Weight of your break cue

While we're on the subject of break cue weight I have a question last night I was playing a mix of 9 & 10 ball when I noticed that when breaking a 9 ball rack the balls hardly spread & I was left hooked on the lowest ball 90% of the time, whereas playing 10 ball my break had a lot more power & pop when hitting the rack with a decent spread & 2 balls on the break most of the time.

What could be causing this my cue is 20oz which I find is perfect for me but any insight on the problem would be appreciated.
 
9 ball said:
While we're on the subject of break cue weight I have a question last night I was playing a mix of 9 & 10 ball when I noticed that when breaking a 9 ball rack the balls hardly spread & I was left hooked on the lowest ball 90% of the time, whereas playing 10 ball my break had a lot more power & pop when hitting the rack with a decent spread & 2 balls on the break most of the time.

What could be causing this my cue is 20oz which I find is perfect for me but any insight on the problem would be appreciated.
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Bad racking?
 
The weight of a Break Cue is a personal one & is subjective. A heavier Cue has generally been considered to be a more accurate cue on any shot, where the lighter Cue has been deemed a better positional Play Cue.

As soon as this is said, someone from another place in time or location will say I don't know what I'm talking about. Everyone has an opinion & a nose & a ...?

A slightly lighter Cue can be stroked quicker, it's that ol' INERTIA thing. But, at some point, the lighter Cue won't propel the cueball at the speed you want. A TACK HAMMER won't drive Bridge nails.

I would suggest purchasing a Break Cue with a dedicated Break Cue Shaft (different taper & beefier for more column strength). The added weight might give your cue a front load effect & that is also a personal choice.

Try to purchase a Break Cue at a place that can offer you several choices, so you can feel good about your purchase at the point of sale.

The tip profile is important too.

Good Luck to all, NO EXCEPTIONS...
 
Whats with the attitude

randyg said:
For the 34th time and certainly not the last.

Break cue weight is different for everyone. Simply put, if I can move a heavier cue at a higher speed, then that's the formula I will use. The best of both.

I break with a custom Stinger and it weighs in at 18oz.
randyg
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I searched the topic and didnt come up with anything. Im sorry for waisting your time but maybe the next time you are being bothered by the 34th time a question was asked you can just move on to the next thread.
I see your an instructer, bca master, well, if the tone of your comment is any indication of how you handle student questions, you should stop teaching.
 
J-Flo said:
I searched the topic and didnt come up with anything. Im sorry for waisting your time but maybe the next time you are being bothered by the 34th time a question was asked you can just move on to the next thread.
I see your an instructer, bca master, well, if the tone of your comment is any indication of how you handle student questions, you should stop teaching.
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J-Flo:

I think the reason for randyg's "tone" -- if you want to call it that -- is that there's at least a couple responses in this thread that *can* be taken as demeaning or condescending:

I think for people who for whatever reason can't seem to generate great speed then a heavier cue is their ticket.
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This one could imply a "wuss" factor on the person wielding the heavy break cue, although I'll personally give the author the benefit of the doubt, since previous posts by him have almost always demonstrated respect.

It all comes down to personal preference. Shoot with what works for you! Most people think I'm crazy for shooting w/ what I do, and I prefer it that way. Makes finding the drain plug in their wallet easier.
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Oh really? "Shoot with what works for you... but I'll drain 'most peoples' wallets regardless of what they think." We're not vain. Naahhhhhh. Especially completely underestimating just what kind of players read these forums.

Anyway, the topic of break cue weight / performance has been an actively discussed topic on these boards for a very long time.

-Sean <-- shoots with a 25 -- yes, 25 -- ounce break cue, and cracks 'em in the high 20s.
 
Wow.... now you've gone & done it. RangyG is a well respected instructor/coach for as long as I can remember.

All of us (instructors,coaches, good players & so on) try to add to a THREAD on this forum. The things we do & believe in, that will help an up & coming player enjoy playing better & reap the rewards from playing better, are then added to the thread.

Then, out of nowhere, the STING of "anonymity" shows up.

Curse him & curse his friends, a Great Teacher will still shine through the GREEN CLOUD of "anonymous rebuttal".
 
20 oz playing cue.
18 oz break/jump cue (McDermott with Stinger shaft).

I can swing a 21 oz cue as fast as the next guy, but seem to do better more often with the lighter break cue...might just be me, though.
 
here i am

ceebee said:
Wow.... now you've gone & done it. RangyG is a well respected instructor/coach for as long as I can remember.

All of us (instructors,coaches, good players & so on) try to add to a THREAD on this forum. The things we do & believe in, that will help an up & coming player enjoy playing better & reap the rewards from playing better, are then added to the thread.

Then, out of nowhere, the STING of "anonymity" shows up.

Curse him & curse his friends, a Great Teacher will still shine through the GREEN CLOUD of "anonymous rebuttal".
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John Flores
219-218-2309
here on the south side of chicago (106th st)
If you ever got out look me up
No Hidding no anonymity just a simple question.
Im a simple man who dosent put up with stupid shit.
Your a snake oil salesmen who hocks your toy at every chance you get.
dont ever assume cause a person has only been posting for a short time means that hes only been shooting a shot time.
My post to your man Randy G was streight and to the point. Maybe thats to much for you. Im sure if he needs your help he will call , till then stop stirring up the shit , stop acting like a 16 little gossiping girl
BE A MAN
 
I like a 20oz break cue and play with a 18.5 to 19 oz cue. Tried a lighter one, 17 oz, for breaking. Just seemed like to much work.

Larry
 
Thanks

To all the people who took the time to add positive remarks to this thread, I got a lot of good info, thanks alot. Im going with a heavy cue cause im 6ft and 265 and I think i can get a 22oz moving prety fast. currently im using a 17.5oz so im bumping up
Im the coolest cat out hrere and i would give you the shirt off my back but I get sick of the stupid, no productive coments.

1%er forever
 
This is actually a college freshman level physics problem. Not too bad, but the results were counter-intuitive to me.

I calculated the kinetic energy with which the cue would hit the cue ball for a 18 oz. cue and a 20 oz. cue.

I used a constant 30 lb. force to accelerate both cues through a distance of one-half meter. Don't think the force is too wimpy because it works out to 36 mph, and I don't know anybody who is reaching that.

Since kinetic energy is 1/2 mass times velocity squared, I calculated the hit velocity as 16.173 meters per second for the 18 oz. (0.51 kg) cue, and 15.34 meters per second for the 20 oz. cue (0.567 kg).

I was expecting the lower weight cue to have greater kinetic energy; however, the answer for this set of data is the 18 oz. cue hits with a kinetic energy of 66.699 Joules and the 20 oz. cue hits with a kinetic energy of 66.720 Joules, or 0.3% greater energy. Again, both are accelerated with the same force. The heavier cue merely accelerates a little slower as you would expect.

Obviously this energy difference is so low you should just use whatever feels better to you, because you'll be able to deliver it more accurately to the cue ball. An argument could be made that is is easier to guide a slower accelerating object than a faster accelerating object.

If anybody wants to see the equations used I can throw those onto another post.

It seems no one should be losing any sleep over the weight of their break cue.
 
I use a 19 1/2 Gulyassy Sledgehammer with a hard waterbuffalo tip on it. My player is 18.3. I have exceptionly strong wrists and hands (mechanics mitts). I have tried a 23 and a 27 as well as a 17. The 17 is too light and no control. I can use the 23, it works ok. The 27 is like trying to use a telephone pole. I feel best at 19.5 to 20.5.

Mark Shuman
 
J-Flo said:
To all the people who took the time to add positive remarks to this thread, I got a lot of good info, thanks alot. Im going with a heavy cue cause im 6ft and 265 and I think i can get a 22oz moving prety fast. currently im using a 17.5oz so im bumping up
Im the coolest cat out hrere and i would give you the shirt off my back but I get sick of the stupid, no productive coments.

1%er forever
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I don't normaly try to sell things in peoples threads, but......
I could make a 1 and 2oz weight bolt for this jump break cue and you could play with differant weights to find what you like best.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=247261

Larry<<<<<< not selling snake oil!
 
Different of opinions

Well as usual with everything in this sport you will hear a bunch of different ideas, and as usual you need to use what works best for you! Try a bunch of different combos till you find one you are happy with.

When I started I used what I was playing with which was a 21 oz!
As I began to play better and study pool my player has become anywhere from 18 to 18.5 and I am more comfortable in that range.

Now shortly after learning to practice my stroke, etc. I started breaking with a 28.5 oz and let me tell you that thing was a sledge hammer. It had a water buffalo tip and was just a beast. You didn't have to swing it very hard for it to break things up.

Now what I noticed is I had to focus on getting a good swing on my break. In other words it helped me get my stroke in line for my break. When I got that down good I went down to an 18 oz for my break, and look out! My form was good, and I could swing the hell out of the cue too. It became my medicine cue (instead of a medicine ball! lol) and anytime my break is out of whack I grab it for a couple of days and get my break back in line.

This prompted me to get a custom break made. My custom break has probably the hardest wood known to man for a shaft, tapered in a conical taper with a 14mm water buffalo tip. Then the butt of the cue is curly maple and the total cue is 18.5 oz with most the weight forward weight.

I don't care what anyone says about this not being the proper set up. This is the proper set up for me! And when I break people notice, and they look at my cue control, the amount of balls pocketed on a break, and that to me tells me I figured out my perfect combination.

But again you have to find what works for you!
 
Maniac said:
Randy is right. You can ask 20 different people and get 12 to 15 different answers. Personally, I like my break cue about the same weight and balance as my player, @ 19 oz. My Jerico Stinger does a mighty fine job on a rack of balls if I do MY job correctly!!! I've tried other peoples break cues that absolutely SWORE by them and they didn't break well for me. I feel very sluggish with a cue of over 22 ounces, and the cues that are under 18 ounces feel like a piece of straw in my hands. Overly forward/backward balanced cues do not feel right in my hands. So bottom line is, it's all personal opinion/taste.

If it's not too late, I would suggest trying different break cues (maybe friends/acquaintances will let you try theirs out) before spending your hard-earned bucks on something you may later regret buying.

Maniac
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I had Bob Owen make my jump/break cue to the same weight as my Predator playing cue. I have since removed the weight bolts from both. I still do not like the weight. My preferences have changed. I now prefer a much lighter cue. Be that as it may "When I do my job correctly" my break works quite well. I too highly suggest trying different cues. Find what works for you. Order one to those specs. There should be no reason why you would not be completely satisfied.

Good luck & good pool

Billy Bones :thumbup:
 
Evgeny Stalev, and using a heavy cue for breaking

TheThaiger said:
Yikes. How many balls do you usually get?
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Loaded question, Thaiger. First, that's not my normal break speed. That's my "hit 'em as hard as I possibly can with a modicum of control [i.e. don't fly the cue ball off the table]." Often, I lose the cue ball, center-table-position-wise (goes wild on the table), or even scratch in the side pocket.

If I back-off a bit, I hit 'em usually around 20-21 mph, and I can squat the cue ball center-table much of the time. That speed is comfortable for me, and if I find the table's "sweet spot" (breaking-wise), I can usually make a ball or two (e.g. the second row in 10-ball [side pockets], or the wing balls in 9-ball breaking from the box).

I like the heavier break cue, because I feel it gives more control with a big wind-up. I'd been studying and emulating the style of Evgeny Stalev, and his massive break (using his playing cue, which is 22oz). I'm finding I really like "the clockspring arm" style of break, once I learned to control it.

-Sean
 
I'm one that's not seen a positive impact with going real light with my break cue. For me, the lighter it is, the less control I seem to have with the cue ball. My current set up is 19.25oz, which is a 1/4oz or so lighter than my player.....that's what feels most comfortable for me.
 
J-Flo said:
Does any one know the science of weight on a break shot. Is it better to have a lighter cue so you can move it faster or is it the heavyer cue that will impart more energy on the rack. Ive heard both explainations. But ive never seen any proof that one is bettter than the other.
Please Help
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Here's a quote from my cue weight resource page:
For a break cue, the optimal weight (for maximum cue ball speed) will depend on your arm anatomy (the size and weights of the different parts of your arm) and muscle physiology (e.g., fast-twitch vs. slow-twitch muscle fiber dominance). The only way to find out the optimal weight for sure is to experiment. Cue weight isn't a question of just physics. Physiology also comes into play. Some people have more fast-twitch muscle fibers than others. Because of this, cue weight selection (just like baseball bat weight selection) can be a very personal thing. The only way to get fast CB speed is to hit the ball with enough cue momentum (mass * speed). Some people can generate more momentum with a lighter cue, and some can generate more with a heavier cue.​

Regards,
Dave
 
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