Half Splice vs. Full Splice

What difference does it make anyway?

True full splice cues were the first pool cues made utilizing two piece construction because it was the only way to join two pieces of wood together without using pegs, dowels or nails.  The inferior hide glues of the day demanded a large surface gluing area which the full splice design provided.  Little did they know the ultimate playing pool cue had been created.  The first notable cue maker understanding the importance of the full splice design was Herman Rambow.   When he left Brunswick he continued to use Titlist blanks until Burton Spain began to furnish custom cue makers with his own improved full splice design.  George Balabushka was another notable who regularly purchased Spain’s blanks.  Because of the strength, stability and balance, it is the ultimate marriage of function and beauty.

In the years that have followed, cue construction has evolved into many forms.  Most of these forms have been short cuts but still giving the overall appearance of a full splice cue.  Today, short splice cues are the most common cue in the market place.  Why?  Easier, less time consuming, less expensive, and overall more cost effective.

The difference between a  full splice and a half splice cue is simply the way it is constructed and the way in which it plays.  The half splice cue is made of four separate pieces of wood (forearm, points, handle and butt sleeve) pinned, doweled and glued together.  Conversely, the full splice cue is made of only two pieces of wood joined together, not involving the use of pins, dowels or other hardware, but by truly splicing two woods together with the most modern day high tech adhesives.  The clear advantage of the full splice cue is its ability to provide not only far superior strength and clean aesthetic lines, but most importantly the pure fluid feel of the ultimate “working cue”. 

In a half splice cue the woods are joined together at the end grain with a threaded rod and it is this flat bearing surface that reduces and alters the natural hit of the cue.  The full splice cue has no flat bearing surfaces what so ever.  The connecting pin in a short splice cue is generally 3-4” long.  The connections in a full splice cue are the four points running 1/3 of the length of the cue, each being 10-11” long providing approximately 80” of uncompromised integrated structural integrity, without a single flat bearing surface.  That relates to approximately 80” of feel and sensitivity, which cannot begin to compare to a flat faced 3-4” pin and dowel system. 

Perhaps Burton Spain put it best.  Not all cues are great “working” cues, but “the greatest “working” cues are made from full-spliced, four-prong blanks”, and “George Balabushka seems to have known this a long time ago.”  It would be difficult to find a more credible and qualified team of spokes people for the full splice design than Herman Rambow, Burton Spain and George Balabushka.

For information on designing your own full splice custom cue, contact Mark Bear using this form or by e-mail at mark@bearcues.com