What is the advantage of a layered tip?

Highmiles

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am being serious, not jerking anyone's chain. I have been playing since the 60's, and was away from the game for a while, and now it seems layered is the answer for most/many players. I am confused as to why a tip that is 90% leather and 10% glue, would be better insurance against miscues. The chance of hitting on a portion of the tip, that is either glue, or leather impregnated with glue is too great. Am I missing something very important? Mushrooming seems to be the main complaint against solid tips. Since I don't break with my playing cue, or need to hit sledgehammer shots, more often than maybe once in 40 or 50 games, dressing the edges of a solid tip, has never been an issue. I used a Moori, when they first came out, but saw no real advantage. I know that I must be missing something, and I would like to hear what it is before I spend $20 for tip I may or may not like. I have found that this forum has people good enough to explain what I am missing, who truly do have expert opinions.
 

ctyhntr

RIP Kelly
Silver Member
I always thought the layered tip manufacturing process, allowed for a finer control of quality. So having consistency means getting a new medium tip will pretty much play like your old medium tip. Same reason why people here buy a box of LePros and sort through, or someone using a press to making Milk Duds.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am wondering about the layered tips too. I have been using them for years, but I honestly have not been truly impressed, or even ****ing happy with any them.

I believe the main advantage of layered tips is consistancy throughout the tip...each of them and all of them, both.

Another advantabe is the manufacturer's ability to manipulate hardness.

I am being serious, not jerking anyone's chain. I have been playing since the 60's, and was away from the game for a while, and now it seems layered is the answer for most/many players. I am confused as to why a tip that is 90% leather and 10% glue, would be better insurance against miscues. The chance of hitting on a portion of the tip, that is either glue, or leather impregnated with glue is too great. Am I missing something very important? Mushrooming seems to be the main complaint against solid tips. Since I don't break with my playing cue, or need to hit sledgehammer shots, more often than maybe once in 40 or 50 games, dressing the edges of a solid tip, has never been an issue. I used a Moori, when they first came out, but saw no real advantage. I know that I must be missing something, and I would like to hear what it is before I spend $20 for tip I may or may not like. I have found that this forum has people good enough to explain what I am missing, who truly do have expert opinions.
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The single layerd tip is a monolithic piece of leather and you get whatever was inside that small chunk of leather.

The multiplyer tip can be constructed with layers from the top, middle, bottom, or where-ever the tip manufacture wants. But in these cases, on can see any defect in the leather before the bonding process. Thus, unlike a mono-layer leather tip, one can get a layered tip that is all from the top 0.5mm of the surface of the cow's (or pig's,...) skin.
 

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
my real issue with layered tips

Does the glue not interfere with the consistency?


Especially when using a dime radius the tip goes back and forth between a harder center and softer edge or a harder edge and softer center as you go through the layers of glue impregnated leather and leather. I prefer a good quality single layer tip. There are ways to sort or make good single layer tips and then they are consistent top to almost bottom.

The advantage of layered tips is that the are often more consistent from tip to tip when you have to replace one than single layered tips. Glue is more consistent than leather. Which brings us to laminated shafts. Glue is more consistent than wood too. We have been playing with synthetic shafts and tips for years in my opinion. Good or bad is in the eyes of the beholder.

Hu
 

jingle

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have tried many of the popular layered tips (except Kamui) and I always keep coming back to Triangles for normal speed, or Milk duds for really fast cloth. They just seem to work better for my game.
 

PickPocket

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
When I first started playing, I used lepros, switched to triangles, GREAT TIPS! and eventually upgraded to a nicer cue that came with a moori med. Did notice a big change! Never went back!

But after reading reviews on tips, next time I re-trip, I'm going to try out the kamui black (soft).
 

dr9ball

"Lock Doctor"
Silver Member
When I first started playing, I used lepros, switched to triangles, GREAT TIPS! and eventually upgraded to a nicer cue that came with a moori med. Did notice a big change! Never went back!

But after reading reviews on tips, next time I re-trip, I'm going to try out the kamui black (soft).

But was the change due to the upgraded cue or to the Moori med tip?

Pressed Triangles for me.
 

PickPocket

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good question! Could be both! But I have other cues and still use triangle tips on them. But they waredown faster, and start to mushroom faster then my moori.
 

supergreenman

truly addicted
Silver Member
Personally I can't wait till my $35 kamui black hard tip wears out and I can go back to using triangles. I guess I'm just stubborn and don't want to waste the money to take off a perfectly usable tip even if I find it doesn't feel like a triangle.
 

cigardave

Who's got a light?
Silver Member
The principal advantage of a layered tip is I don't have to spend much time re-shaping it... and they last a lot longer than the Le Pros I was formerly using.

The Le pros just wore down WAY too fast. I was going through one every two months... and just about the time that I got it down to being perfect, it was time to install a new one.
 

dr9ball

"Lock Doctor"
Silver Member
Good question! Could be both! But I have other cues and still use triangle tips on them. But they waredown faster, and start to mushroom faster then my moori.

It's pretty easy to fix a mushroomed tip.
When I was coming up, one of the first things you learned was how to replace a tip and take care of it.

I think the layered tip companies are profiting on some players tendencies to be lazy in the area of tip maintenance.
 
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PickPocket

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I do take care of my equipment. They still mushroom. And even that being said I still use them. Just on other cues I don't wanna put a $25 tip on!
 

Highmiles

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am wondering about the layered tips too. I have been using them for years, but I honestly have not been truly impressed, or even ****ing happy with any them.

I believe the main advantage of layered tips is consistancy throughout the tip...each of them and all of them, both.

Another advantabe is the manufacturer's ability to manipulate hardness.

It seems consistency is a major reason for switching, but I keep seeing threads on Moori and Kamui medium tips being inconsistent.
Maybe some night time posters will have more information.
 

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
If layered tips are so much better than Triangle, Elkmaster, LePro and such, why don't Archer, Corey, Efren, and I could go on and on use them? Plus most of the pros that use layered tips cut more than half of the tip away= reg tip IMO. Johnnyt

PS:I see the same thing with chalk. The top pros could get any brand of tip or chalk they want for free and most choose single layer tips and Masters chalk.
 

softshot

Simplify
Silver Member
layered tips are just like laminated shafts.. it allows the manufacturer to save money on bottom quality materials that they glue together... they then take the money they save on materials and put it all into marketing.. AND they charge a premium price...

I'll stick with my Triangles..
 

dave_k

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
nothing, they are over priced gimmicks.............

pay less for a triangle(best tips ever) and still dont worry about mushrooming.

milk duds are also another great choice.



most people have the mindset that more expensive is better, its really not the case unless you have your mind so wrapped into trends.....if thats the case you will hate todays trend when tomorrows roles in.
 
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