Cue Tip Compression

Just getting back into pool about 3 years ago so much has changed, I swore I would never buy a CF shaft, I didn't lie....sorta....I own a complete CF cue made by Becue, I love the way the cue plays so much I wondered if someone would invent a rubber tip or something like it, I learned that a rubber tip would be illegal as it's not a fibrous material, Bulletproof tips came out with the Recoil tip, made of complete synthetic man-made material, the problem with leather tips is they are made from animal hide, you will never get consistent skin, I think that's why sometimes the tip is great and sometimes not so much, the same thing you get when using wood, I have 3 shafts with the Recoil tip on them and they play the same, if a tip popped off during a match I could spin on my spare shaft and not have to think about how this shaft plays compared to my main shaft, a consistent proper stroke will help make you a better pool player, my Becue cue and Bulletproof Recoil tips help me play more consistently, that, and a lot of practice.
I am seriously thinking about a Bulletproof medium now. I thought about it in the past, but this thread has pretty much summed up the problems/inconsistencies with leather tips. You might have put the nail in the coffin for me. Ill go check out the synthetic tips. Thanks
 
It's not a misscue it's a change in traction. Just a fraction. Some can live with it . I choose not to add glue globs to the cue ball. That's All. 🤷‍♂️
Glue globs to the cue ball?….I’ve been playing pool across the nation in different cities having lived in different states.
My pool playing started in 1961 in Brooklyn, N.Y. where I was born right after WWII. Been playing pool over 6 decades.

I’ve never seen a cue tip impart anything to a cue ball other than chalk marks. Glue deposited on the cue ball is a new
complaint to the best of my knowledge nor have I ever heard another player complain or ever comment about this oddity.
 
I want to know if i take my Ultraskin medium and compress it if it will replicate the feel, hit ,and chalk adhesion of a Ultraskin hard.

I want a hard playing tip put on my playing cue.
You seem to be not too familiar with tip hardnesses, may I ask why you would want a hard tip..?
 
I’ve never seen a cue tip impart anything to a cue ball
I'm not sure what year but when the layered tips first came upon the scene, I won a layered tip in a contest or lottery. I was required to have the tip installed by their technician. I assume to be sure operator error didn't lead to a bad review. 🤷‍♂️
No way would I let anyone but Roger touch my ivory ferrules, so I had a backup shaft I gave their qualified technician for a professional install. I hit 3 balls and the tip fell off!!! So much for the qualified technician. I then reattached it and gave it an open minded trial.
On my home table with my cueball it was apparent when fly specks started occasionally appearing on the cueball. Close inspection proofed it to be the glue layer.One particularly large one matched perfectly a bald spot on the cuetip glue line. This occurred in competition and I missed a critical spin shot when the glue release from my tip was felt, the shot missed and the matching speck was on whitey. I removed the tip and saw no reason to experiment further as that experiment had just cost me money.
Perhaps there are other layered tips that don't have the glue problem I experienced. I see no reason to experiment further as I am quite satisfied wih my Triangle tips now.
I used to wear out a Le Pro in approximately 6 months. It always played the best when it was almost gone. Now my tips last for years as I don't play nearly as much. 🤷‍♂️
In competition I always inspect and clean the cueball before breaking. Many times I have found flyspecks on whitey mid match. At first it was a question regarding my opponents tip. It was always layered. That evolved to a statement, "you use a layered tip." Has always been affirmed in that situation. 🤷‍♂️
Anyone willing to spend $35 on a tip to try to improve should spend their money on a lesson. It ain't the arrow. Duh
 
why you would want a hard tip..?
Cole used an analogy to make his point on why the hard tip (waterbuffalo). Probably not perfect analogy 🤷‍♂️ but he compared the bounce of a sponge to the bounce of a ball bearing from a hard surface. Indicating that the later was more consistent or predictable in his comparison.
Soft leather tips can suit certain styles. Coles style was ball making. His shot making in one pocket was incredible to watch. 8 and out was his one pocket game. In one tournament He and Cecil Tugwell played 7 games of one pocket in 35 minutes with the breaker running out his second inning every rack.
 
I'm not sure what year but when the layered tips first came upon the scene, I won a layered tip in a contest or lottery. I was required to have the tip installed by their technician. I assume to be sure operator error didn't lead to a bad review. 🤷‍♂️
No way would I let anyone but Roger touch my ivory ferrules, so I had a backup shaft I gave their qualified technician for a professional install. I hit 3 balls and the tip fell off!!! So much for the qualified technician. I then reattached it and gave it an open minded trial.
On my home table with my cueball it was apparent when fly specks started occasionally appearing on the cueball. Close inspection proofed it to be the glue layer.One particularly large one matched perfectly a bald spot on the cuetip glue line. This occurred in competition and I missed a critical spin shot when the glue release from my tip was felt, the shot missed and the matching speck was on whitey. I removed the tip and saw no reason to experiment further as that experiment had just cost me money.
Perhaps there are other layered tips that don't have the glue problem I experienced. I see no reason to experiment further as I am quite satisfied wih my Triangle tips now.
I used to wear out a Le Pro in approximately 6 months. It always played the best when it was almost gone. Now my tips last for years as I don't play nearly as much. 🤷‍♂️
In competition I always inspect and clean the cueball before breaking. Many times I have found flyspecks on whitey mid match. At first it was a question regarding my opponents tip. It was always layered. That evolved to a statement, "you use a layered tip." Has always been affirmed in that situation. 🤷‍♂️
Anyone willing to spend $35 on a tip to try to improve should spend their money on a lesson. It ain't the arrow. Duh
Spending $20-25 for a tip and another $20-25 for installation is perfectly reasonable and entirely justifiable.
But only if you are installing the correct tip hardness. Too hard or soft a tip is horrible investment to make.
A lesson isn’t needed to decide what tip hardness your prefer. It merely requires test playing different tips.
 
Cole used an analogy to make his point on why the hard tip (waterbuffalo). Probably not perfect analogy 🤷‍♂️ but he compared the bounce of a sponge to the bounce of a ball bearing from a hard surface. Indicating that the later was more consistent or predictable in his comparison.
Soft leather tips can suit certain styles. Coles style was ball making. His shot making in one pocket was incredible to watch. 8 and out was his one pocket game. In one tournament He and Cecil Tugwell played 7 games of one pocket in 35 minutes with the breaker running out his second inning every rack.
I'm not saying hard tips can't or shouldn't be used but the poster seemed unfamiliar with the effects of the hardness of tips hence I was wondering why he wanted a hard one.

But I do wonder if there is a top player currently using a hard tip.
 
I am seriously thinking about a Bulletproof medium now. I thought about it in the past, but this thread has pretty much summed up the problems/inconsistencies with leather tips. You might have put the nail in the coffin for me. Ill go check out the synthetic tips. Thanks
I don't think you will be disappointed, I have tried at least 10 different tips before settling on the Recoil tip, I didn't just put on a tip and cut it off a day later, even tips I didn't like as soon as they were installed, I would give them at least 2 months or more, if you are looking for a tip that STAYS consistent and hits the same from tip to tip the Recoil is the way to go, I have never used the medium Recoil tip but I know the Recoil hard tip plays this way, worst thing that could happen is you hate the tip cut it off and continue your search, If I decide to try another tip I always give it a couple of months, I have no plans on using another tip at this time, best tip I've ever used.
 
I'm not saying hard tips can't or shouldn't be used but the poster seemed unfamiliar with the effects of the hardness of tips hence I was wondering why he wanted a hard one.

But I do wonder if there is a top player currently using a hard tip.
Mark Williams has made 2 147s in a single event. His tip is hard. You can tell by the sound.
 
What exactly is the difference between soft, medium, and hard layered tips? When makers/brands mass produce these tips are they using different hardness leather layers? Or do they just use the same leather for all of the hardness offerings and just compress them into different hardness specifications at the factory?

Can you take a medium hardness leather tip and compress it into a hard, and have the exact same thing as if you bought the hard layered tip to begin with?
I press all my none layered tips in vise for 24 hours. I do it because it causes the tip to bulge at the sides. I am old school, I don’t believe in the nonsense and about layered tips, except for Moori tips their technique is unique and all others are trying to copy them. Like, I said I am old school, I have used Le Pro tips since the 1970s. Once pressed like I said above the sides will bulge, then after installation they hardly ever mushroom. Now, Le Pros are a medium tip, after pressing them they are harder, this is all in my based upon my experience and opinion.
 
Le Pro was the go to tip back in the day. Taking a oversize tip and removing leather from the perimeter was a way to get a solid tip. They were often flaky around the perimeter. A 15 mm tip milled down to 13 was a solution.
Roger would bite them to find a good one. Not sure his rejection rate but he would always hook me up with a good one.
Those old Triangles twerent too bad neither.😉
 
I am seriously thinking about a Bulletproof medium now. I thought about it in the past, but this thread has pretty much summed up the problems/inconsistencies with leather tips. You might have put the nail in the coffin for me. Ill go check out the synthetic tips. Thanks
I've got green on several shafts. Like it. Consistent hit. Just gotta get used to that 'tink' sound. Which never really bothered me. I've got earbuds in anyway.
 
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Cole used an analogy to make his point on why the hard tip (waterbuffalo). Probably not perfect analogy 🤷‍♂️ but he compared the bounce of a sponge to the bounce of a ball bearing from a hard surface. Indicating that the later was more consistent or predictable in his comparison.
Soft leather tips can suit certain styles. Coles style was ball making. His shot making in one pocket was incredible to watch. 8 and out was his one pocket game. In one tournament He and Cecil Tugwell played 7 games of one pocket in 35 minutes with the breaker running out his second inning every rack.
Wow!!👊🏻
 
I press all my none layered tips in vise for 24 hours. I do it because it causes the tip to bulge at the sides. I am old school, I don’t believe in the nonsense and about layered tips, except for Moori tips their technique is unique and all others are trying to copy them. Like, I said I am old school, I have used Le Pro tips since the 1970s. Once pressed like I said above the sides will bulge, then after installation they hardly ever mushroom. Now, Le Pros are a medium tip, after pressing them they are harder, this is all in my based upon my experience and opinion.
I've pressed all my tips for decades. More consistent hit among variables. Control what you can.
 
Get one of these
 

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I don't think you will be disappointed, I have tried at least 10 different tips before settling on the Recoil tip, I didn't just put on a tip and cut it off a day later, even tips I didn't like as soon as they were installed, I would give them at least 2 months or more, if you are looking for a tip that STAYS consistent and hits the same from tip to tip the Recoil is the way to go, I have never used the medium Recoil tip but I know the Recoil hard tip plays this way, worst thing that could happen is you hate the tip cut it off and continue your search, If I decide to try another tip I always give it a couple of months, I have no plans on using another tip at this time, best tip I've ever used.
Starting to get concerned about reviews saying the draw is bad on those bulletproof tips.
I'm not saying hard tips can't or shouldn't be used but the poster seemed unfamiliar with the effects of the hardness of tips hence I was wondering why he wanted a hard one.

But I do wonder if there is a top player currently using a hard tip.
I've done nothing to make you believe that. To answer your question. My predator victory soft tip is about ready to be replaced. It hits pretty hard now and I'm fine with that. I'd rather skip the break in period and just go to a medium but all mediums are not the same hardness between brands.

Predator victory soft is rated 75.3 on Pooldawg charts. Black Ultraskin medium is 72.1 from manufacturer(this is what I own). Black ultraskin Hard is 76.6 which is still softer then a lot of other brands mediums. Maybe you can understand my concern and why i was asking about tip compression. However the only thing people seem to use tip compression for is mushroom prevention, which is just esthetics that can be easily remedied.

If I had a hard I would just put on a hard. But I don't. So if I have to buy a new tip then I might as well look at the other options such as Kamui black medium, or Bulletproof medium or hard.
 
Starting to get concerned about reviews saying the draw is bad on those bulletproof tips.

I've done nothing to make you believe that. To answer your question. My predator victory soft tip is about ready to be replaced. It hits pretty hard now and I'm fine with that. I'd rather skip the break in period and just go to a medium but all mediums are not the same hardness between brands.

Predator victory soft is rated 75.3 on Pooldawg charts. Black Ultraskin medium is 72.1 from manufacturer(this is what I own). Black ultraskin Hard is 76.6 which is still softer then a lot of other brands mediums. Maybe you can understand my concern and why i was asking about tip compression. However the only thing peopleka seem to use tip compression for is mushroom prevention, which is just esthetics that can be easily remedied.

If I had a hard I would just put on a hard. But I don't. So if I have to buy a new tip then I might as well look at the other options such as Kamui black medium, or Bulletproof medium or hard.
Kamui black Medium and hard tend to glaze over pretty fast and miscue really frequently-
the soft black is definitely a soft tip too.
See if you can get a GOOD 15MM Le Pro tip-
that will also be a nice playing tip for you
 
Oddly enough, I just had a Kamui black hard tip installed on my AG playing cue shafts. It feels a lot softer than the cue's original hard leather tips, and it definitely grips the cue ball better, but not sure how well it will hold up over time since I do break with it as well.
 
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