Are Kamui Clear tips a gimmick???

Kamui Clear

I've been using kamui tips for almost 3 years now and I finally let my cue guy install a clear medium on my cue.. I Still love the old trianlge tips but the consistancy of kamui is top notch in my opinion. I used moori before kamui and there is next to no difference. According to my tip guy the only real difference is the clear pad which eliminates the possibilities of a tilted install. I had mine installed with a red carbon pad which looks pretty cool. There is No difference in terms of feel from my kamui black medium to the clear medium. Kamui has making things more expensive down to a science, atleast their stuff has longevity.

If you're using a Moori, then switching to a Kamui won't be much of a change. I found both to glaze over equally as fast.

What you gain with a Kamui clear, versus a traditional Kamui or Moori, is that you won't have glue wicking through the leather layers. It's clear for looks, they probably figured they would sell more since it's clear and fancy, rather than just a dull black composite layer. The clear pad is not only their marketing scheme, but it also has a purpose in excess glue prevention.

I have @ 12 hours play on my new Kamui clear soft. I switched from years of using snipers as a result of the Kamui promotion with POVPOOL for an Earl/SVB match. :thumbup:

So far so good! No mushrooming, no glazing, no huge adjustment. I had concerns it would look funky and throw me off. But I've found i don't even notice it.

Bob 14:1 said:

Is the gel Loctite as real of an issue as they claim?

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From my experience, no.

I've used both Gel and Liquid. Liquid tends to set really fast, but so does Loctite Gel. If I were to guess, I'd say they mean slow drying epoxy type gel's.

I've had my Clear super soft for about a month now. To be honest, I wont be buying another one. It glazes faster than a ham in the oven, and I'm constantly having to scuff (Gator grip) or poke it to be able to hold chalk. I started breaking with it to compress it a few weeks ago, smashing it down well, I'd say it's now playing better than when I first got it. Probably around a medium, which seems to be what I need to stick to, that super soft just isn't my style.

This is just my experience. I've used moori mediums in the past and came back to the game to find that they are not the same anymore. Threw away literally hundreds of dollars trying to find an equivalent playing tip. Tried most of the Tiger line and then moved to the Kamui blacks, S,SS,M and then stuck with the softs for awhile, closest thing to the Moori Medium hit that I used to love. When I needed a tip change in an emergency only thing around was a Kamui Black Soft Clear, so I picked it up and had it put on. To me noticeable difference in hit from the normal black and the clear. Clear felt numb. I looked closer at the tip and saw that there is actually another "pad" or something on top of the clear "pad". Seems like there is a whole lot of plastic between ferrule and leather. May account for the numbing feeling, only a guess. Had it on for a couple weeks, hated it so bad I literally cut if off practically brand new and waited for a normal kamui black soft to arrive in the mail. Not to mention that clear layer is distracting when getting down to cue. I got a little used to it but could never adjusted, table lights would do weird reflections, glimmers, etc. from different angles, never the same reflection so I could never adjust to it. Anyways, funny this is after a ton of wasted money I ended up using a pressed elk master and love them, play lights out, as much control over the ball as anyone could ever ask of a tip, never miscues (big issue with the other tips for me). Takes a little time to break in but after it does whoa, I mean whoa, can literally run rack after rack with precision shape. who would have figured after all that, I'm now playing with a 50 cent tip, lol.

I have a similar experience. Tried dozens of tips. Been super frustrating.

Since I used the old Moori mediums for a long time and loved them, decided to give the new ones a shot. I absolutely hated them. Took them off right away and put on some Zan softs.

Have only used them for about an hour so no update on them yet.

On a whim...

Bob 14:1 said:

I finally found a Denver dealer with a cue lathe. Unfortunately, they don't stock my usual tip; a Moori soft.
Does anyone have any opinions regarding this Kamui tip???

I'm not finding any density ratings, and I'm also wondering if this tip is going to glaze over as quickly as some suggest they experience with a Kamui tip? The glazing issue is often mentioned by users as well as a few installers which I've contacted.

In the copy below, nothing really performance related is mentioned, except for the hair splitting suggestion of a superior attachment and alignment.

Thank you so much for your inputs...

Kamui Clear Black Soft
• Achieve further consistency by limting
the glue absorbed into the bottom layers of the tip.
• No sanding of the bottom layer is needed.
• Easy installation due to the flat surface of the glue side.
• Minimal amount of glue guarantees a perfectly aligned
installation to achieve the designed tip and cue performance.
• For installation, use liquid base super glue like Loctite 401 or Loctite PROFESSIONAL, in order to maximize the adhesion to the Kamui Clear tip. Using the gel type super glue tends to be too thick resulting in longer drying time and a weak bond.

MINIMUM RETAIL PRICE $23.00
View attachment 313583

Click to expand...

I had a professional install the clear black Kamuis on two of my shafts, after reading reviews about them on AZB. Nice tip, and I like the clear part underneath. I got the Soft. LOVE THEM. I repeat, LOVE THEM. The soft is more like a firm Medium of other brands, no mushrooming, holds its shape, and if maintained properly and chalked, does not miscue. When I first got them, I had the cue ball more in the air than on the table. After making sure I had the correct shaping, and with a little scuff on them, I have not miscued since, even when trying to use A LOT of bottom english on the cue ball. I do not sell them, am not affiliated with any sellers, or any of that, but I have not used anything better, personally. The only thing is, the hit (SS, S, M, H) is a level above what it says it is. I just sold my cue with those tips, but the one I am getting in the mail will MOST DEFINITELY get new tips.

Bob 14:1 said:

I finally found a Denver dealer with a cue lathe. Unfortunately, they don't stock my usual tip; a Moori soft.
Does anyone have any opinions regarding this Kamui tip???

I'm not finding any density ratings, and I'm also wondering if this tip is going to glaze over as quickly as some suggest they experience with a Kamui tip? The glazing issue is often mentioned by users as well as a few installers which I've contacted.

In the copy below, nothing really performance related is mentioned, except for the hair splitting suggestion of a superior attachment and alignment.

Thank you so much for your inputs...

Kamui Clear Black Soft
• Achieve further consistency by limting
the glue absorbed into the bottom layers of the tip.
• No sanding of the bottom layer is needed.
• Easy installation due to the flat surface of the glue side.
• Minimal amount of glue guarantees a perfectly aligned
installation to achieve the designed tip and cue performance.
• For installation, use liquid base super glue like Loctite 401 or Loctite PROFESSIONAL, in order to maximize the adhesion to the Kamui Clear tip. Using the gel type super glue tends to be too thick resulting in longer drying time and a weak bond.

MINIMUM RETAIL PRICE $23.00
View attachment 313583

Click to expand...

Try a ss then you will never want a Morri

PhoenixVA said:

I had a professional install the clear black Kamuis on two of my shafts, after reading reviews about them on AZB. Nice tip, and I like the clear part underneath. I got the Soft. LOVE THEM. I repeat, LOVE THEM. The soft is more like a firm Medium of other brands, no mushrooming, holds its shape, and if maintained properly and chalked, does not miscue. When I first got them, I had the cue ball more in the air than on the table. After making sure I had the correct shaping, and with a little scuff on them, I have not miscued since, even when trying to use A LOT of bottom english on the cue ball. I do not sell them, am not affiliated with any sellers, or any of that, but I have not used anything better, personally. The only thing is, the hit (SS, S, M, H) is a level above what it says it is. I just sold my cue with those tips, but the one I am getting in the mail will MOST DEFINITELY get new tips.

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Last year I switched from Trojan super softs to Magnum clear hards. Hadn't had a miscue since.

Kamui Clear Tips

I have hit with a few Kamui Clear tips and I don't like the way they sound. I have be using a Kamui Black Soft tip. Seems the Kamui Clear is for easier installation of the tip. My advise is find someone who knows how to install a tip properly and throw the Kamui Clears out.

Kamui clear is not much different from their ordinary tips, but the clear layer prevents glue wicking and it guarantees a flat install. It`s all about consistency.

real bartram said:

Try a ss then you will never want a Morri

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Top players use the Clear SS tips to "packspray".....

Kamui clear vs non clear?

quick thought, if the kamui clear with the clear acrylic pad and black acrylic pad is the same as without the 2 layers of plastic between ferrule and leather then I guess that would be the same thinking as pads or no pads playing the same on ivory ferrules. Interesting didn't realize the close comparison between the two setups before.

staypuff578 said:

I've had my Clear super soft for about a month now. To be honest, I wont be buying another one. It glazes faster than a ham in the oven, and I'm constantly having to scuff (Gator grip) or poke it to be able to hold chalk. I started breaking with it to compress it a few weeks ago, smashing it down well, I'd say it's now playing better than when I first got it. Probably around a medium, which seems to be what I need to stick to, that super soft just isn't my style.

Click to expand...

You changed a super-soft into a medium by breaking with it for a few weeks? interesting.

Kamui tips go hard pretty fast.

Ive had a kamui soft installed, and did about 100 long straight stop shots per day. After 3 weeks, they went even harder than a moori Q.

Imo, get a ultraskin. They affordably cheap and plays better than kamui or moori. Contact Tom for some.

The Kamui Black SS I used have never glazed over. They did become quite a bit harder in a few months of use. The clear ones are the same thing with a pad underneath. The Kamui tips remind me a lot of the original Moori tips. I bought one of the new Moori tips and had it cut off a week later LOL.

I was looking for something that had a good soft feel but did not harder up quickly and ordered a tip from outsville.
Try these http://www.shop.outsville.com/Tips_c3.htm

I have a Soft now installed and it's amazing, it may be too soft for most though, it feels like a piece of rubber more than a tip with how pliable it plays, but holds its shape perfectly.