Where can I find published data on squirt (CB deflection) values for various cues?
Platinum Billiards did some tests a while back and posted a collection of extensive data (see below). Meucci has also done some testing measuring the combined effects of squirt, swerve, and throw, so no reliable squirt data was available. Ron Shepard’s squirt paper reports a squirt angle range of about .5 to 2.3° for low- to high-squirt cues, corresponding to a pivot point range of about 50″ to 10″. Platinum’s data (see below) ranges over 1.3 to 2.3° of squirt angle and 7.6″ to 14.1″ for pivot points. Some other data is available on the cue natural pivot length resource page, where the numbers seem to fall in between the ranges reported by Shepard and Platinum.
If you want to take your own squirt measurements, and you don’t have access to a robotic cue-testing machine, the following videos offer advice and procedures for doing your own experiments:
For more info, see: “Cue Tip Squirt Testing” (BD, June, 2014) and “The Carbon Fiber Shaft Craze” (BD, December, 2019). Another way to test and compare cues or shafts is to measure the natural pivot length.
from Patrick Johnson (on AZB post):
[Below is a comparison of LD and non-LD shaft performance.] A shaft’s pivot length is the distance from the tip to pivot in order to compensate for that shaft’s squirt (ignoring “swerve”). It’s also the distance of CB travel at which it will go offline the same distance as the tip’s offset from center CB (in this case the tip offset is assumed to be 9/16″, or maximum). The last column shows how far the CB goes offline (without swerve) for a 30″ shot (average shot distance).
from Platinum Billiards (results from tests on a cue-testing robot called “Iron Willie”), circa about 2008:
NOTE – The “pivot point” data below is the “effective pivot length” for the given shot distance, shot speed, cue elevation, amount of sidespin, and conditions. It is not the natural pivot length of the shaft.
If you are curious about a shaft or cue not on the list below, the easiest way to compare CB deflection is to perform the simple natural pivot length test for each shaft or cue. These numbers should be consistent regardless of who is doing the testing.
HOW AND WHAT WE TEST
We ask the question “which shaft deflects least?” because the butt of the cue has little effect on cue ball deflection. However, shafts are generally tested on the same brand of butt and the test weight for all is kept close to 19 ounces. All shafts are tested as sold by the manufacturer including tip type and tip curvature as noted. All tests are performed using a robot which makes precisely the same stroke with each cue, and for this test the machine is set to produce cue ball speeds of around 15mph. A series of four shots is made with each cue and the resulting cue ball deflection is recorded on a target 50″ away which is exactly the distance between the foot string and the head spot on a 4 ½ x 9 pool table. The four shots are 6mm (about ¼”) and 12mm left of center, and 6mm and 12mm right of center, and these offsets are measured from the center of the cue ball to the center of the shaft. The actual cue ball deflection produced by each shot is measured and the average for the series is given in the chart below in millimeters and inches.
| Shaft Tested | Tip Curvature | Deflection over 50″ (mm) | Deflection over 50″ (inches) | Compared to Average | Pivot Point (inches) | Deflection Rating |
| Predator Z-2 | dime | 29.6 | 1.17 | -28.6% | 14.1 | low |
| Predator Z | dime | 32.3 | 1.27 | -22.2% | 12.8 | low |
| Predator 314-2 | dime | 33.0 | 1.30 | -20.4% | 12.5 | low |
| OB-1 Shaft | dime | 33.4 | 1.32 | -19.3% | 12.3 | low |
| Predator BK2 | dime | 34.6 | 1.36 | -16.5% | 11.9 | low |
| Predator 314 | dime | 34.8 | 1.37 | -16.1% | 11.8 | low |
| McDermott i-3 | dime | 36.8 | 1.45 | -11.2% | 11.1 | low |
| Predator BK | dime | 37.1 | 1.46 | -10.6% | 11.0 | low |
| Universal SmartShaft (Low Squirt) | dime | 37.9 | 1.49 | -8.6% | 10.7 | low |
| McDermott i-2 | dime | 38.6 | 1.52 | -6.9% | 10.5 | med low |
| Universal SmartShaft (Regular Squirt) | dime | 39.4 | 1.55 | -5.0% | 10.3 | med low |
| Axiom | dime | 39.6 | 1.56 | -4.4% | 10.3 | med low |
| McDermott i-1 | dime | 39.6 | 1.56 | -4.4% | 10.3 | med low |
| Action | dime | 40.1 | 1.58 | -3.2% | 10.1 | med low |
| Meucci Red Dot | dime | 40.1 | 1.58 | -3.2% | 10.1 | med low |
| 5280 | dime | 40.6 | 1.60 | -2.0% | 9.9 | med low |
| Sierra | dime | 40.9 | 1.61 | -1.4% | 9.9 | med low |
| Cuetec Thunderbolt | dime | 41.7 | 1.64 | 0.5% | 9.7 | medium |
| Viking | nickel | 41.7 | 1.64 | 0.5% | 9.7 | medium |
| Mezz Power Break 2 | quarter | 41.7 | 1.64 | 0.5% | 9.7 | medium |
| Sterling | nickel | 41.9 | 1.65 | 1.1% | 9.6 | medium |
| Bunjee J/B | quarter | 42.3 | 1.67 | 2.0% | 9.5 | medium |
| Fury JB | dime | 42.7 | 1.68 | 2.9% | 9.4 | medium |
| Falcon | dime | 42.9 | 1.69 | 3.5% | 9.4 | medium |
| McDermott | dime | 42.9 | 1.69 | 3.5% | 9.4 | medium |
| Mezz | dime | 42.9 | 1.69 | 3.5% | 9.4 | medium |
| Tiger X-shaft | nickel | 42.9 | 1.69 | 3.5% | 9.4 | medium |
| Players | dime | 43.4 | 1.71 | 4.8% | 9.2 | medium |
| Sledgehammer J/B | dime | 43.4 | 1.71 | 4.8% | 9.2 | medium |
| Cuetec Vortex | dime | 43.9 | 1.73 | 6.0% | 9.1 | medium |
| Mali | dime | 43.9 | 1.73 | 6.0% | 9.1 | medium |
| Pechauer | nickel | 43.9 | 1.73 | 6.0% | 9.1 | medium |
| Scorpion J/B | quarter | 43.9 | 1.73 | 6.0% | 9.1 | medium |
| Blaze | dime | 43.9 | 1.73 | 6.0% | 9.1 | medium |
| Joss | nickel | 44.2 | 1.74 | 6.6% | 9.1 | med high |
| Cuetec SST | nickel | 44.2 | 1.74 | 6.6% | 9.0 | med high |
| X Breaker | 44.3 | 1.74 | 6.8% | 9.0 | med high | |
| Meucci Black Dot | dime | 44.4 | 1.75 | 7.2% | 9.0 | med high |
| Fury | nickel | 44.7 | 1.76 | 7.8% | 9.0 | med high |
| Lucasi | dime | 44.7 | 1.76 | 7.8% | 8.9 | med high |
| Schon | nickel | 44.7 | 1.76 | 7.8% | 8.9 | med high |
| Axiom J/B | dime | 46.0 | 1.81 | 10.9% | 8.7 | med high |
| Bunjee Blaster | nickel | 46.0 | 1.81 | 10.9% | 8.7 | med high |
| Lightning Bolt | 46.2 | 1.82 | 11.4% | 8.6 | med high | |
| Mezz Break | quarter | 47.8 | 1.88 | 15.2% | 8.3 | high |
| Scorpion Break | dime | 51.3 | 2.02 | 23.7% | 7.6 | high |
Platinum Billiards is an independent company and has no affiliation with any billiard product manufacturer. The performance information we provide is based on careful scientific testing and observation. We are highly experienced at testing the performance of cues and we believe that our methods are sound and accurate. However, we do not claim that our findings are absolute. We are aware that cues of a same model vary slightly and as we test more samples of each, the numbers will become more refined. If any manufacturer is unhappy with our results and/or feels that the ratings are unfair, we encourage them to contact us and we will be happy to answer questions about our methodology and/or arrange for the testing of any cues they would like to send us, and if warranted, we will adjust the numbers accordingly. We can only offer testing of cues, shafts, products that are currently on the market. We do not offer testing for prototypes or products that have yet to be made available to the general public.
Dr. Dave keeps this site commercial free, with no ads. If you appreciate the free resources, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation to show your support: