What makes cues hit harder?

ace911

ace911

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The previous thread about cue "consistency" had me thinking. What makes a cue hit harder? I like cues that have that firmer/harder hit and sound. Like a gus, lambros, southwest, tascarella. I know the tip has a lot to do with it. I'm thinking they also all have really stiff tapers. Older, denser wood is also a factor right? I would like to know for future refrence if I get another cue. I also like the Kamui Black Medium tips, and I had the local cue maker hammer it, so it would get even harder and hardly change shape at all, after play. Also I realized that the bumper absorbs shock and softens the hit up, I had a few cues, when I took out the bumper I liked the hit better, but I wouldn't play without a bumper, because I'm scared to damage the cue. Do those bumperless cues hit firmer? Also ivory ferrule softens the hit right? I really interested in this type of stuff and would like to learn more, most players don't know a lot about it.
 
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ace911 said:
The previous thread about cue "consistency" had me thinking. What makes a cue hit harder? I like cues that have that firmer/harder hit and sound. Like a gus, lambros, southwest, tascarella. I know the tip has a lot to do with it. I'm thinking they also all have really stiff tapers. Older, denser wood is also a factor right? I would like to know for future refrence if I get another cue. I also like the Kamui Black Medium tips, and I had the local cue maker hammer it, so it would get even harder and hardly change shape at all, after play. Also I realized that the bumper absorbs shock and softens the hit up, I had a few cues, when I took out the bumper I liked the hit better, but I wouldn't play without a bumper, because I'm scared to damage the cue. Do those bumperless cues hit firmer? Also ivory ferrule softens the hit right? I really interested in this type of stuff and would like to learn more, most players don't know a lot about it.
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Ivory ferrules make the cue hit harder.
 
cubswin said:
Damn it Dave, I was trying to give a complete, my opinion answer too.

At least give your opinion, because I'm just a ball banger with no knowledge that shouldn't post in this section. Oops.
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I thought you did good...was just trying to help you out!
 
BarenbruggeCues said:
I thought you did good...was just trying to help you out!
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Forgot the bonding agents though, without adhesion the whole thing falls apart. *sigh*

Seriously, I wonder how much different epoxies could effect the hit of a cue. Probably depend on the amount of volume used, and would think that in the a joint it could certainly effect a hit of a cue in a small amount.
 
The tip, ferrule, joint, shaft taper and forearm have the most effect on how hard the cue gits and sounds. Ivory hits harder than most materials in the ferrule. A stainless joint is another major factor in the sound. The forearm also comes into play alot with certain tone woods and really dense woods giving a harder noiser hit.
There are things you can do with any of those itmes to make them softer or harder. Internal things you can do on stainless joints to stop the pingy sound some love and others hate. Same goes with hard woods like ebony. But you are wanting harder not softer so those things don't really apply. There are ways to put the a-joint together to increase sound tones and give that harder ping sound.
So if you want a really hard feeling cue, and don't mind some front weight, go with a Ivory or Ivorine 4 ferrule, hard tip, stainless piloted joint and a non cored hard wood like ebony for the forearm.
 
Okay, thanks a lot Chris, that's the kind of answer I was looking for. I thought Ivory Ferrules make the cue softer? Or is it only ivory joint, that does that?
 
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ace911 said:
Okay, thanks a lot Chris, that's the kind of answer I was looking for. I thought Ivory Ferrules make the cue softer? Or is it only ivory joint, that does that?
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Ivory joints do play softer than stainless steel, but not softer than phenolic. Ivory joints will not make a Maple cue play softer than it plays with phenolic. Just as Ivory ferrules will not make a maple shaft play softer. Capped Ivory joints may soften the feel on some really hard dense woods, but not on maple.
 
cueman said:
Ivory joints do play softer than stainless steel, but not softer than phenolic. Ivory joints will not make a Maple cue play softer than it plays with phenolic. Just as Ivory ferrules will not make a maple shaft play softer. Capped Ivory joints may soften the feel on some really hard dense woods, but not on maple.
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Agree here :)
The most ppl just *think* a cue hits harder when they feel the vibrations in their grip-hand a bit more. So some guys think many times ivory or phenolic joints hittin harder than other materials.

In my opinion it s the *all-in-all* product- i ve seen and tested so many cues (for sure not that many like the cuemakers here^^) and spent much time with a good guy who was a cuemaker here in my hometime in the 90s. And he shown up sometimes some things about *subjective* and *objective* feelings and results. It s really funny what ppl are feeling with their hands and *spell out* a wrong result. Imo almost noone would say that a SS Joint gives you a harder joint (from subjective feeling).

Subjective feelings are the wonder that makes a cuemaker selling his cues better :p (no offense, just kiddin a bit^^)

The *Hit* is the most discussed theme imo and also imo it is one of the things you CAN T discuss objectivley.... but perhaps i m wrong :)

love and piece to all of the cuemakers^^

lg from overseas,

Ingo
 
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