'Hand Made' Cues - Do they have any inherent value?

[Big Splash!]

I can't understand why he didn't get it straightened tho?
My mate straightens cues within 3 minutes ☺
Fact ! 😅

LOL! Bending a cue back into shape is not a good idea. It weakens the wood fibres and it will move out of shape very easily in future. Much better to take some time and water it. But, if you're as good as Hendry, don't bother!:biggrin-new:

[Shockerz]

LOL! Bending a cue back into shape is not a good idea. It weakens the wood fibres and it will move out of shape very easily in future. Much better to take some time and water it. But, if you're as good as Hendry, don't bother!:biggrin-new:

Did you hang it and water it?

[Big Splash!]

Did you hang it and water it?

No, but that sounds like a good idea. I'd lay it down, dip me finger in a cup of water, then apply it to the inner side of the bend, to induce expansion against the bend, covering about 90 degrees of the cue topside. I'd only dab enough water on so that it didn't drip. Allow it to dry, then repeat. This is especially effective on maple. Which is good because a lot of old maple cues are bent. Old straight seems to be the exception with maple. Another reason to avoid it. Unless it's an Aurora built from 200yr old swamp maple! :biggrin-new: I don't think that would warp given it's been under water for that long and then air-dried.

[Shockerz]

No, but that sounds like a good idea. I'd lay it down, dip me finger in a cup of water, then apply it to the inner side of the bend, to induce expansion against the bend, covering about 90 degrees of the cue topside. I'd only dab enough water on so that it didn't drip. Allow it to dry, then repeat. This is especially effective on maple. Which is good because a lot of old maple cues are bent. Old straight seems to be the exception with maple. Another reason to avoid it. Unless it's an Aurora built from 200yr old swamp maple! :biggrin-new: I don't think that would warp given it's been under water for that long and then air-dried.

I bought a few old warped cues and sanded them down, hung them and used to tried watering them, soaking them, leaving them in the garage through the winter, none of it made too much difference as regards making them straight by hanging......not for me anyway!

[vmax4steve]

Dear, oh dear, oh dear.

You obviously don't know much about Powerglide because Hendry's cue was maple, not AD ash! Their maple of choice was Canadian rock though I forget if it was Black or Sugar maple or if they used both. It left the factory straight and bent under hot lights in a display case as Jonny points out.

So just the ash was air dried, or claimed to be, still it didn't work for me; and Hendry's cue was bent when he was using it for all those world titles. You can see on youtube the final where he beat Jimmy in the final frame when he rolls his cue across the table after potting the final ball and it wobbles as it rolls.
After it broke he seemed to have real trouble playing with a straight one, guess his cue action was built around that cue, depending on where he held it in regards to the bend; could be the bend helped him to not cue across the ball, who the hell knows, apart from you that is.

BTW nice picture of that pointed stick you made, you see you can post photos, pity you forgot to lay your three air dried cues next to it for us all to have a look at.

[Big Splash!]

I bought a few old warped cues and sanded them down, hung them and used to tried watering them, soaking them, leaving them in the garage through the winter, none of it made too much difference as regards making them straight by hanging......not for me anyway!

It may be that after many years, that they won't move back. I did a Riley trapezoid plate cue and I could induce movement with water. But a JD 147 maple with a double bend took me a year to correct and refinish. A real pain. Once it was done, it was the best JD147 I'd ever seen though Inevermissblue's JD147 at 56.5'' may well be as good I would guess. Lovely hit even though it was maple. I played with it a bit then sold it. It was just a tad light for me at 16ish oz. Some cues are just lost causes! :biggrin-new:

[billabong]

It may be that after many years, that they won't move back. I did a Riley trapezoid plate cue and I could induce movement with water. But a JD 147 maple with a double bend took me a year to correct and refinish. A real pain. Once it was done, it was the best JD147 I'd ever seen though Inevermissblue's JD147 at 56.5'' may well be as good I would guess. Lovely hit even though it was maple. I played with it a bit then sold it. It was just a tad light for me at 16ish oz. Some cues are just lost causes! :biggrin-new:

Won't it take 12 - 24 years to get that air dried equilibrium back into the cue ?

[Big Splash!]

Won't it take 12 - 24 years to get that air dried equilibrium back into the cue ?

You're saying Riley air-dried their rock maple?! :biggrin-new:

The offending cue:







The cue was covered in an orange lacquer to begin with, the plate barely visible. I had to sand the whole thing down. Luckily, the ferrule was 11mm, so losing half a mill off the cue was ok. Still quite a fat taper afterwards, a real glider over the bridge, and a wide 31mm butt. Lovely to hold, felt proper!

And no machines!

[Shockerz]

Looks nice, I do love the feel of maple.

Sure I've got one of those upstairs, have to have a look and see if it's straight (or sold!).

[DeanH]

Won't it take 12 - 24 years to get that air dried equilibrium back into the cue ?

You're saying Riley air-dried their rock maple?! :biggrin-new:

The offending cue:







The cue was covered in an orange lacquer to begin with, the plate barely visible. I had to sand the whole thing down. Luckily, the ferrule was 11mm, so losing half a mill off the cue was ok. Still quite a fat taper afterwards, a real glider over the bridge, and a wide 31mm butt. Lovely to hold, felt proper!

And no machines!

Orange lacquer?
Would that not be nicotine-staining, after years being in the smoke filled clubs.
I have an old maple cue that is a golden yellow from smoke

[markz]

Orange lacquer?
Would that not be nicotine-staining, after years being in the smoke filled clubs.
I have an old maple cue that is a golden yellow from smoke

Would that be smoke dried then Dean? Lol

[DeanH]

Orange lacquer?
Would that not be nicotine-staining, after years being in the smoke filled clubs.
I have an old maple cue that is a golden yellow from smoke

Would that be smoke dried then Dean? Lol

lol you're getting the hang of it! :wink:

[Big Splash!]

Orange lacquer?
Would that not be nicotine-staining, after years being in the smoke filled clubs.
I have an old maple cue that is a golden yellow from smoke

It's a type of old gloss varnish ya wombat. If it was nicotine it would have wiped off with some meths. Next you'll be telling me Hendry's cue warped due to cigarette smoke in old clubs. :highly_amused:

[DeanH]

'Hand Made' Cues - Do they have any inherent value?

no need to be rude

old cues did not have "orange lacquer" applied but a varnish or oil that changed colour with age and if they where in a smokey environment the nicotine also reacted with the ageing finish. It was not a wipe off coating but a chemical reaction with the ageing finish.

And yes I read a post wrong but cleared that mistake quickly
FACT

[Big Splash!]

no need to be rude

old cues did not have "orange lacquer" applied but a varnish or oil that changed colour with age and if they where in a smokey environment the nicotine also reacted with the ageing finish. It was not a wipe off coating but a chemical reaction with the ageing finish.

And yes I read a post wrong but cleared that mistake quickly
FACT

Yes, you were wrong. I accept your explanation. Please don't assume you know something of a cue I've renovated when you didn't see it before hand.