My thoughts on Tiger Onyx vs. Kamui tips

boogieman

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
This is my review/thoughts on my new Onyx tip by Tiger and how it compared to the various Kamui tips I have used. I will start out by saying, I am definitely not a Kamui hater, I use their chalk (cue dramatic music for resulting price complaints) and absolutely love it. I can use other chalk but honestly I would rather not. To me, as long as it lasts, it's price is negligible. I would say one cube lasts as long as 50 cubes of masters. Imagine 49 extra cubes of blue dust on your hands and cloth. Anyway I'm a bit sidetracked... on to the tips.

Taking the advice of my cue repair guy, I decided to use a Kamui super soft. It was pretty good, gave good spin, but was too soft for me personally. Well, I went up the hardness scale to a soft. Better, but still not what I wanted. Next came a medium on my wife's cue. Still not quite right. A hard, again, nice but it seems to feel deadened in a way. It's like at the very perimeter of the tip, where the round meets the vertical edges has no structural integrity to it. All of the Kamui seemed to glaze over a little bit after 15 shots normal playing (nothing a light scuff with my Kamui gator grip cant fix... told you I was a Kamui fan ha ha) and that edge just rounds over. I admit I sometimes use "silly-extreme" english, or may miscue on a draw shot.

So, I bought a $11 Onyx tip from cuecomponents (rated as a medium) and I couldn't be happier. I would say it holds chalk twice as well as a Kamui (using Kamui chalk on both). It has a beautiful feel to it, absolutely no mushy feel. On soft shots the Kamui's just have a mushy/dead/dampening feel. Not so with the Onyx. My Onyx really feels amazing with soft and harder shots. It really gives a great tactile sensation I am looking for. I have used some "silly-extreme" english and have miscued once on a draw shot (stretched out over the table after he missed a shot), but the edge where the round meets the vertical side is perfect still.

Both tips give good action, it is subjective but I think the Onyx gives better action with a more crisp feel. That could be due to how much better the Onyx seems to hold chalk.

I guess all in all, I would say the Onyx is similar, but a DEFINITE upgrade from a Kamui. Much better feel, and costs much less. If these were priced solely by performance and feel, and the Onyx is a $11 tip, a Kamui should be about $8.

I can say after using the Onyx, as long as they are available I will never go back to Kamui tips.
 
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woodsr83

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Interesting read

I currently play with a kamui black medium tip. I do like how it plays and was curious about the tiger onyx as it was tiger's response to the kamui. On my next cue, I may try the onyx out as a result of your review.

Btw, I have the same problem with the tip glazing over on the kamui.
 

Shroder

Registered
I've been playing with an onyx for a while now. I like it, but i have to say i prefer the sniper. i was a die-hard sniper fan for years when i saw the onyx come out. labeled a sniper that was softer and didn't harden over time (the snipers' big draw back). I must say though, the sniper holds chalk better, and the onyx i bought was pricey ($20). They are good tips, but save a couple bucks and try the sniper. you'll probably like it. I have yet to try a Kamui tip. They're next on the list.
 

Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is my review/thoughts on my new Onyx tip by Tiger and how it compared to the various Kamui tips I have used. I will start out by saying, I am definitely not a Kamui hater, I use their chalk (cue dramatic music for resulting price complaints) and absolutely love it. I can use other chalk but honestly I would rather not. To me, as long as it lasts, it's price is negligible. I would say one cube lasts as long as 50 cubes of masters. Imagine 49 extra cubes of blue dust on your hands and cloth. Anyway I'm a bit sidetracked... on to the tips.

Taking the advice of my cue repair guy, I decided to use a Kamui super soft. It was pretty good, gave good spin, but was too soft for me personally. Well, I went up the hardness scale to a soft. Better, but still not what I wanted. Next came a medium on my wife's cue. Still not quite right. A hard, again, nice but it seems to feel deadened in a way. It's like at the very perimeter of the tip, where the round meets the vertical edges has no structural integrity to it. All of the Kamui seemed to glaze over a little bit after 15 shots normal playing (nothing a light scuff with my Kamui gator grip cant fix... told you I was a Kamui fan ha ha) and that edge just rounds over. I admit I sometimes use "silly-extreme" english, or may miscue on a draw shot.

So, I bought a $11 Onyx tip from cuecomponents (rated as a medium) and I couldn't be happier. I would say it holds chalk twice as well as a Kamui (using Kamui chalk on both). It has a beautiful feel to it, absolutely no mushy feel. On soft shots the Kamui's just have a mushy/dead/dampening feel. Not so with the Onyx. My Onyx really feels amazing with soft and harder shots. It really gives a great tactile sensation I am looking for. I have used some "silly-extreme" english and have miscued once on a draw shot (stretched out over the table after he missed a shot), but the edge where the round meets the vertical side is perfect still.

Both tips give good action, it is subjective but I think the Onyx gives better action with a more crisp feel. That could be due to how much better the Onyx seems to hold chalk.

I guess all in all, I would say the Onyx is similar, but a DEFINITE upgrade from a Kamui. Much better feel, and costs much less. If these were priced solely by performance and feel, and the Onyx is a $11 tip, a Kamui should be about $8.

I can say after using the Onyx, as long as they are available I will never go back to Kamui tips.

I agree with most of this,,,,,,,,I played Snipers for a long time, then tried several Kamui's, but the kamui's do have that dead feel to me as well, especially on the very soft shots in onepocket and 14.1. I have been using a Onyx now for about a month and it's just like the review. It has alot of life in the response, especially on soft shots,,,,,,,,,,I actually am adjusting toward less english than I'm used to because it's more lively.

$11 is not a fair statement though,,,,,,,I know some places run sales, but Tigers MAP price is over $19 on the Onyx tips,,,,,,,so not much difference in cost really from Kamui, but a lot better deal in my opinion because of the better feel.
 

oldplayer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
like "shroder" said, i have tried sniper, kamui ss, le pro and now have the onyx...going back to the sniper when this tip is done...
 
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