Dave, thanks for all the good advice you give on here. I don't have near the wealth of knowledge that you have. Everything that I know I learned through experience. I do take pride in my ability to make the tip just right for the player I'm doing it for. I would get it exactly the shape/roundness they liked, and just rough that tip enough to take the chalk all over from edge to edge. The sides of the tip would be smooth and perfectly straight with zero mushroom. That last part could take the longest. After that I would clean up the entire shaft and make that feel like new. Then I was done and they couldn't wait to get their hands on it and play, play, play. The look of satisfaction on their faces and the broad smile was all the pay I ever wanted.
I believe the point is that you hold the knife blade perpendicular to your sight line so you are looking at the side and not gunsighting it pointing away from you with your hand blocking your view. The flat side is against the ferrule.
I got one of the $65 ebay ones that use a drill. I put in my old broken $25 hitachi 1/2" drill. It has a thing you can keep the trigger depressed with, so I put a foot pedal from my wife's cut off tool on it. For a $90 investment I can tip a cue very nicely and have put about 20 tips on various cues and house cues. It's not fancy and if you have a really warped house cue, getting "runout" minimal on it is tough, but for tip replacement it doesn't matter as much if you're careful. For 2 piece cues or fairly straight house cues it works wonderfully. I like DIY and there are no installers in my area so for the price of getting a handful of tips installed I'm set for life on the installation front.
Thank you, will give it a shot.
Bear in mind that the knife wasn't designed for tip work but for cutting thin material like split leather I believe. But to use it as intended would have the bevel against the ferrule as we make these cuts. These knives are made for very accurate light work. I think when taking an existing tip off of a ferrule it is more of a break than cut, not something these knives are intended for. Use a rough tool for that, even a sharp wood chisel. I usually cut the tip off just far enough out I can see I am cutting or breaking the tip, not the tip/ferrule joint or cutting into the ferrule. Then, if you want to take a precise cut of that last ten to thirty thousandths of leather off the end of the cue, slice it off with this knife.
Probably the most important thing when putting a tip, on is to make sure it stays on! I used Tweeten's tip cement when I had it and Elmer's glue when I was out of Tweeten's. I liked to put a thin film of glue that covered the entire base of the tip and the same at the top of the ferrule. A very thin layer of glue worked the best. Too much glue and you may have a problem later. Then I would wait until the glue got sticky before applying the tip. Maybe a minute or two is enough time. That way it really takes hold and you won't lose your tip. I never had to "burp" my tips, although that is an interesting idea.
Probably the most important thing when putting a tip, on is to make sure it stays on! I used Tweeten's tip cement when I had it and Elmer's glue when I was out of Tweeten's. I liked to put a thin film of glue that covered the entire base of the tip and the same at the top of the ferrule. A very thin layer of glue worked the best. Too much glue and you may have a problem later. Then I would wait until the glue got sticky before applying the tip. Maybe a minute or two is enough time. That way it really takes hold and you won't lose your tip. I never had to "burp" my tips, although that is an interesting idea.
After getting the tip centered on the ferrule and starting to take hold, I would very carefully turn the cue upside down and place it tip first on the floor, leaning against the wall in the corner. I tried to get it standing as straight up as possible. The weight of the cue was enough to keep everything locked in place. I would then leave it that way overnight and do the finish work the next day when the tip was firmly attached. I learned this technique from watching Jake Spitler (an old time hustler in Dayton) and also seeing Danny D. and New York Blackie do it basically the same way in their motel rooms. Back then we didn't have the luxury of tip tools to do the job while out on the road somewhere. Most poolplayers didn't trust this important job to some guy in the local poolroom. And I don't think they wanted to give some stranger possession of their cue either. Let's just say it was a different era back then.
Click on the attachment...the note is there.
I’ve done plenty of tips and the bevel on the outside of the ferrule is very easy to control. I can see no reason to turn it around to bevel in.
Sure there is: the tip repair guy at the regional or national tournament. A great job in 10 minutes. Don't call him a "tool" though.