What is Uni-lock?

S

shankster8

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Please excuse my ignorance, but I bought a Uni-lock maintenance driver set from DoubleDCues, and it doesn't fit the Predator pins in my cues. I wrote him to that effect, and he responded that he didn't say Uni-lock radial. He said if they were that, he wouldn't have sold them. Here's his exact response: "Sorry Hank it was advertised as a Uni-loc driver set. Radial was not mentioned. If it was a radial I would have kept it. No refund for this sale as it was listed correctly."
So my question is: What is Uni-lock? What does that fit? By the way it's not a great big deal, it only cost me $33, but I feel something ain't right. He posted it on 11/10/13 if you want to see the ad. Thanks
 
Last edited:
Don't want to step on anyone's toes however Uni-lock is a trade mark name for the quick release joint used on the current predator cues. There is an import quick release that is not a Uni-lock and will not fit. Lease someone correct me if I am wrong.

Jim.
 
Uni-lock

Uni-lock is a brand they make a couple of pins. You have a uni-lock quick release and a uni-lock radial pins. Your cue has the radial pin and not the quick release pin. You should have found out what pin you had or asked some questions before you bought it. It's not his fault you didn't know.
 
Uni-loc is both a style of quick disconnect and a brand name. The original Uni-loc is a quick-release style of disconnect where the male pin that is extended outside of the joint is totally smooth, and the threads are recessed into the joint. The female side of the joint on the shaft has a pilot that sticks out, and threads into the recessed male side. Uni-loc the brand makes 4 different styles of quick disconnect joint pins/inserts, the original, radial pin, one they call "ghost", and one they call "bullet". If it is not specified as being "radial" or "bullet" or "ghost" I would tend to assume that it is "original". Sorry about your bad luck on this.
 
Mc2 said:
Don't want to step on anyone's toes however Uni-lock is a trade mark name for the quick release joint used on the current predator cues. There is an import quick release that is not a Uni-lock and will not fit. Lease someone correct me if I am wrong.

Jim.
Click to expand...

It would be my great and long awaited pleasure to correct you. Lol

Uni-Loc (and let's drop the 'k' here before the misspelling continues)
is the name of a corporation that makes pin-sets for cues.
The confusion btwn the import and state-side pin is regarding the Radial, not the QR.
Damn that felt good. Lol

KJ
 
KJ Cues said:
It would be my great and long awaited pleasure to correct you. Lol

Uni-Loc (and let's drop the 'k' here before the misspelling continues)
is the name of a corporation that makes pin-sets for cues.
The confusion btwn the import and state-side pin is regarding the Radial, not the QR.
Damn that felt good. Lol

KJ
Click to expand...

Lol. You got me on all accounts. Guilty as charged.

http://www.uni-loc.com/uni-loc_product_catalog_joints.php

If I had the time I would have copy and pasted the info from their website and added all the little "k" letters where needed. That way I would have been correct. Oh wait a minute. I don't mind saying I was wrong.

Jim
 
Last edited:
Uni Loc

I do need to chime in. I did have a picture of the Uni-loc maintenance set that I listed for 25.00 and this gentleman said he wanted them. He paid for them, I shipped them. I won't eat shipping both ways as he has asked me to do, because I don't have a return counter.
 

Attachments

  • DSC05460.jpg
    DSC05460.jpg
    30.7 KB · Views: 599
Last edited:
Thanks for all the input. I didn't know there are other Uni-loc pins besides the radial. It's already resold. My bad!
 
Maybe to help clear up confusion for others who may read this in the future.

Uni-Loc is the company that makes several different joint configurations.

http://www.uni-loc.com/index.php

Their first joint, the "Original", is the quick release version that has come to be known as the "Uni-Loc" joint. Most cue companies that use this joint will say it comes with a "Uni-Loc" joint pin. Predator cues, who I think happens to own the Uni-Loc brand, does advertise it correctly as the "Original". I find it ironic that other cues, most likely made in the same factory, are advertised incorrectly as a "Uni-Loc" joint. Either way, it's pretty much common in the industry that the term "Uni-Loc" means the "Original". That's the source of the confusion in your purchase.

Radial, is also a joint that the Uni-Loc brand offers, which by the sounds of it is what your cue has. The funny thing is that for years it has just been referred to as the "Radial" pin. It isn't until recently that you started to see people using the brand name in front of it, ie "Uni-Loc Radial". I know the brand has always identified it as "Radial" without putting the brand name in front. Many years ago, the import cue companies wanted a pin to compete with the "Radial", but were afraid of patent issues so they made a pin that looks like the "Radial" but had a different thread pitch. The ironic thing is that the "Radial" isn't patented so they could have copied it exactly without repercussion. Instead, they changed it making it a pain for us cue makers and repair people trying to figure out if it's the real "Radial" or the knock off "Import Radial". A definite pain for the guys like me who make replacement shafts.


Anyway, I hope that helps!

Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top