Points A, B, C, D, & E often have decorative rings added. A single ring is called a "Beauty Ring" or an "Accent Ring". A stitched ring appears as a dashed line, and a "Bushka Ring" is similar to the stitch ring but is made from sterling silver.

Q. Can you put pictures on a cue?
A. No, my cues are all inlaid. I don't use decals and I do not air brush pictures on cues.

Q. How long does it take to make a custom cue?
A.That depends on the design and the types of wood used and whether or not I have them in stock at the proper moisture level. If I have them in stock it can take anywhere from 10 to 20 weeks.

Q. What do you mean when you say that the forearm of a cue is cored?
A. If the forearm of a cue is made from a very heavy and dense wood like ebony it must be cored to reduce the weight to an acceptable level. To do this the ebony is drilled out and a maple dowel is inserted. This produces a more solid hit and a more stable ebony forearm.

Q. Do you have cues available in stock?
A. Yes, I always keep 20 to 25 cues in stock for people that do not care to wait for a custom cue.

Q. Do you always use the stainless-steel joint on your cues?
A. Not at all. As a matter of fact the linen-based phenolic joints and the Elforyn joint are becoming more and more popular. Ivorine IV can also be used for an excellent hit.

Q. Do you ever use ivory in your cues?
A. I usually use mircarta or elforyn, an ivory substitute, but again, if the customer prefers ivory, that can be done.

Q. How is the signature put on the cue?
A. In a birds eye or curly maple forearm, the signature is inlaid in the cue approximately .075 thousandths deep and filled with ebony. In a darker forearm, like ebony or kingwood, I would inlay it with ivory or elforyn.

Q. What is elforyn?
A. Elforyn is a very high-quality ivory substitute. It has a very high mineral content. It machines and polishes like ivory. It is chalk- resistant like ivory and it has relatively the same hit as ivory. It is also fluorescent under black light just like ivory.

Q. How are your cues balanced?
A. The balance point of a cue is very important to the feel and hit of the cue. The balance point of my cues is anywhere from one to two inches ahead of the wrap area. For those that like a more forward balance that can also be accomplished.

Q. What kind of stain do you use on your cues?
A. I do not use any kind of wood stain on my cues. All of the woods used on any cue I have made are in their natural state. I have however, used a Trans Tint Dye Solution at times. Not to change the color but to highlight the grain or the features of the wood. For instance, the stripes on tiger maple can be highlighted very effectively with this technique. I do not care for cues that are made with lower quality woods and are stained to look like higher quality material. If there is a certain color you are looking for I'm sure we can find a wood to match.

Q. How much are shipping and handling costs?
A. Shipping and handling costs for the continental United States are $20.00. This price includes the mandatory insurance. Shipping to other than the United States can easily be calculated at USPS.com using a two-pound package as a reference.

Q. How are the inlays put in your cues?
A. All inlays are installed using a pantograph. The most recent cues have inlays that were cut with a very small end mill (.020 of an inch). That is why the tips of the diamonds and spearheads are so very sharp. This can only be accomplished with a bit slightly larger than a human hair. This also accounts for the tightness of the fit and the non-existence of glue lines.

Q. What kind of joint do your cues have?
A. Most of my cues have a 5/16 x 14 piloted joint but I can also make them with the 3/8 x 10 wood to wood joint.

Q. On cues with a wood to wood joint why do you use a bloodwood insert in the shaft?
A. Most cue makers will drill and tap the maple shaft on cues with a wood to wood joint. I don't believe maple is hard enough to withstand the frequent assembly of the shaft and butt. I use a bloodwood insert which is than drilled and tapped to accept the joint pin. Bloodwood is almost as hard as ebony and I believe these threads will hold up much better than maple threads.