Goodbye Sniper ... Onyx rules!

[tedkaufman]

I've been playing with Sniper tips for about 3 years. I had tried a multitude of layered tips before choosing Sniper. I still feel there is very little not to recommend a Sniper--it feels good (hit), holds its shape, lasts forever, and grabs the cueball amazingly well. It plays like a soft tip, yet has the properties of a hard tip--hit, shape and durability. But Sniper now takes a back seat.

Enter Onyx! The manufacturer, Tiger, states it's made from the same skins as Sniper, but the layers are cured for some months, which turns them black. Cool. I never liked the pale blue color of Sniper tips.

But the real business of a tip is performance, and here the Onyx shines. It's a firmer tip than Sniper. I would compare it hardness-wise to Kamui Black Soft, without the click; it has a solid thud, similar to a good Triangle tip. Also, Sniper tips used to take me a week of playing until it didn't feel spongy. Onyx felt great right away.

All things considered, this is the best tip I've ever used.

 

[metallicane]

Thanks, I may have to try one.

 

[champ2107]

i too am a sniper lover!! and also dont like the blue color lol i will try one of those if there available around here.

 

[Jason Koopman]

How would you compare it to an Eversest?

 

[JumpinJoe]

i too am a sniper lover!! and also dont like the blue color lol i will try one of those if there available around here.

You can always have whomever puts your tip on, to spin it on the lathe and use a marker to make it black or brown. Looks better that way.

But I agree those 2 Tiger tips both feel and play well.

 

[champ2107]

i did actually put black die on the sides of it lol :thumbup: dunno if it helped me shoot better though lol

 

[juspooln]

I've been playing with Sniper tips for about 3 years. I had tried a multitude of layered tips before choosing Sniper. I still feel there is very little not to recommend a Sniper--it feels good (hit), holds its shape, lasts forever, and grabs the cueball amazingly well. It plays like a soft tip, yet has the properties of a hard tip--hit, shape and durability. But Sniper now takes a back seat.

Enter Onyx! The manufacturer, Tiger, states it's made from the same skins as Sniper, but the layers are cured for some months, which turns them black. Cool. I never liked the pale blue color of Sniper tips.

But the real business of a tip is performance, and here the Onyx shines. It's a firmer tip than Sniper. I would compare it hardness-wise to Kamui Black Soft, without the click; it has a solid thud, similar to a good Triangle tip. Also, Sniper tips used to take me a week of playing until it didn't feel spongy. Onyx felt great right away.

All things considered, this is the best tip I've ever used.

By far the best I have personally used(I had Sniper on my other cue before I made the one I am now using) and the easiest layered tip to install, never had one delaminate. I shoot at least 8-10 hours a week and mines been on since Feb. still good:thumbup:

 

[CrownCityCorey]

Perhaps this may interest you:

Crown City Billiards - Blog

 

[tedkaufman]

I really liked the Everest tip. It was one of the tips I tried when I tried many. I never found a tip I liked better until Sniper. But Onyx is better yet.

What l liked about the Everest tip was its feel. It felt very much like a Triangle (my long time favorite).

The Onyx feels a lot like the Everest. But I like the hit and grip better with the Onyx. Also, I had to reshape the Everest more than any other layered tip. I think there will be very little reshaping with Onyx.

How would you compare it to an Eversest?

 

[tedkaufman]

Interesting, Corey. I read your blog after I posted my comparison with Everest, Sniper and Onyx. We seem to like the same feel in tips. I think you'd love the Onyx if you haven't tried it yet.

Perhaps this may interest you:

Crown City Billiards - Blog

 

[tedkaufman]

Another thing I forgot to mention, Mike Guylassy told me when he was cutting the Onyx that it cut much easier than Kamui tips. He really liked the feel of it. Interestingly, you might think the Kamui Black Soft I have on another shaft would be harder based on Mike's observation, but my subjective assessment is the Onyx feels as firm as the Kamui, but doesn't have the hard surface audible "click" like Kamui's do. It just feels firm and solid.

 

[Jobba786]

I ordered two Onyx tips, and put them on two cues. Easy to install, I like the hit and they keep chalk and their shape very well. Awaiting more Onyx tips during the next days. I would recommend them, but everybody has to find out what is the best for them, but in my opinion worth the price to try out.

 

[thefonz]

whaaa..better than sniper?

i like snipers too. but recently i picked up a mezz that apparently had emeralds on them...kinda like them too, they hit nice and crisp, and grip the ball really well. almost reminds me of the old black/blue wb talisman x-hard tips, but better. how do the onyx compare to the emeralds?

 

[KodyClan]

onyx tips are better than emeralds. But they have a medium hit and a emerald has a medium hard hit. So if you like the harder hit stay with a emerald or maybe even a sniper.

 

[JoseV]

I dont want no layerd tips i want a good Med tip not no milk dud

 

[cuesblues]

Onxy tips are interesting.
They do cut a little nicer than the Kamui black, and you can get a tremendous amount of spin, so they take some getting used to.
Also, they seem to have a longer "break-in" period than most tips, but they do get better & better as you play with them.
All in all, I think Onyx is the best tip out there...for a glue-on....:smile:

 

[sjharr]

I agree completely with the OP, and mirror his sentiments exactly.

I too had a sniper for a bout a year, switched to an onyx about 6 months ago and absolutely love it!

By far my favorite tip - ever!


Steve H.

 

[PaulieB]

Onxy tips are interesting.
They do cut a little nicer than the Kamui black, and you can get a tremendous amount of spin, so they take some getting used to.

I love my Onyx, but I found this to be true also. I've been using it for about 9 months now and had to learn to play center ball all over again. Even a quarter tip away from center seems to pick up a ton of spin. My kicking game was absolute junk for the first month, heh.

 

[mrinsatiable]

I've also heard good things about Onyx tips. But have been a sniper user for 4 + years. The price point would have to close to sniper for me to consider the change but ppl have been talking about onyx tips for some time.

 

[quadrary]

onyx tips

i have to agree went from kamui to onyx and never looked back i love the hit hold shape very well and very consistent. As someone who at times really pushes the miss cue limit it far exceeds the kamui in that catagory.