How do pool players take care of the cues that help them reach the top of the sport? We talked to a handful of professionals to see what they do to keep their shafts and tips in tip-top shape.



By Nicholas Leider

Ask a pool player what went wrong on a shot or in a match and, more likely than not, you're going to get an exhaustive explanation. This isn't to disparage folks who dedicate their time to competition. It's an attempt to show the average player's dedication to detail. When a millimeter can mean the difference between splitting a pocket and rattling its points, the minutiae is pretty important.

It stands to reason that professional pool players would be extremely invested in their equipment, considering the sheer amount of time a cue spends in their hands, right? Well, not exactly. In talking to a handful of the best players in the world, we discovered a range of approaches to cue maintenance and upkeep.

For every player who seems appropriately focused on the ethereal feel of their cue, you have an Alex Lely who couldn't tell you what type of tip is on his playing cue. Here's a peek inside the minds — and cases — of nine pros.

Monica Webb



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

Personally, I change my tip every 6 months — give or take a month or two.

When is it time to change?

When my tip is so low that I start to feel it's easy for miscues. I like to shave my tips down in half right after I get a new one. It's what you will be used to playing with, so having a lower tip is my preference. It doesn't save any real money to keep a thicker tip, and my enjoyment is worth way more than longevity.

What is your preference in a tip for your playing cue? What do you prefer for your jump/break cue?

I've switched from one tip to another depending on if I want to try a new brand. The only requirement I have is that it's at least medium to hard. I prefer a layered/phenolic tip for jumping and break cues.

Do you have any pet peeves or particular preferences with your cue tips?

Just no soft tips. And like I said, I don't want it left too high. I like the feedback I get with a firmer hit.

Who changes them? How did you come to trust this person to do so?

I have a lathe at Stix, my pool room in Villa Rica, Georgia. My cue guy is Scott Chandler.

Have you had any especially memorable mishaps with tips? Or any unique problems?

I got a bad batch that kept popping off and I heard others had the same issue, so I switched for a while. I don't know why. One time, Cliff Joyner borrowed my break cue, and he broke the 10-ball rack so hard for several days, he crushed the whole phenolic tip/ ferrule. It looked like a crater.

How often to do you deep clean your shaft?

I like a dirty shaft, I'm embarrassed to say. Nothing distracts me about a little chalk in the shaft or even a small dent. I hate to get it cleaned and only lightly clean it when needed. I usually get a new shaft before [a deep clean] is necessary.

What is your daily routine for your shaft (or for every time you use it)?

I can be hard on my cues, but at least I stopped leaving them in my car.

What's the longest you've played with a single shaft? What was key to making it last/perform for so long?

I change my shafts probably more quickly than most players. I don't believe in trying to get maximum life out of my equipment. This is my passion, so I outfit myself with whatever I need [when I need it].

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Thorsten Hohmann



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

Three to six months.

When is it time to change?

Either it's gotten too hard, too low or I'm not getting the grip that I want anymore.

What is your preference in a tip for your playing cue?

Between soft and medium.

Do you have any pet peeves or particular preferences with your cue tips?

It can't be too round, otherwise I'll miscue a lot. A new tip needs to be taken down a bit, about half the layers.

Have you had any especially memorable mishaps with tips? Or any unique problems?

Many years ago — it must have been around 2004 — a big chunk of my tip broke off while playing a tournament. I continued playing with it because I was afraid a new tip would play completely different. I had to turn my shaft on every shot so the side with the missing piece wouldn't contact the cue ball. It took a lot of focus, but I ended up doing well. I even finished second in the U.S. Open against Gabe Owen with that same half tip.

How often do you deep clean your shaft?

Never. In fact, whenever I receive a new shaft, I'll have chalk rubbed into the pores to make the shaft dirtier.

What's the longest you've played with a single shaft? What was key to making it last/perform for so long?

Probably Michael Vollmer's shaft from 2003 that I used when I won the World 9-Ball Championship. It's just a high-quality shaft. I think you could throw it in water, and it wouldn't warp. I still have it in Florida.

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Allison Fisher



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

A year — unless I don't like it.

When do you know it's time to change it? Why (in terms of performance) is it time to change?

When it feels too hard.

Do you have any pet peeves or particular preferences with your cue tips?

I usually get the tip cut down quite a few layers to start. I don't do much maintenance.

Who changes them? How did you come to trust this person to do so?

Paul Harrison in Charlotte does my tips unless I'm on the road. I've used Joe Blackburn and Steve Lomax too. Trust comes from trial and error.

How often do you clean your shaft?

I rarely clean the shaft because it doesn't get that dirty. I rarely get chalk on my hands.

What's the longest you've played with a single shaft? What was key to making it last/perform for so long?

I think my snooker shaft was the longest I've played with a shaft. It lasted 10 years or so, but it got thinner with age.

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Darren Appleton



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

Every five or six months.

What is your preference in a tip for your playing cue?

Medium/soft.

Do you have any pet peeves or particular preferences with your cue tips?

I like my tips dome shaped. If it gets too low, I'll change it, but I like to keep the same tip as long as possible because my game is all about feel.

What is your daily routine for your shaft?

I just use a towel and baby powder. I guess I'm really lazy with my shafts.

How often do you deep clean your shaft?

I don't clean my shaft. I like them dirty, so that it looks old and worn. When I get a new shaft, I'll let other people use it or I'll only use it in practice until it's ready.

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Alex Pagulayan



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

If I chalk from side, it will last a long time, maybe three months if I've playing four or five hours a day. But it's important to not scrape across the top of the tip while chalking. You don't have to chalk on every shot — only on shots where you're using a lot of spin. This makes the tip last longer than if you chalk on every shot.

When do you know it's time to change it? Why (in terms of performance) is it time to change?

When you start miscuing on shots where you stroke it nicely or when you think it is bothering you. The psychology part is so important in this game. If there is doubt in your mind and some of that doubt is about the tip, it's time for a new one.

What is your preference in a tip for your playing cue? What do you prefer for your jump/break cue?

I like a medium hard leather in a humid place because it really grabs the cue ball. In dry places like Las Vegas, I tend to miscue too much when using a lot of spin and draw, which I love to do, so I have to reduce the amount of spin I use in dry climates. Also, in dry climates, I will sometimes put one drop of water on my tip and rub my wet finger around the tip and then let it dry for 12 hours before I play with it.

Who changes them? How did you come to trust this person to do so?

Harry Chaggaris in Toronto is the only guy I trust to work on my cue and tip. He has been the man for me for the past 27 years. He is knowledgeable about the game and equipment and is very pleasant to be around. If I need any work done on my cue or tip, I'll fly across the world to bring my cue to him.

Have you had any especially memorable mishaps with tips? Or any unique problems?

When I won the 2004 World Pool Championships, half of the layer of the tip was coming off. In 2007, when I won the Japan Open, a quarter of the tip where it is glued into the ferrule was coming off. How often do you clean your shaft?

I will when it starts to get dirty/sticky and it starts to bother me. It could go a whole match without cleaning it, or it could be every other game. What is your daily routine for your shaft (or for every time you use it)?

I wet a face towel and make it damp and then just give the shaft some hard strokes. Nothing special because I'm always doing this and so the shaft stays pretty clean. What's the longest you've played with a single shaft? What was key to making it last/perform for so long?

Twelve years — from 1995 to 2007. Take good care of a shaft and it can last a long time.

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Kelly Fisher



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

Usually between a year and 18 months.

When do you know it's time to change it? Why (in terms of performance) is it time to change?

It can be a few different things — if it's worn down, or it feels like it has dried out, or it has gone hard.

Do you have any pet peeves or particular preferences with your cue tips?

Nothing really, but it's not a good sign if it starts to mushroom.

Have you had any especially memorable mishaps with tips? Or any unique problems?

Once when I went to China for the world championship, I went to practice, and my tip was coming unstuck and half hanging off. I pulled out my spare shaft and it was the same. I had to get help to put the tip back on, but it wasn't the same feeling.

How often do you deep clean your shaft?

I don't. I'll wipe it down once a week or so, but that's it.

What's the longest you've played with a single shaft? What was key to making it last/perform for so long?

Probably around five or six years. I really don't like to change anything unless needed.

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Fedor Gorst



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

I used to change them once a month, but the last couple of years I haven't changed my tip more than twice a year.

When do you know it's time to change it? Why (in terms of performance) is it time to change?

I don't like when my tip is too low. It plays way harder than it needs to be. It's a feel thing. I know when I have to get a new one.

What is your preference in a tip for your playing cue? What do you prefer for your jump/break cue?

I'm playing with Kamui Brown medium on my playing cue for the last two or three years. Have you had any especially memorable mishaps with tips? Or any unique problems?

I've had so many people ruining my ferrules, and I have at least 10 stories when my tip has fallen off. I usually change my tips at my home pool hall in Russia. If I do it in U.S., I usually go to Anthony Milanesi's shop in D.C. I trust both of them.

How often do you clean your shaft?

I clean my shaft with towel every match, but I'll only do a deep clean every once in a while. I'll use alcohol wipes to clean off the dirt and then use a napkin or towel to wipe off the wet areas.

What's the longest you've played with a single shaft? What was key to making it last/perform for so long?

Taking care of your shaft (cleaning, knowing a good cue master who can change tips) will help your shaft last longer, but nothing lasts forever, unfortunately.

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Shane Van Boening



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

Six months.

When do you know it's time to change it? Why (in terms of performance) is it time to change?

When the edges have holes, or you see the top layer has damage. The tip should be perfectly rounded.

How often do you clean your shaft?

I'll clean my shaft at every tournament. With very little moisture, I'll wipe it down and that's enough.

What is your daily routine for your shaft (or for every time you use it)?

I don't have one. I even leave my cues in the car. Just hit balls all day.

What's the longest you've played with a single shaft? What was key to making it last/perform for so long?

Two years. Once you find a shaft that you like and trust, it can be yours for a long time. Just take care of your piece and go win!

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Alex Lely



On average, how long does a tip last on your regular playing cue?

Four to six months.

When do you know it's time to change it? Why (in terms of performance) is it time to change?

When it's almost gone, when I stop trusting it, or when I'm somewhere where I know someone can fix the tip properly.

What is your preference in a tip for your playing cue? What do you prefer for your jump/break cue?

I'm really not into the [equipment]. Laslo Batis in Rotterdam, Netherlands, has always been my go-to man, but he would put different tips on my cues so sometimes I didn't even know what type of tip I have. People would ask me, and I couldn't tell them.

What's the longest you've played with a single shaft? What was key to making it last/perform for so long?

Five or six years. I never clean my shafts, but if you have something that's good and solid, it doesn't make sense to change. It becomes second nature.

 

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