"8 ball" cue tip sizes on English cue sites

[cox orange pippin]

I am surprised that at various on-line English cue stores they recommend (or practically insist) that 8/8.5mm tips are to be used for 8 ball. I don't know how many people from the States we have here, but the idea of using an 8mm tip in pool is extremely odd to me. Go into *any* pool hall in the USA and you will not find a tip smaller than 10 mm on any of the house cues. Also, if you look at the cues that guys bring in, they're at least 10 mm, usually larger.

Why is it that these smaller tips are recommended for pool on English sites? Check the drop-down menus at this site:

http://www.craftsmancues.com/acatalo...ssic_cues.html

[RGCirencester]

Are you talking about the american game with the 10mm and larger tip sizes?

UK pool uses smaller balls than snooker and so the tip size is smaller to match.
American pool balls are larger and heavier, and so are larger to match.

[cox orange pippin]

Oh, I didn't realize English pool was different. Sorry all! Never mind the American.

[DandyA]

Oh, I didn't realize English pool was different. Sorry all! Never mind the American.

it's a big difference too - American pool balls are a whopping 2 1/4" I believe whilst the UK pool white ball is a tiny 1 7/8" (the other balls in a UK set are 2")

[whufcarl]

Hmm, i wonder how quick you could snap the shaft of an 8mm cue playin american pool, my guess is the break shot!

[BoBnoGG!n]

Hmm, i wonder how quick you could snap the shaft of an 8mm cue playin american pool, my guess is the break shot!

lol my mate took his pool cue (8.4mm) and played american with it! now its bent like a banana haha good thing he didnt need the cue anymore. -_-

[Freddie Ng]

Pity that cue.. Have to take on big balls with small...........
Haha...