Why are points so popular?
- Thread starter Ron Moore
- Start date
Points
Points are a one of the biggest secrets to mastering all billiard games! Hold cue by butt as close to the balance point and slowly move stick from left to right if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, opposite if in Australia. The cue will slow and settle on a particular ball. This is the ball to shoot. Efren Reyes showed me this and my game has skyrocketed.
Points are a one of the biggest secrets to mastering all billiard games! Hold cue by butt as close to the balance point and slowly move stick from left to right if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, opposite if in Australia. The cue will slow and settle on a particular ball. This is the ball to shoot. Efren Reyes showed me this and my game has skyrocketed.
I think it partly due to tradition. Cues originally had points due to the style of construction, then they added veneers to the points to make them more attractive. Now long, sharp points are a hallmark of fine craftsmanship. I think it has just grown into a look of its own out of desire rather than necessity.
Besides, long sharp points with nice veneers are just flat out sexy!
Besides, long sharp points with nice veneers are just flat out sexy!
Some like to compare the sharpness/eveness of the points to distinguish a hand cut inlay from a CNC. It matters to a LOT of people.
Ron, do you actually have a poolhall in Luling, or do you make a drive to Austin or San Antonio for a good place to shoot?
I used to know a Ron Moore that worked for the Post Office in Arlington, but I guess yours is a fairly common name.
Maniac
Ron, do you actually have a poolhall in Luling, or do you make a drive to Austin or San Antonio for a good place to shoot?
I used to know a Ron Moore that worked for the Post Office in Arlington, but I guess yours is a fairly common name.
Maniac
Correct me if I am wrong (it wouldn't be the first time) But the points being even only reflect on the maker if the points are recut points, right? Unless its one of the few makers that actually makes their own full splice blanks? Like I said, I may be wrong here.
I agree with the previous responders. Points are like a gauge of the craftsmanship of the cue. Personally, I won't buy a cue if the points are rounded (cnc) or uneven (poor craftmanship). It's harder to tell on the plain cues. I have three Greg Hearns cues -two with beautiful veneered points and one completely plain except for the rings on the butt and joint. I designed the plain one so I could have a good hitting cue that didn't really stand out at the bars or the pool rooms.
For my own future knowledge, could you explain?
All you have to ask is why would there be a diff standard for lined up points on full splice, short splice or Recut points.............
just the same a maker doesn't have to have the points turn out perfect to make them LOOK PERFECT before the product goes out the door.........some guys and gals sand or file them back even........but you can look at all the veneers and watch for even outer points and the inner points being misaligned, due to a builder filing or sanding the outer point in which they then fill the "void" with epoxy or CA or whatever clear hard material there is to use out there.
Points are not popular b/c of tradition.......points are popular (especially in customs) because the added values of strength and stabilization that it gives the cue along with being able to use two separate woods to attain a specific hit. The surface area of the splice (in FULL SPLICE) has tons more glueing surface to make for a super strong connection..........in cues with an "A" joint there is much less glueing surface area in that connection.
You also get a better distribution of weight through out the butt of the cue also.
Last but not least its VISUALLY and basically the most attractive design you can put on a cue...........the points lead forward toward the shot........cues are broken up into thirds often in their design and that draws the eye. Even when the cue is motionless it is similar to a sports car.....the points make it look like its in motion making it that much more pleasing visually.
-Grey Ghost-
I didn't really mean to imply there is a different standard just that most makers dont make their own full splice blanks and as such the points being uneven isn't a accurate reflection of the cue maker but rather the splice maker. Maybe my understanding of the process is wrong, if so I apologize.
When I said tradition what I meant is it was made that way originally out of necessity but and became the traditional look of the cue and thats what people came to like.
[/QUOTE]"I think it partly due to tradition. Cues originally had points due to the style of construction, then they added veneers to the points to make them more attractive. Now long, sharp points are a hallmark of fine craftsmanship. I think it has just grown into a look of its own out of desire rather than necessity.
Besides, long sharp points with nice veneers are just flat out sexy![/QUOTE]
Not to send this post in another direction, but I think way more cues use rings than points as decoration. More than any type of inlay I think. Rings are really the base of cue decoration, although I think from the start of the art, putting in some nice colored stones would be easier to execute than making rings.
Nothing but bars around here. I play in a bar league in Lockhart just for the fun of it but the closest real tables are in San Marcos. It is mostly SWT kids there though. Much better players in Austin and SA of course.
I was always under the impression they added strength to the butt plus it limits or eliminates warpage. If you ever looked at that Gold Crown Aprons, they are I think 4 or 5? pieces of poplar glued together, and I've never seen one of them come apart.
I don't know much about tradition or cue construction. I just know I love sharp & veneered points on a cue....great reading the posts on this thread. :thumbup:
Cdryden;2801186]
that most makers dont make their own full splice blanks and as such the points being uneven isn't a accurate reflection of the cue maker but rather the splice maker. Maybe my understanding of the process is wrong, if so I apologize.
AGAIN NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. I'm sure even some of John Davis blanks in oversized shape are not going to get to you in PERFECTLY LINED UP fashion everytime.......hell alot of Prathers blanks I've seen were great and very very close and others are not......does an uneven point on an oversized blank mean inferior craftsmanship? NO IT DOES NOT, for the cuemaker that buys the blank or hell say he built it himself and the points are off a bit then you just have to reindicate the blank and touch off the points......if you know what your doing and you do it properly (given that the points were not severely off like say a meucci sneaky lol) then the blank was shifted and RECENTERED as to make the points perpenducular to the cutting tool.
If its near final size then doing this could give the material an egg shape as it didn't have enough mass to remove to get the cue back centered and tapered across its length.
When I said tradition what I meant is it was made that way originally out of necessity but and became the traditional look of the cue and thats what people came to like.
I would agree 100% on your comment of tradition influencing the upgrading and style most liked.
that most makers dont make their own full splice blanks and as such the points being uneven isn't a accurate reflection of the cue maker but rather the splice maker. Maybe my understanding of the process is wrong, if so I apologize.
AGAIN NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. I'm sure even some of John Davis blanks in oversized shape are not going to get to you in PERFECTLY LINED UP fashion everytime.......hell alot of Prathers blanks I've seen were great and very very close and others are not......does an uneven point on an oversized blank mean inferior craftsmanship? NO IT DOES NOT, for the cuemaker that buys the blank or hell say he built it himself and the points are off a bit then you just have to reindicate the blank and touch off the points......if you know what your doing and you do it properly (given that the points were not severely off like say a meucci sneaky lol) then the blank was shifted and RECENTERED as to make the points perpenducular to the cutting tool.
If its near final size then doing this could give the material an egg shape as it didn't have enough mass to remove to get the cue back centered and tapered across its length.
When I said tradition what I meant is it was made that way originally out of necessity but and became the traditional look of the cue and thats what people came to like.
I would agree 100% on your comment of tradition influencing the upgrading and style most liked.
