Anyone play with an Elk Master? Tip suggestions

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/172940264562

I have tried a few different cue tip presses and the Picone press is the best. I tried one of those screw together presses and the tip got stuck at the bottom between the threads and would not come out.

The Picone has two cylinders. One flat and one concave and goes in a vice. I bought a box of 50 LePro tips and started experimenting. I gave a bunch away to people I knew as I did. I just used feed back for myself as I have no intentions of ever selling them.

mattb said:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/172940264562

I have tried a few different cue tip presses and the Picone press is the best. I tried one of those screw together presses and the tip got stuck at the bottom between the threads and would not come out.

The Picone has two cylinders. One flat and one concave and goes in a vice. I bought a box of 50 LePro tips and started experimenting. I gave a bunch away to people I knew as I did. I just used feed back for myself as I have no intentions of ever selling them.

Click to expand...

It seems to me that the problem with this type of press is that unless you used pre-domed tips (and most tips come flat), you are compressing the edges of the tip a whole lot more than the middle is getting compressed and so you end up with tips that are increasingly harder and more compressed the closer you get to the edge. Something about a tip that has varying hardness levels across its surface just isn't appealing to me. I'm thinking that tips that come flat are probably best pressed flat unless you use pre-domed tips or can somehow dome them yourself before pressing.

OP asked for medium-soft. IMO Triangle or LePro may not qualify; certainly not WB.
If the Ki-Tech's don't work out: Pooldawg's MilkDuds are great, but for something a bit softer, but not super-soft like Elkmaster, try the milkduds used by Schmelke. Not advertised on their site, you'll have to call.

Elkmaster Clear!

Franky4Eyes said:

Elkmaster tips are awesome.
Just squeeze them down in a vice to your desired firmness.
One of the most versatile tips ever made.
Milk duds play great too; when properly made.
They're one of my favorite.
Triangles are nice as well,
but a pressed Elkmaster just feels like magic.

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I agree here. I bought a shaft that had a Kamui Clear on it. When the tipe wears out I'll have the first Elkmaster Clear! lol

I like Kamui .... that being said, I had an elkmaster put on a few days ago and like it pretty well- now-
It took a few days to "settle in" or something. I had multiple miscues for a day or two
( getting to the point, in fact, of cutting this puppy off and trying something different!)
Now, however, we have gotten used to each other and just maybe, we can be friends ��

I press my elkmasters and they play great

I don't like them at all

atthecat said:

What is the hardness after you press them?

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" You determine how hard the tip will be when you press the tip ....
Once you begin the process,
You will feel the tip compressing.
More pressing = a harder tip,
less press, softer-
Like I said in my 1st post-
try and experiment a little"

atthecat said:

What is the hardness after you press them?

Click to expand...

I usually aim for 75A.
85-90 plays damn sporty too; just has a nicer ping to the hit.
Even a super hard one still holds English very well.

As for the edges being firmer than the center-
I've never noticed that.
Elkmaster tips come in a dome shape, so I'd think
the center would be most firm because it's being pressed
flush with the edge...
Also, installation has allot to do with how a tip might feel.
Back when layered tips were first getting popular,
I had a buddy put one on and he butchered the thing
terribly. Delaminated almost every layer. Lol!
Was his first experience. He swore them off until
the demand forced him to learn how to trim them right.
For the money, there really isn't a better option than
Elkmaster.

I know a guy that just hits his Elkmaster with a hammer 2
times, then installs it.
Swears anything past that is overkill, and just buy a different brand if you want a hard tip. Lol