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How To Shape A Pool Cue Tip

Shaping your pool cue tip properly can instantly improve your consistency and accuracy by giving you more control over the cue ball. Cue tips are made of leather and they flatten over time from repeated hammering of shots. Rounding out your tip properly reduces the surface area that comes into contact with the cue ball and instantly adds more precision.

It's important to give your tip the correct size and shape and texture. A well shaped tip should have the same curvature as either a nickel or dime depending on your shooting style. Your tip should also have enough texture to hold chalk. Watch JP show you the proper technique, then check out our tip tool selection and pick out a good tip shaper to keep with your cue at all times.

Rather read than watch? Read about how to shape a pool cue tip below:

Hello! Today we're going to address shaping and maintaining your pool cue tip,  the most important part of your cue. Let's have a look. This is a brand new tip. Never been chalked and hasn't been shaped. A little preparation is in order before you're ready to start shooting.
 

You Have Choices

I'm using an ultimate tip tool and on this tool there are two choices for the amount of curvature you want. One is roughly the shape of a dime, the other is the shape of a nickel. Choose which one suits your needs best. 
 

The Steps Of Maintaining Your Cue

First, place it flat on the table and place the tip into the shaping hole and rotate the shaft back and forth.  Be careful not to put any more pressure than the weight of the shaft itself and rotate back and forth to achieve the shape that you wish.  Next, take one of the abrasive outside edges of the tool and trim along the outside edges of the tip. This works also with used tips that have started to mushroom, so don't worry about scratching the ferrule, the shape of the tool prevents that. Finally, burnish the tip slightly, wet the outside edges and place it in between the two prongs of the tool and rotate to smooth off any rough edges. A little chalk and you're ready to shoot.
 

Useful Tips

In addition to shaping and trimming your tip you will find from time to time that the surface gets smooth and not very well able to hold chalk. The answer to that is to use a perforator, much like this tip pick or the scuffing surface on the ultimate tip tool that I showed earlier. Simply take the tip and poke some holes or scuff the tip a little making the surface rough and better able to hold chalk. Until next time.