The great majority of amateur billiard players possess no very exact or sound knowledge as to the points of a good cue, and, as so very much depends upon the cue, which, as has been very truly said, really makes the stroke in all billiards worthy of the name, I propose to outline briefly the chief points to be borne in mind when purchasing one. It must be explained, in the first place, that "butted" billiard cues are manufactured in two different ways. In the French-butted machine-made cue the ash shaft and the solid ebony butt are both shaped so as to dovetail into one another, and are then run together with glue. In the English-butted hand-made cue the ebony (or other wood selected for the butt) is glued in four sections to the squared ash cue butt, and the whole is then planed into proper shape. Thus in the English-butted hand-made cue the ash shaft runs right through the butt, the whole length of the cue, this materially assisting the player in the matter of" touch." French-butted and English-butted cues may at once be distinguished by simply looking at the points of the ebony butt. If these four points run to a very fine, sharp point, the cue is a French-butted one, but, if they are slightly rounded, then the cue is an English butted hand-made article. As may be gathered from the foregoing remarks, a best English-butted cue is the one to purchase.
The shaft of the cue should be of English, not foreign, ash, and it is of the highest importance that the wood used should be thoroughly well seasoned. Hence it is advisable to patronise the very best makers, who, it may be added, naturally employ the most highly skilled cue makers. A novice can hardly make a mistake in selecting a cue that has evidently been a year or two in stock; if in that time it has not warped out of truth, it is pretty sure to be seasoned and sound.
There are some very important points to be noted in the matter of this ash shaft of the cue. In the first place, there should always be plenty of wood in the shoulder of the cue, viz., just above the ebony points. This helps to balance the cue, and in some degree to make it rigid and stiff at the fore-end, an extremely essential matter, for the cue must not on meeting the cue ball bend or give way in the slightest degree. Then the cue must not only be as straight as possible from tip to butt end, but true in its taper, and, as far as possible, straight in the grain, though a piece of ash that is perfectly straight in the grain is a very great rarity indeed.
The length of the cue must next be discussed, and in this connection I have seen some very amusing things in print. Nearly all the old books on billiards placed the best average length of cue at 4ft. 9in., and in so doing were correct to a fraction of an inch. This is, indeed, the very best length of cue for all players, except only the very tallest, who may be left to suit their height and reach in the matter. Most of the books just referred to, however, put the cue's inclusive measurements at from 4ft. 7in. to 4ft 11in., a needlessly wide, and, from a practical standpoint, quite incorrect margin on either side. Years of practice and study in this little matter have unalterably convinced me that the cue should never be shorter than 4ft. 8½ in.; nor need it, except for the very few exceptionally tall men just alluded to, ever exceed 4ft. 9½ in.
Cue tips, being made in. France, are sized by their diameter in millimetres, viz., 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. Sizes 11 (a medium tip) and 12 are the only two that need be used for billiard cues.
One last piece of advice. Never use sandpaper or glasspaper to clean a cue. A damp duster, followed by the brisk use of a dry one, will not only clean the cue, but will put a beautiful natural polish on it as well. The ideal weight for a cue is 15½oz.