I microwaved my tip.

[poolqjunkie]

Just want to say that the day before yesterday my laminated tip delamniated, then after filing the remaining bit of tip to a doom, a big chunk of it came off again during a screw shot, so I had to change the tip.

I picked a very firm Elk master from the box, by testing it with my finger nail, to see which one is the hardest to press in, then I microwaved the tip for 45 sec.

I tried it today, it is almost as firm as my water buffulo laminated tip, but gives me better control on my screw shots. I originally left it mushroom, but it hardly mushroom anymore after two hours of non stop hitting balls. So, I trimmed off the sides. I like it the way it is now.

Not sure if this has been discussed before. Does any of you microwaved the tip? Do you think it does anything to the tip, or may be I just happened to have a very firm tip, which would have played the same without the microwave?

[centurion]

Hi pooljunkie,

Microwave irradiation excites the rotational states of water; or simply heats water. Basically, the tip will loose water and that definitely has an impact on its texture.
Interesting would be to know how many watt you applied to your tip to get reproducible results?

[poolqjunkie]

Hi pooljunkie,

Microwave irradiation excites the rotational states of water; or simply heats water. Basically, the tip will loose water and that definitely has an impact on its texture.
Interesting would be to know how many watt you applied to your tip to get reproducible results?

On my microwave, it is printed, "output 800W" not sure if that's what you were looking for?

The tip was quite hot when i got it out of the microwave.

If I understand it correctly, microwave cooks from inside out, while oven from outside in. Is that correct?

I used microwave rather than say an oven because I though cooking outside in might make the inside soft and the outside hard; while microwave will make the inside firm and the outside still softer (still hold chalk well)

Am I crazy here? I am not sure if this makes any sense? But I like this tip so far.

[cueinhand]

I know many players doing the same way with their tip ELK Master.

[barracuda911]

OK....just tried this.
I sorted thru a box of Elks for a soft one and put it in the microwave on high, 800W, for 40 seconds.
It certainly did firm it up. I would say it was almost 'converted' into a medium-firm tip.
It also shrunk in size..went from a 10mm tip to barely more than 9mm.
I suppose I could recommend...don't know about the longevity of the tip though...might increase it.
lol

[Watford]

Yes this is crazy!
At least you were bored at home the a microwave and a tip. The mess if it had been a kitten!
I like a soft tip please experiment to see how to make them softer!
Look out for Mike Wooldridge microwaved tips ony £3 each!

[barracuda911]

I like a soft tip please experiment to see how to make them softer!

soak it in milk for 5 mins then let it dry out before you put it on....
and don't soak it in the bottle...pour some into a glass!

[visionaire]

hmmm i'd like to try some blue milk :P

[ADR147]

long term of course the tip will re-absorb the moisture from the air.

[platt]

not if you cover it with clingfilm after your finished playing.........hahahah

[ADR147]

or varnish it

[platt]

Willie Thorne used to put his tips in a bench vise overnight to compress them and it works fine....

[ram p]

Willie Thorne used to put his tips in a bench vise overnight to compress them and it works fine....

On a domed tip, wouldn't that just compress the centre? Or is that the idea...

[platt]

when the vise is tightened it gives a applies enough pressure to harden the tip.

[poolqjunkie]

Do you think that it was just water evaporating? I though microwave would actually boil the water inside the leather and sort of cook it.

May be vise then microwave, or microwave then vise?

The thing is this tip still hold chalk very well, which is what I really like.

To make it softer, you need to add moisture to the tip I think.

Or what about baking soda? I know people using baking soda to make their meat more tender, so perhaps it can soften the leather fiber in the tip?

I feel like a mad crazy witch living in the jungle making snake oil.

Edit: I think vising the tip does not change the tip's make up component, but just compress it, while microwave might cook the tip and change its component. Not sure though.