shaping a cue tip

S

SedateMe

Registered
Pretty new player here, recently bought my first cue. Picked up a Cuetec bowtie tip tool to shape the flat tip, and it seems I've worn out the material in the shaper. The tip is till pretty flat. It looks like a soup bowl turned upside down: rounded edges but a good majority of the tip is still flat. Is this normal, or am I doing something horribly wrong? I shaped the tip holding the cue upright and turning the tip tool on the tip with some slight downward pressure.

Is the material in shapers supposed to wear out so fast that I can't fully shape a tip before it wears out? If not what should I be doing different?

edit: The cue is a McDermott with a medium hard Triangle tip.
 
SedateMe said:
Pretty new player here, recently bought my first cue. Picked up a Cuetec bowtie tip tool to shape the flat tip, and it seems I've worn out the material in the shaper. The tip is till pretty flat. It looks like a soup bowl turned upside down: rounded edges but a good majority of the tip is still flat. Is this normal, or am I doing something horribly wrong? I shaped the tip holding the cue upright and turning the tip tool on the tip with some slight downward pressure.

Is the material in shapers supposed to wear out so fast that I can't fully shape a tip before it wears out? If not what should I be doing different?

edit: The cue is a McDermott with a medium hard Triangle tip.
Click to expand...

No it should not wear out that fast, the best thing to do is just go to a cue repairman near you and have them show you how to shape your tip. They most likely can recommend what type of shaper to use also. If you can't get any local help, I send you one for $2 shipped, the only thing that will wear out is the sand paper, and they come with extra.
 
One of the greatest little tools I ever bought was the Willard Tip Shaper ( Nickel Shape). Shapes the tip pretty darn good and also scuffs if you use it lightly........
 
I shape my tip manually with only a sand paper in my hand (I guess my perception on angles is pretty good and accurate) just as effective as using a tip shaper. I used a P50 (extremely rough surface) when dealing with a hard tip inorder to shape the tip at a much faster rate. then after achieving the desired tip shape, I then use a P180 (fine) or the much finer P500 sandpaper for removing the excess leather threads and for smoothing out the surface of the tip.

this is quite a slow process and would require a considerable amount of time and patience compared to having a tip shaper. other methods would be using a filer or a sandpaper glued on a small flat wood used for filing.
 
From what you're describing, it's normal with a Triangle tip. I mostly use triangle tips and until they get a little worn in, you'll have to reshape the new ones a few times or do what I do, just let it go and let the chalk shape it.

Is this correct: after you shape it, it looks fuzzy on top, right? The sides (crown) looks good, but when you play with it the top goes flat, right? If so, that fuzzy top is getting beat back down. A tip man with a lathe can fix it right the first time, but if you don't want to take it in, I'd just let the chalk shape it. You have to get the fuzzy part smooth. I sometimes put just a little spit on the top before I chalk it...that compacts the top just a bit. But remember: a Triangle tip sands real easy...before you know it, you'll be out of tip.

Just so you'll know, layered tips are easier to shape, but cost a whole lot more money.

JED
 
cajunbarboxplyr said:
One of the greatest little tools I ever bought was the Willard Tip Shaper ( Nickel Shape). Shapes the tip pretty darn good and also scuffs if you use it lightly........
Click to expand...

$5 investment ... thousands in return!

Great product ... lasts forever!
 
About the only thing I use on my tips is a tip tapper. Just a think slice of steel with pyramid points on one side. Also makes a great self defense weapon on keys. but it doesn't shape. Any tip I've had put on cues in the past the repairmen I've dealt with will shape it and shave it for free if they put it on.
 
I don't shape my cue tip. Perhaps some tippik or roughen it a bit, but nothing else.
 
i've used one of the similar ones that manwon is refering to with the sand paper in it, you can get it in both plastic and metal. it looks like this: http://www.seyberts.com/products/Metal_Tip_Trimmer-1950-24.html
i like the metal alittle better cause you can bend the corner down to hold the sandpaper in place. theres also this thing thats supposed to last a lifetime that looks like it might work pretty well: http://www.seyberts.com/products/Sandman_Tip_Tool-58-24.html

but me, i still prefer the good old fashion nail file: http://www.walgreens.com/store/prod...=jump&navCount=3&skuid=sku310605&id=prod10605
 
I like my Ultimate Tool, though the manufacturer seems to be out of business.

The Willard is imho the next best thing to get. However, switching from a nickle shape to a dime shape cost me nothing on the Ultimate Tool, while I would need to buy a new Willard. Since they cost only a few bucks, it's not a real problem ;-)

Regards,

Detlev
 
I've always preferred the Ultimate, although I also have the Willard, And still have a Unique tool in my case right now.
Also have a tapper, tip*****, and a shaper on my keychains. All cheap but usable.
 
SedateMe said:
Pretty new player here, recently bought my first cue. Picked up a Cuetec bowtie tip tool to shape the flat tip, and it seems I've worn out the material in the shaper. The tip is till pretty flat. It looks like a soup bowl turned upside down: rounded edges but a good majority of the tip is still flat. Is this normal, or am I doing something horribly wrong? I shaped the tip holding the cue upright and turning the tip tool on the tip with some slight downward pressure.

Is the material in shapers supposed to wear out so fast that I can't fully shape a tip before it wears out? If not what should I be doing different?

edit: The cue is a McDermott with a medium hard Triangle tip.
Click to expand...

Those tools aren't meant to shape a tip when it's flat (new). They're meant to maintain the shape after it's already been done once.

To do it the first time use a piece of rough sandpaper (50 grit, like somebody suggested, is OK for this first shaping), held in a curve or inserted into one of those half-cylinder things some have shown you here.

Don't go too crazy with the rounding. You want the tip rounded all the way to the tip, but maybe a little flatter curve than you expect - the shape of the edge of a nickel or a dime.

pj
chgo
 
Willard Dime Shaper is THE best. Although I just ordered a sandman for a buddy of mine, don't know what the hell he wants that thing for. :rolleyes:

A good, quick way to shape would be to put the shaper on the ground, if it is a Williard, and grab the cue with both hands, tip down into shaper and spin back and forth like your starting a fire, lol, then also slightly rotate it 360 degrees. Only problem with the Willard is it might spin around on you if you try to do this as the edges are kind of small and can be difficult to pin down with the side of your shoe. You can solve this problem though by cutting a piece of old rubber inner tube and placing it under the Willard. Also, the Triangle is one of the best, if not THE best non-layered tips out there. So you've got a very good tip.
 
Last edited:
socks said:
i've used one of the similar ones that manwon is refering to with the sand paper in it, you can get it in both plastic and metal. it looks like this: http://www.seyberts.com/products/Metal_Tip_Trimmer-1950-24.html
i like the metal alittle better cause you can bend the corner down to hold the sandpaper in place. theres also this thing thats supposed to last a lifetime that looks like it might work pretty well: http://www.seyberts.com/products/Sandman_Tip_Tool-58-24.html

but me, i still prefer the good old fashion nail file: http://www.walgreens.com/store/prod...=jump&navCount=3&skuid=sku310605&id=prod10605
Click to expand...


The lifetime tool works great, I have used it a bunch of times and just tap it out and it looks like brand new. Great item.
 
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