Thoughts on shafts made from 75 year old Balke Collenders

[hustler4483]

Balke Collenders that is....

Anybody have an opinion or thoughts on playability? Found some really old cues that are very straight, tight grain and very pretty in color. I think they'd be great but would like your opinion, thank you.

 

[desi2960]

i have couple hundred

old house cues of all brands, i get most of my shaft wood there. my customers seem to like the old honey colored dense shafts. its what is on my playing cue.


but, just because they are old doesn't make them great shafts, as with all wood some is good and some is bad.

 

[cueman]

If the shaft wood is worth more to you than the butt would be for a conversion cue, then cut it off in front of the points and cut it off again 30 inches or so from there toward the tip end. That gives you more stock to turn a straight shaft from. If the wood is nice then you would be hard pressed to do any better than that. They did not have vacuum kilns back then so don't expect the wood to be white, but a lot of the older house cues had great shaft wood. Like Chuck said, some did not. You have to decide for yourself if it is good enough. But as a general rule you will get some good shafts out of the really old house cues if they are straight enough.

 

[hustler4483]

I appreciate the feedback, always appreciated. I am actually after the darker wood look, I think it will be different and interesting. Wish me luck and will post pics upon completion.

 

[qbilder]

I always liked shafts from house cues. I figure that after years of being banged, thrown, beat over somebody's head, puked on, saturated with beer & smoke, if they are still solid & straight then they probably always will be.