the pad on the ob shafts is a lot different than most of the pads you see. the ob pad is carbon fiber (very strong and hard), while on ivory ferrules and such those pads are fiber. the ob shafts need the carbon fiber pad because of the design of the shaft. the tip of the shaft is cored with balsa wood and thus must be capped with something to protect the shaft.
the fiber pads you see primarily on ivory ferrules serve a slightly different purpose. many people mistakenly think these pads serve as a "shock absorber" to protect a delicate ivory ferrule. while the pad does protect the ferrule, it is not really a shock absorber. what happens is when you keep playing with the tip it mushrooms and compresses down and to the sides producing a spreading force when you hit a ball. the tip is glued to the end grain of the ivory and it tends to spread the ferrule apart along this grain and crack it. the pad serves as a buffer so the ferrule doesn't get the spreading force of the tip.
