When should I replace my tip?

[Paulie]

When should I replace the tip on my cue?

I have not really been playing the game properly for that long and have always wondered when it is time to replace the tip? Do people change their tip after a set period of time, or after a set number of hours of playing time?

Or should I be able to tell from playing if the tip is still ok or not?

Any advice would be grateful.

[sagar3]

i guess it depends on the tip, the way you use it, and the feel of shot. Change it when it starts to worn off. Or when the tip gets harder. Im not quite sure, lets wait for the professionals to reply

[bongo]

Have a look here. If the tip falls off, you should get a brand new one really, it may still be fine to stick the same one on again, get an experienced person to tell you for each situation if it happens. Some take one tip off because it may not suit them, but if you are just a beginner, then just get a good one and keep to it if you are not sure of the 'right tip'.

Hope this helps!

bongo

[bongo]

Sorry I forget to add the hyperlink, the website is at http://www.billiards-snooker.com/tipofmonth.htm

[trevs1]

Good link that Bongo.

The simple rule is that once the tip has almost lost its side wall (or vertical edge around the outside of the tip), then you should replace it. As the link shows you, the tip on the left has a visible side wall to it, whereas the one on the right does not. This can cause the edges of the ferrule to come into contact with the cloth and balls, and, can mark or damage them as described.

Another thing to bare in mind if you allow the tip to wear so low is this.......

The ferrule can become 'rounded' at the outer edge due to impact, as this is the point which will occasionally strike the cueball in play. If left without attention, this will get worse over time and make tip replacement more tricky for you, because the new tip will not have a good 'seat' to bond the outer edge of the tip to. This lack of 'seat' around the perimiter of the ferrule can cause more problems, by allowing more chance of the tip fraying on the outer edge due to a lack of support underneath it.

So, the moral of the story is....(for anyone still awake after reading that lot).........

Change the tip when you should.

[bongo]

Trevor,

I re tipped one of my old cues the other day, and when using the emery paper to 'sand' the tip to a dome, I used 600 grade emery paper, but it hardly made any difference to the tip however long I tried before I got bored! I used a file that I had (a metal one) and I didn't want to use it for much longer becuase when I tried it kind of scraped against the tip, but when I have used it for other cues with tips on them, it was fine. Was this becuase the tip I put on was too soft becuase it was new?

[trevs1]

The abrasive you are using there (600 grit) is too fine.

What you really need to be able to 'cut' the tip without ripping it to pieces is an abrasive of about 180 - 280 grit. When you go below 180, it's a little bit coarse, and when you go above say 320, it's a little bit fine and will take a while to get the desired result.

I would NEVER recommend you use a file on your cue....ANYWHERE ON IT.

Unless you are excellent with a file, and, have one of the right cutting grade, it will wreck the ferrule and perhaps the shaft if you contact it.

The tip you were using there does sound a little softish yes, but the file was more likely the main problem, as it's just too agricultural to use on something as delicate as a cue tip.

Stick to the 240 -280 grit paper for cutting into shape, then use the 400 - 600 to finish and polish the surface slightly. These finer papaer will remove any little fibres remaining and leave a cleanly finished tip.

Good luck next time.

[Paulie]

Thanks for the advice Bongo and Trevor.

I had thought that a tip should be replaced after a certain time frame regardless of condition or wear. From your advice I will judge it based on the sidewall factor.

[bongo]

Thanks Trevor for your info, also one more question on cue tipping. Jack Karnehm said in his video 'Understanding Billiards and Snooker' that you should not use sandpaper on your cue tip becuase the glass content in the sandpaper could get into the tip and mage slight scratches in the balls.

Thinking about it now, the file would be too harsh on the delicate tip, so what can we use?

Sandpaper scratches the balls and file is too harsh on the tip. What is our choice?

Also, on the Craftsman Cues website it has in their online shop Blue Diamond Plus tips, which I think are quite new and they are supposed to be of the quality of the diamond tips in the 80s, have you seen/used them before?



Paulie, thanks for the thanks, of course, some shots would be more demanding on the tip than others, if you had a match full of masse shots you would wear your tip a lot more quickly than if you had a match of roll up snookers!

bongo.

[trevs1]

I'd never recommend a file, that's for sure.

Glasspaper is a different thing to silicone carbide paper, although both do essentially the same thing. I guess if you get glass particles stuck in the surface of the tip after you've done the tip then it's possible it might cause some marking of the balls, but in reality, it's not that likely I'd say. You would hardly shape your tip and leave a heap of glass dust on it would you?, and anyway, chalking it is likely to remove any residue of anything left on it don't you think.

No, I have not heard of these 'NEW' blue diamond tips.

My view on tips is simple, a good tip is a good tip and a bad one is a bad one, regardless of the claims many may make to the contrary. All the info we see about this or that tip being superior is nonsense really. Some players like a tip to bed in with a bit of time, some like them to be rock hard from the word go. Some like them to be of a higher, or thicker profile, some like them to be so low and thin they almot look like they need to be replaced.

To much emphasis is placed on tips and their value to a player.

A decent tip is one which is of a more or less correct shape, offers the feel a player likes to have on contact with the white, and does not fall to pieces after a days worth of play.

Now, some people might tell you that X tip will last forever and a day and NEVER lose its shape, give you more control and grip on the white ball. If you wish to suck that up and spend your cash on these tips, go for it. But the thruth in my mind is that the most improtant thing for serious players is the feel they get on contact and behaviour of the ball on the shot. If these player need to change such a tip a little more often due to wear and tear, to absolutely ensure they get the feeling they prefer, then that is of secondary importance, they'll just change it.

[bongo]

Thanks Trevor for the information, good viewpoint there and I agree with you. There are lots of companies these days who claim they have made the ultimate tip, but people buy it when they are happy with the one they have one. It is really just the way they advertise it and people think they must buy it or their game will fall to pieces!

[Paulie]

Trevor,

Can I ask what tips you use on the cues you produce? Just curious.

[ADR147]

he uses elks.