Dime vs. Nickel radius tip

[Patrick Johnson]

A shorter radius on the tip puts more english/draw/follow per unit of offset from dead straight onto the center of the cue ball. Which is great if that is what you want, and not so much if you did not want so much.

This difference is negligible. You're grossly exaggerating its importance.

Those with very pure strokes can get away with shorter radii; while we of more average capabilities cannot get away with it often enough.

A dime shape vs. a nickel shape does not make hitting the cue ball accurately or controlling spin appreciably harder for any player.

An absolutely flat tip will not impart draw/follow/english no mater what the offset.

This is untrue. Once the edge of the tip is outside of centerball the tip will spin the cue ball. Hitting on the edge of the tip doesn't automatically mean you'll miscue.

A tip with a very small radius (say 1/2 a dime) will miscue very easily at little offset.

You couldn't put such a small radius on a normal tip. Any normal radius doesn't miscue more easily than any other normal radius.

Generally speaking there's no practical playing difference between a nickel and a dime radius (or even between a quarter and a dime radius) on a normal size tip. All this handwringing is about nothing.

pj
chgo

 

[BillPorter]

I could put a dime curvature on my tip, but after a few hours of play it would be more like a nickle. I believe your style play (whether you use a lot of English or little English) influences the shape of your tip. I am not an extreme English guy and hit a lot of shots with center ball, so my tips tend to flatten out.

 

[GFC]

I took one of the shapers that is cheap, easy to find almost anywhere, and practical, and got used to the shape the tip takes when using it. So the shape I get with a Cue Cube is the shape I use.

 

[Sev]

I use a dime for purely masochistic purposes. When my stroke is out. Such last night when I got crushed. I know its time to get back to fundamentals. Currently I am combining a 12.5mm with a dime radius on a kamui tip. The cue had a Moori with a nickel radius originally. One shaft still has a Moori on it. When comparing the two with equivalent strokes and shots the difference in CB reaction is quite apparent.
Granted I should be comparing the same tips with different radius. That being said I have found that the Kamui with a dime radius grips the CB far more aggressively than the Moori. At least this is my experience.

Now going in the opposite direction I use a 1/2 dollar radius on my break cue which has a phenolic tip/ferrule so that there is more surface area on contact with the CB.

 

[Hierovision]

I tried reading this thread and the word "nickel" lost all meaning.

I use a dime until it turns into a nickel and then I put off having it reshaped back to a dime because I'm lazy. So basically I use a nickel most of the time out of laziness. Dime gets me way more action though...

 

[folkar]

Honestly it is about personal preference. If it is available to you, you should simply have a second shaft setup with the diameter that you are not using on your playing shaft. Give it a week or two of practices, using both shafts and see if you can tell the difference. There are so many factors in each persons stroke, that what one person gets as a reaction from one tip, you may get a different reaction.

Gathering knowledge is always good and it is evident from this thread that there is alot of opinion pointing both directions.

 

[cuekev]

What no penny shape mentioned?

I have changed from a dime to a nickel shape. Haven't had a chance to test it yet. I am surprised that no one has mentioned a penny. It's in between. I am looking to reduce unwanted side spin and I think the flatter the better for that. It is easier to hit center ball with a flat tip than a dime or less circumference.

 

[GreekTycoon]

Agreed, cuekev. I'm prefer a penny radius (versus a dime). So much depends on the type of tip you use as well. I use milk duds and I find when I'm at a dime radius, the cue ball can get away from me.

 

[JoeW]

I agree it is definitely a personal preference.

I find that a dime radius makes me be more precise. Precision is the name of the game. It takes longer to master with this tip radius but the result is useful. In addition, a dime radius allows me to get as much or more English with less offset and the complications that are obtained with extreme offset.

To each his own and I suspect it depends on one's goals as much as anything else.

 

[whitewolf]

I tried putting nickel Kamu medium tips on and after awhile they change shape somewhere between the dime and the nickel.

Thus, you can start out with a nickel and half way thru the tip notice what shape it is. This is your natural tip curvature.

 

[Jal]

...A dime shape vs. a nickel shape does not make hitting the cue ball accurately or controlling spin appreciably harder for any player.

I think this is a fair characterization. Thanks for stating it forcefully.

... Hitting on the edge of the tip doesn't automatically mean you'll miscue.

I don't know, but during the few times I've played with a nearly flat tip, I couldn't attempt much spin without a miscue. Have you found that if you're particularly careful about chalking, which I wasn't, it's not a problem?

Generally speaking there's no practical playing difference between a nickel and a dime radius (or even between a quarter and a dime radius) on a normal size tip. All this handwringing is about nothing.

Again, no argument, although one could quibble over quarter vs dime and the meaning of "negligible." Whatever, the difference is small. But it appears that several posters disagree.

Jim

 

[HollyWood]

Dime or rounder

breaking cue is different than Playing cue. I round the tip super round. break tip is g-10,and another phenolic white material- the white material does hold the Guiness bk.- for the Highest jump!!! Dale chilton uses this in his Screaming eagles!- jumpers- mark

 

[Trent]

Maybe until he actually tried different shapes...

pj
chgo

I have tried many diffrent variations and last time i checked i stated "in my opinion", also last time i checked everyones stroke was diffrent with diffrent results, also cues, tips and even chaulk can affect this outcome, so this is not improbable.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

JoeW:
...a dime radius allows me to get as much or more English with less offset and the complications that are obtained with extreme offset.

I agree you can get as much spin with a rounder tip by moving your shaft (slightly) less distance, but the tip/ball contact point doesn't change. I can't think of a complication that comes from moving the shaft more but not the contact point...

pj
chgo

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Maybe until he actually tried different shapes...

pj
chgo

Trent:
I have tried many diffrent variations and last time i checked i stated "in my opinion", also last time i checked everyones stroke was diffrent with diffrent results, also cues, tips and even chaulk can affect this outcome, so this is not improbable.

The fact that you said "in your opinion" doesn't make your statements any more or less true. And actually you said:

"a dime ... can make it a little tougher to be very exact on where you hit the ball and it can create more miscues and unwanted english."

I just said a dime shape doesn't cause those things.

If you've tried different shapes and think these differences are real you're going by your impression, not by observation.

pj
chgo

 

[tom mcgonagle]

I'm playing, right now, with a 13mm la-pro hard tip, as hard as I can find. I prefer my tip to be smallish. I feel I play my best, just before I change my tip.

The best tip, is what works best, for you.

 

[cad1illac]

A dime is more accurate !!!

Can anyone enlighten me on the pros and cons of both camps, assuming that the tip used is the same?

Currently I am playing with a 13mm tip and keeping it a nickel radius. Unfortunately I don't know what kind of tip it is.

Anyway, it seems to be working well for me. I am a beginner but have been playing a lot of pool recently doing drills and trying to improve.

So I am just curious, what do you prefer and why?

Also, how does the size of the tip affect what radius you choose?

Cheers!


Q

Fact both Paul Heubler and Bob Meucci have proven that a dime is more accurate because you are hitting more accurately the spot on the cue ball you are aiming at.

 

[cowboyup200560]

Shaft Diameter

In my opinion the radius of tip depends on the diameter of the shaft. I use a dime on my OB-1 and a nickel on my stock 13mm. Now I know that the OB naturally creates more spin than the stock shaft so I am not sure how changing the radius would affect it. The more I think about it the more I want to try it lol.

 

[Dead Money]

I use a car wash token radius on my tip. LOL this thread reminds me of "which muffler is best for my 5.0" threads I used to see all the time when I messed around on Mustang boards:boring2:

 

[Jal]

Fact both Paul Heubler and Bob Meucci have proven that a dime is more accurate because you are hitting more accurately the spot on the cue ball you are aiming at.

Sorry, but I have my doubts. Suppose you wanted to produce a spin/speed ratio of 0.7, for instance. You wouldn't be thinking "0.7", but you know what you want the cueball to do and it happens that 0.7 would give it to you. Would you want a tip curvature such that displacing the shaft 1mm would change the ratio by, say, 0.1? Or would you want it to change by 0.05? I think the second one would be the right choice. It's the same idea as the principle behind the micrometer: transform relatively large movements into small distances.

At least that's the way I see it. I could be wrong... just discussing.

Jim