a question about joints

[Pied Piper]

Uni-loc, Accu-Loc, Quick release, etc. etc. For the most part I understand what these joints are and feel like. However, recently at my local pool hall, a guy I was playing was talking to me about how he had to send out the cue and the predator blank to a cue maker to get the shaft drilled for the radial pin, and The radial pin in the joint. What is a Radial joint/pin? What are the benefits/drawbacks of such a joint? Is it a stiff hit with good transfer of feel? Or a softer hit, with dampened vibration? Please help me sort out the confusion!!!

[Mike H]

A radial pin is a very coarse threaded pin, usually used on cues with flat-faced wood-to-wood joints. As opposed to the joints you mentioned, the shaft itself contains the female thread for the pin, as opposed to having a threaded sleeve. I personally prefer the feel of a wood-to-wood joint with radial pin over anything but ivory.