Question for old timers@

hunger strike said:
Chrome tanned tips are blue, vegetable tanned leather is not. Vegetable tanned leather, according to my leather craftsman buddy, does not adhere well with glue. I wonder if that explains the ubiquity of Elk Masters on house cues. Fewer popped off.
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Leather tannage doesn't really affect glueability unless the surface is coated with a finish. Vegtan is glued all the time for footwear and other crafts. Surface prep is the most important, I find that allowing the the glue to penetrate the leather first, then sanding it flat gives the most consistent gluing results. Also, thickness/type of glue plays a role.
 
iusedtoberich said:
In the 90's when I started playing, there was a shoemaker who had his shop down the street from the poolroom. He was about 75 years old at the time, and I believe was even a 2nd or 3rd generation shoemaker. He made his own pool tips for his personal cues using leather from his shop. I'd imagine a lot of super old cue tips were made the same way, using a scrap of leather.
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ah ha!!!! The best 3 cushion player in my small town pool hall was the local cobbler by the name of Polly Owens. This is what I knew him as, but it may have been Paulie Owens. I loved going into his shop, it smelled so good with the leather and glues, it was probably about 1910 vintage equipment, it was damn old in the 1950s.

Maybe he was doctoring his own cue tips to improve his billiard game.
 
Ģüśţāṿ said:
Leather tannage doesn't really affect glueability unless the surface is coated with a finish. Vegtan is glued all the time for footwear and other crafts. Surface prep is the most important, I find that allowing the the glue to penetrate the leather first, then sanding it flat gives the most consistent gluing results. Also, thickness/type of glue plays a role.
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I like more natural veg tan leather like on the instroke cowboy cases. The kind of leather that is a bit self-healing. My friend said that oiliness hurts glue adherence. It reminds me of soft tips.
 
My first leather cue case was made from some thick saddle leather , the inside was covered in cloth from a pool table and the ends were buck stitched with leather a heavy gear bag type zipper was used to close it .
In saddle shops and shoe and boot repair shops the glue is the same a dull yellow , a thin coat of it on each piece of leather and then let it dry until it became tacky then put the two pieces together and stitch it up .

It's got a very prominent elastic property to it and you could say it's a one shot Annie so to speak . when stitched or clamped in place , just like I envision layered cue tips are made and my old cue case . ha ha
 
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$1.50 for a whole box of tips. Oh yes, times have changed... I have never tried Royal Oak, anyone here use them? Thoughts?
 
Quesports said:
If there’s anyone I’d believe on this subject it would be you!

Been there done that experience is priceless without a side of builshit!

Things sure have changed…

Thnx for the response…
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I changed a lot of tips back then and almost always used Elkmasters. I saved my Champions for tips I put on for pro players. My tips never came off! Still can do it to this day with no fancy tools. Just a good knife, razor blade, tweetens glue, sandpaper and a strong rubber band (optional). I liked using Willards tip tool and the long funnel shaped hand sander for the final shaping. I could do it overnight in my motel room or in the back seat of my car if necessary. No one ever complained.

Most recently Dennis Orcollo played with tips I put on for him and won!
 
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I have a tube of Tweetens that has to be at least 30 yrs old. I thought I'd give it a try and it's still glue. I've changed 5 tips sofar and none have popped off and one is on my break cue. I use Elk Masters now on my 3 cues and they work pretty good and no mushrooming or touching up the sides
 
jay helfert said:
I changed a lot of tips back then and almost always used Elkmasters. I saved my Champions for tips I put on for pro players. My tips never came off! Still can do it to this day with no fancy tools. Just a good knife, razor blade, tweetens glue, sandpaper and a strong rubber band (optional). I liked using Willards tip tool and the long funnel shaped hand sander for the final shaping. I could do it overnight in my motel room or in the back seat of my car if necessary. No one ever complained.

Most recently Dennis Orcollo played with tips I put on for him and won!
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I agree with you Jay. I have a Willards with all the different sized collets and accessories and never had a tip pop off. Just got to be careful and protect the ferrule.

Haven’t played much these days due to health issues with me and the wife.

Hope your well!
 
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