quick note about layered tips

[ShootingArts]

Not their intention I'm sure but the OB banner ad in threads does a great job of showing a magnified view of shaped and unchalked layered tips.

Plain to see that sometimes you will be hitting leather, sometimes glue. In addition, that one tip with a tiny leather center will have that leather crumble the first time it is hit with a tip tool leaving a fairly large flat glue surface for the center of your tip.

Hu

 

[Careyp74]

I had a Tiger Everest on one shaft, and got annoyed with the flaps that you would see after chalking, even when chalking from center outward. Don't know if this is common or not, but saw the same thing with a Kamui clear I got on another shaft. I have to wonder what this does to the hit when playing with draw or English.

 

[bdorman]

Are you guys scuffing the tip with a hacksaw?

I've only used layered tips and never had these problems.

 

[Sealegs50]

Plain to see that sometimes you will be hitting leather, sometimes glue.

I always use chalk, so I am never directly hitting either glue or leather. If the chalk does not adhere to all parts of the tip, I rough up the tip so it does. No tip is so hard that you could make contact with chalk that is only backed by the glue line. So if you like the feel of a particular layered tip, then use it. Otherwise, use single layer tips.

I have had a tip delaminate and leave flaps. But I had already used that tip for a couple of years. It was near time to replace anyway, so I replaced it. All of my layered tips have given excellent service.

 

[ShootingArts]

dealt with a lot of layered tips

Are you guys scuffing the tip with a hacksaw?

I've only used layered tips and never had these problems.

Having my own cue lathe and buying tips in volume I had a lot of layered tips laying around. I put them on every shaft I turned to experiment with. I did try things like the Willard tool that was brutal on tips, particularly layered tips. However, I only roll dents in my tips as a normal practice, never scuff them at all. A single layer tip lasts for years doing this. Some of the high grade layered tips did just as I describe depending on the exact configuration of layers of leather and glue impregnated leather. When the center of a layered tip gets thin enough it comes off the first time you do anything to it, just the nature of the beast.

Another issue with layered tips was that there would be some bad layers, layers that were either improperly tanned or rotten before tanning. These would tear or crumble, sometimes just from burnishing the sides or trying to shape a new tip.

Handmade layered tips can maintain quality. When high production machinery is used some bad leather sneaks through.

Anyway, I was just pointing out some good pictures everyone can see. All can judge for themselves what they are seeing.

Hu

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

I see your point Hu. But like Dorman, I have never had a problem with a layered tip.
Altho, I did buy a box of these Hercules Tips or whatever the name. Total crap as they would delaminate one layer after another if you scuffed or shaped. Obviously old or crap glue was used.

Probably why I tend to use Duds on one cue and Skins on the other.

On some layered tips, the problem that you speak of seem to be more prevalent or obvious than on others.

Admit it Hu, yer just an Old School Boy. Same with me with a lot of things in life. I get stuck in my old ways and figure, I've been doing it this way for so long, why change now.

But I also have seen, depending on the shape, just a tiny little dot of leather on the very top. It comes off and you get left with a flat spot.

 

[ShootingArts]

you is right of curse!

I see your point Hu. But like Dorman, I have never had a problem with a layered tip.
Altho, I did buy a box of these Hercules Tips or whatever the name. Total crap as they would delaminate one layer after another if you scuffed or shaped. Obviously old or crap glue was used.

Probably why I tend to use Duds on one cue and Skins on the other.

On some layered tips, the problem that you speak of seem to be more prevalent or obvious than on others.

Admit it Hu, yer just an Old School Boy. Same with me with a lot of things in life. I get stuck in my old ways and figure, I've been doing it this way for so long, why change now.

But I also have seen, depending on the shape, just a tiny little dot of leather on the very top. It comes off and you get left with a flat spot.

I do be old school about a lot of things. Different ain't necessarily mo'better. I went new and hi-tech on a handful of things only to go back to the old way. I'm pretty good at selecting good Elkmasters these days and when I dud a good one and put it on, well some of these tips may outlast me! When I think about it I have never replaced a milk dud on a shaft. One way or another the cue or shaft went away before I needed to. I used some of those duds for years.

Nice to know the tip will be consistent top to almost bottom. Playing with moori tips I could notice the hardness changing inside to outside as I cut through layers or worked my way through them. I kinda think center hard and outside softer is an advantage but center soft and outside hard causes me to go whittle on a cue tip!

Hu