Carbon fiber shafts have taken the pool world by storm due to their unsurpassed performance and durability but they are not without their detractors. There's a ton of top-players out there that still refuse to switch over to carbon fiber because of the many qualities inherent to wood shafts. Well, now you can get the best of both worlds with the Hsunami Kielwood Shaft, from Richard Hsu (RJH Custom Cues), which are considered by many to be the perfect balance between standard maple and carbon fiber in terms of playability and consistency! 

The Hsunami Kielwood shafts feature low-deflection performance and durability on par or exceeding the top carbon fiber shafts while maintaining the feel and pleasing sounds of a wood shaft. In addition to the expert skill and painstaking quality controls that Richard Hsu incorporates with every single one of his hand made cues, the Hsunami shafts have an extra "secret ingredient" that separates them from the competition.  The difference comes from the special "torrification" process and here's how it works:     

Torrification is a proven process (instrument/Guitar builders have used it for soundboards and guitar tops to great effect) involving the use of a high-temperature kiln to mimics the effects of natural aging and drying. The accelerated drying process actually changes the cellular structure of the wood by releasing around 95% of the sugars and moisture inside the shaft. Removing those natural elements lightens the shaft and closes off the wood cells to stiffen as well. These are very desirable properties when creating a low-deflection shaft!

Maple, the most common shaft wood, is naturally hygroscopic, which means it will absorb and release moisture with changes in temperature and humidity. These environmental changes are usually what causes warping in pool cue shafts. By closing the cellular structure of the wood, the torrification process creates a non-hygroscopic pool cue shaft that is more resistant to environmental changes and warpage. The resulting Kielwood shaft provides uniquely pleasing feedback and a distinctive golden honey color with performance that is second to none!

Torrified maple is all the rave on the billiard forums and is proving itself to be a worthy alternative shaft material to carbon fiber as they share many of the same performance traits. If you have been looking for a low-deflection carbon fiber alternative, the Hsunami Kielwood Low Deflection shafts from Richard Hsu are the best!

For to get more in depth information on the features and benefits of Hsunami Kielwood Shafts check out this great testimonial from Pool Addiction: