how do you keep your tip shaped without miscuing all the time

freds said:
[My apologies. This will be my only post here.]

In case this thread ever dies out, here's some tips for your next one:


Asking a multi-part personal or gear survey question—such as a 25 Question Pool Survey or deep-dive topics on Basic Questions—is the most reliable way to get a long, active thread going on the AzBilliards Forums. [1, 2]
Pool players on AzBilliards love sharing personal histories, strong opinions, and gear preferences. Proven prompts that spark massive engagement include:

Top Question Types That Generate Long Threads
    • The Nostalgia & Origin Survey: Ask players about their background, like in the classic A 25 Question Pool Survey, covering how old they were when they started, their home room, and their first cue. [1]
    • The "Why Do You Play?" Philosophical Debate: Ask deep questions about motivation and mindset, such as "Why do you compete?", "How do you rationalize defeat?", or "What are your aspirations in the game?". [1]
    • Controversial Gear or Tip Debates: Bring up carbon fiber vs. wood shafts, low-deflection myths, or asking what pros actually use versus what amateurs think they use (which routinely triggers multi-page debates among cuemakers and regulars). [1]
    • The "Best Advice You Ever Got" Prompt: Framing a question like The Best Advice You're Ever Likely To Get invites dozens of players to drop their favorite piece of pool wisdom or old-school hustler story. [1]
Click to expand...
As a multiple Xenforo forum owner, please tell me what AI plug in you are using?
 
  • Like
Reactions: bbb
KINGSCOURT905 said:
i keep miscuing on draw shots at end pocket, my tip looks flat one week and mushroomed the next lol. i shape it at the hall but i never know if i am doing too much or too little. what do you guys use to keep the shape right and how often do you touch it up
Click to expand...

If the above is true you've got some kind of problem that needs fixing. I'd start by finding a cue repair guy. Have him install a good quality tip. Tell him to shape it like the majority of tips he does. When you pick it up ask him how to maintain it properly. It's not rocket science.

Another option is ask a good player at the room for advice. Difficult to get an accurate answer here, sight unseen.
 
KINGSCOURT905 said:
that nickel starting point helps a lot, i was definitely trying to keep it looking brand new all the time. gonna try cutting the spin way back like you said and see if it holds its shape better, do you still chalk the same way when you are using less spin
Click to expand...

I have chalked the same way for decades. Before a game I carefully chalk every bit of the playing surface of the tip. I normally only use moderate amounts of spin so that may be all I do. I will chalk again if the shot calls for a lot of juice on the ball.

I use Master flag chalk. Just what was handy to buy a gross of. I had accumulated a half dozen pieces of various fancy chalks in my case and toted them untouched for a couple years. I gave it all away to a friend that likes to try new things. I'm still working on that Master chalk at sixteen or seventeen cents a cube. It does everything I need it to do so why try other chalks? I might try some that are supposed to be cleaner if I still had a home table.

Hu
 
Last4Ever tool2.jpg

Buy the Last4Ever nickel/dime shaper combo.

Test the many cue tips available by wearing out tips quicker by shaping your tip before each day of play.

Do that by shaping your tip using Last4Ever until all the chalk has been removed from your tip. Then, rechalk.
 
sparkle84 said:
If the above is true you've got some kind of problem that needs fixing. I'd start by finding a cue repair guy. Have him install a good quality tip. Tell him to shape it like the majority of tips he does. When you pick it up ask him how to maintain it properly. It's not rocket science.

Another option is ask a good player at the room for advice. Difficult to get an accurate answer here, sight unseen.
Click to expand...
fair point, i think i need someone to actually look at it in person lol. is there a repair guy at end pocket you would trust or do you go somewhere else in town
 
ShootingArts said:
I have chalked the same way for decades. Before a game I carefully chalk every bit of the playing surface of the tip. I normally only use moderate amounts of spin so that may be all I do. I will chalk again if the shot calls for a lot of juice on the ball.

I use Master flag chalk. Just what was handy to buy a gross of. I had accumulated a half dozen pieces of various fancy chalks in my case and toted them untouched for a couple years. I gave it all away to a friend that likes to try new things. I'm still working on that Master chalk at sixteen or seventeen cents a cube. It does everything I need it to do so why try other chalks? I might try some that are supposed to be cleaner if I still had a home table.

Hu
Click to expand...
yeah that makes sense, i am gonna chalk the whole tip before i play and stop reaching for the fancy stuff lol. do you rechalk much during a game or just before you start
 
KINGSCOURT905 said:
interesting, so hard for the break because it holds up and hits harder, then soft when you are actually playing. i am still on whatever tip came with my cue lol, do you find the soft one miscues more on draw or does it just grab better for you
Click to expand...
I rarely miscue with soft. Main reason for my miscues is I didn't chalk as I should.
 
KINGSCOURT905 said:
yeah that makes sense, i am gonna chalk the whole tip before i play and stop reaching for the fancy stuff lol. do you rechalk much during a game or just before you start
Click to expand...

You can't make this up. CHALK after every shot. Then when you miscue you know it was you not a poorly chalked tip.
KINGSCOURT905 said:
fair point, i think i need someone to actually look at it in person lol. is there a repair guy at end pocket you would trust or do you go somewhere else in town
Click to expand...
Couldn't tell you, I don't live in Canada. Google is your friend. Cue repair in Hamilton, Ontario Canada.
 
Being the frugal type, and since I had it laying around, I cut a piece of 3/4 inch PVC pipe in half lengthwise and use 220 sandpaper to shape the tip. If you take the paper off and rest the pipe against the tip you can check if there is a gap between the tip and pipe. If there is, sand down more, if not you've got a shape between a quarter and nickle radius. I do this weekly at a minimum and with a med density tip I get a good 6-9 months on that tip. The nice thing is you can switch out the sand paper to 120 if you need to get a bit more aggressive and remove more material.

I rotate the cue tip with my left hand while sanding the tip with my right up and down. Once I'm happy with the amount of material removed I'll put the sharper on the ground and put the cue upside down with the tip pointing the ground and spin it fast with my hands, like my trying to start a friction fire. Only do this as a final touch as the sandpaper will gum up pretty quickly.

That doesn't fix mushrooming though. I use Dr Dave's method of installing tips manually with good results. If I need to knock down the sides, I'll lay the shaft on a table top with the sandpaper and wood block to shape the sides per Dave's video. To shine it up I burnish it against a piece of leather I picked up at Tandy from their off cuts basket which is cheap. I will also use brown paper grocery bag too to shine it up if need be. Never need to go past 400 sandpaper on the sides, as even 220 will shine up nice.
 
BadBeef67 said:
Being the frugal type, and since I had it laying around, I cut a piece of 3/4 inch PVC pipe in half lengthwise and use 220 sandpaper to shape the tip. If you take the paper off and rest the pipe against the tip you can check if there is a gap between the tip and pipe. If there is, sand down more, if not you've got a shape between a quarter and nickle radius. I do this weekly at a minimum and with a med density tip I get a good 6-9 months on that tip. The nice thing is you can switch out the sand paper to 120 if you need to get a bit more aggressive and remove more material.

I rotate the cue tip with my left hand while sanding the tip with my right up and down. Once I'm happy with the amount of material removed I'll put the sharper on the ground and put the cue upside down with the tip pointing the ground and spin it fast with my hands, like my trying to start a friction fire. Only do this as a final touch as the sandpaper will gum up pretty quickly.

That doesn't fix mushrooming though. I use Dr Dave's method of installing tips manually with good results. If I need to knock down the sides, I'll lay the shaft on a table top with the sandpaper and wood block to shape the sides per Dave's video. To shine it up I burnish it against a piece of leather I picked up at Tandy from their off cuts basket which is cheap. I will also use brown paper grocery bag too to shine it up if need be. Never need to go past 400 sandpaper on the sides, as even 220 will shine up nice.
Click to expand...

I'm sure the leather does fine at burnishing but try canvas or a hardwood. The tip is leather, these are the things most leatherworkers use to burnish their edges.
 
R2PQZ said:
My guess is you are breaking with your playing cue. Very hard on the tip. Best to break with a cue dedicated for it. A good hard tip will hold up better. You may also need a better quality tip on your playing cue.
Click to expand...
I have broke with my playing cues thousands and thousands of times with no problem.

Break cues costing hundreds of dollars are a gimmick.
 
HawaiianEye said:
I have broke with my playing cues thousands and thousands of times with no problem.

Break cues costing hundreds of dollars are a gimmick.
Click to expand...

If you're playing with a hard tip I generally agree but, if you're playing with a soft or medium tip breaking with it, IMHO, will compress it much faster and the tip will get harder.
 
My thoughts are to set a few object balls in a line from side pocket to side pocket , then practice shooting draw shots as soft as you can at first gradually increasing the speed that you hit the cue ball and don't forget to fallow through , as well as keeping a solid bridge .
With you cue low and level as possible .

I play with a G2 med tip on 2 shafts and prefer a dime radius and use a Willards tip tool that looks like a flying saucer ? On spelling ha ha
 
Last edited:
KINGSCOURT905 said:
yeah that makes sense, i am gonna chalk the whole tip before i play and stop reaching for the fancy stuff lol. do you rechalk much during a game or just before you start
Click to expand...

Typical game of eight, nine, or ten, often just that once before a game and again only if I am stretching the extremes of tip offset. One Pocket or anything else that runs long, probably a careful chalking every six or eight shots. I always chalk center to edge, wiping. When done and after knocking loose chalk off I'll look closely and touch up any of the edge that looks like it needs it.

You are getting conflicting advice which makes things confusing. It might help to know I use a medium to soft tip.

I do not like chalking as part of a preshot routine. Leads to a lot of unnecessary chalking and chalk has grit in it.

Hu
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top