Tip Shaper

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freeman108

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I apologize in advance if this question is in the wrong category and/or has been asked already. I good faith I did a search and could not find any results and read the read first posts for the areas I thought this should be in.

My question is does anyone have a recommendation for a good cue tip shaper (is that a word)? I have used a few but for the most part my tip is still a lot flatter than desired. I have used a few tools that are the scruff/shape all in one type of thing. Most have great scruff functionality, but lack in the shape department. I'm aware that I am not going to get that beautifully round shape you get when the tip is machined, but I'm looking for something a bit better than a tip that looks like the top of an octagon with the diameter of a nickel or dime. I would prefer to have something that does not have sand paper glued to something, but if that's what it has to be and I have to change out sand paper from time to time so be it. I would rather deal with changing sand paper than dealing with a flat tip.
 
freeman108 said:
I apologize in advance if this question is in the wrong category and/or has been asked already. I good faith I did a search and could not find any results and read the read first posts for the areas I thought this should be in.

My question is does anyone have a recommendation for a good cue tip shaper (is that a word)? I have used a few but for the most part my tip is still a lot flatter than desired. I have used a few tools that are the scruff/shape all in one type of thing. Most have great scruff functionality, but lack in the shape department. I'm aware that I am not going to get that beautifully round shape you get when the tip is machined, but I'm looking for something a bit better than a tip that looks like the top of an octagon with the diameter of a nickel or dime. I would prefer to have something that does not have sand paper glued to something, but if that's what it has to be and I have to change out sand paper from time to time so be it. I would rather deal with changing sand paper than dealing with a flat tip.
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Check out the website... Last4Ever.net

You can see videos on proper use

The abrasive is Aluminum Oxide on cloth or Silicon Carbide... Personally, I prefer the Aluminum Oxide with the aluminum tool.

Joel
 
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I was using a Willard Shaper (dime) which does an excellent job. About 4 months ago I bought an Aluminum Last4Ever tip shaper. It's more expensive than the Willard but does a great job. You can't go wrong with either one - just depends how much you want to spend. The Last4Ever does a variety of things to keep your tip at it's finest. Good luck in your quest.
 
@ Joelpope: I looked at the tool on the site. I had a few questions about the products and will send him a message about the products. How long have you been using the shaper?
 
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I currently own an Ultimate Tip Tool. It is just OK at best. I don't like the shaping abilities of it at all, but it does do a very good job with removing and somewhat preventing mushrooming problems.
 
freeman108 said:
@ Joelpope: I looked at the tool on the site. I had a few questions about the products and will send him a message about the products. How long have you been using the shaper?
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The basic design for about 7-8 years, this refined design for about 2

If you are worried about the abrasive wearing out, it really won't. The abrasive is the type used to cut metal so if you are using it on leather you are not really putting much stress on it. The Pro Model uses Silicon Carbide which is 2nd in hardness to diamonds. I offer the Pro Model for people worried about the Aluminum Oxide wearing out but personally, I prefer the aluminum Oxide on the standard model.

I do shaft work on a lathe and do my finish shaping with the tool which puts more wear on it than the typical player would do in a decade. With heavy use I will blow it clean with compressed air every so often.

Joel
 
freeman108 said:
I currently own an Ultimate Tip Tool. It is just OK at best. I don't like the shaping abilities of it at all, but it does do a very good job with removing and somewhat preventing mushrooming problems.
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I used the ultimate tool at one point but I snapped off several tip while using the mushroom repair function and gave up on it.
 
I can say I'd heard and tried "burnishing" a few times before I gave up the idea and just started trimming and shaping over and over. Upon buying a high dollar tip I started learning how to properly use a piece of tanned leather 3"x6" and enough time to get the sides of my tip to have a smooth polished appearance from being burnished. That was a game changer for me as far as mushroom prevention. With respect to curvature, there's a slew of shapers out there, but most of them grind away the tip. For my money I go with the Gator Grip as it seems to bring up the nap without grinding some off.
 
1ab said:
I can say I'd heard and tried "burnishing" a few times before I gave up the idea and just started trimming and shaping over and over. Upon buying a high dollar tip I started learning how to properly use a piece of tanned leather 3"x6" and enough time to get the sides of my tip to have a smooth polished appearance from being burnished. That was a game changer for me as far as mushroom prevention. With respect to curvature, there's a slew of shapers out there, but most of them grind away the tip. For my money I go with the Gator Grip as it seems to bring up the nap without grinding some off.
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I agree with you on all points, especially that burnishing helps prevent mushrooming and wanting to avoid constantly shaping your tip when it only needs to be de-glazed

Do me a favor, take a look at the videos on Last4Ever.net and see how it works.

Joel
 
I've tried the 6-in-1 tool, the willard, and the last-4-ever tool. The Last-4-ever tool is the best by far. It is a great tool.
 
joelpope said:
I agree with you on all points, especially that burnishing helps prevent mushrooming and wanting to avoid constantly shaping your tip when it only needs to be de-glazed

Do me a favor, take a look at the videos on Last4Ever.net and see how it works.

Joel
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Good lookin' product Joel, seems to cover all the bases.
 
Thanks for the good comments

It is always a pleasure to read posts from guys that like the tool... I appreciate the support

Joel
 
CueShark and CueShark PUP

SpiderWebComm said:
Shark tool

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2
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I second that. The CueShark and the CueShark PUP are both great tools -- machined out of solid blocks of copper-infused aluminum, and silicon-carbide abrasives.

The abrasive surfaces are easy to clean with an old toothbrush, or better yet, an acid brush with its bristles cut down (with a sharp pair of scissors) to 1/4-inch length. Since the abrasives are specially-shaped blocks custom-fitted into the tool with no need for glue, it's even safe to use mild solvents (like denatured alcohol) to do a more comprehensive cleaning, without fear of softening any glues like that which are used in other tools.

The shapers are all perfectly designed, too. (The OP was looking for a tool that would give him a perfect concentrically-shaped tip with little work or skill, and these are built-in to the tool.) The mushroom grazer and burnisher actually WORK, and will never snap-off the tip, like the Ultimate Tip Tool will.

I've since emptied out the pockets of my cue case of all other tip tools (and believe me, I've tried literally dozens of different tools over the years). I now use only my CueShark. It's done everything I need, and I've had mine for over three years.

-Sean
 
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