weight of the playing cue

What does yoy playing cue weigh?

  • Lighter

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 16 oz

    Votes: 3 1.9%

  • 17 oz

    Votes: 8 5.1%

  • 18 oz

    Votes: 35 22.3%

  • 19 oz

    Votes: 87 55.4%

  • 20 oz

    Votes: 16 10.2%

  • 21 oz

    Votes: 6 3.8%

  • heavier

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • Total voters
    157
Train1077

Train1077

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have in a long time been wondering about the weight of the playing cue, I have removed the weight screw from my predator playing cue, and it is only 17,5 oz now, and I like it like that. But I am thinking if there is something I am missing when using a lightweigth cue, there must be a reason for the companies to sell them at the weights they do 18-21 oz....

Talking about the playing cue.

What are the Pros and Cons of a light weight cue and a a heavy cue?
 
I prefer to know about balance than weight. I like the feel of a cue in the 18-19 oz range, but will use heavier if it has a nice forward balance. As long as you're making balls and getting shape, it doesn't really matter what your cue weighs

Jim
 
Train1077 said:
I have in a long time been wondering about the weight of the playing cue, I have removed the weight screw from my predator playing cue, and it is only 17,5 oz now, and I like it like that. But I am thinking if there is something I am missing when using a lightweigth cue, there must be a reason for the companies to sell them at the weights they do 18-21 oz....

Talking about the playing cue.

What are the Pros and Cons of a light weight cue and a a heavy cue?
Click to expand...

A lot of folks think they have better control, if the cue is heavier. The fact is, they have less control, because they are actually letting the cue weight do a lot of their work. More control comes from actually having to push the cue at a harder or softer speed and using English and aim that is not accidental. The lighter your cue, the more control you actually have.

Now, that being said, a lot of folks really need that extra momentum in their stroke that comes from the weight. There are others who have medical issues that create needs for more or less weight. I have a bad wrist that goes numb from a nerve that pinches off, if I use a heavier cue.

I recently had a new shaft made for my cue, because someone borrowed my cue and overcranked it, causing the shaft to split. I had the new one made with a phenolic insert, to prevent it from happening, again. We didn't check the weight after this change. I didn't think it would matter, that much. I absolutely could not play, because my hand stayed numb and I had no control. We weighed the cue and realized we had added a whole ounce!

We made adjustments to drop the weight. And we continued to make adjustments, until my hand quit going numb.... 16.2 ounces! The hit is right, the weight is right, the cue balance is right... for me.

So, weight can make or break your game. If anyone doesn't believe me, try playing with s cue that is one ounce different for a week or two. Too much weight can interfere with your game, by causing unintended changes in your hit. Not enough weight can cause you to miscue, or to feel the need to bang the balls around the table. Everyone has a weight that is good for them. Find it and stay there.

I would suggest double-checking your weight needs about once a year, because your game naturally changes. If you're lucky, your cue will allow you to add or subtract weight. If you aren't sure, take it to your cuemaker and ask.
 
Does the weight have anything to say in the amount of cue power you can use when making draws and other kinds of spin?
 
Cues are like most pieces of sporting equipment. Baseball bats have different weights and golf clubs can be modified in many ways for example. Everyone has different mechanics so they have a variety of choices when it comes to what they want to use.
 
JesPiddlin said:
A lot of folks think they have better control, if the cue is heavier. The fact is, they have less control, because they are actually letting the cue weight do a lot of their work.



Maybe you should say that "IN MY OPINION", instead of "FACT". As a cuemaker for 23 years I "BELIEVE" the opposite. If you watch a right handed player with a light cue, you will see him have to exert more force, using his arm on harder hit shots. This causes the cue tip to go off line, to the right. This has been my observations, from filming players & playing it back in slow speed. I encourage everyone to play with the heaviest cue, that they feel comfortable with. For some that would be an 18 oz. & for others that my be a 20 oz. Also I think the pole being taken, will give some false positives, because it is worded to include ALL types of cues, including Snooker...JER
Click to expand...
 
i use a 19.50 cue and i feel as blackheart knows i have more control, less stroke error and tip placement error.

although i use a 17oz break cue, but that is a whole nother discussion.
 
With a heavier cue, back when I didn't have an injured nerve to deal with, I thought I hit better and had more control. But, I noticed I held the cue lightly and let the cue weight do the rest. If you'll watch, a lot of folks do that. That is less human control and more cue doing the work.

With a lighter cue, I don't have to do that much more work, but I do notice I do more of the work, hence... "more control" is required and used, if I want to make my shot. Sometimes, more control is more effort, but not always. I have noticed that since I now play with a lighter cue, I also have a much lighter stroke and it is also much more effective.

As I said before, your game changes. Your style and needs change. With those changes, different weights work best for different people.

I cannot play pool with anything over 16.2 ounces, as I cannot feel the hand I am using to control the cue, therefore, I have no control over it. So, anything over 16.2 ounces will not work longer than a few minutes.... the time it takes to pinch that nerve that numbs my hand.

My preferred cue weight is from 15 ounces to 16 ounces.
 
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I like a heavier cue. I have tried lighter ones but just didn't like them. 19.5 to 20oz I prefer. Am currently using a 20.
 
Maybe I'm wrong (well I most likely am) but I've always thought that novice players play better with a heavier cue b/c weaknesses in his/her stroke will not be as exaggerated as much as they would be with a lighter cue. As you develop your stroke, you can (obviously) still use a heavier cue, but you will also be able to perform well w/ a lighter cue b/c your stroke will be straighter and more accurate than when you first started playing (hopefully). But, I agree with all of the other guys... it just comes down to personal preference.
 
I use a 19oz Mezz, but I much prefer an 18 or 18.5 oz cue. I just stick with the cue I already have because it was a gift from the owner of Mezz Cues (Kaz). Its worth a pretty penny and seeing as theres no way Id ever spend anywhere near its value on a cue, I figure I might as well make good use of it.
 
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The three sticks I shoot with most are 17, 18, and 19 ounces. I prefer the 18 and use it more than the others; it seems to work better for me. Oddly, though, I have another 18 that I can't hit squat with.
 
I've gotten so used to an 18 oz cue that even a 19 oz cue feels like it weighs a ton. I'd imagine that if I ever go lighter I'll probably feel the same about an 18 oz
 
Cue weight

I made about a dozen cues that weighed in the 20 oz. range by mistake.
My scale defaulted to TROY ounces so that made the cue weigh 1.2 oz. more than it should have been. Anyway, only one cueist complained about the extra weight. When I discovered the problem I contacted most owners and told them
there 19 oz cue weighs 20.2 oz's. Their comments was that they never noticed the difference because of the balance. Maybe balance is as important, if not more important than weight (within reason).
 
Last year I started out with 21 oz and then worked my way down to a 18oz , I like the feel of a lighter weight cue than a heavy one .
 
Psychological effect?

I think a lot of how the cue performs has to do with how you "think" the cue feels. I know that I am much more likely to make a shot if I like the "feel" of my cue. I use a lighter cue (17 oz.) and if I have to play with something heavier it's like I've never potted a ball. My brain says that something doesn't feel right and I shoot like garbage. Just my two cents...
 
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