dime or nickel shape tip??

seanjonsean

seanjonsean

Otanisan Cues
Silver Member
was reading a post bout tip size 13 or 12 ,but i think what also matters is the shape i like more of a nickel shape cuz i think i can pocket a ball easier, tried the dime shape and i seem to hit more of the jaws of the pocket my guess is unwanted spin? but i would like to kno wats the best tool for shaping??ive been using a small little cube shaper but would like to buy something better wat u guys think is best??
 
I shape to a dime and let it work into its natural shape through play.

As for shaping, Willard dime.
 
I knew an older player who used sandpaper to shape his entire tip into a hemisphere, all the way to the ferrule. It looked really wierd, but it grabbed the cueball pretty well.
 
i play 8 ball more than 9 ball so i guess i really dont have to use as much english ,so the nickel shape works ok but i beter be good at evry game i can be i guess
 
Personally, when i get a new tip put on, i grab my Its George and scuff it up really well, which turns out to be a dime shape. And after day or two of playing it generally ends up inbetween a nickle and dime shape. And after that i just hit it up with a nickle scuffer on my Ultimate tip tool.
 
I shape to a dime every now and then and with play it flattens out a little. I use a piece of PVC pipe with the proper radius cut in half lengthwise, with sandpaper inside.
 
You guys just keep scuffing and shaping...I got bills to pay.
Seriously...with a quality tip like Sniper, Moori, Kamui, Molavia...there is really no need to shape it. About all thats required is to very lightly knock the glaze off occasionally with a piece of 220/320 grit. Very common to destroy layered/laminated tips with hand held shapers and scuffers. Top layers are way too easy to pull loose. I had one friend who thought he should scuff/shape his Moori often...I was putting a new tip on every couple of months. Until I convinced him to leave it alone...now he has had the same tip for over a year...no problems. If your tip is in such bad shape that it needs reshaped...its better to let a pro do it on a lathe. I do it for free to my customers...takes less than one minute. And as I said...with a quality tip, you are then good to go for a long time...even if you play every day.
KV
 
Varney Cues said:
You guys just keep scuffing and shaping...I got bills to pay.
Seriously...with a quality tip like Sniper, Moori, Kamui, Molavia...there is really no need to shape it. About all thats required is to very lightly knock the glaze off occasionally with a piece of 220/320 grit. Very common to destroy layered/laminated tips with hand held shapers and scuffers. Top layers are way too easy to pull loose. I had one friend who thought he should scuff/shape his Moori often...I was putting a new tip on every couple of months. Until I convinced him to leave it alone...now he has had the same tip for over a year...no problems. If your tip is in such bad shape that it needs reshaped...its better to let a pro do it on a lathe. I do it for free to my customers...takes less than one minute. And as I said...with a quality tip, you are then good to go for a long time...even if you play every day.
KV
Click to expand...

So is that a dime or nickel vote?
 
I know that this sounds weird, but, is use 13.25mm shafts with tips shaped to a dime radius. I use a Willards shaper that Jim Willard personally gave to me many years ago.
 
Fart sniffer said:
So is that a dime or nickel vote?
Click to expand...
I vote nickel. I personally prefer my own tips less round...almost flat if you will. I still get more than enough spin on the ball, believe me, and I find it easier to pocket long straighter shots than with a dime. I know many top players who prefer their tips a bit flat in the center as well.
 
I use the dime profile. My shaper is one I got from Wolfbite Solutions. It's excellent in my opinion. Have used it on every kind of tip with no problems (delamination or otherwise).
 
Old School

I pretty much always shape mine by hand with sandpaper, and the reason is this: A new tip is shaped properly with the edges of the tip being on a 45 degree angle to the top and sides of the tip. If you use a scuffer on the edge, or the cube, or the ultimate tip tool, or even the sandpaper
sticks, IT CURVES THE EDGES to where they are not FLAT at a 45 degree angle.

What difference does it make? Well, when using extreme english (spin shots, draw shots, or lots of high or spin), the edge of the tip will have LESS SURFACE AREA contacting the cue ball, which results in LESS CONTROL, and also causes more miscues. With curved edges going up against an opposing curved edge (the cue ball), very little surface makes contact. With a flat edge (45 degree angle), more surface area contacts the cue ball, which gives greater control. (sort of like the difference of shooting a shot with an unchalked cue as opposed to a chalked one, but
not quite that extreme).

I always use a nickel shape pattern, as it lends itself to the best overall performance, consistency, and accuracy for shotmaking and position play.

I use about a 12.75mm tip.
 
I guess I take it that there is really no "correct" way to do this.

Most agree a lathe to "cut" the shape is ideal.

Some agree to let the tip "take its natural shape" through play.

Some agree that scuffing or grinding the tip, using a Willard or similar is bad.

Me, I keep my cue with a "nickle" shape, and shape it with my Willard whenever I feel it's getting out of shape in any way. Usually after about six to eight hours of play. Maybe less, or I'll check it if I am going to play in a tournament or such.
 
I prefer the dime shape for my tips and use the Ultimate Tip Tool and the dime side of that tool for my shaping. It's the best overall tip tool that I have been able to find and sale them like crazy at my work.
 
Nickel shape for me... and I use an Ultimate as well... lightly, once every blue moon or so to rough up a Talisman Pro Medium.
 
seanjonsean said:
was reading a post bout tip size 13 or 12 ,but i think what also matters is the shape i like more of a nickel shape cuz i think i can pocket a ball easier, tried the dime shape and i seem to hit more of the jaws of the pocket my guess is unwanted spin? but i would like to kno wats the best tool for shaping??ive been using a small little cube shaper but would like to buy something better wat u guys think is best??
Click to expand...

Radiused. That's about it. It's been a looooooooooong time since I ever tried to compare the curvature of my tips to nickel or dime. I just shape it when new, and that's it.

I also don't "knock the glaze" off or any such thing. I don't hit it with sandpaper if I miscue. Nothing.

Fred
 
Cornerman said:
I also don't "knock the glaze" off or any such thing. I don't hit it with sandpaper if I miscue. Nothing.

Fred
Click to expand...

You don't even chalk it?! :D :D
 
I use sandpaper on a file to shape my tips by only sanding downward.

I do not like to do it on the lathe because it will, in my opinion, cause the fibre to go up on one side, and down on the other, on my tip. I want all the fibre to go downward, as it is the direction the pressure will be applied when the cue ball is striked.

Even when I trim the tip on the lathe, I always only go downward with my blade.

I tape the layers on the tip that I do not want to take off, and the ferrule as well, since sometimes the sand paper seems to leave traces of scratch marks on the ferrule, especially soft ferrules such as Predator's.

I do not use any of the tip tool, I do not know why anyone would want to generate an unnecessary amount of heat to one's layered tip, and mess up all the fibre on the surface of the tip, by spinning the tip like an ancient man would when he tries to generate fire.

Anyway, I think in order to provide the most contact surface area, the radius should be the same as the radius of the cue ball. So, it depends on what game you play, 3 cushion, snooker, or 9 ball...because the cue balls used in these games are different.

I like to leave the top relatively flat, but the side shaped to the radius of the cue ball. I will tap the side of the tip, in order to push the fibre inwards, rather than the top, which would push the fibre outward. Then I will just leave it. The tip will be shaped from my shot selection as I play with it.

The only thing I do to it after a while is to trim off the mushroom if it occurs.

I have never compared my tip to the shape either a nickel or dime because in my opinion, those shapes were not designed for billiard tips comparasion; they are shapes of coins we use on a daily basis. I think it would make more sense to compare the shape of a billiard tip to that of a cue ball.

That is my opinion on this matter.

Richard
 
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