Kamui Tip Hardness Chart..... very interesting

I have never yet used any Kamui tips. That said I sat down this week with the boss man (it's his title on the card) of Kamui, Mr. Hiraoka.

We had a long talk about quality in general and how we approach making our products. I have seldom in this business met another person so devoted to understanding their product as Mr. Hiraoka.

He and I share the same passion for continuous improvement and total understanding of our product and market.

So, like I said I have yet to try the Kamui tips but when I do I am sure that I will like them as I already like Mr. Hiraoka's passion and devotion. He showed me the quality control checklist that the tips go through and you'd think he was building the space shuttle when you see how comprehensive it is.

Anyway, I don't have much to add to the "which tip is better" debate. I just wanted to say that it was truly refreshing to spend time with another innovator who tries his best to take his product to the next level.
 
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I have a question, KJ. I put a Kamui Med. Soft on my Predator shaft last week and played a five hour stint of One Pocket with it. Maybe it was me, but there was nothing soft about it. It felt like I was slipping and sliding all over the cue ball. The tip installed easily enough, although I did notice that when shaping the tip end the curls that came off the blade tended to be small. In the past, the larger the curl usually meant the softer the tip. I was very dissapointed in the performance of this tip. Any comments or suggestions?
 
gwjackal said:
How often do you do repairs on cues? The predator shaft has had some very serious QC issues. Some not even drilled center for there high tech front end technology. You say the gen2 souinds better? So when you load up the cue ball you like the ping it makes. Now onto the tip KB are unlike anyother tip. The inconsistent part that I am talking about is how much work you have to put into these tips. If your a true shooter and actually play a lot of pool you will know what I am talking about. But I guess if someone says something is the best then everyone will believe it.
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I do very minimum repairs, like dings, dents, cleaning. I have never replaced my own tip, or maybe once. I have never yet had a customer or myself had to repair a predator in anyway shape or form...I had a friend that had a ferrule replaced once..Free under Predator warranty. Also I have only been a dealer a short time. If something major did break down on a predator, like a ferrule, I would just send it back to predator.

"You say the shaft is not drilled center on the front end"...Im sure its possible but highly unlikely as I have to think its all CNC. Maybe years ago you had this experience?

I play with a P3, its really really solid IMO, especially if you are using the 314-2, has a very dense firm hit to it...Most people that pick up and play with the P3 immediately recognize that it feels really nice and tend to start asking me how much they are and want one. The cue really sells itself and being that is super minimal in design, its purely based on the way it feels in the customers hand.

Another trend I have noticed over the years. The biggest debbie downers of predator cues is almost always the "high end custom cue dealers and cue makers, but mainly the dealers seem to say, Its all marketing hype" Rarely does a player say " I have owned predator cues and their not for me"

But were talking about tips right:thumbup:
 
I have been playing with a kumai black ss for a couple of weeks now. At first, it miscued like crazy! I installed it with all ten layers and just shaped the top. Well after I got fed up with it I had an idea to cut it down to about half its size. What a world of difference, I have only had 2 miscues this whole week and it was probably from not chalking. Maybe the miscueing has to do with that deflection rating? Cutting it down added or took away some deflection? I dont know, but it is finally playing like a very descent tip should play. I have tried a kumai med, it miscued slightly less then the black before I cut it down. But that was still to much miscueing for me.
 
I have just got some Kamui Black SS to try this week S K cues.
On the US sized ball, it plays really well.
But on the 1-7/8 ball at the local bars where we are,they are not quite there.
For some reason the smaller lighter ball needs a tip that can grip better.
The elkmaster tips they sell here work really well on the small ball,if you get a good one, but when I use it at home here with the US sized ball, the tip is just too soft and spongey and gets all distorted very quickly.Basically ruins it for the small ball.
I have not yet tried any of the specific snooker tips that are for the smaller lighter ball yet,but I will do when I get them.
It seems that the person behind the Kamui tips is just as passionate about his work as is Tony is at Tiger tips.
I am also sure that some tips will work better on certain shafts types and that 1 tip is not best for all.
 
JB Cases said:
I have never yet used any Kamui tips. That said I sat down this week with the boss man (it's his title on the card) of Kamui, Mr. Hiraoka.

We had a long talk about quality in general and how we approach making our products. I have seldom in this business met another person so devoted to understanding their product as Mr. Hiraoka.

He and I share the same passion for continuous improvement and total understanding of our product and market.

So, like I said I have yet to try the Kamui tips but when I do I am sure that I will like them as I already like Mr. Hiraoka's passion and devotion. He showed me the quality control checklist that the tips go through and you'd think he was building the space shuttle when you see how comprehensive it is.

Anyway, I don't have much to add to the "which tip is better" debate. I just wanted to say that it was truly refreshing to spend time with another innovator who tries his best to take his product to the next level.
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It is very refreshing to hear this from someone else. I saw this passion 6 years ago in my office. And I knew after I tried the Kamui #1(original) on my cue that he was on to something great for the industry. I have also seen the QC sheets... I wish I could post them so everyone would understand why Kamui IS Kamui. I am proud of the entire team at Kamui Japan and Kamui USA. We are all talented and devoted to the Kamui brand and making the best for our customers.
 
I don't understand how people miscue with Kamui Black SS, S or M. I have used all 3 and hit so far out on the ball and I have never miscued ever. I hardly ever have to hit that far outside the ball, I don't ever really find the need too.

I actually just dropped off my WD700 to get the Moori (M) that came stock with it chopped off in favor of a Kamui Black SS. The Moori just has a funky play too it and glazes over very easy. I have yet to try a Tiger Everest or a Sniper tip but seeing as I love the hit of a Kamui Black and they play great for me I don't feel I need too.
 
Good post. This is exactly what I am talking about. If you play simple pool, you shouldn't ever have to put too much spin on the ball. Playing with center ball is the way to play. With that said, one of the reasons I like KB is because I get good grip on the CB. It's almost too good.
 
Kamui Tip Replacement Issue

Hello SK. Read your post and am trying to clear something up. I believe you can help.

I'm 60 been playing since age 8 or 10. Venturing into custom tip land is new to me.
I have a great degree of confidence in my stroke. If I hit a force follow it will haul ass. Like wise with a power draw. So these are the extreme ends of the spectrum. Not trying to convince anyone I'm Reyes or Siegel. I ain't and don't care about that stuff. Just trying to paint a picture.

About 8 moths ago I bought a Lucasi zero deflection on it came a Kamui original soft. For me it was a perfect combo. Sight, sound and feedback are important to me. Recently changed the tip and replaced it with the same thing. Professionally done by a reputable place. The stick was not the same. it played harder did not hold chalk well. I hated it!
I contacted a Kamui distributor he certainly was a great guy and knowledgeable. FAkes, tip too old etc.
But not likely. After some back and forth, He sent me a Clear-Black-soft. Great tip but not for me. I like something with a bit more pop off the tip. I feel like I have a pillow for a tip. I know I have to replace it. So it now becomes confusing. I'd love to have the original tip back but think there's a QC issue. Would a clear-black medium be the same as the original soft? It seems it should be very close. Anyway too many words I know but I could use some insight from a knowledgeable/independent person. Thanx
 
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Hello SK. Read your post and am trying to clear something up. I believe you can help.

I'm 60 been playing since age 8 or 10. Venturing into custom tip land is new to me.
I have a great degree of confidence in my stroke. If I hit a force follow it will haul ass. Like wise with a power draw. So these are the extreme ends of the spectrum. Not trying to convince anyone I'm Reyes or Siegel. I ain't and don't care about that stuff. Just trying to paint a picture.

About 8 moths ago I bought a Lucasi zero deflection on it came a Kamui original soft. For me it was a perfect combo. Sight, sound and feedback are important to me. Recently changed the tip and replaced it with the same thing. Professionally done by a reputable place. The stick was not the same. it played harder did not hold chalk well. I hated it!
I contacted a Kamui distributor he certainly was a great guy and knowledgeable. FAkes, tip too old etc.
But not likely. After some back and forth, He sent me a Clear-Black-soft. Great tip but not for me. I like something with a bit more pop off the tip. I feel like I have a pillow for a tip. I know I have to replace it. So it now becomes confusing. I'd love to have the original tip back but think there's a QC issue. Would a clear-black medium be the same as the original soft? It seems it should be very close. Anyway too many words I know but I could use some insight from a knowledgeable/independent person. Thanx
 
KJ Cues said:
No, "vegitable" is a word I've never heard of either.

However, if you meant to say 'vegetable', then yeah, I see those everyday.

Vegetable tanning is one of the many different means of processing leather.
There's is also 'chrome tanning' of leather (Triangle tips) and there's one tip manufacturer that digs a hole in the ground and buries them for a year. Pretty weird, huh?
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one tip manufacturer that digs a hole in the ground and buries them for a year.......that would be Tiger onyx LTD, been a great tip for me, I like medium tips, this is a firm hitting medium tip that holds chalk well, worth a try if you like that type of hit.
 
well ive had all kinds of tips for many decades. and all of them except a very few after a few days or hours of play i cant much tell the difference as i get used to the hit.
in the past ive asked many top or best players in an area what tip they used. and guess what they said, " whatever the guy who puts them on uses",,,,,,they had no idea and didnt care.

all the worst players agonized over their tips and why they miscue so much..

i put the old moori's on a bunch of my shafts years back and they still are fine. older tips get glazed and so what.
wet them with spit a few times and then let them sit over night and they get right back to normal. spit is a meat tenderizer.
the indians and eskimo's used it to soften their hides for tanning.
 
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