Win Kamui Gifts on this thread only! “20 Questions with Kamui”

[jtaylor996]

They answered the questions just a little while ago on the broadcast. I'm at the beach so have spotty internet, but I managed to hear the answer to my question. Thanks Kamui!

They say they will be posting all of the answers to this thread soon.

 

[jtaylor996]

Since I was one of the winners on this, shouldn't somebody be contacting me at some point for an address?

 

[POVPOOL]

I've heard kamui adverts claim reduced deflection using kamui chalk. This seems to be an extraordinary claim. Can you explain how this is possible, and/or provide any data to back this up?

Deflection has several factors to it. One that we recognize the most is the slip of the cue tip when connecting with the cue ball. With the Kamui Chalk you get a larger sweetspot on the cue ball, 78% larger on the cue ball than with using standard chalk. 8% more spin on the ball. And better accuracy. When your tip grips the cue ball that is a huge increase in accuracy and confidence in making those shots you struggled to make in the past.

More Kamui Chalk Information

 

[POVPOOL]

Why should I choose kamui tips and chalk over other brands?


Sent from my RM-917_nam_usa_100 using Tapatalk

We are not here to push our brand on you and tell you you should use it. We want you to discover that we are players too that took a lot of time 10 years ago to dream of making products on the market with the most consistency and playability. Try the other brands, then try ours. But never forget that we are never satisfied with the products we produce.

 

[POVPOOL]

What were the results, if any, of your recent testing on how the tip expands on contact?

We are still in testing and if you are going to be at the APA Nationals in Las Vegas, you can ask Shuji himself. He will be there to answer, and share with you what he knows. He is the developer of the chalk btw.

 

[POVPOOL]

I've heard alot of people say that Kamui chalk really sticks to the tip and CB. How does Kamui chalk affect or prevent things like throw (CIT and SIT), squirt, cling and ball skidding?

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using Tapatalk 2

First of all if the chalk is sticking to the cue ball, you are using the wrong chalk for the table and the old dirty balls you are playing with.
Use 1.21b Kamui chalk. the sticking will be a lot less and the skidding should be gone.

Keep in mind, we developed the chalk to bite the cue ball… Well if the cue balls are dirty then there will be marks all over the cue ball.

Also, .98b was developed to be used sparingly, if you are chalking on every shot with .98b then you are caking it on the tip and this holds true with any chalk. If you over use it it will stick and make a mess everywhere.

I recommend using the right tool for the job and if the conditions are below standard: 1. use the .98 very sparingly. 2. Us 1.21b because it is a harder compound.

 

[POVPOOL]

How long did it take to perfect the first Kamui chalk product?

It took us 2 years of testing and retesting before we came up with our first version .98. Then another year of feedback from our customers like you that we came out with the harder compound for the players that want to chalk after every shot.

 

[POVPOOL]

What is the next new product Kamui is coming out with?

If I told you I would have to shoot you. We are always working on something. ;-)

 

[POVPOOL]

When will we see a break tip from Kamui?

We have had a lot of requests for a break tip… We are listening. ;-)

 

[POVPOOL]

With all the imitation tips being sold on the internet, what other steps are they taking to make sure the public is buying the real thing and not an imitation?

Good question. It is a sad thing and a compliment that we are being counterfeited. So what we are forced to do is change the look of our tips and make it harder to copy.
-We also urge that you go to your local authorized installer who have already invested in the Kamui brand and for sure has the real thing. You will save a lot of money that way.
-If you don’t know who your local authorized installer is you can go to KamuiTips.com and click on the “contact” link and fill out the request there.
-If you are not sure your installer is selling authentic, call us and we can tell you if they are or not.
If you have an installer near you and they are not taking advantage of buying direct, please let them know they can and to give us a call 877-GO-KAMUI

 

[POVPOOL]

Why is the chalk so expensive? It's a real turn off for me when I hear the price of the chalk! Honestly, because of the chalk price, I stay away completely! Sorry I lose to much chalk I'd go bankrupt buying kamui!

Several reason why you have sticker shock.
1. The time it takes to make one piece of chalk is nearly 18-24 hours. Very labor intensive.
2. The compounds that it takes to make the product do what it does are very expensive.

-I also see your perspective of how expensive the chalk is. But if you wait a moment and think about the chalk you think that is free on the pool table, it real isn’t free. In most cases the chalk on the table is more expensive due to what it does to the cue time. It is an abrasive compound that is sanding your tip down over a short period of time and will cost you money in your game and in new tip installs. When you are sanding your tip down closer to the ferrule you are losing the flex of the tip and hence changing the action on the ball. Causing you to adjust and lose consistency.
Mika Immonen said at the SBExpo 2011 - “How much does it cost when you miscue?”
-The Kamui chalk is an investment into your game if you want to improve and explore and grow your ability.

 

[POVPOOL]

What type of dye is used during the manufacturing process of the chalk to give it the unique blue color it has? Thanks!

I am not able to share what the dye is but it is there and it is a harmless dye.
It is also there for you as a player to be confident when you buy the KAMUI Chalk and apply it to the tip it changes to a darker blue from friction… Our secret sauce to stop the counterfeiters from trying, and arming you with the knowledge of keeping authentic.

 

[POVPOOL]

A new Kamui tip is fairly thick. I understand it is not unusual for pros to ask for the tip to be taken down by half when installed. I've also noticed the few Kamui soft tips I've gone through, the more taken down the tip gets, the harder it plays. What is your recommendation as to what ideal size (height) do Kamui tips play their best, and when should they be changed out (how low should they go)?

This is a great question and something I talk a lot about at the tournaments I go to. There is more than one answer to this question and it is all based on the preference of the player.
We ask that you start the tip off tall and work it down to what you would consider your sweet spot. Then the trick is to keep it at that height for as long as possible so you get the maximum life out of the tip. This means using our tip tool so that you do not take a lot of tip off when scuffing the tip and using the KAMUI chalk because it is a non abrasive material.
-When your tip gets too close to the ferrule you will notice you are not getting the action on the ball like you did when the tip was newer… This is the time to change the tip.
- We developed the Kamui Clear for prolonging the life of the tip for the player because we know that super glue does change the playability of the tip over time. The Clear layer is a barrier keeping the glue from infecting the leather.
We adhere the clear layer without a liquid, so this is a true playing tip the way we intended the tip to be played.

 

[POVPOOL]

What cue tip maintenance do you recommend - scuffing, shaping, etc.? And what do you suggest in case of mushrooming?

We only recommend scuffing the tip with the Kamui Tip tool called the Kamui Gator Grip. We were forced to develop our own tool 8 years ago when we were getting a lot of feedback on our tips failing and doing strange things. We discovered that old habits die hard with players and they were using the tip tools of yesterday with a tip that needed very little maintenance. This was causing an opinion from the players of the tips being bad when it was improper maintenance.
-Your Kamui tip should not experience mushrooming. If it has failed, consider the source of where you got the tip and is it authentic? Kamui tips do not have a mushroom problem.
-You should also be aware that if you need to reshape the Kamui tip you may be applying the abrasive chalk on the table incorrectly across the top of the tip causing it to flatten. ;-) Go to your tip installer and have him reshape your tip. any shaping tools out there are just too harsh for the KAMUI leather.

 

[POVPOOL]

Is Kamui a publicly traded company where I might purchase shares?

Sorry, no. We are a very small company. Our profits are small that it would not interest the stock market in making us public.

 

[POVPOOL]

Hello I was wondering why I should buy Kamui products over any other tips and chalk that is so much cheaper in price. How much can it cost for chalk?
Cheers
Chris:smile:

Do you know how much it is costing you not using the KAMUI product? I don’t mean to sound snotty answering this question. But have you looked at how many times you have changed your tip in the last year or looked at how many times you had to mess with your tip on your cue this year OR looked at how many times you lost a match due to miscuing or lack of confidence in your equipment. These are things that we as players looked at and the main reason why the KAMUI brand was born 10 years ago. These things bothered us as players a lot so we came up with the answers one product at a time. And we still keep trying to make our product better.

 

[POVPOOL]

Have you ever considered producing cues as well as tips?

I have heard that the only true reason for the clear pad on your tips is to prevent wicking of glue but I heard a rumor that the pad is slightly concave to help the tip better hold its shape. Can you tell me if this is true?

What other new products do you plan on releasing soon?

Q:
Have you ever considered producing cues as well as tips?

A:
We do not have plans for this but if there is an inconsistency somewhere we will find it and fix it.

Q:
I have heard that the only true reason for the clear pad on your tips is to prevent wicking of glue but I heard a rumor that the pad is slightly concave to help the tip better hold its shape. Can you tell me if this is true?

A:
This is news to me! No concave anywhere.

Q: What other new products do you plan on releasing soon?
A:
Can’t tell you. It will spoil the surprise.

 

[POVPOOL]

What tips did you play with prior to developing your line of tips?

We played with Moori and many other brands looking for a tip that was consistent.

 

[POVPOOL]

Should kamuii chalk be used when it is very humid in a non air condition place? Chalk seems to cake and run, is something else going on or is there a way to prevent?

Just like any other chalk, in a very humid environment the chalk is going to do thing you have never seen before. So, what I have done is use it less or go to the 1.21b which is a harder compound and can handle that type of environment.

 

[vrrdriver]

I'd like to see the data behind your claim that the sweet spot is 78% larger, and that you can put 8% more spin...