Tip consensus. Soft -Medium-Hard

PoolFan101

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello,

I probably like a lot of Players on here is going thru the tip Dillima in which tip is the best for me. I was away from the game for about 20 years and Back then I was a Le pro fan or Elk master. Times have changed a lot and these tips seem to have lost the quality. Along came the layered tip. I am using Black Soft ultra skins and I like them. My son is a Kamui Super soft fan. I like a soft tip but see a lot of people say Medium is the way to go. What is the consensus on the board , is Soft preferred more or Medium or is there some Hard fans out there. What do you guys prefer and why. Does Soft give more spin or is Medium more Consistently sought. Thanks for all your input. Like to see what is being used today. Back in my day we did not have all the choices.
 

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I miscue in hard. Soft keeps mushrooming on me and I’m doing excessive maintenance. So medium is the way to go for me. But I would go soft over hard if I had to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello,

I probably like a lot of Players on here is going thru the tip Dillima in which tip is the best for me. I was away from the game for about 20 years and Back then I was a Le pro fan or Elk master. Times have changed a lot and these tips seem to have lost the quality. Along came the layered tip. I am using Black Soft ultra skins and I like them. My son is a Kamui Super soft fan. I like a soft tip but see a lot of people say Medium is the way to go. What is the consensus on the board , is Soft preferred more or Medium or is there some Hard fans out there. What do you guys prefer and why. Does Soft give more spin or is Medium more Consistently sought. Thanks for all your input. Like to see what is being used today. Back in my day we did not have all the choices.

What does it matter what someone else likes? There is no consensus, its personal preference.

Try different tips until you find one you like, and stick with it until the quality drops and you need to change, or you get bored and want to try something else.
 

9Ballr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I like the soft or medium tips.
Just a feel thing for me.
Been using Sniper for the last two years but before that I often used the G2 soft and then Triangle.
Love the Sniper. Probably have no reason to go with anything else.
I change tips about every 6 months but that's closely related to how much you play.
 

pwd72s

recreational banger
Silver Member
What does it matter what someone else likes? There is no consensus, its personal preference.

Try different tips until you find one you like, and stick with it until the quality drops and you need to change, or you get bored and want to try something else.

I find it interesting what others like. When mu cue's original talisman wore down, I'd read about Kamui, so tried a Kamui black medium. It worked okay, so when I asked for another, I must not have said it clearly enough. Got Kamui medium brown clear...instead of raising a fuss, decided to try it. What the hey? After 6-8 racks, decided I like it better than I liked the medium black. Holds chalk well, doesn't mushroom or glaze. I am not a hard shooter, try to stay with medium or less speed. Maybe that has a factor in why no mushroom. I'll probably stick with it when replacement time comes around.
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm using Ultra-skin black soft tips on almost all my cues.

They are layered pig skin tips and they play good.

They don't mushroom, glaze over, or de-laminate (at least none of mine have and I've used them for more than a couple of years).

For decades I used Le Pro tips and liked them, but in recent years I've never found any that played like they did years ago. It seems they are of less quality to me.

I have Triangles on a few of my shafts and they play good.

I don't mind tips that are a bit harder, but I don't want tips that make a "plinking" sound and I don't want tips that get slick and glaze over all the time.
 

KenRobbins

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm happy with the Zan Hybrid Max tips. I've been hitting them good and haven't had any mushrooming or even touched the tip since install. I think it's a medium/hard tip. My other favorite are the triangles.
 

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ultraskin soft blacks right now- years ago the Moori mediums. Mueller's will install a new Ultraskin and condition your shaft to look and play like brand new for only $15!
 

painfullyslow

Registered
What does it matter what someone else likes? There is no consensus, its personal preference.

Try different tips until you find one you like, and stick with it until the quality drops and you need to change, or you get bored and want to try something else.

This, in a nutshell but since you asked, I use medium for the exact same reason as the first response in this thread. Kamui if you really need to know, because I find the hit very consistent.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For me it depends on the shaft. If its a stiff shaft/hard ferrule i may go more towards a soft-2-medium. On a softer hitting shaft maybe a little harder. I don't like tips at the extremes, real soft or rock hard. Current tip is the new Ultraskin Fire med. on a Mezz Hybrid Pro(older original 12.8mm version) and it plays great. Reminds me of an older Moori.
 

buckshotshoey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I vote for a hard tip. I used to use LePro. But I liked them best when they were at the end of their life. The hit great when its time to change it out.

Tried some Tiger products for a while... kind of liked the Onyx, but then they went to their M.A.P. pricing scam and I gave them up. Tip went from $12 to $22 over night.

Then went to the Morri hard. Plays the same its whole life. Very consistent and I have no problems with them not holding chalk.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Elkmaster is still a fine tip.Plays like a Triangle toward the end of its life, which is still good.I don't hesitate to scuff it as it gets harder.


Hello,

I probably like a lot of Players on here is going thru the tip Dillima in which tip is the best for me. I was away from the game for about 20 years and Back then I was a Le pro fan or Elk master. Times have changed a lot and these tips seem to have lost the quality. Along came the layered tip. I am using Black Soft ultra skins and I like them. My son is a Kamui Super soft fan. I like a soft tip but see a lot of people say Medium is the way to go. What is the consensus on the board , is Soft preferred more or Medium or is there some Hard fans out there. What do you guys prefer and why. Does Soft give more spin or is Medium more Consistently sought. Thanks for all your input. Like to see what is being used today. Back in my day we did not have all the choices.
 
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localredhead

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
OK so I've been doing a lot of thinking on this topic. For a while now.

First - let's clear a few assumptions:
  1. 1. No matter what tip you choose - they get harder with repeated use.
  2. 2. Tips play better towards the end of their life
  3. 3. Not all hard tips are created equal

You may disagree, but I find it a fairly common theme with players who hang on to a tip when it is nearly time to change it because it plays really well. This assumption can be debated but, its based on anecdotal experience. I happen to agree quite a bit - in fact I'd almost rather buy a new shaft than re-tip a shaft when the tip is near the end of life.

I am less willing to debate #1 above.

With consideration to these two assumption, I theorize that the reason for #2 is that the tip is at it's hardest.

Taking this further in respect to #1... I theorize that if you start soft or medium, as you use the tip and wear it down, you are continuously getting used to increasing levels of hardness.

Taking both of these theories together - my humble hypothesis is that using a hard tip is better.
  • - You won't need to continuously get used to increasing levels of hardness (with a pressed tip)
  • - You will have better shot consistency
  • - You will have longer tip life
  • - No mushrooming

I personally recommend Elkmasters but they play soft unless you press them. Once pressed to a hard tip they maintain that hardness for the life of the tip.

Triangles play well too - but not as good as a pressed elkmaster IMHO.

Elks and Triangles hold chalk extremely well, never glaze over, never delaminate, and as long as you select an elkmaster or a triangle without any "scars" in the leather on the back you'll have a tip with 1 layer of consistency all the way through.

Layered tips are non-sense. But hardness factors listed above still apply.

My .02
 
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Franky4Eyes

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello,

I probably like a lot of Players on here is going thru the tip Dillima in which tip is the best for me. I was away from the game for about 20 years and Back then I was a Le pro fan or Elk master. Times have changed a lot and these tips seem to have lost the quality. Along came the layered tip. I am using Black Soft ultra skins and I like them. My son is a Kamui Super soft fan. I like a soft tip but see a lot of people say Medium is the way to go. What is the consensus on the board , is Soft preferred more or Medium or is there some Hard fans out there. What do you guys prefer and why. Does Soft give more spin or is Medium more Consistently sought. Thanks for all your input. Like to see what is being used today. Back in my day we did not have all the choices.
Medium tips in general.
But, I really agree with garczar about certain
tips depending on the cue construction.
Took me a little bit to figure out the deflection
properties of my shaft with a new tomahawk ferrule.
I preferred the harder/heavier lbm,
until my arm started to getting used to the tomahawk hit with a tip I liked.
It came with a kamui super soft on it, which in all sincerity, was garbage for me.
Never had so many miscues right after chalking with a "soft" tip. I heard they played harder than their rating. Which is true.
Changed the tip to a firm pressed Elkmaster and the hit is perfect! Plays amazing.
Appx 80a.

Leave an Elkmaster in a bench vice and it's the best hitting tip around. No milk required.
Depends on how strong you are for how long you should leave it in. (That's what she said)
 

localredhead

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Leave an Elkmaster in a bench vice and it's the best hitting tip around. No milk required.
Depends on how strong you are for how long you should leave it in. (That's what she said)

Quoted for truth. :thumbup: 100%

I do think that a press that is made for tips, where one side of the press is concave, will net a better result as the tip will be harder at the edges than in the middle. This produces an amazing playing tip. The presses are around $14.

Either way - a pressed elkmaster is IMHO the way to go. You'll never find something that holds chalk and never needs "scuffing" like one of these. I actually carry 1200 sandpaper in my bag to use ON the tip to make sure it's smooth after I shape it.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
OK so I've been doing a lot of thinking on this topic. For a while now.

First - let's clear a few assumptions:
  1. 1. No matter what tip you choose - they get harder with repeated use.
  2. 2. Tips play better towards the end of their life
  3. 3. Not all hard tips are created equal

You may disagree, but I find it a fairly common theme with players who hang on to a tip when it is nearly time to change it because it plays really well. This assumption can be debated but, its based on anecdotal experience. I happen to agree quite a bit - in fact I'd almost rather buy a new shaft than re-tip a shaft when the tip is near the end of life.

I am less willing to debate #1 above.

With consideration to these two assumption, I theorize that the reason for #2 is that the tip is at it's hardest.

Taking this further in respect to #1... I theorize that if you start soft or medium, as you use the tip and wear it down, you are continuously getting used to increasing levels of hardness.

Taking both of these theories together - my humble hypothesis is that using a hard tip is better.
  • - You won't need to continuously get used to increasing levels of hardness (with a pressed tip)
  • - You will have better shot consistency
  • - You will have longer tip life
  • - No mushrooming

I personally recommend Elkmasters but they play soft unless you press them. Once pressed to a hard tip they maintain that hardness for the life of the tip.

Triangles play well too - but not as good as a pressed elkmaster IMHO.

Elks and Triangles hold chalk extremely well, never glaze over, never delaminate, and as long as you select an elkmaster or a triangle without any "scars" in the leather on the back you'll have a tip with 1 layer of consistency all the way through.

Layered tips are non-sense. But hardness factors listed above still apply.

My .02
Considering the 10's of thousands that use and like layered tips i wouldn't label them as "nonsense". I have had only ONE tip de-laminate and it was a cheap tip from that a-hole in Florida. I also have had next to zero problems with glazing. I usually hit a tip with a kamui-style scuffer before playing and have not had any problems. I used to like LePros but lately they've been shit and i've never like those blue sponges,errrr, ElkMasters. Since Ultraskins have hit the market that's about all i use. No glaze, no de-lams.
 

AkGuy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good question

Like you, I am often interested in what others use for cues, tips, tables, etc. and lots of players on this forum have wisdom to share. Obviously it always comes down to the shooters preference after some time gaining experience.

I seem to prefer a medium tip. But, I don't believe all tips rated as soft, medium or hard are the same. I find a black Kamui Soft plays more like a medium tip then a soft as and example.

I currently have three different tips on about 6 different shafts. They are a Black Kamui Soft, a Brown Talisman Medium and a Milk Dud made by Pool Dawg8 who is on this forum at times.

I suspect when time comes to buy a new tip it will be the Milk Dud or Talisman. Then again, at my age I may not ever use up all the spare tips I have.

I install my own tips because there is no one in my little hick Alaskan town that does it and I am to lazy and cheap to experiment trying a bunch of different tips.
 
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