Tip diameter

[boogieman]

Jim Buss told me it doesn't matter what radius he gives me, eventually the tip will conform to how you play.

Don't know if that's a good thing or not, or if true. Sounds logical although.

It's true, and it's also the reason I break with my playing cue. That tip just doesn't feel right unless it's broken a few dozen racks. That's when it starts to sing. You just gotta learn to "set the chalk." This also works very well for tip longevity by not removing material from it. The Joe Porper Prickstick is the best tool I've found for the job. Kind of rasp like (not just needles) so you can really tune the tip how you want it. You don't whack it on the tip, but put the edge on the edge of your tip and rock it to the center. Turn the cue a bit and repeat until it looks how you want it. You could take the most most fragile soft tip and get good results, or the most "pea gravel-ed" tip you can find at a bar and make it perfect in a minute or less. It's a great tool and it's very inexpensive. If I were on a deserted pool island and could only take a few tools, this would be the first one I threw in my bag.

 

[3kushn]

Hmm... maybe I play closer to center than I think.

pj
chgo

Exaggerated but very rare.
Maybe 1 tip in 5 or 6 I had to re-shape
The only tip work is ridding mushrooming. Sometimes that forces some grooming.

 

[bbb]

It's true, and it's also the reason I break with my playing cue. That tip just doesn't feel right unless it's broken a few dozen racks. That's when it starts to sing. You just gotta learn to "set the chalk." This also works very well for tip longevity by not removing material from it. The Joe Porper Prickstick is the best tool I've found for the job. Kind of rasp like (not just needles) so you can really tune the tip how you want it. You don't whack it on the tip, but put the edge on the edge of your tip and rock it to the center. Turn the cue a bit and repeat until it looks how you want it. You could take the most most fragile soft tip and get good results, or the most "pea gravel-ed" tip you can find at a bar and make it perfect in a minute or less. It's a great tool and it's very inexpensive. If I were on a deserted pool island and could only take a few tools, this would be the first one I threw in my bag.

View attachment 609092

is this the tool mentioned in the set the chalk link
the link in the link didnt work

Its George Tip Tool | Pool Cue Tip Tool Shaper Scuffer

also it the set link it seems he wants you to use the tapper side (knurled) to roll on the tip????
i have always used the knurled side (the side with the points sticking out) as tapper
and the rough other side to roll the tip across

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Exaggerated but very rare.
Maybe 1 tip in 5 or 6 I had to re-shape
The only tip work is ridding mushrooming. Sometimes that forces some grooming.

Funny thing... my tips (Ultraskin hard) never seem to mushroom.

pj
chgo

 

[Floyd_M]

I know this has little to do with the threads title but it seems the following does play a part within the title.
. . Got me wondering about this since I'm seeing something new going on the past few years. Tip diameters that are small has little issue mentioned below, while the larger tips do.
Once your tip is shaped (and a few games, set), is there a real need to reshape? More than likely not but on poor quality tips, probably.
What I'm noticing of late is, some tips have a bulge growing just off its center. To remedy, do you use a tapper, a cue ball to pound it down. Or do you remove it by reshaping or replacing?
Cue chalk is basically a very fine, soft grinding stone. It removes the leather tip in minuscule amounts, either during shooting and/or chalking.
This is where improper chalking can change the shape of your tip. You don't notice it but 'X' time in the future you wonder why you're not potting balls like you used to. Then you pull out your tip gauge and notice it has changed... and wonder.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... What I'm noticing of late is, some tips have a bulge growing just off its center. ...

I think that either the tips are no good or the shooter is doing something unusual. Normally a player will end up using all different rotations of the cue stick and chalk in all different rotations and that will keep the tip symmetric.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

...pull out your tip gauge

A coin? A smaller version of this radius finder?

pj
chgo

 

[FranCrimi]

I haven't played in awhile due to the pandemic and I know things rapidly change but my tip of choice for quite awhile has been a Kamui black soft, which plays equivalent to the old Moori mediums.

I have to shape my tip, guys, or it goes flat on me. That's just how it is with me. And guess what? I'm not alone. I play a lot of 9 ball and I will hit the cb with some force when necessary. I've used Le Pros in the old days, and they were also not soft tips. I had to shape them as well. I just wanted to mention this because with all this chit-chat about not doing a big shape on your tips --- I can tell you that there's an entire population of players out there who do shape their tips pretty substantially, and if it cuts down on the life of the tip, then so be it. It's better than playing with a flat tip.

 

[3kushn]

Funny thing... my tips (Ultraskin hard) never seem to mushroom.

pj
chgo

Never had that problem with them either.

 

[3kushn]

I haven't played in awhile due to the pandemic and I know things rapidly change but my tip of choice for quite awhile has been a Kamaui black soft, which plays equivalent to the old Moori mediums.

I have to shape my tip, guys, or it goes flat on me. That's just how it is with me. And guess what? I'm not alone. I play a lot of 9 ball and I will hit the cb with some force when necessary. I've used Le Pros in the old days, and they were also not soft tips. I had to shape them as well. I just wanted to mention this because with all this chit-chat about not doing a big shape on your tips --- I can tell you that there's an entire population of players out there who do shape their tips pretty substantially, and if it cuts down on the life of the tip, then so be it. It's better than playing with a flat tip.

Fran, The only reason I jump into these things is to learn.
It seems to me (I don't play pool much anymore) that good pool players are at home on the vertical axis 80-90% of the time. Maybe a little of this or that but pretty much center ball + speed control.

If I'm correct then I think, of course, your tip needs to be groomed more often, in case there's a shot needing more than my flattened tip can do.

Just to be clear. I was told 50 years ago "Center Ball is strictly the vertical axis" English is Left or Right spin.
Just defining the terms so we're on the same page.

Hope you understand this gibberish.

 

[FranCrimi]

Fran, The only reason I jump into these things is to learn.
It seems to me (I don't play pool much anymore) that good pool players are at home on the vertical axis 80-90% of the time. Maybe a little of this or that but pretty much center ball + speed control.

If I'm correct then I think, of course, your tip needs to be groomed more often, in case there's a shot needing more than my flattened tip can do.

Just to be clear. I was told 50 years ago "Center Ball is strictly the vertical axis" English is Left or Right spin.
Just defining the terms so we're on the same page.

Hope you understand this gibberish.

I've learned a lot since I've been posting here so I'm with you on that. I also like to contribute what I know. Here's something that I know: There are different types of players. There are many great spin players who actually avoid the vertical axis like the plague. J/K about that last remark, but it's not totally wrong. Efren is a great example of a spin player. You won't see him on the vertical axis all that often. The difference is that some players prefer to punch their shots, so they use force to move the cue ball as opposed to spin. Those are your vertical axis preference players. But when it comes to rotation games, side spin is ever so popular.

 

[HawaiianEye]

Never had that problem with them either.

I use the black Ultraskin soft tips and they don’t mushroom.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

It seems to me that good pool players are at home on the vertical axis 80-90% of the time.

Follow and draw use the edges of the tip too.

pj
chgo

 

[Ratta]

Quality and hardness of the tips will matter for sure.
As Fran pointed out- LePro haven t been the softest tips- i loved them back in the days but was really gettin pissed because often you had to work on them just too much.

Later i started to press my tips- and that was for about 10 years my way of happiness this stopped almost any mushrooming.
Nowadays there are some great tips- and some "cheape" low-quality tips.
From Ultra Skil Tips i was really impressed- low cost- and a really good product.
Now i prefer Zan Tips- never had a tip since 2010, that i haven t got to work on after installing. Impressive stuff from Zan.

 

[FranCrimi]

Quality and hardness of the tips will matter for sure.
As Fran pointed out- LePro haven t been the softest tips- i loved them back in the days but was really gettin pissed because often you had to work on them just too much.

Later i started to press my tips- and that was for about 10 years my way of happiness this stopped almost any mushrooming.
Nowadays there are some great tips- and some "cheape" low-quality tips.
From Ultra Skil Tips i was really impressed- low cost- and a really good product.
Now i prefer Zan Tips- never had a tip since 2010, that i haven t got to work on after installing. Impressive stuff from Zan.

Yes about the lePros Ratta! And they were inconsistent. I used to order them by the box and there would be all different types. Some were harder than others. Like you, we used to press them in a vice to force them to mushroom and then trim them before applying them. It worked pretty well. It was a way of breaking them in.

 

[3kushn]

Follow and draw use the edges of the tip too.

pj
chgo

Yes I get that and hoped someone noticed.
My observation of pool players is they rarely get on the edges there either. Fear I suppose.
Might be wrong and Fran more or less said Pay more attention to the Pro's and what they do.

 

[3kushn]

I've learned a lot since I've been posting here so I'm with you on that. I also like to contribute what I know. Here's something that I know: There are different types of players. There are many great spin players who actually avoid the vertical axis like the plague. J/K about that last remark, but it's not totally wrong. Efren is a great example of a spin player. You won't see him on the vertical axis all that often. The difference is that some players prefer to punch their shots, so they use force to move the cue ball as opposed to spin. Those are your vertical axis preference players. But when it comes to rotation games, side spin is ever so popular.

I guess I'm going to hijack this a bit. What I've noticed is most average to even above successful pool players, having a punch stroke.
I don't know why but speculate its learned early on trying to avoid the miscue. Maybe? Most players learn on their own.

Efren is well versed on a carom table. I suspect that's why his tip uses the entire playing field.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

...when it comes to rotation games, side spin is ever so popular.

Indeed. I practice lots of 15-ball rotation where center ball is just another spot on the spin spectrum, used as often as any other spot.

Rotation games and spin are popular with me for the same reason: because for me controlling the CB is the “art” of pool.

pj
chgo

 

[boogieman]

Here is a pic. Be aware that this tip is harder than what anyone would probably want to use. It’s also ready for replacement, the thickness is between a nickel and a dime, so probably into the glue effected area. This is after a hard session of 9 ball lasting 6 hours. Chalked every shot. Set the chalk last play session, but it’s ready again. Probably 10-12 hours of hard playing. No miscues tonight in 6 hours. Tried TOI every shot and was shooting great, at my top level.

So yeah I use the edges. Notice the middle is fully dressed as it is after setting the chalk. I just thought you might find it interesting.

 

[FranCrimi]

I guess I'm going to hijack this a bit. What I've noticed is most average to even above successful pool players, having a punch stroke.
I don't know why but speculate its learned early on trying to avoid the miscue. Maybe? Most players learn on their own.

Efren is well versed on a carom table. I suspect that's why his tip uses the entire playing field.

With Efren, I bet the wet tables in the Philippines influenced the style of play there. I wouldn't even call them damp. They're flat out wet, as I've heard. As for punching the ball, you'll see a lot of that with snooker players and with pool players whose game of choice is 14.1. But not rotation games. To quote what Buddy Hall once said to me, that I've never forgotten: "To be a great 9 ball player, you have to be comfortable playing all over the cue ball."