Tips......................................again!

[bluenose1940]

Right then Southpaw, I have rubbed the chalk off both of the tips and yes there is definitely a difference in colour BUT, the Blue Diamond is lighter than the Elkmaster which obviously contradicts what was said in an earlier post.

How about this then Jasonteh6688, the Blue Diamond is 5.13mm thick and the Elkmaster is 4.86mm.

Next question then, do we really know what we are getting when we buy on-line?

Is there a link on here to 'Andrew' so that I can buy a Bow-Tie Tip Scuffer from him? Many thanks

[Thinslice]

yes bluenose1940 i think you are right , I started playing snooker in the mid 70`s and used blue diamound tips till the early ninetys then changed to elk master beacause the blue diamound got to be to inconsistant ,but over the last few years the elk masters have gone the same way ,when i started useing elks you could see the difference between them they were also thinner but now they seem to be the same . I have tryed all the other lamminated tips just received the new ones from adr whitch i will be trying at a later date. but so far i think if you can pick out a good elk they are the best. Just my own prev.

[sberry]

There is no shot you can play with an Omin or any other tip that you cannot play with a 25p elkmaster, there is nothing you can do with a tenners worth of aluminium tooled tip scuffer or fifty quids worth of titanium tip perfecter that you cannot do with 10p worth of sandpaper. All the best players never used anything else but people like buying things and like thinking that they will get an edge by buying the latest 'thing' and it is called sales psychology, they sell things in all sports and ways of life based on this.

Snooker is a mental game though and if you feel happier with all the shiny whizzy expensive bits then it works for you if you don't feel happy with just what is needed. What I would definitely say is if you are constantly tinkering with your tip, wondering whether you need a 5-laminate hard or may play better with a 7-laminate soft, then subconsciously your game is being adversely affected by your mind compared to someone who just plays the game without worrying - you may not think you are worrying, but you are. If you just slapped a standard tip on, played it in and just played the game you would play the game better.

Spruce chalk is better than green chalk is better than blue chalk, etc - really!?? (and I'm the muppet that bought £20 lumps of kamui!!)

[ADR147]

There is no shot you can play with an Omin or any other tip that you cannot play with a 25p elkmaster, there is nothing you can do with a tenners worth of aluminium tooled tip scuffer or fifty quids worth of titanium tip perfecter that you cannot do with 10p worth of sandpaper. All the best players never used anything else but people like buying things and like thinking that they will get an edge by buying the latest 'thing' and it is called sales psychology, they sell things in all sports and ways of life based on this.

Snooker is a mental game though and if you feel happier with all the shiny whizzy expensive bits then it works for you if you don't feel happy with just what is needed. What I would definitely say is if you are constantly tinkering with your tip, wondering whether you need a 5-laminate hard or may play better with a 7-laminate soft, then subconsciously your game is being adversely affected by your mind compared to someone who just plays the game without worrying - you may not think you are worrying, but you are. If you just slapped a standard tip on, played it in and just played the game you would play the game better.

Spruce chalk is better than green chalk is better than blue chalk, etc - really!?? (and I'm the muppet that bought £20 lumps of kamui!!)

really, on what do you base this wisdom? I would say you are both right and very wrong.

It is true that all the gadgets are really only about saving time and effort and yep a few different wet and dry papers, a metal nail file and a £20 note will work just as well but the idea that the elk master is the perfect tip is very wrong, for a start they vary a great deal across a box so there is no such thing as 'an elk master' I know of a pro who uses elks and generally he will go through about 4 boxes to find the sort he is after, so they are not 25p each at that rate! Elk masters are also pretty unstable tips and do not last the way better tooled tips will last, they also have a habit of absorbing moisture and turning into jelly tots which is not such a problem for a pro player and the conditions they have but for sure you will notice if you play in a club in scotland! also for the better players they are generally a bit soft in feel, which is why people are always looking for something different.

The idea that the elk master is the perfect tip is imho a bit crazy because for everybody it suits there will be several it does not, it is like saying that the nissan micra is the perfect car, well yes it is a car and yes it might suit you but i generally prefer something a bit lower a bit wider and a lot faster.

[bluenose1940]

Well folks, I fitted the laminated O'min tip and had a game today. What a disaster that was.......almost at least. I started off and couldn't seem to do a thing right, I was missing pots and leaving balls up like you wouldn't believe and couldn't even get my safety play into gear. My safety game is my frame winner as although I can pot well, my positional play leaves a lot to be desired and so the safety element of my game forces my opponent to make mistakes and let me in.

Anyway, two frames in and nothing on the board. I had potted 6 reds and no colours in the second frame and was feeling quite frustrated. In the third frame I then started to get things together a bit more and was playing a little nearer to my normal game. I went on to win the next 4 frames but my best break was a one off 23, with a few 14's, 15's and 17's thrown in.

I noticed that the O'min tip seemed a little on the hard side and am now tempted to remove it and give an Elkmaster a go. Or should I persevere a little longer?

[jim evans]

take it off they are too hard for most of us novice players lol

[bluenose1940]

take it off they are too hard for most of us novice players lol

Hi Jim, I have taken your advice and have removed it. I have fitted an Elkmaster and will see how that goes tomorrow.

[robrad147]

Blue diamond tips are usually much thicker than elk masters,I don't like blue diamonds because
they tend to be spongy and take a lot of waring in. I much prefare the elk masters,
the're a firmer tip so play like a warn-in tip from the start!. Not tried the O'mins though.

[Maverick54]

Like most folk ive tried most the tips on the market. Guess omins dont suit everyones game but I love em. Love the sound too. like striking the ball without a tip on. U do have to keep em scuffed tho to stop the miscues

[sinkrate]

I changed my tip a while back and have only just got it playing right. It did not feel good at first but a bit more sanding and it's getting there! And that's with a tip that I know I get on with.

[bluenose1940]

Hi Jim, I have taken your advice and have removed it. I have fitted an Elkmaster and will see how that goes tomorrow.

I played on Thursday afternoon having changed the tip to an Elkmaster, what a difference!! I could not do a thing wrong, potting was great, safety play was great. I was still only having breaks between 14 and 27 but was playing quite consistent snooker. If only I could get my break building act together!! Must keep working on it.
It would seem that laminated tips are not for me, but at least I did give it a try.

[itsnoteasy]

I can't say I miscued with the Omin tip , it played stun run, and screw very well indeed, I just couldn't get on with the noise it made lol.
Using MW super tip now , I find them very nice indeed, but do believe different players will find tips to suit their own games, I am tempted to give ADRs new tips a bash, from what I read they are building up a very good reputation.

[belld]

I have been experimenting with laminated for a while now and have to say
there not for me. I'm a regular average 30/40 break builder but couldn''t make
a 20 with tips like kamui, talisman and phoenix but phoenix played felt best.
All way too hard and couldn't get positional play right at all. Switched back
to elk master yesterday and within 3 frames was making 30 and 40 breaks
again. Ia do believe certain players will suit laminated tips but there not for
everyone. I for one will be sticking with elks as they work and play awesome
for me.

[AzureFlyer]

I can't say I miscued with the Omin tip , it played stun run, and screw very well indeed, I just couldn't get on with the noise it made lol.
Using MW super tip now , I find them very nice indeed, but do believe different players will find tips to suit their own games, I am tempted to give ADRs new tips a bash, from what I read they are building up a very good reputation.

I have got maybe 5-6 hours play on my tip that I got from ADR. Hasn't lost shape at all, feel like I have the ball in my hand in regards to positional play. Strung together a few 30-40 breaks... Which is significantly more than what I was managing before hand.

These tips are the business. Would recommend them to anyone. There has been a few guys at the club has noticed the difference in sound and reaction off of the tip and also the difference its making to my confidence when in amongst the balls.

[bluenose1940]

I have got maybe 5-6 hours play on my tip that I got from ADR. Hasn't lost shape at all, feel like I have the ball in my hand in regards to positional play. Strung together a few 30-40 breaks... Which is significantly more than what I was managing before hand.

These tips are the business. Would recommend them to anyone. There has been a few guys at the club has noticed the difference in sound and reaction off of the tip and also the difference its making to my confidence when in amongst the balls.

What tips did you get from ADR? Might be worth a try for me, would love to get to 30+