What are the advantages of high-deflection shafts?

[Zivan1967]

I agree that the major benefit of a high squirt shaft is that it's easier to create more unnatural angle while still aiming center pocket. Pretty much this is experienced at advanced play levels. We usually play on very tight tables. I have had to learn to create angle with LD shafts by slightly favoring one side of the pocket and using the built-in precision to do this accurately. For example, to stun this to the foot rail, I would use right english, slightly above center (firm) and slightly favor the right center of the pocket.

Chris

I agree completely, I wasn't saying it's impossible to stun over with an LD shaft, just that it's harder to do.

For me on that shot I would use a bit of left slightly below center and hit it medium to firm. Adjusting for aim I could hit center of the pocket and the left hit on the cueball would make it slide over to the right. I have tried that shot before with various LD shafts and the ball either misses the pocket completely (because I compensated too much for deflection when there was barely any) or it stops like a stop shot but the cue ball is spinning like a top.

All these shaft/tip/aiming/etc threads really all come down to personal preference and personal preference is only discovered through trial and error. I'm just glad I have a cue that I really enjoy using (for now anyway lol).

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Zivan1967:
With a low deflection shaft you can't stun balls to cheat angles as easy as you can with a higher deflection shaft.

Tate:
I agree that the major benefit of a high squirt shaft is that it's easier to create more unnatural angle while still aiming center pocket.

I disagree with both of these statements. If you can adjust for squirt equally well with either kind of shaft, then it's no easier or harder to aim any shot with either kind. You have to hit the same spot on the cue ball either way.

pj
chgo

 

[AtLarge]

If your preferred method of compensating for squirt is to use back-hand english, then you want a shaft with a pivot point that matches your normal/preferred bridge length. In most cases this will be a regular-squirt shaft rather than a low-squirt shaft.

 

[Zivan1967]

I disagree with both of these statements. If you can adjust for squirt equally well with either kind of shaft, then it's no easier or harder to aim any shot with either kind. You have to hit the same spot on the cue ball either way.

pj
chgo

If I leave you dead straight and tell you to stun the shot making the cue ball move to the rail, it would be harder to do with a LD shaft. Try it for yourself. Like Tate said you need to create an angle that isn't there by shooting into half a pocket with spin and a firm hit. While with a standard shaft you can use that deflection to your advantage and it will allow you to shoot the shot softer with a bigger margin for error.

This isn't about aiming, it's about making the shot. You can aim both shots equally well but making the shot is a different story. One has a lower percentage than the other because of the stroke needed for the shot.

It's the same thing with Tate's first shot he post. If i tried that shot with an LD shaft I would probably make it more often with placement compared with my standard shaft. The reason I don't use the LD shaft is because I don't leave myself in that situation when I'm controlling the cueball better with a standard shaft.

 

[heit8]

I often am surprised that even some good players think they benefit from high squirt cues just because they play with a conventional shaft.

Not all conventional shafts are high squirt. Usually, when the player lefts me try their cue, they have found a conventional shaft that produces relatively low squirt, or they avoid playable shots that are too difficult because their shaft can't handle it. Often their shafts have been tapered down.

Below is an example of a power shot that is not very difficult with an LD shaft, but extremely difficult with a high squirt one. The shot is dead straight, using high left english at high speed. The throw straightens out the 9 ball and the high speed cancels the swerve.

Giving an LD shaft to a C player expecing an improvement is akin to putting slicks on a Yugo and expecting it to do the 1/4 mile faster.

These kinds of shots are perfectly playable with an LD shaft.

Chris

CueTable Help

I use a LD shaft for awile now, But was trying a cue i acquired and thought the pin was 3/8x10 put a LD shaft on it. I ended up stripping it, It was 3/8x11. So i just used the shaft it came with for a few days, Was playing a money match and it was hill hill, This shot came up and i dogged it. ( Yes i lost he set ) I quickly pulled out another cue from my bag that has a LD shaft and set up the shot and made it a bunch of times in a row no problem. Set up the shot again, And tried with the regular shaft i had missed it before and could not do the shot near as easily. Anyway i think there are things you can do with both you just have to know there limitations.

 

[Ratta]

Each ball can be made with each shaft -you just have to know how. Experience and practice is the key-nothing else. Each person is special- so each person expect a *special* feeling from his cue.
lamniated, non-laminated, low-deflection, high-deflection.......
how was Mosconi or Mizerak able to shoot more than one ball......must be a mircale :shrug: