Tip size for UK 8 Ball?

[LWB]

The logic of this one is simple. The size of the tip is relative to the size of the balls you're playing with. That's why there's a difference between American pool cues, snooker cues, and 8 ball cues.

I started off playing 8 ball with what was probably a 9.5mm tip. I now use a 8.25mm. Don't let anyone tell you that you can do the same with a 9.5. That's like saying you can eat a steak just the same with a butter knife, sure you'll get there but it's not near as good as a steak knife.

If you intend to switch from a snooker cue to what I'd call a proper 8 ball cue then my advice is this: Stick with it! The difference in size definitely takes getting used to. There may be a few miss-cues and bad positional shots in the beginning, but having a tip between 8-9mm means that you have the right tool for the job.

[sanman]

Lets put this mathematically. An 8 mm tip has approximately 64% of the surface area of a 10 mm tip. More surface contact with the white ball give better white ball control. There is a feeling that with a thinner tip one gets more sides and therefore one can do more with a white ball. idon't know how far that is true as I play with a 9.5 mm tip and can do pretty much everything a guy with an 8 mm does. Sometimes more.

[LWB]

Well it seems some would put it down to personal preference but really, sanman, I think what you're referring to is your own ability to play shots rather than tip sizes.

As far as more contact area goes, you should go up to a 13mm tip if that's what works for you. For most of us though, I think we'd compare it to a surgical instrument (mostly to make us feel more important for wasting our lives in a pool room) so you can be far more accurate with a scalpel or a stranley knife than say, the steak knife I already mentioned.

By the way in case anyone is wondering I don't sell knifes!

Anyway the proof in the proverbial pudding can only be that the pool pro's use smaller tips for more control. I'm sure there's better proof than that but I have marginally more interesting things to google .

[Mr O]

The way I see it, the main advantage of a small tip is that you can see more of the cueball, and see exactly where you're making contact. Not so with a big tip although players tend to be able to get enough spin on the white, it just doesn't seem like you've got the same precision. I like the butter/steak knife analogy though

[Watford]

My mate (a county player) has 7mm tip. His second the last one snapped at the ferrule twice.
I knew a lad another county player used 6mm for a bit (this is daft)
I've got 9.25mm I went for this as I was playing both pool and snooker at the time. I reckon 9mm for 8 ball is about right but anywhere between 8 and 10mm is fine depending on your preference. You should pot better with 10 but lack the control and action you get on the white with an 8. Sounds like 9 to me

[JazzyJust]

I use an 8mm on my cue for both pool and snooker.

It took some adjusting to play snooker with it, but the ball control I can get with it on a 8 ball table is amazing

[totlxtc]

I knew a lad another county player used 6mm for a bit (this is daft)

Got a guy in our league with a 5mm!!! He had a 6mm and came to me asking to take it to a 5mm. I refused point blank as its just nuts! Cant remember where he got it done in the end, but saw it this weekend and cant believe its still in one piece!

[Watford]

5mm omg
I'd love to see him play snooker with it.
The lad with the 6mm played for a different interleague team to me and did a horrendous miss cue against my team. How we did laugh.
It went within a couple of months.

[totlxtc]

Infact it was this cue.....(TOP)

[ian046]

my pool cue is 7.9 mm and my snooker cue is 9 mm :snooker:

[old school]

I have played for over 30 years.When I started under old rules I used a 8.25 mm tip on a 14 and a half oz cue.This was great for touch shots and feel (snookering was great fun).Having recently looked at world rules I started to use 9mm Talisman medium on an 18oz cue.Now I use a 9.5mm on a 19-20 oz cue.Go figure.I believe anyone can pick up a well balanced and well made cue and with practice and a good action (controversial this) tip size is not as important as some people believe.

[kurtweston]

with a 9.5-10mm tip you just dont have the arsenary sometimes needed in pool. Some shots are alot tighter positional. In Leicester hardly anyone uses a big tipped cue. I got a 10mm snooker cue and a 8.2mm pool cue. used to use my snooker cue for pool with good succuess. But when I brought my stamford pool cue just different game. Focus on cueing the white closer to the middle hit the ball softer with same rewards off the white. Knowing if u need that ridiculous screw back up and down the table you got it with some to spare. plus if u need a silly amount of side to get an angle from 1 or 2 cushions u can where u cant with 10mm. you show me a good pool player who uses a 9.5 - 10 mm tip ill show you 20 that use 8-9mm.

as for the 5mm tip lol love to have a knock with it haha

[Mick Dundee]

I agree,most people I know plat with 9mm or less
it makes no difference when potting balls or even power
shots when using a larger tip.
When in amongst a crowded pack playing little soft screw
and stun shots a smaller tip size makes the job so much
easier to negotiate.
On a small table the loss in accuracy on long shots when
using a smaller tip becomes negated, which in turn
makes using a small tip more beneficial overall.
Then again it all comes down to your own style of play
and what you feel comfortable with,I know that I couldn't
play pool with a larger than 9mm tip

[Watford]

Phil Harrison uses a 10mm but I don't think any other pro uses anything like that big.

[crispian jones]

I agree,most people I know plat with 9mm or less
it makes no difference when potting balls or even power
shots when using a larger tip.
When in amongst a crowded pack playing little soft screw
and stun shots a smaller tip size makes the job so much
easier to negotiate.
On a small table the loss in accuracy on long shots when
using a smaller tip becomes negated, which in turn
makes using a small tip more beneficial overall.
Then again it all comes down to your own style of play
and what you feel comfortable with,I know that I couldn't
play pool with a larger than 9mm tip

i would second this mutch easier close up, so if you can position the white well a smaller tip is fine.
I can not play with anything over 8.2mm and have played with anything from 6mm to 9mm.
PS played a lot better with the 6mm than the 9 mm !