Snooker Cue Tips

As we all know, there are many brands on the market and professional players use many different brands, and it is all about the feeling for them.

A leather tip of various curves and degrees of hardness will be glued to the ferrule on the top of the cue and can have a diameter varying between 9mm to 12mm, but 9-10 mm is the most common diameter for snooker cues.

Since the tip and the ball have more tangential contact the dome tip is the most popular tip because many say it imparts more spin to the cue ball as the point of contact between the tip and the ball needs to be closer to the center in order to impart the same amount of spin.

With every subsequent shot, a leather tip naturally stretches and hardens. If the cue tip is not properly maintained, the surface can develop an undesired smoothness or glossiness, which greatly reduces the desired friction between the tip and the ball of the cue.

It is important to note that there are different grades of hardness for tips, ranging from very soft to very hard. In general, softer tips (which include Elk Master and other popular brands) are better at holding chalk, but they degrade faster from excessive abrasion.

In recent years, there has been an increase in how tips are made. Most of today’s tips are laminated together (it’s the Kamui and Talisman who are the most popular).

In general, harder tips and laminated tips hold their shape better, but as a result of their more extensive manufacturing processes, they generally cost more.