Cue stick
[5] In public billiard rooms only skilled players were allowed to use the cue, because the fragile cloth could be torn by novices.
[3] The introduction of the cue, and the new game possibilities it engendered, led to the development of cushions with more rebound, initially stuffed with linen or cotton flocking, but eventually replaced by rubber.
[3] François Mingaud was studying the game of billiards while being held in Paris as a political prisoner, and experimented with a leather cue tip.
[3] Mingaud is also credited with the discovery that by raising the cue vertically, to the position adopted by the mace, he could perform what is now known as a massé shot.
He called it "twisting powder", and the magical impression this gave the public enabled him to sell it for a higher price than if they realized it was simply chalk in a small box.
A typical two piece cue for pocket billiards is usually made mostly of hard or rock maple, with a fiberglass or phenolic resin ferrule, usually 0.75 to 1 inch (19 to 25 mm) long, and steel joint collars and pin.
Typical dimensions are 54–56 inches (140–140 cm) long, 16.5–18.5 ounces (0.47–0.52 kg) in weight, with an 11–12 mm diameter tip.
[6] The specialization makes the cue stiffer, for handling the heavier billiard balls and acting to reduce deflection.
Snooker butts are usually flat on one side so that the cue may be laid flat on the table bed and slid along the baize under a cushion to strike the cushion-ward side of the cue ball when it is frozen to the cushion (such a shot is not legal in pool or carom games under most rulesets).
), Joe Davis, John Spencer, Terry Griffiths, Mark Williams and Paul Hunter, to name a few.
"[8] This rule was introduced following an incident on 14 November 1938 when Alec Brown was playing Tom Newman at Thurston's Hall in the 1938/1939 Daily Mail Gold Cup.
To the surprise of spectators, Brown produced a small fountain pen-sized cue from his vest pocket, chalked it, and played the stroke.
The referee, Charles Chambers, then inspected the implement, a strip of ebony about five inches long, with one end having a cue tip.
Rounder (i.e., smaller radius) tips impart spin to the cue ball more easily since the point of contact between the tip and the ball requires less distance from the center hit to impart the same amount of spin, due to the increased tangential contact.
Tips for break and jump cues are usually nickel radius or even flatter, and sometimes made of harder materials such as phenolic resin; the shots are forceful, and usually require less spin.
More recently some tips are made of layers that are laminated together (major brands include Kamui, Moori and Talisman).
This is not common and usually results from improper installation, misuse of tip tools, or high impact massé shots.
Often these are less affected by moisture and humidity than leather tips, tend less to bulge and mis-shapen, and are suitable substitutes for the average player.
Titanium ferrules (lighter than brass) are fitted by some players to help reduce cue ball deflection when using side-spin.
The internal male and female connection points are almost always brass or steel because they respond less to temperature changes and thus expand and contract less than other materials, preserving the life of the cue.
Traditional designs employ a fully threaded connection, while newer versions (marketed under such names as Uni-loc, Accu-loc, Speed-loc, and Tru-loc) employ half-threaded "quick pin release" connections that allow players to assemble and disassemble their cues faster.
Traditionally, players want the balance point of a cue near the top end of the wrap or around 7 inches from where they grip the butt.
The cue butt is often inlaid with exotic woods such as bocote, cocobolo and ebony as well as other materials such as mother of pearl.
The use of various types of wraps on the cue butt, such as Irish linen or leather, provide a player with a better grip as well as absorbing moisture.
Good quality pool cues are customarily made from straight-grained hard rock maple wood, especially the shaft.
Cues are not always for play, some are purely collectible and can reach prices of tens of thousands of dollars for the materials they are made of and their exquisite craftsmanship.
They are designed with ornate inlays in varying types of wood, precious metals and stones, all in a multitude of styles and sometimes displaying works of art.
High quality inlays fit perfectly with no gaps; they are symmetrical on all sides, as well as cut cleanly so that all edges and points are sharp, not rounded.
[citation needed] Notable makers of cues include George Balabushka, John Parris, and Longoni.
