How To Choose A Pool Cue Tip In The Right Way? Choosing the right pool cue tip can significantly impact your game. With various materials, sizes, and densities available, finding the perfect one might seem daunting. However, understanding essential factors will help you make an informed decision.
If you’re buying your first pool cue, chances are that you’re still new to the game. Get, how to choose a pool cue tip that will take you a long way.
Choosing a pool cue tip is all going to be depending on what level of the game you’re at and the type of game you wish to be playing. If you are a beginner, intermediate, or even pro player level of the game you’re going to favour a different type of tip on your pool cue stick. There is a wide variety of pool tip choices to choose from these last days but the most popular brands to use are Kamui, Collapsar, Elk Master, Predator, and Le Pro pool cue tips.
Those 5 pool cue tip brands are perfect on the market at this very moment, I can guarantee you that most intermediate to pro-pool players favour those pool tip brands the most. The next thing to take into consideration is the density of the pool cue tip, the tip will be available in super soft to extra hard, and all will give a totally different performance when playing the cue ball.
Below I will be explaining how the different densities will affect the cue ball plays so that it would be easier for you to identify the type of game you would prefer and choose the perfect pool cue tip type that would suit you the best, I will be breaking them down in a much simpler form, soft, medium and hard.
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How To Choose a Pool Cue Tip In The Right Manner?
Soft and super soft tips
If you are a player that loves to play those English or any other skilled and cut shots on the table, I would recommend that a soft tip is just the right fit for you. The soft tip gives the ultimate cue ball control abilities, the persons that would normally use a soft tip in their game are normally high-skill level players of the game.
The disadvantages of using a soft tip on your cue stick are that it is very easy to become worn out, and it also takes a lot of maintenance. A soft tip does not give much power to the cue ball and is not recommended to you for the breaking of a game, most players that use a soft tip or super-soft tip would normally have more than one shaft for their cue so that they won’t easily damage their cue tip.
Pros And Cons Of Soft Cue Tips
Pros
- Players can apply English appropriately using these tips.
- They are suitable for players with a soft touch.
- They are suitable for shots that require skill and technique.
Cons
- They damage easily.
- They are not appropriate for break shots.
- They are unsuitable for players with a hard touch.
- They are appropriate for break shots.
Medium tip
The medium tip is the most beginners friendly tip of them all, it gives control and power at a balanced rate, you don’t have too much control and you don’t have too much power in your strikes with this tip. This is the standard-made tip for most of the manufacturers that build cue sticks, it’s the most common tip density to find on a standard cue tip manufactured by companies worldwide.
The medium tip does not really have a disadvantage to it, the most I can say is that it is not fully accurate within either power or control, and it doesn’t give the best of either. Most professional pool players would tend to use a soft or hard tip to get the best performance in whichever game they are playing.
Hard and Extra Hard
A hard tip will provide the most power and consistency of the cue ball, for breaking or jumping this would be nonetheless the best type of tip for you to be using. Harder tips will last much longer than softer on and will little to no maintenance, using a tip like this will require a skilled and accurate player of the game.
The disadvantages of using a tip like this are the fact that you are most likely to miscue a lot and you get minimal control of the cue ball with the hard tip.
Pros And Cons Of Hard Cue Tips
Pros
- They last a long time.
- They require little maintenance.
- They can be used well for a break or jump shot.
Cons
- They do not allow for much English.
- These tips often cause miscues.
- They are not appropriate for shots that require accuracy.
Phenolic Tips
These are hard cue tips that are constructed out of carbon fibre. They are almost as hard as the balls themselves. This kind of cue tip can transfer the maximum amount of energy in a single shot. They are therefore used for breaking shots in a game. It is rare that a player will choose to play an entire game with a phenolic tip. Since they are hard and coarse, they also require a lot less maintenance.
How To Install A Pool Cue Tip? (In 5 Easy Steps)
You are looking to install a different tip on your cue stick but you can’t be bothered to send the cue to the manufacturer and then have to be added to the waiting list before getting your cue back. Here we have some simple steps on how you can change or repair your tip by yourself.
It will also save you at least $12-$18 dollars each time your tip needs to be changed, most professionals normally like to change their tip by themself, it is super easy and fast. I am sure you can find the necessary utensils around the household to repair your cue tip.
- Step 1 – Remove the old tip by using a razor blade or a sharp knife, you can even use pliers to pull the tip off the cue stick, and try to cut as close as possible you can to the ferrule. Most tips are made from leather so it should not be that hard to cut, just be careful, and make sure you’ve fully removed all leather materials or glue that’s on the ferrule.
- Step 2 – It’s then important to make sure the surface is very smooth and clean, it would be great if you were in possession of sandpaper or honing steel so that you could gently smooth the surface down or sand it down. It’s common that some person uses nail polish remover as well, the polish is said to contain acetone which is said to help remove any old leftover glue on the tip.
- Step 3 – Select the tip you wish to add on, place it on a clean surface flat side down, and look carefully to see if it may need any rubbing from the sandpaper. The next step will be adding the selective glue on the tip side that’s facing you.
- Step 4 – You’re going to now place the tip carefully place the tip on the ferrule, please make sure that the tip lies flat on the ferrule.
- Step 5 – Make sure that the tip is centred and levelled, the tip should be held down for at least 10 to 15 minutes, make the side facing you do not have any glue otherwise your finger will be stuck, and lifting will take the tip right back off. It would be recommended that you use the same sandpaper to shadow your hand and the cue tip as a barrier when holding down the cue tip.
What Is The Importance Of Pool Cue Tips
It is imperative that your pool cue tip is in good condition. This is because this is the area that acts as a transmitter of the force that you will generate with your pool cue.
If you feel that you cannot make up your mind about the kind of cue tip you want to use, we advise you to experiment and practice with a few of them before settling for one. You can also use different cue tips for different parts of the game, like a harder tip to break and medium tips for the rest of the game.
Enhance Your Play: The Key to Pool Cue Tip Mastery
In the realm of pool, the cue tip holds immense importance, influencing your accuracy, spin, and overall control. By considering factors like material, size, and your playing style, you can elevate your game to new heights. Remember, the right cue tip can be the secret weapon to sharpening your skills and mastering the table.
We do hope you have gained something out of this article on How To Choose A Pool Cue Tip, we hope this has opened up your thoughts on ways to figure out what is the perfect pool tip for you to be using. Feel free to check out some other related articles we have here in the informational guide on the main menu as well.
When buying a pool tip you should make sure that you are fully aware of the tip you are about to get and the game it plays best with, you can’t be buying a soft pool cue tip to get the best break with, that won’t work so its best educatee your self before jumping into your pockets.
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