What Cue Does Steve Davis Use?
Short answer: The maker, length and weight of the cue Steve Davis used through his six world titles are not reliably documented. What is documented is its most famous moment: in 1987 the cue snapped at the ferrule during the Rothmans Grand Prix, and John Parris repaired it by extending the butt by the length lost at the tip, which meant sawing the cue in two. Riley also produced Steve Davis signature cues, but those were commercial models, not his match cue.
Steve Davis’s cue at a glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maker | Not reliably documented (repaired by John Parris in 1987) |
| Length | Not publicly documented |
| Weight | Not publicly documented |
| Tip | Not publicly documented |
| Joint | Not publicly documented |
| Source confidence | High for the 1987 repair; low for everything else |
The repair that saved a champion’s cue
By 1987 Davis was the dominant force in snooker, and his cue was as much a part of that machine as his famously methodical game. During the Rothmans Grand Prix that year, it snapped at the ferrule, the metal collar at the tip end. For a player whose game was built on precision and repetition, losing the cue mid-season was a crisis.
Rather than build a new one, John Parris, whose workshop has since made or maintained cues for players including Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins and Neil Robertson, attempted a repair. The challenge was that a shorter cue would change the balance Davis relied on. Parris’s solution was to extend the butt by exactly the length lost at the tip, preserving the cue’s balance and feel. To do it, he had to saw Davis’s cue in two. It is still cited as one of the most remarkable repairs in cue-making history.
The fact that such an effort was made says everything about how professionals of that era viewed their cues: not as replaceable equipment, but as an extension of the arm.
The Riley “Steve Davis” cues
If you search for a Steve Davis cue today, you will mostly find Riley-branded signature cues from his championship years, with his printed autograph on the shaft and the Riley logo on the butt. These were mass-market cues made for club players and fans, and they turn up regularly on auction sites. They are collectable pieces of snooker history, but there is no evidence they were the cue Davis used in competition.
How the cue suited Davis’s game
Davis won six world titles, in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988 and 1989, with a style built on safety, control and relentless consistency. For that approach, the priority is a cue whose feel never changes, which is exactly why Parris went to such lengths to preserve its balance after 1987.
Why the ferrule is a cue’s weak point
The ferrule is the short brass or metal sleeve at the tip end of the cue. It protects the end of the shaft and gives the tip a solid base. Because it is at the thinnest part of the cue and takes every impact through the tip, it is also where cues are most vulnerable. A knock, a fall or years of heavy play can crack the timber just behind it, and once that happens, the cue can snap under normal use.
That is what happened to Davis in 1987. Regular checks help: if a ferrule feels loose, if you see a hairline crack in the wood beside it, or if the tip keeps coming off, have the cue looked at before the problem gets worse.
Balance explained: why Parris rebuilt the butt
Every cue has a balance point, the spot along its length where it would balance on a finger. Players get used to where the weight sits, and it shapes how the cue feels through the shot. When a cue loses length at the tip end, as Davis’s did, the balance point shifts backwards, and the cue feels different even if the total weight barely changes.
By extending the butt by the same amount lost at the tip, Parris restored the cue’s overall length and brought the balance back to where Davis was used to it. Cutting a champion’s cue in two to do that took both skill and confidence, and it is why the repair is still remembered.
Want a cue like Steve Davis’s?
Davis’s story is the strongest argument for looking after your cue. A cracked ferrule or a worn tip end changes how a cue plays, and small problems are much easier to fix early. Our snooker cue maintenance and care guide explains how to keep the ferrule, tip and shaft in good condition.
If you want to understand what a cue maker like Parris is actually doing when he rebalances a cue, read how snooker cues are made, from splicing to balancing, then browse traditional ash snooker cues on bestsnookercue.com.
Frequently asked questions
What cue did Steve Davis use?
The maker and specifications of Davis’s match cue are not reliably documented. What is well recorded is that it snapped at the ferrule in 1987 and was repaired by John Parris, who extended the butt by the length lost at the tip to keep the cue’s balance.
What happened to Steve Davis’s cue in 1987?
During the 1987 Rothmans Grand Prix, Davis’s cue snapped at the ferrule. John Parris repaired it by extending the butt by the same length lost from the tip, preserving its balance, which required sawing the cue in two.
Are Riley Steve Davis cues the same as his match cue?
No. Riley produced Steve Davis signature cues with his printed autograph for club players and fans during his championship years. They are collectable today, but there is no evidence they were the cue Davis used in professional competition.
