Time to replace the tip?

[Slow Eddie]

Just picked up a McDermott M11B to use as a bar cue. Looking at the tip, it looks tall. Really tall; that's an inch-long ferrule it's sitting on in the first pic. And kinda spongy. Like I can actually compress it down a couple of mm if I push hard enough, and then it'll spring back to its original height when I let off. And, if I push on the side of the tip, I can actually get the tip to lift on the side I'm pushing from, and can see layers of fibers separating (this is not a layered tip, btw). I'm bringing it along to league night tonight for a test drive, but do these sound like red flags for tip replacement to y'all? Thanks in advance.

 

[Shaky1]

Kind of looks like an Elkmaster? I would try it a while and see? I wouldn't replace it without trying it. j.m.o.

 

[The Renfro]

Definitely time to replace it... The fibers have torn or you wouldn't be able to lift the tip like you are doing...

 

[Slow Eddie]

That's kind of what I was thinking. I've been tearing up the house trying to find the Outsville tip I got in the mail a while back, and of course I can't find it :-(

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I'd take to my friendly neighborhood cue repair person and have him, or her, reshape it. It's too tall for my tastes, and the side need burnishing.
If it's a very old tip I might even think about replacing it with something modern, say an UtraSkin, or something similar.

 

[Chip Roberson]

If you can move it around with your finger--it needs replacing--think whats happening when it hits the cueball---

 

[Slow Eddie]

If I can't find the Outsville, I've got a couple of Triumphs that have been sitting around since the mid-90's. Do tips "go bad" in storage?

 

[allanpsand]

Looks like too much shaping of the tip.


You may want to use some sandpaper and take off some of the long threads so that the surface appears slightly roughened.

Chalk up (use only the edges of the cube) for every shot.
Hit a few dozen Medium 3 speed shots (long table up/back/up) with 1 tip up from center.

 

[The Renfro]

If I can't find the Outsville, I've got a couple of Triumphs that have been sitting around since the mid-90's. Do tips "go bad" in storage?

Leather can dry rot over time... I have purchased several vintage cues over the years and 2 of them had tips that were bad from being in storage...

I am still sending out a few tips Eddie so if you don't find it shoot me your addy and hardness choice again....

 

[ENGLISH!]

It does look like an Elk Master.

They were & still are one of the softest tips. A very soft tip needs some thinkness because it is going to compress more than a harder tip. As it compresses over time it starts to play 'harder'. Personally, I would play with it a bit & see how it feels, but then again I like soft cue tips for english & I have been playing Elk Masters & Brunswick Blue Diamonds for many, many years.

Good Luck with what ever you decide to do.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Looks like too much shaping of the tip.


I'm curious. How can a cue tip be over-shaped?

 

[Shapechaser]

Without a doubt its an elk master tip. I have put on hundreds. New elk master tips act like a sponge. They can be pushed all around. Some people like em tho. If you are shooting on a valley table with a heavy cue ball I would change it, past that its about preference.

 

[Palmetto cue]

Replace! It's mush!:thumbup:

 

[cuejo]

That's a good example of a bad elk
Toss it

 

[Slow Eddie]

So, I brought it along to league night tonight, and warmed up with it, played a rack with it during my match, then relegated it to break cue duty. I must admit, it played better than I expected, but felt more...vague than my regular playing cue (pre-cat 314 shaft). Was able to spin the cue ball remarkably well, but I felt like I could either stun the cue ball or draw it all the way up the table, with nothing in between. Maybe that's just pilot error.

Anyway, since I can't find that damn enevelope anywhere, I'm going to take Chris up on his generous offer to send out another Outsville tip (check your PM's). In the meantime, I'm going to burnish the hell out of the sides of the Elkmaster, and break with it and bang the balls around to see if I can harden up the tip some while waiting for the Outsville.

Thanks, all, for the input and advice!

E