Cue tip brand warning...

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
I was at Mueller's the other day buying some tips. I saw one that I thought was a Kamui (sp). When I got to the checkout, I realized it was really a Karomi.

I asked the guy if it was any good. He didn't know. It was marked at $11.95. I was going to put it back on the rack, but thought, what the hell, it might be OK. It was black with fancy lettering on the top.

I put it on before league the other night. I had a chance to hit only one shot before I left the house. When I got to league, I showed it to my teammates and they said, "What's wrong with it?....it's all slanted on the top."

From one shot it was dented. lol... I should have known, because as I trimmed it, the "leather" came off of the sides like it was cake, or if it had been wood, like fiber board. I could crumble the pieces between my fingers.

I didn't shoot with it as a mate let me use one of his cues. I removed it when I got home.

Beware. It might have been one bad tip, but I doubt it.

fwiw,

Jeff Livingston
 

bigshooter

<--vs Chuck Norris on TAR
Silver Member
I see those on ebay for $2.00. I guess we get what we pay for in this case.
 

DAVE_M

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If a Kamui Black tip is the new hotness... There will be knock-offs.
When a tip is called a Karomi Black Pearl tip... It's a knock-off.

I don't recall a knock-off ever being worth while. However, I was going to order one off the bay and put it on a house cue, but I think I'll pass now.
I won't mention names, but there is a website that sells cue components/pieces and claims they are better than Kamui.
 

jschelin99

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There are so many different tip brands out there, plus counterfeits of the really popular ones, such as Moori and Kamui (No, I'm not saying Karomi is a counterfeit.).

I have installed quite a few Karomi brown tips with no problem and my customers are pleased with them. However, I also had a few problems with the Karomi Black Pearls. Maybe I, too, got a couple bad tips. As with any manufactured product, imperfections are impossible to fully eliminate.

On a side note: $11.95 for a Karomi Black?!? I *highly* suggest you shop around. I only paid $3.95.
 

sfleinen

14.1 & One Pocket Addict
Gold Member
Silver Member
I was at Mueller's the other day buying some tips. I saw one that I thought was a Kamui (sp). When I got to the checkout, I realized it was really a Karomi.

I asked the guy if it was any good. He didn't know. It was marked at $11.95. I was going to put it back on the rack, but thought, what the hell, it might be OK. It was black with fancy lettering on the top.

I put it on before league the other night. I had a chance to hit only one shot before I left the house. When I got to league, I showed it to my teammates and they said, "What's wrong with it?....it's all slanted on the top."

From one shot it was dented. lol... I should have known, because as I trimmed it, the "leather" came off of the sides like it was cake, or if it had been wood, like fiber board. I could crumble the pieces between my fingers.

I didn't shoot with it as a mate let me use one of his cues. I removed it when I got home.

Beware. It might have been one bad tip, but I doubt it.

fwiw,

Jeff Livingston

Ah yes, word plays on brand names. Karomi vs. Kamui. Pieces "karom" off the side of the tip.

You're lucky it wasn't a Kaplui, though. Those things, when they go, take people's eyes out with the shrapnel! :p

-Sean
 

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
Karomis' are sort of a hit and miss kinda thing. I've installed a couple that were really pretty good and some that were real crap. I have found that the Browns are more consistent than the blacks but that's not saying much.
 

Joe Barringer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Before we chop this to death, let me say a few words. First of all, I don't see any Karomi for $11.95 on Muellers site. They have them priced at $8.95.

Next, when Karomi first came out they were 11 layers and the manufacturer quickly stopped production and changed the configuration to 9 layers which is the current production. If you got one of the first run then yes, your experience is likely.

We have sold thousands and they continue to sell well. We have had only a few negative comments which were promptly corrected when told what went wrong. In most of the cases, the tips were installed by players glueing them on and then creating excessive heat when cutting and/or burnishing. The excessive heat will cause the glue to delaminate the remaining layers.

When properly installed, we've had and heard good results. It's all in the installation. No one like to hear that they may have installed a tip incorrectly but things happen for a reason. Tips, in most cases don't just fall apart without assistance. I'm not saying that the OP didn't install it correctly as it may have just been a bad tip but in our experience, cockpit error caused all complaints with these tips. It appears they are more temperamental than most but still a great tip for the money but not at $11.95.
 
Last edited:

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
Before we chop this to death, let me say a few words. First of all, I don't see any Karomi for $11.95 on Muellers site. They have them priced at $8.95.

Next, when Karomi first came out they were 11 layers and the manufacturer quickly stopped production and changed the configuration to 9 layers which is the current production. If you got one of the first run then yes, your experience is likely.

We have sold thousands and they continue to sell well. We have had only a few negative comments which were promptly corrected when told what went wrong. In most of the cases, the tips were installed by players glueing them on and then creating excessive heat when cutting and/or burnishing. The excessive heat will cause the glue to delaminate the remaining layers.

When properly installed, we've had and heard good results. It's all in the installation. No one like to hear that they may have installed a tip incorrectly but things happen for a reason. Tips, in most cases don't just fall apart without assistance. I'm not saying that the OP didn't install it correctly as it may have just been a bad tip but in our experience, cockpit error caused all complaints with these tips. It appears they are more temperamental than most but still a great tip for the money but not at $11.95.

Thanks for the info.

The price on the package says $11.95. When checking out at Muellers, the actual price is usually less than the one on their packages.

I use a precise hand lathe that no one else here could possibly have ever used, not a motorized, spinning lathe, so heat doesn't enter into the equation. I cannot even tell it is a layered tip as the excess simply disintegrated when I trimmed it with a brand new, very sharp blade.

Like I said, it could be one bad tip. I'm glad I posted...that's the beauty of this forum.

Jeff Livingston
 

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
Good news...

The good news is it has been made right by a distributor. How about that? Nice, huh?



Jeff Livingston
 
Last edited:

discocincy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
karomi and cue components

well I just want to say the tip itself has worked ok. however cue components the experience that I had with them on ebay was very much less than professional. and I will never recommend that company to anyone.
I have a few messages that I saved from ebay so if he wants to comment on here about this comment I will gladly post those messages and how rude and unprofessional he was. just because I made an error and forgot to change my address after moving. As soon as I realized I sent him one message and his response was to wait 4 weeks and see if it makes it. well for some reason even though we did an address change with the post office, they didn't keep it in their system. so therefore it was not forwarded. so after checking the status with tracking and found it was sent back I then sent another email and got the worst attitude from a company that one could ever get. to include saying he gets hundreds of orders everyday and he didn't need my money.
 

discocincy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
cue components

really funny right after I post my last post, I get spam mail from this same place talking bad about another company from northern florida. and they are trying to say that all parts of the email is under copyright protection that it can't even be referenced. they must really think pool players are stupid. Any thing can be referenced when discussing things even if under copyright protection. they were talking about the way they change the prices as often at the weather changes. which is funny, cause the prices that they were selling the tips for on their website has went up almost 100% from a month ago when I put the order in and had the problem to which I never received. SO when he someone named Joe complains about this post and my other one. remember he sends emails bad mouthing other competitors himself. so I guess one might say don't throw rocks when you live in a glass house. and please go on his website and see he has the same item with plenty of different pricing mainly the brown and black karomi tips. MMMMmm!
 
Last edited:

discocincy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sellers name

if you read my actual post it is mentioned. His name is Joe, and the company which my wife seen some tips and did not realize it was his company cue components she ordered two tips and then same with me realized she did not change her old address in the system so she changed it then sent a messages. we do share the same paypal account. so he assumed it was me and sent another ugly reply. so at which time I responded back in her account. As any ways I have never seen anyone that owns a store that because of someone making an honest mistake that a person could really be such a Richard about it. I will never use another Karomi tip for as for the prices he sell them for I believe that he has them made for his own line. I will only say that if you have a problem with this store, please resort back to this post and let it be known that I did warn all whom has read this. oh btw I forgot to mention he did even file a complaint with ebay when my wife put that order in, and tried to get her kicked off ebay.. which could really hurt any one else that might be selling something cuz if you look at my ebay. I am 100% positive. MMM why would that be. maybe cause I always sell what I say i am selling. and I always pay for my item within an hour of winning it.
 
Last edited:

cueporn

Banned
Cue components

Joe is a real straight shooter, a lot of people cant handle that. Would you have us pay more from other cue component retailers because of your conflict? Joes prices and quality on cue building supplies are beyond reproach.
Expecting a Cadillac drive fron a Chevy tip is unrealistic.
 

Joe Barringer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
if you read my actual post it is mentioned. His name is Joe, and the company which my wife seen some tips and did not realize it was his company cue components she ordered two tips and then same with me realized she did not change her old address in the system so she changed it then sent a messages. we do share the same paypal account. so he assumed it was me and sent another ugly reply. so at which time I responded back in her account. As any ways I have never seen anyone that owns a store that because of someone making an honest mistake that a person could really be such a Richard about it. I will never use another Karomi tip for as for the prices he sell them for I believe that he has them made for his own line. I will only say that if you have a problem with this store, please resort back to this post and let it be known that I did warn all whom has read this. oh btw I forgot to mention he did even file a complaint with ebay when my wife put that order in, and tried to get her kicked off ebay.. which could really hurt any one else that might be selling something cuz if you look at my ebay. I am 100% positive. MMM why would that be. maybe cause I always sell what I say i am selling. and I always pay for my item within an hour of winning it.




Let's not beat around the bush here as it's definitely us - CueComponents.com who this character is talking about. Make no mistake about it. It's us for certain.....

Now for the truth....

This character placed two orders on ebay for two items. He paid and we shipped to his Paypal confirmed mailing address (which was in Florida) that he supplied. All was well or so we thought. Oh if we only knew what was in store for us!

Several weeks later we received the envelope returned and marked "return to sender, undeliverable as addressed". How can that be!? Well, a few days later we received his second order returned the same way. So, we sat and waited. A week or so later we get an email from this character John Ferreri and he states that he moved and forgot to change his paypal mailing address. I kid you not! Weeks later he remembers.

We replied and said that this was unacceptable and that we'll just refund him and be done with this nonsense. We refunded him and then immediately blocked his account from purchasing from us. Case closed. We don't like dealing with people who are this disorganised. This is the story of their life and I don't want to be a part of their life. We cut our loses and move on without the likes of him.

Well, true to form he was upset because he's ignorant and forgot to change his Paypal address so he leaves us negative feedback. Thank you very much and we don't have to deal with the likes of him anymore.

Fast forward a couple weeks later. We receive another order from a woman in Florida (Kate Ferreri) ordering the same tips with the same name Ferreri. We do a little checking and the paypal name is John Ferreri; same character. This Ferreri woman pays through paypal and guess where the confirmed mailing address is! You guessed it - FLORIDA! Can you believe this character places another order by circumventing eBay's system and is still using the same incorrect address! Would the word moron fit the ticket?

Now guess what happens. This clown, John Ferreri sends us an email that the addresss is incorrect and he wants us to mail the package to Ohio where they moved. I put an end to it by calling eBay and complaining that this character is circumventing the blocked bidder system. eBay agrees, money refunded, case closed.

And to John Ferreri, no I don't think all "pool players are stupid", perhaps just you. Now go away with your lies and story telling. I have all the correspondence and more importantly the returned envelopes are still on my desk if anyone would like to see this character in action. What a joker.

And people wonder why I sometimes have an attitude. It's creeps like this that we have to deal with that ruin it for the rest of us. 99.9% of the people we deal with are very nice individuals but when we get a doozie, we get a doozie! We don't get paid to baby sit. Don't expect me to manage your life if you cannot manage it yourself.

And be sure to read the Moori Story and how Illinois and Florida merchants deceive the public: http://www.cuecomponents.com/mooritips1.html
 

thewhiffer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ah yes, word plays on brand names. Karomi vs. Kamui. Pieces "karom" off the side of the tip.

You're lucky it wasn't a Kaplui, though. Those things, when they go, take people's eyes out with the shrapnel! :p

-Sean

Humorous, well said!
 
Top