How to Determine if a Pool Cue Is Straight

You'll see some pool players holding the cue stick up horizontally at eye level to see if it is warped. Here's another way to check.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Billiard Lighting
• Cue Stick Chalk
• Pool Balls
• Pool Cue Carrying Cases
• Pool Cues
• Pool Table Covers
• Pool Table Horsehair Brushes
• Pool Tables
• Pool Triangles

1. Select a cue.

2. Place the cue flat on the pool table's felt.

3. Roll the cue slowly across the table.

4. Watch the cue's tip as it rolls. If the tip is bent, it will roll unevenly across the felt.

5. Repeat until you find a straight cue.

Tips & Warnings

• A little warping won't matter unless you think it will.

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on 6/30/2006 I own a number of top quality cues from makers such as Viking, Scorpion, Falcon, Cuetec, and I've never seen instructions coming with them saying rolling a cue on a table will warp it.
While it's not a reliable way to tell if a two piece cue is straight, it won't harm the cue in any fashion if you do roll it a few times on the flat table surface.

If you do wish to test a 2 piece cue this way, test each section separately. And remember that if the tip is mushroomed at all it will affect the shaft section's roll. To test it without tip interference, rest it over a pocket with the tip extending into the open pocket and the ferrule (white plastic thing at the top) just on the pocket edge. Shafts have a taper to them so there will be a gap area that doesn't contact the table, watch that gap for any change in depth to see if the shaft is correctly tapered.
The butt of the cue can be slightly affected by any grip warps, linen or leather, but any warping of this section will be clearly visible still.

When rolling a 2 piece cue put together for level checking, remember that the joint construction is now also being checked and it could be the joint thats out of whack if the cue wobbles. Still not a good thing anyway for a quality cue.

Still, the proper method for checking a cue is to hold it out and down slightly, looking down it's length from the butt end, and twisting it slowly while watching for any funny stuff.

on 11/22/2005 You should never roll your cue along a pool table as this leads to warping of a cue. This is in the instruction manuals that come with all quality cues. You should hold the cue at the rear and look along it's length. Twist the cue to check all sides.

on 11/22/2005 When preparing to acquire a chosen shot, make sure your bridge hand is as flat as you can get it. Don't try to prop up your hand on the table using your other fingers if you don't need to.

Close your fingers together and find space for it on the table. Rest your thumb over your pointing finger. Placing your thumb too high will tighten the grip on the cue, and make you look silly.

To avoid kicks, make sure the cue is firmly rested on your skin, and you can strike and retreat the cue with great ease. Although friction affects the force emitted by the cue, it will help control your shot and the accuracy of how you play positional shots.

Remember that the correctness of your shot depends on the force your cueing hand produces when committing to the shot. Don't "cannon" your shots unless you need to. Go for the Steve Davis approach, not the Alex Higgins approach. Play the shot in relation to the speed of the felt.

The felt speed can be tested by using a selection of forces on the white, in order to get a natural feel for the table. Using the cushions will also help you determine the drag and the conditions of the felt.