How often to scuff a Kamui soft tip

B

bdorman

Dead money
Silver Member
Warning: New player question

My Players HXTE10 came with a Kamui soft tip. I like the way the cue and tip play, but I'm wondering how often I should expect to scuff it. I use a separate break cue so the HXTE only gets regular play.

I play about an hour a day; only hitting the CB hard when it's the only way to get position. I'm working on English but let's assume 60% of my shots are in the center of the CB.

It seems to stop holding chalk after about 4 hours of play. After 6-8 hours it seems glazed over and chalk retention is minimal (of course, there's always the possibility that I'm expecting to see more chalk on the tip than is necessary; if so, please advise).

I use a 4Ever tip tool. It has a flat scuffing surface but instead I gently use the shaper in order to keep the radius and dome. I stroke the tip from the center outward.

After just a few strokes of the shaper, the tip holds chalk again like new. But I'm concerned about how soon I might need to replace the tip if I keep scuffing/shaping twice a week.

Your advice is much appreciated.
 
bdorman said:
Warning: New player question

My Players HXTE10 came with a Kamui soft tip. I like the way the cue and tip play, but I'm wondering how often I should expect to scuff it. I use a separate break cue so the HXTE only gets regular play.

I play about an hour a day; only hitting the CB hard when it's the only way to get position. I'm working on English but let's assume 60% of my shots are in the center of the CB.

It seems to stop holding chalk after about 4 hours of play. After 6-8 hours it seems glazed over and chalk retention is minimal (of course, there's always the possibility that I'm expecting to see more chalk on the tip than is necessary; if so, please advise).

I use a 4Ever tip tool. It has a flat scuffing surface but instead I gently use the shaper in order to keep the radius and dome. I stroke the tip from the center outward.

After just a few strokes of the shaper, the tip holds chalk again like new. But I'm concerned about how soon I might need to replace the tip if I keep scuffing/shaping twice a week.

Your advice is much appreciated.
Click to expand...

The Kamui Gator tool is the NUTZ for all layered tips. Reminds me of a cats tongue. Grippy, same as you want your tip. I use it once a day when in a tournament play and as needed when playing long sessions.

Not familiar with the 4ever tool. Maybe you could post a link so we could check it out.

Ray
aka Diff Lock
 
Use the Gator Tool or the Tiger tool with the rough steel plates. They do a much better job than the last4ever tool, which is good at shaping and burnishing.
 
Ray is right..........

Using that other tool it's chewing it up pretty good. Once you get the shape of that kamui right you don't have to do much to it.

By scuffing it with something coarse it will delaminate. I use 400 grit wet dry sandpaper with a small block of wood to shape mine from time to time.

If you don't miscue leave it alone. If you miscue then you need to do something.

I've never used the gator tool Ray is talking about but I heard it works really well. It definitely won't tear up your kamui tip and it will last a long time.

Good Luck............
 
If it's time to touch it it's most likely time to replace it.... 6 weeks is about the lifespan of the Kamui Supersoft... Would expect about the same lifespan out of the softs......
 
Lifespan Kamui Black Soft- 2 months now- no issues
Lifespan Kamui Black Med- a year now- still great
Tiger Everest - 2 years now (played for a year)

Kamuis tip tool is really great. I personally never had an issue with Kamui Tips if it s about holding chalk properly. Just using from time to time the kamui tool (sandpaper would also work) or a tip pik- if used correctly it s great. It s enough to just *pik very slightly and soft*- and the chalk will hold great all the time.

jmho
Ingo
 
I have kamui black soft and been using it about 1.5 months.

Holds chalk very good, i use willards shaper about once a week, very gently.

I dont recommend using tip pik unless you know what to do. If you hit it too hard you can fack up those layers.

Jarno
 
One you have the shape you want on your tip a simple tip tapper (approx $2.50) used properly works wonders for helping chalk to stay on the tip.

That's too easy and far to cheap for many though.

A little wooden block with sandpaper glued to it can work wonders too, but alas these are tools of common sense and yesteryear.
 
I have been playing with the same Kamui SS Black tip for going on two years now.

I might have touched it 6 times with a brad scuffer.

When and if it goes south, I will be using another.
 
while i liked the kamui soft at first, after all the trouble with the glazing, i switched to sniper tip and think it performs what is required just as well as the kamui without the glazing. you might consider changing the tip because the glazing with that tip is a permanent aggravation. jmho

p.s. happy july 4th to everyone....let's remember what it stands for in these difficult times
 
The Renfro said:
If it's time to touch it it's most likely time to replace it.... 6 weeks is about the lifespan of the Kamui Supersoft... Would expect about the same lifespan out of the softs......
Click to expand...

Not true, Mine has been on my cue for 2 years and is still perfect.
 
I'm wondering, with the extreme difference in "tip experience", if the counterfeit thing was more widespread than some realize.

I get my Kamui's direct from John and have had zero issues with them. I have been using a Kamui Soft for 2 years and it has barely changed any.

Ray
 
spanky79 said:
Not true, Mine has been on my cue for 2 years and is still perfect.
Click to expand...

OK let me be a little less short in my answer.... A new Kamui SS will last about 6 weeks playing everyday before it's playing characteristics begin to change.

You can use whatever tool you want on them but there is nothing you can do to decompress them and make them play like when they were new...

Sure you can continue to use the tip and you might not really notice these changes since they are gradual...

When you finally decide to swap tips maybe because you are starting to see ferrule thru the tip LOL... You will notice that the new SS will play totally different than the old one you just cut off...

I do not like having to adjust to new tips or put them thru a break in period before I can trust them...

I like to put a tip on and play with it until it gets out of spec and then lop it off and put another new one on...

This is one of the main reasons I am playing with the hybrid phenolic on the BK2..... There is no change to the tip until I am about halfway thru it at which point I have another installed... Lasts about a year with constant use and roughening....

The original moori medium seemed to resist compression better than anything on the market currently and would last me 3-4 months... I didn't mind 3 or 4 tips a year but I will not fade the price of a Kamui SS every 6 weeks and it's the closest tip in playing characteristics to the original moori medium as I have found.......
 
You guys are so helpful that's it's almost information overload. Thanks for all the advice.

My take-away is that I'll make up a 600-grit sandpaper block on an oak strip and lightly scuff the tip. That's got to be better than hitting it with the shaper.

BTW, the 4EverTool is at http://last4ever.net/. It works great but I'm probably over-using it on the Kamui.

Thanks again.

BTW, at my level of play I can't assume a miscue is a tip problem...more likely a player problem. :grin:
 
bdorman said:
You guys are so helpful that's it's almost information overload. Thanks for all the advice.

My take-away is that I'll make up a 600-grit sandpaper block on an oak strip and lightly scuff the tip. That's got to be better than hitting it with the shaper.

BTW, the 4EverTool is at http://last4ever.net/. It works great but I'm probably over-using it on the Kamui.

Thanks again.

BTW, at my level of play I can't assume a miscue is a tip problem...more likely a player problem. :grin:
Click to expand...

I think 600 grit would be too fine. I would go with about a 200 grit. I don't use sandpaper for my tip so I am just going by amount and size of grit.

Ray
 
Saimaja said:
I dont recommend using tip pik unless you know what to do. If you hit it too hard you can fack up those layers.
Click to expand...
I use a Tip Pik on my Kamui every day with no problems and I've used it every day on lots of other layered tips too (Moori, Sniper, Everest, Molavi, etc., etc.). A Tip Pik is actually better than other methods because it gives the tip texture without removing any leather.

In case you're not familiar with it, here's a picture:

Tip Pik.gif

Tap the needle points straight into the tip firmly and lift them straight out (no twisting or turning) maybe 10 or 15 times, rotating the tip to texture the whole surface.

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I use a Tip Pik on my Kamui every day with no problems and I've used it every day on lots of other layered tips too (Moori, Sniper, Everest, Molavi, etc., etc.). A Tip Pik is actually better than other methods because it gives the tip texture without removing any leather.

In case you're not familiar with it, here's a picture:

View attachment 231894

Tap the needle points straight into the tip firmly and lift them straight out (no twisting or turning) maybe 10 or 15 times, rotating the tip to texture the whole surface.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Yep..remember your not swinging a hammer..its tap,tap,tap..what I don't get is...why would anyone spend so much an not know how to take care of it...but then again I've went back to triangle tips a few years back..I don't always chaulk,an hardly ever miscue when I'm strokeing well..its not the tip or chaulk.
 
i used to use the tip pik on layered tips with no problems, you just have to be reasonably gentle with it. it works great. lately though i've been using the kamui gator grip tool. it works equally well, but i find its just faster to give it a few quick rolls when i'm playing than to use the pik.
 
bdorman said:
Warning: New player question

My Players HXTE10 came with a Kamui soft tip. I like the way the cue and tip play, but I'm wondering how often I should expect to scuff it. I use a separate break cue so the HXTE only gets regular play.

I play about an hour a day; only hitting the CB hard when it's the only way to get position. I'm working on English but let's assume 60% of my shots are in the center of the CB.

It seems to stop holding chalk after about 4 hours of play. After 6-8 hours it seems glazed over and chalk retention is minimal (of course, there's always the possibility that I'm expecting to see more chalk on the tip than is necessary; if so, please advise).

I use a 4Ever tip tool. It has a flat scuffing surface but instead I gently use the shaper in order to keep the radius and dome. I stroke the tip from the center outward.

After just a few strokes of the shaper, the tip holds chalk again like new. But I'm concerned about how soon I might need to replace the tip if I keep scuffing/shaping twice a week.

Your advice is much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Glad you like the last4ever tip tool

There is a reason there is a radius side and a flat side. The radius side should be used to create a precise shape. Once you have the shape and the tip glazes and will not hold chalk, use the flat side to break the glaze. Using the flat side in that manner does not remove leather material and does not change the shape of the tip

Of course you can use the radius side as much as you like but just understand that doing so will remove some tip material and excess use will shorten the life of your tip

I use the radius side every week or so just to check my shape but I use the flat side daily to make sure I get the best chalk adhesion I can

Check out the videos on my web site to see the proper use of the tool

Joel
 
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