Tip size

[Jacksdad]

Good afternoon all.
I'm using a 9mm cue tip,I have done for years,my question is does the tip size matter?i was looking at an slightly smaller tip on a cue.a different cue to the one I'm using.maybe 8.6mm.
I think it's that size.
Any advice would be grateful.thanks in advance,jacks dad

[jrc750]

If it's for pool then probably ok, if for snooker that would be very small !!

[Master Blaster]

Graham Dott uses a 9mm but that's the limit for me. And I think he only uses a 9mm because he lacks cue power and needs the extra spin. If you can cue through the ball properly and that can be learnt, then a 9.5mm is fine. That's around what most pros use.

[Tim65]

I think you can generate spin easier with a smaller tip but its harder to control.John Spencer used a 6mm tip but he was a superb cueist.

[Master Blaster]

I think you can generate spin easier with a smaller tip but its harder to control.John Spencer used a 6mm tip but he was a superb cueist.

I didn't know that. Incredible, most pool players don't go below 8-9mm so 6mm for snooker is unreal.

[DeanH]

seen one 6mm tip, several in the 7s
for pool, never so snooker how it does break hitting the bigger balls

[Master Blaster]

seen one 6mm tip, several in the 7s
for pool, never so snooker how it does break hitting the bigger balls

It breaks really easily Deano!

[DeanH]

oops, just reread my post and it does not read as I planned


for pool, never so snooker how it does it not break hitting the bigger balls?

meaning breaking the shaft, not the opening shot of a frame

[jono*]

Shaun Murphy uses an 8.75mm tip and can generate loads of power but you need a cue action to match

[luke-h]

years ago when i started playing snooker i had a 7.5 ml tip that i used for snooker, i leant it out and some broke the shaft...its all about cueing at that diameter if you hit everything with force then it wont last long at all....i use a 9.5 mm now and i think thats about right for me.

[Terry Davidson]

As has been said, with a smaller tip you need that Rolls Royce cue action because you get more spin and any off-centre hit will be amplified. It's actually a trade-off in that a small tip needs a pro cue action and a larger tip gets better accuracy for those of us without that pro cue action.

I think for most amateurs a 9.5mm is the ideal since you can still generate all the spin required as long as you drive through the cueball.

[2v1977]

As has been said, with a smaller tip you need that Rolls Royce cue action because you get more spin and any off-centre hit will be amplified. It's actually a trade-off in that a small tip needs a pro cue action and a larger tip gets better accuracy for those of us without that pro cue action.

I think for most amateurs a 9.5mm is the ideal since you can still generate all the spin required as long as you drive through the cueball.

Hi Terry,

I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a question for me that I just posted on the newbie forum, post title is what cue you prefer, should be close to the top. I would post it here but want people in the thread to see your answers whether I'm right or wrong.

Regards

[Khanibrar74]

As has been said, with a smaller tip you need that Rolls Royce cue action because you get more spin and any off-centre hit will be amplified. It's actually a trade-off in that a small tip needs a pro cue action and a larger tip gets better accuracy for those of us without that pro cue action.

I think for most amateurs a 9.5mm is the ideal since you can still generate all the spin required as long as you drive through the cuebal

[Siz]

.John Spencer used a 6mm tip but he was a superb cueist.

What? Have you got a source for that?

[Master Blaster]

An ex-England pool player once told me 9.5mm for snooker, 9mm for pool (English 8). A lot of folk use smaller tips for pool and they never beat him! Dott uses 9mm I'm led to believe but I think that's down to his cue action and lack of cue power. Let's face it, if you play on a #10 and you've got a good cue action, 9.5 is plenty small enough.

The problem with smaller tips like a 9mm are unintended side coming into play, so you need a really straight cue action. Unintended side with a smaller tip can be defeated, i.e. the unintended deflection/squirt nullified by a titanium ferrule/black-spin and an OLD WOOD shaft, naturally air dried for decades. So you could have more cue power and less deflection from a smaller tip. But let's not go there Byrom!

But then again, old wood leads to more cue power, so why go for a smaller tip, just get an air dried shaft. I've moved to an increased tip size and dropped 2oz off my cue weight when I moved cue and my cue power has gone up. This won't make sense to many but it's partially down to the shaft wood being old, AIR dried (part of it is also down to a different bridge to ball length). But as I say, let's not go there.

* Note to self: write a TSF article about the benefits of old shaft wood for the uninformed.