Edge of tip shape

CaptainJR

CaptainJR

Shiver me timbers.
Silver Member
Was reading a thread on shaft diameter and it reminded me of a question I've been meaning to ask on here for quite some time.

Tip shape,
Some people use a dime, some a nickel and others probably use something else. But all this isn't what I'm talking about. Which ever curve you use on the end of your tip, I'm wondering if you do or if you should take the edge off. What I mean is, even on a dime shaped tip, since the tip is not as big as a dime, if you shape it like a dime there is doing to be an edge. Do you round this edge at all?

Sometimes if I miscue I see that the mark from the miscue is right on this edge. I'm always wondering if rounding it a little would help that situation when I've hit the cue ball a little more off center than I meant to or should have?
 
Interesting question which I haven't seen discussed before. I would think that it's better to keep the edge pretty sharp, if it makes any difference at all.

Suppose the center of the contact area is right at (1/2)R, where R is the radius of the cueball. This is at the miscue limit, or very, very close. If the tip has a quarter shape, this puts the center of the contact area at about 94% of way out toward the edge of the shaft/tip. If the tip has a dime shape, it's about 69% of the way out. In either case, the cup (dimple) that forms around the ball by the tip is probably truncated by the tip's edge. Surely this is true for the quarter shape. So I think you want as much of the tip material near this region as possible. Rounding it off will only remove some of it, resulting in less surface area in contact with the ball.

The tip offset which would put the edge of the tip in the center of the contact area for the quarter shape case is (0.53)R, if the shaft/tip is 0.5 inches in diameter (less for a more slender shaft). It would probably be better to have a rounded edge for this scenario. The corresponding tip offset for a dime shape is (0.73)R and obviously you'll be miscueing for other reasons long before this is reached.

Maybe someone else has a different slant on it.

Jim
 
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I don't know if it's better to round or keep the edge, but personally I try to keep the edge. I was once told that miscues take off that edge and will round it out a bit. I don't know if there's any truth to this but I keep edges as sharp as I can.

Great question, I've thought of this myself once or twice before
 
I keep the edge of my tips slightly rounded-off. I was told by a table installer that if the edge of the tip is too sharp, you can tear the cloth on masse' and like shots if not careful. Since a large amount of my shooting is on the home table, I ain't gonna chance rippin' my own cloth.

Maniac
 
I rounded mine for a long time

I rounded the edge of my tips for a long time. One day I woke up and realized two things. One, The tip couldn't possibly bite at that angle anyway, and two, I was making the tip effectively smaller and I could no longer see the true working edge of the tip.

Hu



CaptainJR said:
Was reading a thread on shaft diameter and it reminded me of a question I've been meaning to ask on here for quite some time.

Tip shape,
Some people use a dime, some a nickel and others probably use something else. But all this isn't what I'm talking about. Which ever curve you use on the end of your tip, I'm wondering if you do or if you should take the edge off. What I mean is, even on a dime shaped tip, since the tip is not as big as a dime, if you shape it like a dime there is doing to be an edge. Do you round this edge at all?

Sometimes if I miscue I see that the mark from the miscue is right on this edge. I'm always wondering if rounding it a little would help that situation when I've hit the cue ball a little more off center than I meant to or should have?
Click to expand...
 
Hmm... very interesting and informative thread. Now that I have read this I think that I will keep my edge sharp as well. One little side note, I was wondering myself what the difference between the nickel, and dime shape was not too long ago. What I found out was that the dime is used for smaller diameter tips such as those used in snooker (11mm). The reason being is that if a nickel radius shaper were used your tip would almost be flat and would not have very much curve to it at all. Hence the nickel shaper being more popular for people that play with diameters between 12mm - 13mm. Which I think is most of us.
 
I always keep mine sharp and highly burnished. Great thread and keep it up folks. :D
 
I've always rounded my edges with a dime size curve. Could be mental, and I may be way off line, but it's always seemed to me that having a completely round and edge free tip means that you're always hitting the CB with the max amount of leather available. Weather or not hitting so far off center (where the edge would normally be) is impossible and would result in a miscue is open for debate, but it seems to me that having a defined edge means having a definite borderline on your tip that can't be crossed.
I know a local Japanese pro that swears that he actually uses the edge of his tip to 'snag' the CB on certain shots???? Don't ask me what that means:confused:
Different strokes for different folks.
dave
 
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