 |
 |
||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
  |
Anatomy of a Pool Cue |
TipThe majority of tips are made of high quality leather which can range from soft to very hard. Special break tips are also available made from extremely hard synthetic material. |
||
FerruleThe ferrule protects the wood on the top of the cue. The ferrule material can range from Ivory to a specially engineered material that the manufacturer uses to give the cue a special hit. |
||
ShaftThe shaft is very important in obtaining the "hit" or "sound" that players use to describe a type of cue. Rock hard Maple harvested in cold winter months produce good shaft stock. Careful tooling, as well as aging and grain of the stock all figure into the price and quality of a shaft. |
||
Trim RingThe trim rings help protect the wood at the joint. Trim rings made from high density synthetics or stainless steel are the best choices in great cues. Custom cue makers design their own variation and colors of rings to accent their artistic creation. |
||
JointThe joint is used to take the cue apart for carrying. Joints come in many different styles and configurations. The object of all the different types is to join the 2 cue pieces firmly and accurately. |
||
ForearmThe forearm generally deserves the most time and attention. Points and colored veneers help create beautiful cues, however time intensive labor on detail is what sets apart a great cue from the rest and increases its value. |
||
Forearm InlayInlay is the mark of a cue maker's artistic talent. Meticulous efforts to achieve the perfect inlays separate hand crafted cues from assembly line or CNC production cues. |
||
HandleThe handle is the core of the cue. Even though most handles are covered it is critical that quality wood, connecting pins, and most importantly the vibration damper be included in the handle. |
||
Linen WrapA lot of cues have the handle area covered with a linen material. Some more expensive cues use a leather wrap, other cues have the handle wrapped with nylon. |
||
Butt SleeveThis is mainly decorative choice and just like the forearm helps to define a cue. |
||
Butt Sleeve InlayAs with the forearm inlay, a lot of time is devoted to the design and detail of this area. |
||
Butt CapMuch like the joint rings the butt cap helps to protect the cue from damage caused by bumping around the table and bar chairs. Various colors and materials can add to the appearance. |
||
BumperThe bumper protects the bottom of the cue. |
||
 |