right because I can feel a difference. I really do.
I have been playing since my profile picture & play in APA, I’m a 7/8, for what that’s worth. A little credibility.
Personally I really like the white collar, because I like to feel the hit all the way through the cue as I hit. I also shoot soft quite a bit and I feel like I have better control when I feel whats going on. This is just my personal preference. I just dropped 3k on a cue and my number 1 requirement was that the joint collar was white. I am not a cue maker or a professional by any means, this could all just be in my head. However, I felt so strongly about it and I have played with so many cues and felt that difference that it was the first thing I made sure of before I bought my new everyday playing cue. Hope this helps, and if it’s just a placebo and I’m wrong..... well... I still feel like I’m right because I can feel a difference. I really do.
I have been playing since my profile picture & play in APA, I’m a 7/8, for what that’s worth. A little credibility.I prefer the look of a Stainless joint collar. I "think" I can feel a nice, solid hit on the cue ball.
I love the soft hit of my Meucci, which doesn't have a Stainless joint collar.
I don't know? Perhaps I'd prefer Stainless on a dedicated Break Cue? Pretty sure I would.
I love the soft hit of my Meucci, which doesn't have a Stainless joint collar.
I don't know? Perhaps I'd prefer Stainless on a dedicated Break Cue? Pretty sure I would.
I know a well known cue maker that says itn a blind test nobody* can tell the difference
In fct with tape to conceal the cues, he finds very few that select their own cue
out of a few
Nobody *... not everybody without exception,but very few with no distinction
In fct with tape to conceal the cues, he finds very few that select their own cue
out of a few
Nobody *... not everybody without exception,but very few with no distinction
I like the look and feel of my solid ivory joint, big pin Rick Howard with old school maple over the other cues I've owned, although I also kept a SS joint, E-series McD and a Pechauer sneaky with collars. (I guess they would be phenolic collars).
All 3 play good I just prefer the looks and feel of the ivory joint.
Of course all my shafts are maple, (God forgive me) lol
All 3 play good I just prefer the looks and feel of the ivory joint.
Of course all my shafts are maple, (God forgive me) lol
Only thing, between a proper fitting joint, that I notice is the difference in balance and even that is marginal.
I currently have a stag collar cue, and phenolic collar cue with the same pin and like them both equally. Both of them have a stiff hit.
I've had ivory, ss, various phenolics, wood to wood, piloted joints etc and never felt that made much difference in how a cue hit. Shaft taper, ferrule, tip, and even wood used in the butt seems to make a much bigger difference to me.
If you have cues with the same pins, but different shaft tapers, ferrules and tips you can really tell how much difference those things make.
I currently have a stag collar cue, and phenolic collar cue with the same pin and like them both equally. Both of them have a stiff hit.
I've had ivory, ss, various phenolics, wood to wood, piloted joints etc and never felt that made much difference in how a cue hit. Shaft taper, ferrule, tip, and even wood used in the butt seems to make a much bigger difference to me.
If you have cues with the same pins, but different shaft tapers, ferrules and tips you can really tell how much difference those things make.
Last edited:
Wow so is the linen joint better for simonis 860 hr then?