The Cue Designed to Look Like Fire and Play Like Precision
The Longoni Flames Wood pool cue is Niels Feijen's 6th signature cue model, first produced in 2019, and it remains one of the most visually arresting cues in competitive pool. The forearm and butt sleeve are crafted from ebony-like URAL wood, accented with curved inlays of curly maple and bokote that create a flickering "flames" pattern across the entire cue.
It's equal parts performance instrument and collector's piece. Born from a Hall of Fame career, the Flames Wood carries the DNA of one of pool's most decorated champions. Below, we break down the materials, the Italian craftsmanship behind every joint and inlay, the shaft options that let you choose your playing philosophy, and why this premium pool cue is genuinely hard to find.
Who Is Niels Feijen? The Champion Behind the Cue
Niels Feijen, nicknamed "The Terminator," is a two-time pool world champion whose resume spans the sport's biggest stages. His major titles include the 2014 WPA World 9-Ball Championship, the 2008 World Straight Pool Championship, and the World Pool Masters in both 2013 and 2018.
Beyond those headline wins, Feijen has earned 4 Mosconi Cup MVP awards and captured the European Straight Pool Championship 7 times. He was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame, becoming the first Dutch-born player to receive that honor. That distinction adds genuine legacy value to every cue that carries his name.
Feijen's playing style is defined by surgical precision and an almost mechanical consistency under pressure. Those qualities are reflected directly in the Flames Wood's design choices: tight tolerances, interchangeable shaft options, and materials selected for stability over flash. The Flames Wood is his 6th collaboration with Longoni, and the depth of that partnership shows. This is not a licensing deal where a name gets stamped on a stock cue. It's the product of years of feedback between a world champion and a family of Italian cue makers.
URAL Wood: The Science Behind the Flames Aesthetic
URAL is Longoni's proprietary wood brand, introduced in 2019 alongside the Flames Wood itself. The base material is European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), a sustainably harvested hardwood native to the continent. What makes URAL distinctive is the staining process: Longoni uses an innovative technique of alternating pressurization and depressurization cycles to drive pigment deep into the wood grain, not just across the surface.
The result is a rich, ebony-like appearance that penetrates the full depth of the wood. Unlike a surface stain that can wear or chip over years of play, the URAL treatment is structural. The color is part of the wood, not sitting on top of it.
Hornbeam itself brings excellent properties to a billiard cue: medium-to-high density, strong dimensional stability, and a long functional lifespan. Critically, it's a non-endangered species. For premium buyers who scrutinize material sourcing, this matters. Many high-end cues rely on actual ebony or other tropical hardwoods facing conservation pressure. URAL offers an ethical alternative that doesn't compromise on aesthetics or performance.
Compared to competitor cues built with synthetic materials or endangered woods, the Longoni Flames Wood occupies a unique position: sustainably sourced, technically superior in stain depth, and visually indistinguishable from far more problematic materials.
80 Years of Italian Craftsmanship: How Longoni Builds the Flames Wood
Longoni was founded in 1945 by Alessandro Longoni in Mariano Comense, a small town in Lombardy's Province of Como. The region has been celebrated for its Brianza wood-crafting tradition since the 18th century, and Longoni's factory sits squarely within that heritage.
Every Longoni cue, including the Flames Wood, is produced entirely in Italy under direct Longoni family supervision. The manufacturing timeline from raw lumber to finished cue stretches over 24 months. That process includes extended wood seasoning, precision shaping, hand inlaying of the curly maple and bokote flame patterns, and multiple finishing stages.
In 1995, Longoni introduced CNC precision machining into its workflow, blending artisanal skill with modern engineering accuracy. The combination means each cue benefits from hand-selected materials and computer-controlled tolerances that would be impossible to achieve by hand alone.
It's worth noting that Renzo Longoni invented the world's first laminated cue shaft (the Stratos) in 1965, later patenting the technology in 1985. That foundational innovation still underpins the S2 shaft available with the Flames Wood today. Longoni's "Made in Italy" pedigree is comparable to Italian luxury watchmaking or fashion: the label means something because the process behind it is real and verifiable.
Each Flames Wood cue carries a hand-signed serial number, providing authentication and adding collectible value for buyers investing at this level.
Shaft Options: Wood Tradition or Carbon Fiber Performance?
One of the Flames Wood's strongest features is its compatibility with multiple shaft philosophies. The cue accepts Longoni's S2, S20, and S30 Stratos laminated shafts as well as the Luna Nera carbon graphite shaft.
The S2 Stratos shaft is constructed from 10 highly selected Canadian hard rock maple slices, with each shaft individually laser-numbered for traceability. It's a direct descendant of Renzo Longoni's 1965 invention, refined over six decades. The S2 delivers the traditional wood feel that many players prefer: warm feedback, a natural hit, and the subtle grain texture under your bridge hand.
The Luna Nera shaft takes a completely different approach. It's a pure unidirectional carbon graphite shaft engineered for extreme low deflection, high power transfer, and total resistance to humidity and warping. Longoni developed it using over 25 years of composite materials experience. For players who prioritize consistency across varying conditions, the Luna Nera removes environmental variables from the equation.
The wood vs. carbon debate is real, and both sides have merit. Traditional players value the feedback and feel of a maple shaft. Modern competitors increasingly favor the predictability of carbon fiber. What makes the Flames Wood rare is that it lets you switch between these philosophies without changing the butt, thanks to the VP2 joint system. This precision-engineered joint ensures consistent shaft interchangeability and performance repeatability across shaft types.
The cue ships standard with a 29-inch shaft and a 12.4mm Kamui Original Soft tip.
Wrap Variants and the 3Lobite Extension System
The Flames Wood is available in four wrap configurations:
- Wood (no wrap) — for players who prefer direct feedback and a clean, sleek feel
- Leather — offers solid grip and moisture absorption during long sessions
- Irish linen — a classic choice that provides consistent texture and a familiar hand
- Longoni leather strips — a hybrid grip option that balances texture with smoothness
The cue is also 3Lobite-ready, meaning it's pre-engineered to accept original Longoni extension accessories. Players can adjust cue length for bridge shots or personal playing style without any modification to the cue itself.
The Flames Wood carries a minimum weight of 18 oz and ships with a Longoni black cue bag and joint protectors included. Between the wrap choices, shaft options, and extension compatibility, this is a genuinely customizable performance tool, not just a display piece.
A Collector's Cue With Real Playing Credentials
Consider what the Flames Wood represents as a complete package: hand-signed by Niels Feijen, individually serial-numbered, backed by champion provenance, and built over 24 months by Italian artisans in a factory with 80 years of history. These are the signals that define a true collector's cue.
The premium cue market reflects this kind of value. The global high-end pool cue market was valued at $580 million in 2024 and is projected to reach $950 million by 2032. Average premium cue prices rose roughly 14% between 2021 and 2025, driven by both material costs and a genuine willingness among serious players to invest in quality.
At $1,519.00 for the Luna Nera version, the Flames Wood sits firmly in the premium/collector tier. A hand-signed, serially numbered cue from a BCA Hall of Famer, built entirely in Italy over two years, carries long-term value that extends well beyond its playing life.
The Longoni Flames Wood is exclusively available at Billiard City. We are the only authorized retailer carrying this model, making it a genuinely rare find you won't come across at other stores. As an authorized Longoni dealer sourcing genuine stock direct, we stand behind every cue we sell with the expert customer service that buyers at this level expect and deserve.
Is the Longoni Flames Wood the Right Cue for You?
The Flames Wood is built for serious competitive players, Feijen fans, collectors, and anyone who wants a single cue platform adaptable to both wood and carbon shaft philosophies. Its key differentiators are straightforward: URAL sustainable wood, 24-month Italian craftsmanship, four wrap choices, VP2 joint interchangeability, and the option to mount a Luna Nera carbon shaft.
Because this cue is exclusively available at Billiard City, you won't find it browsing other retailers. Our team knows these cues inside and out, and we're happy to answer any questions before you commit to a purchase at this level. If the Flames Wood has caught your eye, reach out to us directly or explore the full product listing on our store. We're here to help you find exactly the right configuration for your game.