When buying a new pool cue, you’ll find several options for cue joint materials. Does the type of pool cue joint matter when choosing a cue to use? Depending on your style of play, it can. Understanding how materials transfer energy can help you in choosing the right cue for your playing style.
What Is the Pool Cue Joint and What Does It Do?
The pool cue joint has the essential task of carrying force along the length of the cue from the butt to the shaft. Rings on either side of the joint reinforce the joint and the collar between them. The collars on either side of the joint provide extra support for the pin inside the joint, located on top of the butt. Materials used in these collars impact the feel of the cue. The pin inserts into the shaft to secure the two parts of the cue together.
Types of Materials Cue Joints Have
A pool cue joint has two collars that connect together on either side of the pin. Materials used for these collars may include wood, stainless steel, or composite. Each material transfers energy differently, producing varying feels in the cue when you use it.
Wood can absorb energy. Therefore, a pool cue joint consisting of a wood-to-wood connection has a softer feel to it that can transfer to the rest of the shaft. When playing with one of these cues, you will feel slight vibrations from striking the cue ball.
Stainless steel joints make the cue feel stiffer because all the energy transfers cleanly through to the tip and the ball. You won’t feel a return of energy in the cue as you would with a wood joint.
Composite joints may include phenolic resin or plastics. These have a feel that is between the softness of wood and the stiffness of steel.
Protecting Pool Cue Joints
All types of pool cue joints require protection during transit. When you take the cue apart to put it into a carrying case, you should cover both sides of the joint with joint protectors to prevent damage to this sensitive and important part of the cue.
Get Pool Cues and Other Accessories from A&C Billiards and Barstools
Find pool cue joints in a variety of materials here at A&C Billiards and Barstools. We have pool cue options for everyone from beginners to professional players from trusted brands, including Predator Cues and Viking Cues. Visit us in the City of Industry, California, if you’re in the Los Angeles area, or shop online for top-quality pool cues and other pool essentials.
Sources
https://cuesup.com/sticks/joint-types/
https://aandcbilliardsandbarstools.com/product-category/cues/
https://aandcbilliardsandbarstools.com/contact/
https://aandcbilliardsandbarstools.com/
https://www.pooldawg.com/article/pooldawg-library/what-s-my-joint-size
