Porper Mushroom Graser - oops!

H

hawkeye

Registered
I just got into pool a few months ago. My local billiards supply (no doubt sensing an easy mark), has been selling me equipment, and accessories. OK, its all part of the fun of a new hobby... "the stuff." :)

So yesterday I tried out my new "Porper Mushroom Graser."
68_photo.jpg


I just a few seconds, I succeeded in carving a deep ring in the ferrule and ruining the tip. OOPS!

It is just me or is using this thing less than obvious?

I think I'm going to chuk it in the trash. It's sandpaper for me from here on out.
 
You might as well get a titanium coated rezor blade at Home Depot.
Trim the mushrooming leather carefully. Lay the blade dead flat on the ferrule while the shaft is upright, and trim slowly.
 
hawkeye said:
I just got into pool a few months ago. My local billiards supply (no doubt sensing an easy mark), has been selling me equipment, and accessories. OK, its all part of the fun of a new hobby... "the stuff." :)

So yesterday I tried out my new "Porper Mushroom Graser."
68_photo.jpg


I just a few seconds, I succeeded in carving a deep ring in the ferrule and ruining the tip. OOPS!

It is just me or is using this thing less than obvious?

I think I'm going to chuk it in the trash. It's sandpaper for me from here on out.
Click to expand...

you can send it to me....
 
I've been known to try a few different tools over the years for trimming tips by hand and I found this one to be one of the better ones. Nothing beats a lathe or a Williard's Tipper machine, but if you take your time and trim a small bit at a time, you can do a decent trim job with one of these. The key is setting the depth of the screw through the body of the cutter so it can't cut any "deeper" than the bottom of the tip.....not down into the ferrule. As you discovered, it can be rather dangerous if you do get into the ferrule material.
 
ragbug74 said:
I've been known to try a few different tools over the years for trimming tips by hand and I found this one to be one of the better ones. Nothing beats a lathe or a Williard's Tipper machine, but if you take your time and trim a small bit at a time, you can do a decent trim job with one of these. The key is setting the depth of the screw through the body of the cutter so it can't cut any "deeper" than the bottom of the tip.....not down into the ferrule. As you discovered, it can be rather dangerous if you do get into the ferrule material.
Click to expand...

An even simpler solution is to upgrade to using good-quality laminated tips. (My personal preference is Kamui Hard tips) I used to use LePro and Triangle tips and often installed them myself so I bought all these kinds of gadgets to install and maintain them. Since moving to layered tips I've not had to do any maintenance at all except an occasional tip-tapping. Of course these tips are a lot more expensive, but for me I find it well worth it.
 
This tool is not bad. I can trim a tip by hand without using the screw. You just need to learn how to control your movement, so as to develop a feel as to how deep to cut.

The key is how to hold the shaft and rotate it slowly while controling the blade during the trimming process.

I usually press the tip to one side of the tool as I trim the tip. It allows me to control how much tip to cut. I do not use the black plastic screw, I think I have lost that.

I can also use just a blade and cut the tip like peeling an apple, it is all just a matter of experience. I learned all these tricks before I got my first lathe. I suggest you try using just a razor blade, and try to peel the tip bit by bit as if you were peeling an apple, it is not that difficult.

Richard
 
I have This little plastic pencil sharpener looking thing that I use. It works great, But like anything you do need to be a little bit smarter than the tool. It is best to separate the shaft from the butt when trimming. You need to hold the tool in your hand and spin the shaft when trimming. You have to be careful to keep the shaft paralell to the blade or the tip will come out pointed.
 
Again, a self proclaimed accessory junkie, I find these types of mushroom grazers to be to dangerous. I am around hand tools all day long, and even I have a hard time not hitting the ferrel. It's not worth it, IMO. Just get a laminated tip, and forget about it.
 
Yes, it is fun to do it yourself especially with very limited resources. I used to spend hours to trim a tip by hand. It was a very satisfying experience when it was done.

With this tool, I find that it is best to turn the shaft rather than the tool, and it actually works better, in my opinion, if the blade is bit dull.

Also, you can adjust the screws to make the blade stick out more or less from the edge of the tool. I like it as close to the edge as possible.

I still prefer using a blade. You can do it, too. Just practise using the same motion as if you were peeling an apple.:) Lots of practise is all you need.

Richard
 
nipponbilliards said:
... I used to spend hours to trim a tip by hand. It was a very satisfying experience when it was done...
Richard
Click to expand...

Ahhhh, but you had the good fortune to be born in another culture. We get it done NOW Americans, don't have the patience required. We reach frustration before we reach satisfaction. :D
 
I don't know about this tool but a good way to prevent mushrooming is to get a tip burnisher. Use it every day and you wont need to trim.
 
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