breaking in a new tip

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blueballs

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
what do you guys do to break in a new tip?

i think a tip is like a baseball glove, no matter how fancy or expensive, it's pretty useless until broken in. it usually takes me at least 20 hours of play to get my game back on track. it really isn't all that much play, but it is a lot of crappy pool playing. one of my shafts has a new tip, and i hate new tips. i was playing with it and i couldn't get out to save my @$$...or any money.

what are some ways to break in a tip as quickly as possible, one of you has to know a shortcut? tell the rest of us............please:D
 
I used to have this problem. I have read that if you take the shaft and pop it on the floor about 200 times that it will break it in. Dropping in only about 3 in from the floor. While popping it scuff the tip ever so often to loosen it up even more. I am like you new tips make it seem harder to control the q ball. I hope this helps
 
When, i switched to using Moori Med tips i was told to not break with the tip, because it will compress the layers faster.

a few days after i had my first Moori tip, i talked to Sarah Rousey and she told me, that to help break the tip in, she will break with the cue a couple times.

So anytime i get a new Moori tip, after a full day of playing with the new tip, i will take about 5 to 10 hard breaks with it to end the day.

After that, all i do to the tip, is just scuff it once a month depending on the amount of play, and tip pik it really good everytime before i play.

dave
 
The only thing I do to a NEW TIP is Rough it up with 220 Sand Paper if my Tip Tapper is unavailable, and Chalk it up. Than play with it..
 
blueballs said:
what do you guys do to break in a new tip?

i think a tip is like a baseball glove, no matter how fancy or expensive, it's pretty useless until broken in. it usually takes me at least 20 hours of play to get my game back on track. it really isn't all that much play, but it is a lot of crappy pool playing. one of my shafts has a new tip, and i hate new tips. i was playing with it and i couldn't get out to save my @$$...or any money.

what are some ways to break in a tip as quickly as possible, one of you has to know a shortcut? tell the rest of us............please:D
Click to expand...

Some people compress their tips with a vice before putting them on, which should have a similar effect as some hours of play. You may want to try that.

-Andrew
 
PoolSleuth said:
The only thing I do to a NEW TIP is Rough it up with 220 Sand Paper if my Tip Tapper is unavailable, and Chalk it up. Than play with it..
Click to expand...


+1

I do the same thing. I have a few different cues and keep a Tip Tapper
with each one.:)
 
CaptainHook said:
+1

I do the same thing. I have a few different cues and keep a Tip Tapper
with each one.:)
Click to expand...

The Cues I play with most have an Assortment of Tips. All are Medium/Hard, all are LAYERED. Morri, Tigers, and Hercules.

Favorite Tip is a Tiger HARD....:rolleyes:
 
A different tip radius (nickel/dime) will deflect the cue ball differently (squirt).

I always install the same brand/hardness/radius of tip and it plays the same as the old tip. And I lightly sand my tip with a sandpaper shaper once a week is all (no tip tapping). More sanding when new to keep it the dime shape I prefer.

So currently I have a Moori Q (hard) dime shaped tip on my cue. When I replace it, it will be with a Moori Q (hard) dime shaped tip and it will play the same.

I see many players who have no idea what brand/hardness/radius tip they have. Then they get a new (different) tip installed. Then their game goes out the window!
 
CaptainJR said:
What specifically do you do with your tip tapper?
Click to expand...

I make sure the Butt is sitting square on the it's bumper. Then i grip the Tip Tapper by the end and make sure i have a tight grip on it and the little
8 or 9 Ball key chain i keep them on, I then start tapping the rough side
of the tapper on the tip working my around the surface of the tip to rough it up so it holds the chalk better. Sometimes i will gring the tip tapper on the tip to get it a little rougher. I then slightly wet my finger and run it around the edge of the tip, then i hold the cue level and rub the edge of the tip very briskly on the felt on the top of one of the rails, i rotate the cue while i do this. This burnishes the side of the tip and makes it less prone to mushrooming. I watched Mike Sigel do this once in 1987 and i just copied what he did.:)
 
blueballs said:
what do you guys do to break in a new tip?
Click to expand...
First, like many installers, I pre-select the tip. It has to pass certain tests before I put it on. If it doesn't, the tip won't be useful unless it's compressed over time. And even then, some tips just won't get there. The tests include a visual inspection, a bite test, and then another visual after I sand the bottom.

Second, after I install it, I bounce the shaft about 200 times. If I chose a really good tip, the bouncing will have almost no effect on the tip. If it flares or flattens, the tip might be junk, and I'd pull it off. But, it normally isn't junk if it passed my initial tests.

Third, there is what some people call a height aspect ratio that needs to be consider. A tip shouldn't be too tall for its diameter, or else it will get too much stress (cantilever?). So, trimming off enough of the top is really important.

The tip then is and should be as playable as it's ever going to get.

The layered tips will have nearly a 100% pass rate on the pre-tests. While single layered tips like Triangle, Elk Master, and LePro are unfortunatelly down in the 50-60% range for me.

Fred
 
Rare animal here ...

because I like new tips. Use 220 sandpaper to shape and rough up a little, and I am just fine with it.
 
StormHotRod300 said:
When, i switched to using Moori Med tips i was told to not break with the tip, because it will compress the layers faster.

a few days after i had my first Moori tip, i talked to Sarah Rousey and she told me, that to help break the tip in, she will break with the cue a couple times.

So anytime i get a new Moori tip, after a full day of playing with the new tip, i will take about 5 to 10 hard breaks with it to end the day.

After that, all i do to the tip, is just scuff it once a month depending on the amount of play, and tip pik it really good everytime before i play.

dave
Click to expand...

I just got a Moori Med tip on Monday after the tip I had (some cheap .50c one) mushroomed. Now I've lost all accuracy and touch. I figured it must be something to do with breaking in the tip so I'll try breaking with it a few times. Do you use anything particular to scuff the tip with, and what is 'tip pik' ?
 
hobokenapa said:
I just got a Moori Med tip on Monday after the tip I had (some cheap .50c one) mushroomed. Now I've lost all accuracy and touch. I figured it must be something to do with breaking in the tip so I'll try breaking with it a few times. Do you use anything particular to scuff the tip with, and what is 'tip pik' ?
Click to expand...

the only time i've had a laminated tip fall apart was because of a tip pik. they are about the size of a chapstick and have long spikes on them. these are only good for one piece tips. use a tapper, like a scotty scuffer(available on the az marketplace) or an its george, on layered tips. they will help it hold chalk, but won't noticeably speed up break in.

i think the best advice i've gotten so far is to bounce it lightly on a concrete surface from a distance of only a few inches.
 
CaptainJR said:
What specifically do you do with your tip tapper?
Click to expand...

When the Tip become Smooth to Feel I Rock or Roll the Tip Taper on the Tip with ONLY ENOUGH Pressure to make the Tip have a Slightly Rough Feel. Grabs Better, and Helps Hold Chalk.

Like I said 220 Grit Sandpaper also does the same thing.... ;)

A Smooth Tip is just totally unacceptable to me, and a Rough Tip Sure improves my Break Shot about 500%....;)
 
Beak in

I don't do anything to my Killers other than chalk it and start shooting. I agree with the other post about using a tip pic on a layered tip is bad for the tip. I also agree about the height of the tip should be trimmed back some upon installation. When I was using Moori they didn't require any extra attention after being installed. Ofcoures I use a hard tip.---Smitty
 
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