Question about chalk and hard tip

irspow

irspow

Member
Couldn’t find a specific answer here with search function.

So I recently switched to using a hard tip. I am really liking how it plays (for me).

However, I can’t seem to get an even layer of chalk applied to the whole tip. There are small points and arcs where the chalk is ‘thinner’ than other areas. Also there are extra spots that lose some chalk after making a shot in addition to the contact point.

I’ve tried using a tapper and sandpaper which make more chalk stick in general, but there are still areas with different amounts of chalk. Is this something normal having to do with a hard tip or am I just a moron? 😂 So my real questions are:

What would be the best way to make a hard tip (or maybe any tip) accept chalk evenly across its surface?

Shouldn’t chalk remain on the tip after a shot where it was not part of the contact point?

Thanks
 
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I can shoot several shots with Masters without chalking. As far as the longer lasting chalks go, if you need a big draw to get on the money ball, are you not going to chalk? One of the reasons I prefer to chalk frequently is because I want to keep up the habit of chalking and not forget if I've shot too many shots since I last chalked.
 
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dquarasr said:
Resurrecting a thread from earlier this year.

Yesterday I purchased a used jump / break cue with a phenolic tip. Taom V10 has a really tough time sticking to it. I switched back to Masters for breaking (only) with much better results.

I am just getting used to the break cue. It came as 25 ounces, way too heavy, so I removed the 2.5 ounce weight bolt. It's still pretty heavy, but more manageable. I bought it more for jumping, though. Jumping is yet another skill I will have to learn. . . . Wish me luck.

I've only tried a handful of jumps, not much success. Gonna re-review some jump vids I viewed yesterday. Still trying to determine if dart or "regular" jump arm position is better for me. (I'm only 5'5", so it's kind of hard for me to get over shots, especially if not close to a rail.) I'm also using an extra piece of cloth under the CB to save the table.
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A Kamui Gator Grip, or $12 unbranded knock off works wonders on a break tip. You can scuff it so chalk will stick without really grinding the heck out of it. I use that on my Outsville HH2 and it works great. Also did good with the White Diamond and on my jump cue, which I think is phenolic.

dquarasr said:
Understood, thanks. Fine line between cloth preservation and skill acquisition.
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Not trying to shill for Outsville, but their Shark Skin table protectors are great. We use them for breaking, but they are thin, same material as their templates and pretty reasonably priced.
 
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dquarasr said:
My compromise is V10 for playing cue where I chalk every few (3-4) shots, Masters for the phenolic tip break cue. Simple.
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I was doing similar with Pyro for playing, HeddaRo on my breaker (which is a Sonic Tip like another user posted) for the best part of a year.

I switched to the Turning Point Grey, which I wrote about in another thread. Really happy with how this chalk is playing. Covers both tips, leaves less residue than you would think while maintaining softness.

Whatever works for you is the best option.
 
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masters and triangle work great if you dont make a mess grinding it. been using them for longer than most here have been alive and hardly ever miscue unless pushing past the limit where no chalk will help more than another.

still waiting for someone to say they missed a shot because the chalk was uneven on the tip.
 
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maha said:
masters and triangle work great if you dont make a mess grinding it. been using them for longer than most here have been alive and hardly ever miscue unless pushing past the limit where no chalk will help more than another.

still waiting for someone to say they missed a shot because the chalk was uneven on the tip.
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insert comment about poor workmen, Indians and arrows
 
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maha said:
masters and triangle work great if you dont make a mess grinding it. been using them for longer than most here have been alive and hardly ever miscue unless pushing past the limit where no chalk will help more than another.

still waiting for someone to say they missed a shot because the chalk was uneven on the tip.
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I was using Silver cup, I think, and I had to be pretty disciplined with chalking my cue regularly, it would not stay on the tip. I could tap my shaft with the palm of my hand and see a cloud come off. Some excess will come off with the Masters but enough stays on to do its job reliably.
 
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Sealegs50 said:
Mostly, I play with layered hard tips and like the OP, I find it difficult to get an even layer with many chalks. I used to rough up the tip with either a pick or with a Willard shaper. I no longer use either because in my experience, they led to delamination over time.

Now I roughen my tips prior to each playing session with a Morakami Gator Shaper (Cue Components). Other companies make similar tools but for a lot more money. It does a great job prepping a tip for play and does not appear to be substantially sanding off the outer layer of tip. I haven’t had a delamination since I started using the Gator Shaper which was more than 5 years ago.

I haven’t experimented with any of the new, expensive chalks. I have found that the different colors of Master chalk coat my tips differently. IMO, the best Master chalk is Sky Blue. I make visually checking for coverage to be part of my pre-shot routine. With Sky Blue, the check provides a good break between shots. For some colors, the effort to evenly coat the tip is almost a distraction.
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I'm not a big fan of Morakami tips, but the Gator Shaper is super and affordable - I use it regularly to deglaze layered tips.
 
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I used to use a hard laminate tips. I always have the habit of wiping off extra chalk at the end of a practice session. Then I lightly sand the whole tip till I see just leather with a piece of 320 to 400 grit sand paper. This way I get no chalk in my case and I always know that I am playing with a velvety even surface that grabs chalk. Btw after I started using these finer sand papers I never went back to scuffers or tappers. The sand paper is cheep, lasts forever, come in so many grits, and has infinitely variable radius depending on how you hold it. I even use wet dry paper to clean it easily and use the back for light burnishing. I never, never, never, ever use a tip pick. I know they work but I depend on my tip to put the business to the cue ball. So stabbing it with a bunch of needles just seems wrong. I wouldn’t be surprised if your tips were miscueing on purpose due to feelings of betrayal.
 
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how did mosconi and guys like euphemia, mizerack, lassiter, balsis, etc run so many balls with that terrible masters chalk and no modern cue tip picker or scrubber. and heavens forbid a shaft on their cue that was made out of wood. can you believe that.
 
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he wasnt around back then. it was triangle, champion, elk master, or water buffalo as i remember the choices.

i didnt care nor do i still much. after an hour or less you get used to whatever you are using.
if the tip affects your game then its you that has the issue.

wasnt uncommon for top players in the area to grab anything off the wall and run a hundred balls without ever looking at the tip.
and no one but bad players had inlays on their stick

if i saw someone come in with a decorated stick i was all over them. won some of those sticks as well.
if they had a balabuska or a rambo you stayed away from them until you knew more.
 
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