Is your old cue worn out? Or perhaps you are wondering when you should replace the existing cue tip? Maybe you are looking forward to trying out another promising tip in the market? whatever the case, we can help!
While mastery in pool game requires hours of practice sessions and accuracy, your choice of game equipment can make a lot of difference. The most essential part is the cue tip, which transfers energy to the target ball with desired speed, precision and spin. Regardless of the price of your pool cue, having low-quality tip could limit your performance.
So, what is a cue tip? This is basically the part of your cue stick that makes contact with the cue ball. Its convex shape creates maximum ball response on all types of shots. A good tip should always be coarse enough to allow chalk to stick to it to get the result that you desire. You should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when you are using a tool to shape and scuff the tip. However, when the side walls begin thinning out, it is time to replace the tip. Literally, the size, type and density of your cue tip can be the difference between a miss or hit. It doesn’t matter how fancy your pool stick is if you cannot make precise and consistent ball contact.
So, How Long Does the Cue Tip Last?
A good quality cue tip will last you 6 months on average on regular play. This however depends on the type of material that the tip is made of and how often you play and the environment you play in. Besides, break shots also wear out the tips quicker than the jump shots. There is a high chance that your cue tip will wear out in about six months if it is made of skin while phenolic tips will likely dry out over the years. With the softer tips, they will possibly break down over time with the frequency of use. On the other hand, the harder tips hold their shape longer.
Maintenance also plays a role in how fast your tip wears out. although sanding down the tip keeps the shape of the tip in check and allows it to hold more chalk, the process eventually breaks it down. If you are asked why a cue tip wears out, you will likely say that it does so from usage just like the car tires wear down from rolling over the roads. While this may hold some truth to it, there is a specific aspect that wears it down quickly. This is the application of chalk, which compiles of silica and aluminum oxide. You may know aluminum oxide as industrial abrasive that is used to make some kinds of sandpaper while silica is like grains of the sand.
Therefore, by applying chalk to your tip you are basically ingraining the sandpaper components into the material of the tip. With every stroke that you apply chalk on your cue tip, you are effectively sanding it down bit by bit. Even though the process is natural and normal, it wears down the tip rapidly with the correct application.
The Tip Maintenance
Just like all good things in life, the pool cue needs proper care and maintenance to retain its performance and to look good. Keep in mind that even an expensive cue stick made with the best wood needs maintenance to maintain its value and to extend its lifespan for years to come. You can keep it as a collectable or pass it down from one generation to the next, but only if you adhere to effective care.
Chalking and maintaining the shape of the tip should be your major areas of concern if you want to improve your game. Your tip should never be chalk deficient or smooth. Tips from most new cue sticks direct from packaging are usually not roughed or shaped at all. Therefore, you will need to prepare it before utilizing it in the billiard games. Also, you should re-scuff and re-shape it if you notice it flattening out and frequent miscue. The hard tip lasts longer but the soft one grabs the cue better. Here are a few steps to reshape the cue tip:
- For proper chalking, ensure that your tip is shaped to a dime or nickel radius. This measuring gauge is usually available with most tools.
- If it doesn’t range between a dime and a nickel radius, then lace the tip shape on the floor with its bowl side facing up. Proceed to hold your cue upside down and place its tip into the shaper bowl.
- Begin rotating the cue while moving it back and forth. Keep in mind that you are shaping it and not sanding it since over sanding it will only wear it out quickly.
- Using a scuffer and a tip-pik, roughen up and make deep perforations on the leather tip to maximize chalk retention hence resulting in better ball control.
- Finally, apply a little amount of wax to the outer surface of the tip and then polish. This final step will prevent the tip from expanding, thereby giving you proper alignment to the cue tip and the cue ball.
Note: Never let your tip shapers to scratch or graze the side of the ferrule.
Chalking
The first step of chalking your cue is to ensure that the chalk has a flat surface. Hold the chalk in your hand and then lightly apply it on the cue tip. Just ensure that it covers the entire tip. Refrain from grinding or spinning the chalk into the tip as this will give ugly stain lines on scratched areas around the ferrule. All you need is light brushing to better your equipment.
Remember that chalking is unlikely to do any good if the shaping is off. Rough tip surfaces provide a base to effectively hold the chalk thus results in friction between the tip and the cue ball. With the friction at hand, you can spin and propel the target ball towards the direction that you desire.
Regular Cue Tip Replacement
Imagine this! You have a tournament coming up but your tip is worn out. to make matters worse, you can’t get hold of your local area cue repair professional and you don’t know how to do it yourself. This seems like an unending nightmare, right? Replacing the cue tip is something that every player should know.
When the cue tip breaks down to the size less than a dime, then it is time to replace it. using a worn-out tip can greatly affect your game and increase the chances of miscuing. A miscue refers to a situation where the cue tip slides off the cue ball and digs or hits the billiard cloth. It causes dents in the playing area of the pool table and can even damage the ferrule. Remember to always visually inspect your cue tip to prolong the lifetime of the pool felt.
Is it okay to replace the cue tip even if there is still much left? Yes, you can do that. Playing with a worn-out cue tip is likely to damage the overall performance of the cue. You might even find it quite difficult to handle it even after tip replacement. Here are the necessary steps to follow when replacing the cue tip.
Step 1: Get rid of the old cue tip
In this first step, you will require a sharp razor blade. be careful to not cut off your fingers when changing the cue tip. Get as close as possible to the ferrule and use the razor blade to take a few passes. Slowly begin removing any leather and glue.
Step 2: Clean the cue ferrule
Upon achieving your desired look, ensure that the top of the ferrule is flat and as clean as you can. For this step, you will need the rapid top sander that comes in the repair kit. Simply put your shaft against the guide then rotate it until all the remaining glue and dirt is removed. Remember to keep your sander level.
Step 3: Prepare the cue tip
In this next step, use sandpaper to roughen up the glue edge of your new cue tip.by laying the piece of sandpaper on a flat surface, you ensure that the tip is perfectly flat and level. Sand the tip until it is rough to provide an area for the glue to adhere. Proceed to apply your favorite cue tip adhesive or the provided one to the tip.
Step 4: Place the cue tip on the ferrule
Try to center the cue tip as best as you can. Firmly press on the tip to remove any air pockets and the glue will push on the ferrule. Wipe away the excess glue on the ferrule while holding down the tip. Using the tip clamp from your package, simply slip it over the shaft and use the rubber band on the center of the tip to pull it down. Finally secure the clamp in place with the slider and let the glue dry for a few minutes.
Step 5: Cut and sand the cue tip
Cutting the tip of the cue to match the ferrule diameter requires practice and patience. Using a razor blade, start shaving off the tip edges while using the ferrule as a guide. Keep your down cut straight and once your tip diameter matches the ferrule, clean up more and sand it down.
Step 6: Shape the cue tip
With the firmly glued tip and matching diameter, it is now time to shape it. utilize the tool shaper and sand the tip to the desired shape whether dime or nickel. Moisten the tip and polish the sides of your tip with a piece of leather.
Final Remarks
We hope that this guide answers your questions on the cue tip. However, you should know that no cue tip can magically improve your pool game. While it significantly impacts how you play, continuous practice and training is the ultimate way to get better.
