Has anyone posted a deflection test of tips?

N

NathanDetroit

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I waiting on a couple sticks. The accompanying shafts are 314-2 & Z2. So, I started thinking what tip on them.

The hard vs soft stumped me. I remember Bob Meucci saying hard tips were lower deflection. Cool, I thought, until it struck me he was using leather tips. My hard tips are Victory laminated

I know I'm overthinking this, but os there any science available?
 
I may be wrong. I assume…

Bob had this thought in one video that the duration of contact increased CB deflection. It was a video posted near the time Bob also thought the flex of the shaft was most important to reducing CB deflection.

Now we know the mass near the tip has the biggest effect. So reducing ferrules, hollowing wood, or using CF seem to make a big difference. The magnitude just dwarfs the effects of shaft flex and tip composition.

I don’t know if there’s been tests done. But I would say that once you have a shaft that provides low CB deflection, you might as well just find a tip that works for you in terms of the qualities you want from a tip. I used to like the feel of soft tips until I got tired of the mushrooming. I miscued often with hard tips. I settled in with liking the characteristics of medium layered tips.

Even with shafts that provide low CB deflection, there’s still some deflection. There’s never none. I like the idea of minimizing it. But I do think there’s still a point you need to train your brain. I feel like you might as well have a tip you like and train your brain to it. No point sacrificing positive tip characteristics chasing minimal deflection. I’d just accept that’s the tolerance where you should just adapt.
 
MattPoland said:
I may be wrong. I assume…

Bob had this thought in one video that the duration of contact increased CB deflection. It was a video posted near the time Bob also thought the flex of the shaft was most important to reducing CB deflection.

Now we know the mass near the tip has the biggest effect. So reducing ferrules, hollowing wood, or using CF seem to make a big difference. The magnitude just dwarfs the effects of shaft flex and tip composition.

I don’t know if there’s been tests done. But I would say that once you have a shaft that provides low CB deflection, you might as well just find a tip that works for you in terms of the qualities you want from a tip. I used to like the feel of soft tips until I got tired of the mushrooming. I miscued often with hard tips. I settled in with liking the characteristics of medium layered tips.

Even with shafts that provide low CB deflection, there’s still some deflection. There’s never none. I like the idea of minimizing it. But I do think there’s still a point you need to train your brain. I feel like you might as well have a tip you like and train your brain to it. No point sacrificing positive tip characteristics chasing minimal deflection. I’d just accept that’s the tolerance where you should just adapt.
Click to expand...
I'd say the difference in deflection between tip hardness wouldn't be possible to test with a human controlling the stick. I'd think that means it won't make enough difference to worry about. Definitely get what tip you prefer. 🤷‍♂️

Personally I like a hard tip. I ended up with Zan GripHard and love them. They hold chalk really well. I'd compare them to a well pressed milkdud, but with maybe a bit less give. Just a nice crisp hit. I shaped it when putting it on and left it tall. I use a gator grip to scuff occasionally, but just enough to clear old chalk out. I'm guessing this tip could last years at this rate. I play a lot but damn is it a low maintenance tip.
 
One of guys who lives close to me has lathe, and does Tip to finance his pool hobby.

He offers maybe 40 - 60 Tips to choose from in inventory, by Brand, Model Name, and Hardness.

He tries to dump the Tips out of inventory that are inconsistent on wear, or same hardness from tip to tip.

He politely says some companies spend more on advertising, then quality control from tip to tip.
 
There was a guy in the For Sale section selling low deflection tips a couple of years ago. I say bullcrap to that.
NathanDetroit said:
I know I'm overthinking this, but os there any science available?
Click to expand...
The science on deflection is simple really. Significantly less end mass on the cue will result in less deflection and vice versa. So...

Can tips be weighed to identify lighter vs heavier ones? YES
Will the difference make a measurable change in deflection? NO
 
Thunder Thighs said:
The science on deflection is simple really. Significantly less end mass on the cue will result in less deflection and vice versa. So...

Can tips be weighed to identify lighter vs heavier ones? YES
Will the difference make a measurable change in deflection? NO
Click to expand...
Yup. This.
 
NathanDetroit said:
I waiting on a couple sticks. The accompanying shafts are 314-2 & Z2. So, I started thinking what tip on them.

The hard vs soft stumped me. I remember Bob Meucci saying hard tips were lower deflection. Cool, I thought, until it struck me he was using leather tips. My hard tips are Victory laminated

I know I'm overthinking this, but os there any science available?
Click to expand...
Laminated is still leather.
 
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