9-Ball
Topic: Hows the new cue Si

visited Pool table magic over the weekend,you can play from 6pm to 2am for $6 ,anyway,I was talking to the owner Mark Kulungian,he told me he`s just sold Si a custom cue,he asked me to try and find out what you think of the cue Si,how it plays,it arrived ok etc,got a cue question,just bought a ivory ferrul,what difference in feel,hit etc will this give compared to normal ferrul,I still have the predator,also about 1 month ago there was a custom cue day at pool table magic,with cue makers,collectors showing there cues,I`ve never seen so many high end cues,simon would have been in heaven.Hows the action at Leeds rileys.

Hi mate

Mark Kulungian is one of the top, top collectors in the U.S. I hear his club is spectacular also. The cue is fantastic pal, it plays great. In fact, PC was using it last night to great effect against me

Wish I could have got over for the cue meet and greet. Great idea.

Everything good here. Leeds Rileys is a bit quiet at the mo. We need a few big money games to pick up business (Dynamite/Disher......?).

Hope things are good for you stateside. Are you missing Yorkshire Pudding yet? (the food....not Dazzler).

Are you intending on putting the ivory ferrule on the Predator? If yes, I would advise against it. Reason is, it will completely change the deflection on your Predator. The spliced shaft is only half of the reason why Predators do what they do. The other half is the ferrule. I have played with Predator shafts with replacement ferrules (not from Predator) and there is definately a difference.

Some people love the hit of a shaft with an ivory ferrule, some do not. Forgetting what tip you have on it for a second, there is a different sound in the hit with an ivory ferrule compared with a standard, plastic or composite ferrule.

If Lee Hersey is around, he might be able to explain the hit of his James White, which has two shafts with ivory ferrules.

...and I'd have to question whether anyone should have ivory in their cue anyway. I have in mine and admit it's beautiful but I'm sending it back to the states now for repair and that brings with it a lot of nervousness about getting ivory back through customs.

I never really thought about it before but I should be nervous because it's against the law to use this stuff and rightly so. I wouldn't go and buy a mink or bearskin coat so in the same token I wouldn't buy another cue with ivory in it. I'm quite surprised at myself for not thinking about it before but when I do I know where I'd rather see a nice pieice of ivory and it's not in a pool cue

Fine, give me the cue back. I have a whole host of ivory free cues....come and pick one.

Isn't the ivory in most of these cues pre-ban (1970 something) which is still legal?

If so how is the ivory verified and why are the US still trading in it if it is banned?

On 2007-08-30 10:43 , thediamond Wrote:
You know I love the cue Si and I can't go an put it back on the efalump... I'm just saying if I were buying again I would think differently. Just never really thought about it until now. I've seen some of your amazing looking cues with no ivory (the Szamboti for instance) so I guess there's no real need for it.

On 2007-08-30 10:47 , The_Teach Wrote:

Big subject, Pete. One which we have discussed on here before.

There are many sources of ivory or to be more precise, bone ivory. Not all of these sources come from large grey mammals with big ears and tusks.

Much of the ivory used today is fossil ivory....Mammoth ivory (I kid you not). I haven't seen a hairy elephant being attacked by a Sabre Toothed Tiger for 10,000 years so my conscience on that front is pretty clear.

As far as the stocks of ivory go, all ivory in the US is vetted by the proper authorities and is supplied with documentation to say it is from authorised stocks. That is, all the animals involved died of natural causes. Cue makers purchase from these sources, this is all pre ban stuff. As we all know, some folk tend to not follow the rules and the illegal trade of ivory (whilst dimminished) still exists. It is down to the purchaser of the raw ivory, his costs and his own conscience. Cue makers have to provide evidence of his ivory sources from time to time so it is futile to buy from an illegal source.

Now the free trade of ivory products or ivory inlaid products is legal for the domestic market in the U.S. (provided all of the above is adheared to), it only becomes naughty when they leave the country and the E.U. is very clear on the rules and regulations. Elephant ivory from any source (pre ban or otherwise but not fossilised) is not permitted in the E.U.

Its down to the individual to make up his own mind. The innocent slaughter of animals for material items is unacceptable in my eyes also. Knowing the full facts has helped me make informed choices. I know where its coming from and I know the cue makers. They are all of high moral fibre, at least the ones I deal with are. The only problem is for the cue maker and his export of ivory inlaid products.

I do wear leather shoes, a leather coat, I have leather on my car seats, I have a wolf fish skinned wallet and I have loads of cues with ivory inlaid into it. I am not trying to suggest its the same but I am pointing out that these elephants have led full lives right through to old age and were simply not slaughtered to make a cue. Not like a farmed animal. I eat meat also.

Informed choices, my conscience is completely clear.

Great info Si, thanks. I had no idea there was such thing as an 'acceptable source' as you describe and believed the source of all Ivory was from the illegal trade across Africa and, more worryingly, Asia where elephants are becoming very endangered.

Lee, with regards to sending your cue off.

My cue has come thru Customs with no problems and its got ivory in it. I was a little concerned as its taken Customs 4 days to process it.

Cheers for that Si - the man hath much knowledge.

I too eat meat and wear leather shoes (although I draw the line at the leather jacket )

However, I completely agree that if the ivory is from the right source you should have a clear conscience as it is about choice.

not well si

any chance of that call!!

Sorry pal, nasty day today.

Off out with Chelle now, will bell you when I land back.

I asked Mark Kulungian about fitting aivory ferrul on my predator,he recommended on keeping the cue as is,so I will.Yes Marks club is very nice,maybe about 14 brunswick gold crowns in main hall,very clean and well thought out decor,but theres more,he as a special private room with 2 vintage brunswicks in perfect condition,the room is filled with vintage pool collectables,ie posters,pool balls,cues and much much more,oh and the tabls play beautiful,very fast cloth,a pleasure to play on.

any big games happen in that club smellycat?

good to hear from you mate you seem happy ou there good luck

ill be going us open! i will be going to dcc in jan then i think ill stick around and see whats about after so might make a trip your way!!

Don`t think it gets much action,I know one club were you mite get some action,as you know,think NY is the best place this side of the states for action,I`ll keep my eyes and ears open for action etc,good luck for the US open.Think for pure pool action DCC is still the place to be.The big tour round this end of the states is the Joss tour,mite be possible to get some action from some of the tour players.

lee if you post your cue to the usa it may be confiscated by customs as no ivory is allowed into usa, its a chance you take that you might never see your cue again

Calm it down, Nipper. Lee is scared to death as it is. In the 10 plus years I have done this, I have shipped over 1000 cues all over the world (mainly the U.S.) and I haven't lost one.

Good point about the Ivory Si.... is there any rules about having a snakeskin wrap though?

When it comes to dealing in cue sticks, Si is the guy to talk to, I don't know of any other individual guys in the UK, that have traded as many cues, as he has, and is as knowledgable, and so, I would recommend listening to whatever help/advice that Si has to give.

Willie