SUPPLIES
Overview
The most important part of playing pool is the equipment. If you have a flimsy unlevel table or cracked balls, it ruins the experience. Every part of the game is dependent on every piece of the set. The most important part is the pool cue. Here are some tips on how to buy pool cues.
How to buy a pool cue
Step 1
Before buying a cue, you have to make sure it's straight. Bring the cue to the outside of your best eye or the eye you use to look at your shots when playing pool. As you look down the cue, focus on a specific item, such as a lamp or floor tile. You should not be able to see any deviation in the cue at all. It should be a straight line from your eye to the end of the cue and continuing to the spot you are focusing on.
Step 2
Conduct a second test to make sure it's level and straight. Roll the cue while it is on a flat surface. No part of the cue should come off of the table.
Step 3
Make sure that the butt and the tip are secure, and that the parts that screw together fit together nicely.
Step 4
You can buy a cue almost anywhere, be it Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or the local billiard place. Once you've examined the cue completely, you are ready to make a purchase.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : As you look down the barrel of the cue, slowly turn the cue with your thumb and middle finger. This will allow you to see if there are any discrepancies in the straightness you are seeing. The can be as long as an inch.
- WARNING : If the person you're purchasing the cue from will not allow you to examine the cue in these ways, walk away from the sale.
A crack or a knot could severely hinder the structure of the cue.
