Some informed input would be appreciated

[joelpope]

I have used Moori Medium tips for as long as I can remember. Since I started playing in the late 70's that's some serious water under the bridge. Recently I tried a Moori Soft and thought I liked it even better than the Mediums.

Then, while my lathe controller was away for repairs and I couldn't change my tip like I usually would, I wore my Moori Soft tip down much further than I would typically do and was surprised that the thinner the tip got, and, the harder the tip got the better I liked it. The tip was so compressed from use it was over 80 on the Shore D Durometer scale which gets it into the hard range.

So, I decided to make a milk dud out of a Moori Medium and to press it to the extreme. What resulted was a tip that tested out as an 86 on the Shore D Durometer which is harder than a Moori Hard or Kamui Black Hard. While there is a pretty distinct "clink" it is not a sharp a sound as the Samsara tip on my break cue which tests out at 96 on the Durometer and is just about Phenolic in hardness.

I played with the new milk dud "rock" yesterday and what surprised me was the extreme amount of draw, follow and english I could put on the ball as compared to the soft tips with comparable strokes. Secondly, it seemed to put less unintended english on a center ball hit which to me is counter intuitive.

I'm starting to think I might prefer the performance of a harder tip over the medium to soft tips. I had heard that while it is "easier" (greater margin for error) to impart spin with a soft tip, a hard tip will impart more given a decent stroke. Frankly, I never really bought into that but now I am re-thinking my position.

Like I said, any informed input would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Joel

 

[lorider]

i have always preffered medium to soft tips also. just for funsies i pulled my old breker outa the closet and took ot to league night. it has a buffalo tip on it.

i was suprised how much more control i had over the cueball with it. my stop and draw shots worked better with the hard buffalo then the morri medium that i have been using. i am getting a biffalo put on my main player now.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

..what surprised me was the extreme amount of draw, follow and english I could put on the ball as compared to the soft tips with comparable strokes.

A harder tip absorbs slightly less power than a softer one, so it's like hitting the CB a little harder. But hitting the CB a little harder doesn't create a greater spin-to-speed ratio, which is what you'd need to see greater effect from sidespin (greater angle change off a rail).

More power does change the amount of follow and draw you'll get, so you might be noticing a real change there - but it can also be accomplished with a softer tip by just hitting a little harder.

...it seemed to put less unintended english on a center ball hit which to me is counter intuitive.

I can't imagine why that would be.

I like harder tips, but only because they don't change as much over time and give more feedback from the tip/ball impact.

pj
chgo

 

[OneIron]

A harder tip absorbs slightly less power than a softer one, so it's like hitting the CB a little harder. But hitting the CB a little harder doesn't create a greater spin-to-speed ratio, which is what you'd need to see greater effect from sidespin (greater angle change off a rail).

More power does change the amount of follow and draw you'll get, so you might be noticing a real change there - but it can also be accomplished with a softer tip by just hitting a little harder.


I can't imagine why that would be.

I like harder tips, but only because they don't change as much over time and give more feedback from the tip/ball impact.

pj
chgo

I played for a couple of years in league on 9' tables with a Water Buffalo tip. Probably played my most consistent pool back then. That was when I had RK surgery on my eyes so my vision was pretty sporty.

But I do believe a harder tip gives you more consistency.