Take This Jump Break Cue… Or Not?

I Tried A New Jump And A New Break Cue And Report On My Findings

Got a good question today regarding the purchase of a jump break cue. That had me thinking about seeing The Drill Instructor, Dominic Esposito, at a pool clinic this week.

Dominic, along with other super-cool pool dudes like Donny Lutz and Carl Oswald, was recently named to "The Top 20 Pool Instructors" by Pool & Billiards Magazine, itself a fast up-and-coming pool publication with a powerful staff of instructors aboard.

How would you answer Matthew Lim's question regarding a new jump break cue?

"Matt,

Hope this message finds you well.

Want to get your opinion on jump break cues. I've been searching for all the info I can get on them online but still can't answer my questions.

I prefer a heavy cue to break but a light cue to jump. So if I were to buy a jump break, what would the ideal weight be?

On most retailers' websites you can choose the weight of the jumpbreak but I suppose this is for the whole cue. What is the weight of the thing with the bottom part pulled off then?

I notice popular cues like the Stinger, BK2 and Sledgehammer all still feature phenolic tips. Aren't these illegal under BCA?

On my belian wood - I got hold of a cuemaker in Bali and he told me belian is not good for cue making because the wood naturally secretes a type of "oil" slowly over the years.

That's what makes this wood 'waterproof'. This also means any inlays, joints and finishing will have a hard time staying bonded to the wood!

Regards..."

Buying one hybrid jump break cue will save you some dough, which leads paradoxically to my question:

Photo courtesy of The Drill Instructor