Nickel or dime shaped tip?
- Thread starter alstl
- Start date
when i started to play more seriously, i normally just took a willard shaper and used that to scuff up the tip. that was about a yr ago.
Now i use a Moori Med, and havent scuffed it in weeks, i just take a tip pik to it and go on my way.
but i have my tip as a nickle size its nice and works for me
dave
Now i use a Moori Med, and havent scuffed it in weeks, i just take a tip pik to it and go on my way.
but i have my tip as a nickle size its nice and works for me
dave
Dime shape, advantages, more english when i need it of course. I use to play with a nickel, that way i could always know i was hitting more of the cueball dead center, but i likes theeeeee feel of a dime. Cole 'TheConArtist'
i have mine installed with a dime radius, however after a little play, and chalking(since chalk is abrasive) it becomes a nickel radius. i guess i'm not as in tune with it as some other people, but either one works fine for me. i don't really notice much of a difference
i guess since the way i chalk, combined with the way i play, the tip naturally takes on a nickel radius, that a nickel is best suited for me.
VAP
i guess since the way i chalk, combined with the way i play, the tip naturally takes on a nickel radius, that a nickel is best suited for me.
VAP
The tip shapes itself after some playing. If you use a lot of spin and less speed, it will be more round. If you use hard strokes, punch the cueball a lot and rarely go way off center, then you'll more likely will have a flatter tip. If the tip is softer, the tip shapes itself faster.
I noticed that, because I have quite round (about dime) and soft tip. I was selling my previous cue (Bear) recently and my friend tried it for a couple of hours. He shoots very hard and rarely spins the ball. When I got my cue back, the tip was a little bit flatter and a lot harder and I needed to scuff it up, because I was miscueing all the time. So, don't underestimate the power of your shooting style, it has a good effect on the tip. IMHO, if you find youself shaping the tip very often, perhaps you're trying to force the tip to be something else that doesn't necessarily suit your style of play.
Just my two cents.
I noticed that, because I have quite round (about dime) and soft tip. I was selling my previous cue (Bear) recently and my friend tried it for a couple of hours. He shoots very hard and rarely spins the ball. When I got my cue back, the tip was a little bit flatter and a lot harder and I needed to scuff it up, because I was miscueing all the time. So, don't underestimate the power of your shooting style, it has a good effect on the tip. IMHO, if you find youself shaping the tip very often, perhaps you're trying to force the tip to be something else that doesn't necessarily suit your style of play.
Just my two cents.
TheBook said:
In these days of the internet making it a small world, using U.S. coin sizes is not a good thing. It would be better (and international) to use terms and shaping tools like 18mm, 19mm, 20mm, etc.
But then we still "dial" a number on the phone. I don't think I have used a dial phone in 15 years!
Anyway here they are...
U.S. COIN SIZES...
Dime ......................... 18.00mm
Penny ..................... 19.10mm
Nickel ....................... 21.10mm
Quarter ...................... 24.10mm
Half Dollar .................. 30.50mm
Nickel. Why? Coz I can't make a a ball with a dimer! 
A nickel shape *will* play differently than a dime shape.
I think you can learn to use either just as well.
But if you have learned to use a nickel shape and switch to a dime shape, you will need to re-learn your shooting. Also the other way around.
So I feel it is best to pick a tip radius and stick with that radius. Also if you always keep your tip the same radius - say always a nickel shape, then when you get a new tip installed, it will play the same as the old tip.
I prefer a dime shape because I feel it gives me better draw. Try a quarter shape -vs- a dime shape to experiment.
And I feel that always keeping my tip the same shape goes a long way toward helping me be consistent with draw shots. i.e. drawing back 1 diamond, 6 inches, 1/2 table, or whatever is needed - consistently.
Also I have read that a dime shape will deflect the cue ball less, although to my knowledge, this have never been tested by a robot. As a matter of fact, I don't think anything to do with different tips or tip shapes has ever been tested by a robot. People are just not accurate enough to do this kind of testing.
I think you can learn to use either just as well.
But if you have learned to use a nickel shape and switch to a dime shape, you will need to re-learn your shooting. Also the other way around.
So I feel it is best to pick a tip radius and stick with that radius. Also if you always keep your tip the same radius - say always a nickel shape, then when you get a new tip installed, it will play the same as the old tip.
I prefer a dime shape because I feel it gives me better draw. Try a quarter shape -vs- a dime shape to experiment.
And I feel that always keeping my tip the same shape goes a long way toward helping me be consistent with draw shots. i.e. drawing back 1 diamond, 6 inches, 1/2 table, or whatever is needed - consistently.
Also I have read that a dime shape will deflect the cue ball less, although to my knowledge, this have never been tested by a robot. As a matter of fact, I don't think anything to do with different tips or tip shapes has ever been tested by a robot. People are just not accurate enough to do this kind of testing.
Billy_Bob said:
i disagree for the most part with the first statements.
also, i don't think you should pick the radius, sounds dumb, but i think the radius should pick you. just shape it however once, then as you play/chalk, it will take on the neccessary shape.
VAP
vapoolplayer said:
That's it. That's the entire answer to this whole thread.
I used to have my tips put on with a Nickel radius and found within a month they were had become a Dime, so I am now just going with the Dime from the off, and that is with Hard laminated tips (Talisman Pro and Kamui.)
However that is on a cue with a 12.5mm tip. I have started experimenting with a 12.75mm tip and it seems to me that a Nickel radius is more comfortable with the bigger shaft. Perhaps simply having only 2 radius options for everyone is not enough, there should be a forumla to calculate an ideal ratio between tip diameter and tip radius.
However that is on a cue with a 12.5mm tip. I have started experimenting with a 12.75mm tip and it seems to me that a Nickel radius is more comfortable with the bigger shaft. Perhaps simply having only 2 radius options for everyone is not enough, there should be a forumla to calculate an ideal ratio between tip diameter and tip radius.
Well I have just two questions then...
Why do Predator shafts come with a dime radius tip?
And why is it that a player who does not ever shape their tip, and the tip becomes quarter shaped, then they get a new tip - same brand but the tip is shaped to a nickel radius by the tip installer... Why does the player then have a lot of difficulty in shooting with the new tip for awhile?
I have seen this time and time again - new tip installed - game goes to pot until player "gets used to new tip"...
Why do Predator shafts come with a dime radius tip?
And why is it that a player who does not ever shape their tip, and the tip becomes quarter shaped, then they get a new tip - same brand but the tip is shaped to a nickel radius by the tip installer... Why does the player then have a lot of difficulty in shooting with the new tip for awhile?
I have seen this time and time again - new tip installed - game goes to pot until player "gets used to new tip"...
AuntyDan said:
Well also there is a limitation involved with a dime shaped tip and the size of the shaft at the tip. As you get around 13mm, the curve on the tip goes almost down to the ferrule. So you can only reshape the tip a few times before it goes all the way down to the ferrule.
I would think that 12.75mm is about the limit for a dime shape (Unless it is a phenolic jump tip in which case it does not need reshaping - then 13mm would be ok).
Also If you have a smaller diameter shaft size at the tip, the tip will not hold its shape as well and will tend to deform easier. So say you have an 11mm shaft and a dime shaped soft tip - one hard whack on the cue ball and the tip looks like a dried up prune!
So I prefer a larger shaft size at the tip and a hard tip - so my tip maintains its shape. But I also prefer a dime shape, so I use a 12.5mm or 12.75mm shaft size at tip.
BTW I know this because I experimented with different tips, different shaft sizes, and different hardnesses of tips. Best lesson about tips you can get...
alstl said:
No, I do pay attention and there is a bit of difference. Layered tips don't mushroom and wear a little slower. I prefer tips that require minimal maintenance.
I have all sorts of tip shapers but the one I use most is chalk. There's really no need to shave down your tip more. Natural wear is best.
I replace it when there are barely any sides left.