How long do Kamui blacks last?

I Got Lucky

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I play 15-20 hours a week. How long should I expect a Kamui black super soft to last? Do they compress much? Need reshaping often?

Thanx
 

haystj

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
3 weeks.............
 

Attachments

  • images.jpg
    images.jpg
    16.5 KB · Views: 1,097

timothysoong

TS Billiards
Gold Member
Silver Member
If you like the feel of the cue tip bitting the cue ball. Then I'd say 2-3 weeks with the amount of hours you've mentioned. It does mushroom once according to my experience with them.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
If you like the feel of the cue tip bitting the cue ball. Then I'd say 2-3 weeks with the amount of hours you've mentioned. It does mushroom once according to my experience with them.

You seem to be saying that he will get only 2-3 weeks of play out of the tip before he has to have it replaced. Or are you saying that he will have to reshape it every 2 weeks?

I pretty much never reshape my tips. It has been a long time since I had one that mushroomed.
 

saint1

saint1
Silver Member
tips

Some times they mushroom a little after new install. Then trim back down and good to go for 6 months to a year. I never pic, shape, scuff ,or touch my tips and they never change. I find that the guys that go through tips are always messing with them and scuffing etc.
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I only play 5 or so hours, once a week, and mine has lasted a couple years. I even chopped half of mine off because I didn't like the way it played when it was "tall". I think it plays better when it is about half the height of what it is when it is first put on.

When I first got it put on, it was tall and felt "bendy" when you hit the ball and it was too "tacky". When it gets shorter it gets firmer and I like the hit better. I have more feel for the cue ball.
 

tonythetiger583

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think it will harden to a certain extent, but then should stay pretty consistent from there.

I think kamui's also hold their shape really well.

I feel like I wasted a lot of tips at first because I was constantly trying to keep that perfect nickel or dime radius. I would blow through a tip in like a month from constantly trying to re-shape it.

I think after the initial shaping, your tip will want to stay at a certain curvature based on how you play. You can re-shape it, but it will return to that certain radius just based on your style.

If you don't try and fight it and just let your stroke shape your tip, you will get a lot more play out of it.
 

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It will last as long as any other tip you take care of........super soft will tend to harden over time but if you
maintain the tip correctly, the difference will be gradually slow to notice and you'll enjoy using the tip.

I have Kamui Clear Black Tips Soft & Super-soft........I prefer the soft a little more than the super-soft,
but medium in Kamui is a little too hard for my preferences......and the tip last awhile when maintained.
 

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you do like the Hawaiian says and never touch it, years.

People messing with it too much when they miscue or something.
99% of miscues are a poor stroke, just leave it alone.
 

timothysoong

TS Billiards
Gold Member
Silver Member
You seem to be saying that he will get only 2-3 weeks of play out of the tip before he has to have it replaced. Or are you saying that he will have to reshape it every 2 weeks?

I pretty much never reshape my tips. It has been a long time since I had one that mushroomed.

After installation and play, it will mushroom once or twice. Then it won't mushroom again. It will only last 2-3 weeks after installation if he plays 15-20hrs a day.
 

timothysoong

TS Billiards
Gold Member
Silver Member
0% chance this is accurate

Well sir, what I'm saying is if he likes a lot of bite with the cue ball. It'll only last 2-3 weeks. This is what most "Taiwanese" pros do, when they feel they get lesser bite with the cue ball, they considered it too stiff/hard, so they replaced their tip very oftenly.

I change my tips once every 1-2 months. Everyone has different opinions about how they like their tip. I just thought, the OP is picky with his tips.
 

The Renfro

Outsville.com
Silver Member
Well sir, what I'm saying is if he likes a lot of bite with the cue ball. It'll only last 2-3 weeks. This is what most "Taiwanese" pros do, when they feel they get lesser bite with the cue ball, they considered it too stiff/hard, so they replaced their tip very oftenly.

I change my tips once every 1-2 months. Everyone has different opinions about how they like their tip. I just thought, the OP is picky with his tips.

Timothy is 100% correct... Buy a Durometer and check the tip every day... It will hit a point where the tip hardens to the point it loses the last bit of bounce it had when new... It used to make me about 4 weeks before I changed mine.... I could have played with it longer but I preferred the grip and bounch they had when new... After the new wore off not so much so on with another one.....
 

billiardthought

Anti-intellectualism
Silver Member
Timothy is 100% correct... Buy a Durometer and check the tip every day... It will hit a point where the tip hardens to the point it loses the last bit of bounce it had when new... It used to make me about 4 weeks before I changed mine.... I could have played with it longer but I preferred the grip and bounch they had when new... After the new wore off not so much so on with another one.....

I will let you keep playing with the durometer. The question was how long do they last, not how long do they stay perfectly new.
 

timothysoong

TS Billiards
Gold Member
Silver Member
I will let you keep playing with the durometer. The question was how long do they last, not how long do they stay perfectly new.

How long do they last? This question will have millions of answers.

1) It depends on the hours of play per day.
2) A professional will say 3-4 weeks because they only like it when it has enough bite in the cue ball. For most pros, the tips are basically useless no matter how thick/new they are if they lose its bite/bounce. But for some players, they'll think the tip is still new and thick I can still probably play it for another month. Some players are just too sensitive with the hit.

I can tell, you are not that fussy about your tip, as long as it still plays, no miscues, and thick enough to play, it's good enough for you.

But some players wants consistency in their tip. Not exactly when they're new. Some players like the tip when it's broken in. And I can keep on going on.. But it's basically just a matter of what each person likes/prefer.
 

JC

Coos Cues
I play 15-20 hours a week. How long should I expect a Kamui black super soft to last? Do they compress much? Need reshaping often?

Thanx

I would say approximately ten minutes at which time I saw the black marks on my cloth from using draw that wouldn't come off. I immediately cut the POS off and threw it in the trash can. I will say it never mushroomed though.:smile:

JC
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Years ago, I used to like the way LePro tips played when they were new. I haven't played with a good one lately. I just ordered a new shaft with one...hope it surprises me.

I am playing with the Black SS now, but it will need changing in a short while. I'm going to try something else when I change it.
 

Kickin' Chicken

Kick Shot Aficionado
Gold Member
Silver Member
I feel very fortunate that I have been playing with the same kamui black soft tip for about 3 years and it needs just about zero maintenance. It is not the SS, though, so maybe those wear differently.

One point worth mentioning is to be absolutely sure when buying kamui tips that you are getting them from an authorized kamui dealer.

There are so many counterfeits floating around, it's a real minefield out there. This problem is not exclusive to kamui, btw.

best,
brian kc
 

1billiardking

Registered
I install 20 Kamui black tips per month on average, my best sellers are SS & Soft and Its rare to get a complaint about mushrooming. Limit your temptation to shape the tip, all you need is a light-scuffing to break up the leather (no tip picks) add a good quality chalk and you're good to go. You should get 2-3 months out of it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Top