VM9 and It's Default Joint

[audiopro]

First let me start by saying I have read through the groups and I am quite impressed with the official support from Viking, Sid, and Predator. I originally bought my cues through Billiard Warehouse, but will likely make future purchaes here. That said...

I own a VM9 and love it. I ordered it with it's default joint #5, which on this cue, is a wood to implex. Now, I did not know it would come like this, I thought it would be implex to implex. But apparently not on this cue. The hit was much different than my other cues, metal to metal, but I like the hit a lot more. Question, is the wood to implex likely to be damaged or stressed easier than another joint type, or is it just as solid. The reason I ask is because the bottom of the shaft the clear-coat seems to be cracking somewhat. Not the wood itself I dont think, not yet anyways. But the shaft will catch dirt and the like at the bottom, the same way it does at the top where it is not coated. Is this a problem, was the shaft just not finished thoroughly? I do play a lot of pool with it, probably about 10 hours a week.

Let me also say, just for the record: I totally love this cue!!! :)

[skor]

A friend of mine has a viking cue with a #5 joint, the face of the joint on the butt side has a few cracks, I got to tell you after telling my friend to buy this cue I will never let any one I know get a viking with this joint, a metal to implex may feel different but will last longer.
I think Viking Cues should test that joint again b4 selling any more cue with it (even if most of their cue at the moment comes with that joint)

[skor]

just wanted to add the cue has never been used to break with
and my friend takes good care of it, the cue had never been droped, never been left in a car during day or night and he has a hard tube case for it

[audiopro]

Not a promising response. I too have never broke, and am a soft finesse shooter too. And the cue is kept in a Giussepe Case indoors. Hopefully Viking will post a response here too, and give me some more insight..

[dags_lax]

I have two Vikings with the joint 4, implex to implex joint. One of the cues over twenty years old and the other is over ten years old and was used as a break cue for a few years. I have not had any problems with either cue.

[New Kid In The Hall]

I have Vikings with joints #5 (wood/implex to wood/impex) and #6 (wood to wood). No issues with either. In fact the cue I'm using more now is a VX-13 with a matched 314 shaft (wood to wood).