Triangle tip fans - What is the best way to break them in.

[PoolFan101]

Hello

I just had a new Triangle installed on my Cue. It seems rather hard and has that hard rink sound when it contacts the ball. I have heard people say that to shoot hard for a few shots and break with it and it will break the tip in. I know some guys who swear by soaking the tip in white vinegar for a few hours. What are your methods for breaking in your Triangle tip. I have decided that is what I am sticking with. I have tried several and keep coming back to it. Thanks for the info.

 

[9ball5032]

Just play with it. I usually get 4 or 5 and try to pick out the one with the softest leather by poking my fingernail into it.

I never hit hard with my playing cue tip, I think it just compresses the tip (e.g. plays firmer, needs scruffing, mushrooms)

 

[philly]

Hello

I just had a new Triangle installed on my Cue. It seems rather hard and has that hard rink sound when it contacts the ball. I have heard people say that to shoot hard for a few shots and break with it and it will break the tip in. I know some guys who swear by soaking the tip in white vinegar for a few hours. What are your methods for breaking in your Triangle tip. I have decided that is what I am sticking with. I have tried several and keep coming back to it. Thanks for the info.

That's the beauty of a Triangle tip.
I like mine hard pressed in a tip vice.
Tips get harder with use not softer.
The Triangle might not be for you.

 

[garczar]

Hello

I just had a new Triangle installed on my Cue. It seems rather hard and has that hard rink sound when it contacts the ball. I have heard people say that to shoot hard for a few shots and break with it and it will break the tip in. I know some guys who swear by soaking the tip in white vinegar for a few hours. What are your methods for breaking in your Triangle tip. I have decided that is what I am sticking with. I have tried several and keep coming back to it. Thanks for the info.

Seriously?? Just play with it. Have no clue what 'breaking in a tip' even means other than using it and just getting used to how it hits. They're all different.

 

[mikemosconi]

I have always found Triangles to be on the harder side to begin with - so that is just what they are- either you like that hardness or you don't- you can't do much about a tip already installed anyhow. To find a Triangle that hits less hard you almost need to go by trial and error- and that could take several installs and removals on the same shaft- makes no sense. Triangles are great low maintenance tips that hit on the harder side, There is some sort of tip hardness gauge- bc that is how tips get rated on hardness- you can research that and find out if one is available to test tips prior to install- otherwise it will be hit and miss with Triangles- no pun intended

 

[philly]

I have always found Triangles to be on the harder side to begin with - so that is just what they are- either you like that hardness or you don't- you can't do much about a tip already installed anyhow. To find a Triangle that hits less hard you almost need to go by trial and error- and that could take several installs and removals on the same shaft- makes no sense. Triangles are great low maintenance tips that hit on the harder side, There is some sort of tip hardness gauge- bc that is how tips get rated on hardness- you can research that and find out if one is available to test tips prior to install- otherwise it will be hit and miss with Triangles- no pun intended

You might be talking about something like this:

The Ultimate Pool Cue Tip Guide | Pool Cues and Billiards Supplies at PoolDawg.com

PoolDawg.com carries over 3,000 pool cues, pool cue accessories, billiard balls and more. 60 Day Satisfaction Guarantee and Free Ground Shipping too.

www.pooldawg.com

 

[Texas Carom Club]

Hit the balls with it, most of the ones I have are pretty much set when installed and don't change, just get harder which is what I want

 

[CGM]

If you want a softer solid tip, get a LePro.

 

[garczar]

If you want a softer solid tip, get a LePro.

Really?? Le Pro's i've had were usually a tad harder than a Tri.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

the sound you hear just could be the weight bolt is not snugged all the way up and loose a bit, i just went through the same thing after putting on a new ferrule and triangle tip, once i snugged the bolt all the way up till it stopped, the noise went away, and sounds much better and solid

 

[Texas Carom Club]

Really?? Le Pro's i've had were usually a tad harder than a Tri.

i remember the same last time i used it, had no complaints either
le pro or triangle for me, whichever is easier to buy or on hand ill use

 

[HNTFSH]

I run both too, lepro on the sneaky and triangle on my McDermott ipro. I'll put a lepro on the extra McDermott maple shaft once the Kamui gets a few more miles on it. I break them in by playing.

 

[NINEBALLART]

Not every tip in a box is exact softness or hardness...Years ago I bought a box of LePros for a friend...It was from a pro shop in Texas and he said," You want me to check every tip with Dyno Meter for hardness?" I said sure.....When I received the tips he had them separated....
There were 22 tips marked GOOD and 28 tips marked BAD....

I've had good luck by using this old method on Triangles...May sound dumb but works for me...
Fill up bathroom sink with water and put plug in....Take a hand full of Triangle tips and drop them in water...The ones that sink like lead right to bottom, take those out and put separate...The ones floating or slowing sinking put in a different pile...After doing whole box, look at ones that sink like lead and check bottom for smoothness..The smoother the better....Check top for stringy pieces, you want smoothest ones....
The last 9 tips I have had put on were perfect for me for hardness...I also gave one to a friend and he loved it.....Sound stupid? Maybe but it works for me...

 

[mikemosconi]

You might be talking about something like this:

The Ultimate Pool Cue Tip Guide | Pool Cues and Billiards Supplies at PoolDawg.com

PoolDawg.com carries over 3,000 pool cues, pool cue accessories, billiard balls and more. 60 Day Satisfaction Guarantee and Free Ground Shipping too.

www.pooldawg.com

Well that is a printed guide to tip hardness- they used a Durometer to do the testing- that would be the type of gauge I was referencing- so that he can measure the ACTUAL tip that he plans to install - I would imagine the printed guide may have a high degree of variants. Without the durometer test; the tip one is planning to install could be on the extreme end of the hardness rating scale for that type of tip.

 

[philly]

Well that is a printed guide to tip hardness- they used a Durometer to do the testing- that would be the type of gauge I was referencing- so that he can measure the ACTUAL tip that he plans to install - I would imagine the printed guide may have a high degree of variants. Without the durometer test; the tip one is planning to install could be on the extreme end of the hardness rating scale for that type of tip.

As players, I feel we overthink a lot of things concerning equipment.

I have said this before.
I rotate four different shafts on my player.
I use a different one each session.
Their tapers are identical.
Three have hard pressed pressed Triangles and one has a Milk Dud.
I can't tell the difference between these four shafts.
One plays as good as the others.
They have JP's marked 1 through 4 and that is the only way I can tell them apart.

 

[Gunn_Slinger]

I've been using triangles since the 90'. Bob Frey used them on all my cues. Bob showed me that in the same box, there are harder tips than the 'medium hard' they are supposed to be. If you look on the bottom of the tip, most of them have a blue tinge to them when you sand them flat. The really hard ones stay brown when sanded. I would recommend you use a 'porcupine tip tool'. It will soften up the tip and rejuvenate it and make the tip last longer.
Good luck

 

[mikemosconi]

As players, I feel we overthink a lot of things concerning equipment.

I have said this before.
I rotate four different shafts on my player.
I use a different one each session.
Their tapers are identical.
Three have hard pressed pressed Triangles and one has a Milk Dud.
I can't tell the difference between these four shafts.
One plays as good as the others.
They have JP's marked 1 through 4 and that is the only way I can tell them apart.

Well that makes sense then- BC in my own opinion- the four biggest factors in how a cue "feels" and "plays" ( those are 2 different aspects of a cue IMO) involve the 1. balance structure of the cue butt ( more so than the cue butt weight IMO) 2. the wrap on the cue ( a good linen wrap feels way different to me when playing than , say a lizard wrap) 3. the shaft taper ( shaft taper, to me, talking traditional wood shafts only, shaft taper - can make all the difference in the world on how a cue feels, plays, and feeds back to the players hands; and 4. the cue tip is one of the defining elements in the "hit" aspect of almost any cue- a really hard tip just "feeds back" so differently than a good soft tip - it is just a matter of preference.

In fact- ALL the elements of cue "play" "hit" and "feel" are a matter of personal preference. There is no right or wrong - the only way to really and truly "Know" what is best for oneself is experimentation- but, I believe, it is beneficial, to a degree, where one identifies key cue elements that are true "likes" or "must haves" and then settles somewhat on those aspects for their playing cue.

 

[philly]

Well that makes sense then- BC in my own opinion- the four biggest factors in how a cue "feels" and "plays" ( those are 2 different aspects of a cue IMO) involve the 1. balance structure of the cue butt ( more so than the cue butt weight IMO) 2. the wrap on the cue ( a good linen wrap feels way different to me when playing than , say a lizard wrap) 3. the shaft taper ( shaft taper, to me, talking traditional wood shafts only, shaft taper - can make all the difference in the world on how a cue feels, plays, and feeds back to the players hands; and 4. the cue tip is one of the defining elements in the "hit" aspect of almost any cue- a really hard tip just "feeds back" so differently than a good soft tip - it is just a matter of preference.

In fact- ALL the elements of cue "play" "hit" and "feel" are a matter of personal preference. There is no right or wrong - the only way to really and truly "Know" what is best for oneself is experimentation- but, I believe, it is beneficial, to a degree, where one identifies key cue elements that are true "likes" or "must haves" and then settles somewhat on those aspects for their playing cue.

Well said Mike.

 

[Dead Money]

I have mostly used Triangles and water buffalo tips. My "routine" has always been to hit some balls with it using all types of tip placements and rotate the cue occasionally, then check the shaping every few balls. Re-burnish and shape it and then maintain as needed. Once "played in" they will be good a long time until one day it feels worn down and dead.

 

[Johnny Rosato]

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