Dime shaped tip *is* better!

I have a hard time keeping that radius... anyone have a sweet shaper that they can recommend to me?
 
I like the Willards Cue Shaper. It comes in nickel and dime sizes.
 

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SPetty said:
I like the Willards Cue Shaper. It comes in nickel and dime sizes.
Click to expand...
I agree.
Very quick to shape or even scuff up the tip.
Small enough to keep in the pocket as well or on a key chain.
 
Very good topic. Was going to bring this up with everyone.

First off, don't believe everything Predator says...

Now with that out of the way, I would love to keep a dime radius as opposed to a nickle, but I don't have the tools to do it. Or better yet tools that I like.

I am an accessory freak, and have both the Willard and Cue Cube in a nickle. I feel like the Willard, even with the Nickle, does not get the full face of the tip, and has to be finished off with an additional tool. What I mean is that the sides of the dome of the tip are untouched.

The cue cube does a great job, and after reshaping with this tool, I am finish and have a beautiful full nickle.

Like said, aside from a cue smith using a lathe to cut a new shape (some think this is the only and best way as a shaper simply grinds the tip up).
 
SPetty said:
I like the Willards Cue Shaper. It comes in nickel and dime sizes.
Click to expand...



The Willard works well with a Soft Touch, and EATS TIPS like mad if you are over eager with it.

I am not sure of the Abrasive GRIT of a Willard, but they seem like 80 Grit or maybe 100 Grit.

Also 220-400 Grit Sand paper does a nice job of touching up a tip. :rolleyes:
 
Gregg said:
Very good topic. Was going to bring this up with everyone.

First off, don't believe everything Predator says...

I am an accessory freak, and have both the Willard and Cue Cube in a nickle. I feel like the Willard, even with the Nickle, does not get the full face of the tip, and has to be finished off with an additional tool. What I mean is that the sides of the dome of the tip are untouched.
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If there are parts left untouched then you are right, it is not shaped fully, but is that the tip shaper's fault? Or could you achieve a true nickel if you keep using the same tool a little more?

You say that you can't believe everything that they say, what kind of testing have you done personally? Is there any proof to refute what is said on their website? Curious to see what your responses are and if the nickel is REALLY a better tip radius. Hope to hear from you soon.
 
Crispy Fish said:
What's the best shape for a phenolic tip on a break cue? What can you use to shape them?
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I have a sledgehammer break cue (one-piece phenolic tip/ferrule) which has about a nickel radius, and I wish it had more like a quarter radius, since I believe this would transfer more energy to the cue ball when I don't place the cue-tip exactly where I mean to (which is very common for me). I don't know any way to re-shape the tip that doesn't run a strong risk of destroying the tip, so I leave it like it is.

-Andrew
 
I reshaped a phenolic tip to a dime shape with a willard and the improvement was noticeable.

I don't think that the maximum breaking power increased, but the consistency of getting the maximum power certainly did.

I also have worked the phenolic over pretty good with a tip pick and it has solved the chalk issue.

Phenolic is harder to work with than a leather tip, but not that much harder.

My $0.02. YMMV.

LWW
 
And a dime will deflect less because it is slightly less mass at the end and a smaller contact patch area.

LWW
 
LWW said:
I reshaped a phenolic tip to a dime shape with a willard and the improvement was noticeable.

I don't think that the maximum breaking power increased, but the consistency of getting the maximum power certainly did.

I also have worked the phenolic over pretty good with a tip pick and it has solved the chalk issue.

Phenolic is harder to work with than a leather tip, but not that much harder.

My $0.02. YMMV.

LWW
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Interesting...
Heard that a larger radius may be better for a break.
Will have to reshape my break cue one day to a smaller diameter.
Once I am consistent with the placement of the cue ball on the rack.
 
First off, don't believe everything Predator says...
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I have to go anti on that, sorry, and I was actually shocked that they put that on their website.

Predator claims a 21% reduction in deflrection for the 314, and are telling you that roughly 1/4 to 1/2 of the improvement can be had just from reshaping the tip.

I don't claim to be the know all end all on this sport...I'm a solid C+/B- player and have only been playing 1 year so I do know a little however...but I'm a believer overall in Predator technology.

I have and use a 314 and love it, in fact when I shoot a conventional shaft I'm way off. I also have a Z and that is a dangerous shaft in the hands of someone with lesser skills. I can make some amazing shots with it, but more often than I make an amazing shot I put WAYYYYYYYYYYYY too much crazy spin on the ball. Even a tiny off center hit with a Z will spin the CB like a top.

Again my $0.02. YMMV.

LWW
 
Once I am consistent with the placement of the cue ball on the rack.
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My point was, at least for me, it really helped in placing the CB smack into the rack perfect.

Maybe someone else can comment on whether I'm an anomaly or not. FWIW I got the advice to try that from a Predator rep and the new Predator BK2 is coming with a phenolic tip shaped to a dime radius.

LWW
 
LWW said:
Even a tiny off center hit with a Z will spin the CB like a top.

Again my $0.02. YMMV.

LWW
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I think that spin may be as much a reaction to your stroke as it is to the shaft. The spin is imparted to the cue ball by the way the tip is moving when it contacts the cue ball, and where that contact is made. The cue ball doesn't know what the tip is attached to...just what the tip is causing it to do. No shaft puts spin on a ball, or draw, or any kind of action. It's how the player uses it.
Steve
 
But Steve... doesn't a whippy shaft deflect more upon contact with the cueball, thus making the tip slide off the side of the ball? I am not sure what you mean when you say the shaft doesn't make a difference... in my experience I have seen it make a lot of difference... A tip that is sliding off the side of the cueball is not following through the contact point, thus must not impart as much spin. I only see the shaft not making that much of a difference on a true centerball hit...
 
This company makes dime and nickel sandpaper shapers...
(It would be nice if they made a quarter shaped shaper as well...)
http://www.excel.net/~mniver/products.html

Some cheap tip repair kits sold at Kmart, Walmart, etc. come with quarter shaped sandpaper shapers.

Do-it-yourself tip shapers...
(Electrical PVC pipe sold at home improvement stores)

Use 100 grit sandpaper (held to the inside curve of shaper with your thumb) for initially shaping your tip, then 220 grit sandpaper to re-shape tip or re-surface tip from time to time.

Cut sheets of sandpaper with scissors to size. To re-surface, hold cue vertical with butt resting on floor and lightly sand back and forth while slowly rotating cue. Once or twice around will give a nice fresh surface.

Hold shaper over tip in front of light to see if your tip needs shaping or not.

Cut electrical PVC in half and about 8 inches long - Be safe, use a vise to hold the pipe when sawing and both hands on saw.

PVC SIZES...
Dime (1/2" PVC Pipe) [15.00 mm]
Nickel / Penny (3/4" PVC Pipe) [19.75 mm]
Quarter (1" PVC Pipe) [25mm]
Half dollar (1 1/4" PVC Pipe)
Billiard ball (2" PVC Pipe)

U.S. COIN SIZES...
Dime ......................... 18.00mm
Penny ..................... 19.10mm
Nickel ....................... 21.10mm
Quarter ...................... 24.10mm
Half Dollar .................. 30.50mm
 
I had problems with miscuing about once a week with a break cue which had a phenolic tip.

And I would miscue more often with a nickel tip than with a quarter shaped tip.

Of course when I would have my miscue, it would be for an important match for 1st place in a tournament! Anyway that was once too often.

I switched to a quarter shaped Tiger break/jump tip and have not miscued once while breaking in maybe a year.

I feel a quarter shape is better for a break tip and a very hard leather tip or break/jump leather tip.
 
I don't shape the tip...

I think it was Deno Andrews (maybe Lou Figueroa) who suggested that the tip shouldn't be shaped after the initial shaping when installed. His point was that your style of play would shape the tip appropriately for ... you guessed it, "your style of play".
It made sense to me. Since reading that I've adhered to that philosopy and have found no detriment to my playing and my tips last longer as a bonus.
 
pillage6 said:
If there are parts left untouched then you are right, it is not shaped fully, but is that the tip shaper's fault? Or could you achieve a true nickel if you keep using the same tool a little more?

You say that you can't believe everything that they say, what kind of testing have you done personally? Is there any proof to refute what is said on their website? Curious to see what your responses are and if the nickel is REALLY a better tip radius. Hope to hear from you soon.[/QUOTE=pillage6]

BOTH Meucci and Predator have claims and "test" equipment that demonstrate that their shafts deflect 50% less than the other in comparison test between their 314 and Zs and Meucci laminate shaft (either a black or red dot don't remember what is what).

My point is that one or both are fudging their results, or at the very least are setting up their testing equipment to favor toward their own equipment.
Click to expand...
 
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