Snooker cue tip question
Patrick van Enschot
Hi all,
I bought my first snooker cue some weeks ago, and am wondering
how to maintain the tip. I'm asking this here because I have been
getting (what seems to me) contradictory advice.
The guy in the snooker cue store (they also sell tables,
and are quite specialized) told me that the cue tip needed
to be "rough" in order to hold the chalk better and get a
better control over the cue ball. He said this after I asked
if the tip shouldn't be "smooth" like the house cues in the
snooker centers. He told me these cues aren't looked after
well, and that's why the tips become like that after some time.
I understand the tip has to have a "dome" shape, and that
you have to dome the tip from time to time, using for instance
a piece of sandpaper. Well, I went to the hardware shop to buy
some sandpaper, and asked the shop-owner some advice. It turned
out that he has been an enthousiastic billiard (used to be snooker,
now 3-cushion carom) player for decades. So I asked him how to dome
my tip, and he told me that the best sandpaper to do the job right
was the "finest" one available. This really polishes the tip, and
makes it very "smooth". I tried it at home and indeed the tip
became very smooth. Now the question: if the cue tip is so smooth,
doesn't the cue ball control suffer? (more likely to miscue, maybe?)
Also, the chalk is less likely to hold; I guess one has to chalk more
often as the tip becomes smoother.
I like the idea of a domed shape (the two agree on that part), but I
wonder who's right: the cue seller ("rough" tip) or the hardware store
owner ("smooth"/polished tip).
And how about these "cue tip shaping devices" (like pencil-sharpeners)
that are available in the shops? Are they any good, or is it best to
dome the tip manually?
Maybe there are some experienced snooker players out here who have
some thoughts regarding this.
Many thanks in advance,
Patrick.
Jari Kokko
In article <32DAC...@econ.vu.nl>,
Patrick van Enschot <cens...@econ.vu.nl> wrote:
> I like the idea of a domed shape (the two agree on that part), but I
> wonder who's right: the cue seller ("rough" tip) or the hardware store
> owner ("smooth"/polished tip).
I'd go for the smooth version, but I wouldn't say it's "polished".
After I retip, I very rarely sandpaper the tip after the initial
shaping, only when it mushrooms over the edges too much, or if I
miscue badly which leaved a burn mark on the tip.
I find that chalking the correct way is abrasive enough to keep the
tip holding chalk. I usually have an Elk master or a Blue Diamond tip,
which I think are both softer than the ones pool players seem to
prefer.
A rough tip only makes a mess of the table by spreading the chalk on
each shot.
> And how about these "cue tip shaping devices" (like pencil-sharpeners)
> that are available in the shops? Are they any good, or is it best to
> dome the tip manually?
I've never seen the need for one. 200-400 grade paper for me...
Jari Kokko
port...@aol.com
Dome shaped & rough! Use a pin to prick the tip & pull upwards several
times - honest. Howie.
bel...@compmore.net
> wonder who's right: the cue seller ("rough" tip) or the hardware store
> owner ("smooth"/polished tip).
> that are available in the shops? Are they any good, or is it best to
> dome the tip manually?
>
bel...@compmore.net
To get your cue tip to hold as much chalk as possibe, it is necessary
to rough-up the tip a little, there are many devices on the market
to do this but if you get a small piece of medium grade sandpaper and
apply light pressure to the tip as you gently turn the sandpaper, this
will break the surface of the leather tip enough to hold the amount
of chalk you will need. As you use the cue it will gradually after
many hours of use require the same proceedure.
After considerable usage the tip will "mushroom" as they say and
depending on personal preference, will probably require you to
sand the outside edges of the tip. Before doing this I would
recommend that you wrap the top 3" of the cue shaft starting at
the furrel, with masking tape to prevent any scratching of the
shaft with the sandpaper. Again use a medium grade sandpaper very
gently and sand down only (sanding up with pull the tip off) as you
sand down turn the cue slowly until you feel that you have removed
enough of the outside edge of the tip. If you wish to slow down the
mushrooming of the tip, you can take a smooth piece of cardboard and
after moistening the edges of the tip with your finger, again run the
cardboard in downward strokes until the edges of the tip are a little
glossy. This hardens the edges of the tip a little and you should get
several hours of use out of the tip until you begin the process all
over again.
Hope I have not bored you to death. John
Tero A S Niini
Patrick van Enschot (cens...@econ.vu.nl) wrote>>
>> Now the question: if the cue tip is so smooth,
>> doesn't the cue ball control suffer? (more likely to miscue, maybe?)
>> Also, the chalk is less likely to hold; I guess one has to chalk more
>> often as the tip becomes smoother.
First of all: Smooth or rough, you must chalk the tip before every shot!
(Well, two tiny taps to the center of the cue ball may go without chalking)
I would say that "smooth" is the correct answer. The chalk will hold if
the tip is clean (no grease from fingers and so on) and if you're not
using lousy chalk (I've seen chalk that would not stick to a blackboard).
When you put a new tip on your cue you will have to shape it, so the
tip inevitably becomes at least slightly rough. But, in time, the tip will
become smooth, and there's nothing wrong with that.
In general, I'd say that once your tip is "ready" (i.e. the shape is
right and the tip has hardened due to playing), you don't have to do
anything to it, except for chalking. This is, of course, unless you
actually happen to miscue, which often causes a tiny area of the tip to
be damaged (it becomes very hard and almost glazed). In such case you
might use fine sand paper or a fine file on that area.
P.S. In my experience, miscueing occurs when hitting the cue ball off
center when you haven't chalked the cue tip in a longish time (so most of the
chalk has come off) or when there's been a clear error in cueing technique.
Smoothness or roughness of the tip as such doesn't come in it.
>> I like the idea of a domed shape (the two agree on that part)
In time you will find the exact shape that suits your technique. I've never
seen a tip not of a domed shape, but then again I've never seen a fully
semispherical tip either.
>> And how about these "cue tip shaping devices" (like pencil-sharpeners)
>> that are available in the shops? Are they any good, or is it best to
>> dome the tip manually?
You don't really need any gadgets. Sand paper and a fine file are enough.
When shaping the tip, stroke it from top down, not sideways. Sometimes
shaping requires a lot of patience, but the tip really is the most
important part of your cue.
Cheers, Tero Niini