Change to a break tip ?

R

ronscuba

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
After getting a new cue, I now use my previous playing cue as a break cue. Should I change to a break tip like a Samsara or phenolic ? Does it make that much of a difference ?
 
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Break tip

I have studied break cues for years, and have come to the conclusion that a break cue with a break tip improves your break about 15%. But, in the 15% improvement, you now make more balls, or have better shots after the break, then it is entirely worth it. Besides, do you really want to use a playing cue for breaking and risk hurting it in some way?

I have a J&J break/jump cue with 2 shafts. Both shafts were phenolic, but I had a super 'dud' put on one of them. (Because of BCA rules which don't allow phenolic tips on break cues now) I like the super 'dud' very much.
It breaks good, and I have a little more control of it over the phenoilic tip.

Now a J&J break/jump cue has a 13.25 mm shaft, so it is stiff, probably stiffer than your old playing cue you now use to break with. I think you should get a break tip put on, and see how it does for you. BTW, it was only $20 for putting that super 'dud' tip on my break shaft.
 
Was going to make a thread in a week or so on this same topic. But my question isn't whether I should or not, but what break tip to use.

Samsara, madman, or what?
 
i used to play with a viking then switched to a predator.

i put a buffalo tip on the viking to use for breaking and couldnt be happier.i used it for 2 years without any problems at all before i picked up a dedicated breaking cue.

i hung my viking on the wall and still use it at the house for breaking and playing when i dont feel like getting the player and the breaker out of the case.

the buffalo tip has been on it for 4 years now and i am amazed how well it has held up and how well i can both break and shoot with it.
 
Snapshot9 said:
I have studied break cues for years, and have come to the conclusion that a break cue with a break tip improves your break about 15%. But, in the 15% improvement, you now make more balls, or have better shots after the break, then it is entirely worth it. Besides, do you really want to use a playing cue for breaking and risk hurting it in some way?

I have a J&J break/jump cue with 2 shafts. Both shafts were phenolic, but I had a super 'dud' put on one of them. (Because of BCA rules which don't allow phenolic tips on break cues now) I like the super 'dud' very much.
It breaks good, and I have a little more control of it over the phenoilic tip.

Now a J&J break/jump cue has a 13.25 mm shaft, so it is stiff, probably stiffer than your old playing cue you now use to break with. I think you should get a break tip put on, and see how it does for you. BTW, it was only $20 for putting that super 'dud' tip on my break shaft.
Click to expand...

By "super dud" you mean a soaked super pro? And if so ,soaked in what? Thanks Don
 
Big_mike said:
i really like the white diamond with a phenolic ferrule. works amazing.
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I may be wrong, but I think the White Diamond tip is illegal in the BCA or the BCAPL (or both).

That said, I am absolutely sold on the Samsara J/B tip. It's a very hard leather, so it's legal in all leagues, at least as far as I know. I have cut the tips off of my Action J/B cues that had the 1-piece carbon fiber ferrule/tips and replaced the tips with the Samsara and they break and jump just as good or better than before. I also installed one on the spare shaft for my Tadpole jump cue (the extra one they give you to use with the jump butt as a "shorty" cue). It jumps just as well as the jump shaft with the phenolic tip and 13.25mm diameter even though it wasn't intended to be used as a jump shaft. So now I have two jump shafts for my Tadpole, one that is BCA legal.

Try a Samsara. I think you'll like it.

Maniac
 
I took my sledghammer breaker and ground the phenolic flat, glued on a samsara break tip, and it couldn't be better. Cannot go wrong with a samsara tip imo.
 
lorider said:
i used to play with a viking then switched to a predator.

i put a buffalo tip on the viking to use for breaking and couldnt be happier.i used it for 2 years without any problems at all before i picked up a dedicated breaking cue.

i hung my viking on the wall and still use it at the house for breaking and playing when i dont feel like getting the player and the breaker out of the case.

the buffalo tip has been on it for 4 years now and i am amazed how well it has held up and how well i can both break and shoot with it.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. I put a hard water buffalo tip on my 1st Gen Predator BK and use the Predator BK as my regular break cue. The buffalo tip works very well, doesn't mushroom, and works equally well for all other shots.
 
Predator bk 2

Secaucus Fats said:
I'm with you. I put a hard water buffalo tip on my 1st Gen Predator BK and use the Predator BK as my regular break cue. The buffalo tip works very well, doesn't mushroom, and works equally well for all other shots.
Click to expand...

I worked out with one at Derby City & was surprised to learn that the tip was phenolic.

It took chalk easier & control was easier than other phenolics I have used.

Is it some special phenolic & if so is that tip available for use on other cues?
 
berlowmj2 said:
I worked out with one at Derby City & was surprised to learn that the tip was phenolic.

It took chalk easier & control was easier than other phenolics I have used.

Is it some special phenolic & if so is that tip available for use on other cues?
Click to expand...

it is not phenolic.

it is made from the hide of a water buffalo.
 
berlowmj2 said:
I worked out with one at Derby City & was surprised to learn that the tip was phenolic.

It took chalk easier & control was easier than other phenolics I have used.

Is it some special phenolic & if so is that tip available for use on other cues?
Click to expand...

I believe that the one you tried is a Predator BK2 which comes with a phenolic and carbon fiber tip. The one I have is the original 1st Gen Predator BK which came with a leather tip (can't remember what brand).

I don't know if Predator is making the tip available for retail purchase.
 
I used my Joss J11 with a normal, Triangle medium tip as a break cue for almost 15 years...all with the same tip! I kid you not, I just let the tip glaze down (it was already down to about half thickness when I retired it to be a break cue, so no mushrooming). The tip got glazed over at about a quarter's bevel and then just stayed there. Broke like a beast, great control. The only reason it's not still my breaker is I bought a new shaft for it and gave it to my son. Now use a McDermott NG01 J/B, love it, but that Joss with the old Triangle was great for years...and still would be!:)
 
Last week I decided to put an Ice Breaker tip on an old Ernie Martinez jump break cue.
The shaft is a standard 13mm playing shaft, but with the Ice Breaker tip I can crush the balls, jump, and maintain CB control.
I was amazed at how well it works, especially without any special break or jump-break shaft.
Samsara is good as well, but I like the Ice Breaker.
 
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