Miscue or bad tip
- Thread starter swilliams
- Start date
There was another question like yours bouncing around today, or yesterday, but the long and short of it is the problem was probably you. Stroke errors.
If a tip is installed properly, and maintained properly, it cannot miscue on it's own. Needless to say you have to chalk them to.
Even though you've only posted a very few times, keep the questions, opinions, thoughts, and ideas coming. That is what a forum is all about. Glad you're here.
If a tip is installed properly, and maintained properly, it cannot miscue on it's own. Needless to say you have to chalk them to.
Even though you've only posted a very few times, keep the questions, opinions, thoughts, and ideas coming. That is what a forum is all about. Glad you're here.
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You beat me to it.
To the OP ... if you don't have access to a TIP-PIK or a Willard, try a nail file.
I'm thinking if you are a new player you might have a new cue and it may never have been shaped.
If so, shape the tip to where it is the same radius as a nickel. That seems to be more forgiving to beginners. After you get used to playing a bit, change it to the radius of a dime.
LWW
Scuff up your tip with 2220 Sandpaper.
I always prep my tip before I shoot in the evening, but before I respond, I'd like to make a discaimer that I'm not a pro, but I am certain that I miscue for the following reasons:
#1 I'm slowing the cue down or "Decellerating" during contact. (Bad stroke)
#2 Did not properly chaulk
#3 Inintentionally set up and stroked the ball further outside the center of the cue ball than I realized. (Could be too low, high, or other)
#4 If it appears none of the above occured, I'll clean the cueball first chance I get. Sometimes when you're playing at a place that serves greasy finger food, some of that grease gets on the cueball. If that's not it, then maybe there's just a little extra wax on the cueball. Giving it a good wipe with a clean napkin usually gets things straightened out.
I always clean the cueball after an embarrasing miscue just to make it not look like my fault.
#1 I'm slowing the cue down or "Decellerating" during contact. (Bad stroke)
#2 Did not properly chaulk
#3 Inintentionally set up and stroked the ball further outside the center of the cue ball than I realized. (Could be too low, high, or other)
#4 If it appears none of the above occured, I'll clean the cueball first chance I get. Sometimes when you're playing at a place that serves greasy finger food, some of that grease gets on the cueball. If that's not it, then maybe there's just a little extra wax on the cueball. Giving it a good wipe with a clean napkin usually gets things straightened out.
I always clean the cueball after an embarrasing miscue just to make it not look like my fault.
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This post pretty much hits the nail on the head. Just FYI, I NEVER use a tip pick on my cue. If it needs it, I'll use a shaper (ultimate tip tool, or whatever) to get the tip shaped properly. This also roughens up the tip a bit. A good tip WILL HOLD CHALK.
I like it: I always clean the cueball after an embarrasing miscue just to make it not look like my fault.
I like it: I always clean the cueball after an embarrasing miscue just to make it not look like my fault.
I always prep my tip before I shoot in the evening, but before I respond, I'd like to make a discaimer that I'm not a pro, but I am certain that I miscue for the following reasons:
#1 I'm slowing the cue down or "Decellerating" during contact. (Bad stroke)
#2 Did not properly chaulk
#3 Inintentionally set up and stroked the ball further outside the center of the cue ball than I realized. (Could be too low, high, or other)
#4 If it appears none of the above occured, I'll clean the cueball first chance I get. Sometimes when you're playing at a place that serves greasy finger food, some of that grease gets on the cueball. If that's not it, then maybe there's just a little extra wax on the cueball. Giving it a good wipe with a clean napkin usually gets things straightened out.
I always clean the cueball after an embarrasing miscue just to make it not look like my fault.
Depending on what type of tip you have, you don't want to use sand paper, or a file, or scuff up your tip every time you miscue. I see people also sand their tips away to nothing and do it completely wrong. Also you really shouldn't be poking holes in your tip with a tip pik. If you use one of those things, just lightly roll it across the face of the tip. The best thing to get a good tip like a Kamui Black, shape it to nickel size, and roll the cue's tip across a tip tapper. One good roll 360 degrees around the tip pressing firmly into the tapper and you are set. It puts way more indentations in the tip because the tapper's teeth are fatter. That's it. You don't need to sand or reshape your tip, just roll the tapper. Every player should have a tip tapper, and some coarse grit sand paper, and fine grit sand paper. You don't even need a curved contraption to shape your tip, just a flat piece of sand paper folded over.
Keep your shots close to center ball, and learn to play that way, rarely going more than 1 to 1/2 tips outside of center.
I see people shape their tips all the time to dime radius or even more, and it is absolutely ridiculous. You want the cue tip to actually grab the cue ball and what does that is the edge of the cue tip on english shots. If you have a tip that's too round, and not chalked enough, and if you hit it too far off center, your tip is just going to slide right off the cue ball, instead of gripping it with traction.
The best way to get traction is with a tapper-rolled tip and lightly brushed chalk. . . . on a Kamui Black Tip!
Keep your shots close to center ball, and learn to play that way, rarely going more than 1 to 1/2 tips outside of center.
I see people shape their tips all the time to dime radius or even more, and it is absolutely ridiculous. You want the cue tip to actually grab the cue ball and what does that is the edge of the cue tip on english shots. If you have a tip that's too round, and not chalked enough, and if you hit it too far off center, your tip is just going to slide right off the cue ball, instead of gripping it with traction.
The best way to get traction is with a tapper-rolled tip and lightly brushed chalk. . . . on a Kamui Black Tip!
A tip can only do so much
Two reasons I miscue:
First , I am asking my cue to do more than is possible.
Second , I am dropping my elbow/shoulder which causes the back of stick to go down, front of the stick to angle up. Usually happens when I'm shooting off of the rail.
Equipment is rarely the problem. Chalk up constantly.
Two reasons I miscue:
First , I am asking my cue to do more than is possible.
Second , I am dropping my elbow/shoulder which causes the back of stick to go down, front of the stick to angle up. Usually happens when I'm shooting off of the rail.
Equipment is rarely the problem. Chalk up constantly.
I like your thinking.............:thumbup:
I'm with 12310bch on this one. Before you go to all kinds of trouble to reshape your tip, take a really good look at where you mis-cued. If it is right at the very edge of your tip, you may be "over-stroking" the shots. Literally passing the cue tip either over or under the cue ball. Most mis-cues occur much closer to the center of the cue ball because of the lack of chalk at the contact point. If you use nothing but center ball, you will never have this problem.
Lyn
Lyn