Hardening a Pool Cue Tip

For various reasons, many of today's billiard players prefer a hardened cue tip over a softer one. There are several methods to hardening a pool cue tip including the use of liquids, pressure, burnishing tools, and heat. Here we'll discuss all of these methods for hardening a pool cue tip, including the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Hardening a Pool Cue Tip

The use of liquid is not generally recommended for hardening a pool cue tip, although there is a well known pool cue maker that purports to treating his tips with liquids. Unfortunately he has not revealed his liquid pool cue hardening method. Through other research that Billiards Forum has conducted, it would appear that this method is not uncommon, but those who do use it don't share their secrets.

Another method for hardening a pool cue tip is to use a clamping device such as a vice, c-clamp, or a pair of pliers to compress the cue tip. By compressing the pool cue tip, you'll remove all of the imperfections and air bubbles, and compresses the leather. If you do this to a new cue tip, you'll not only have a successful method for hardening a pool cue tip, but you'll also decrease your break-in time considerably. This can also be done with layered tips. Even though these pool cue tips claim perfection, it has been found by many that this is not the case. Some cue makers claim to use a combination of both compression and soaking. since compression removes air bubbles from the cue tip's pores, the cue tip will become, of course, less porous. A cue tip with less porosity lacks the ability to return to its original shape and will harden quickly.

A third method for hardening a pool cue tip is burnishing. A pool cue tip burnisher is a small pool cue accessory used to harden the pool cue tip sides and is essential for preventing the cue tip from mushrooming. Burnishing is a very simple process accomplished by sliding a tip burnisher over your pool cue tip and turning it back and forth to burnish tip. These devices usually accommodate pool cue tips up to 14mm.

The burnishing method is a way of hardening a pool cue tip via heat application because of the friction it creates. It is not wise to use any other form of heat for this process. The reason for this is that one can easily over-burnish the tip by the application of too much heat. This causes the tip to become too hard and rigid that chunks can fall completely off during a shot. Some have recommended the use of a dollar bill. Rub quickly enough to produce some heat, and continue until you notice a shine forming on the sides of the cue tip. Burnishing the sides of your tip will not only harden it, but it will also help to prevent it from mushrooming.

Hardening a Pool Cue Tip

Title: Hardening a Pool Cue Tip
Author: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)
Published: 5/7/2008 9:29:00 PM

Hardening a Pool Cue Tip Comments

Billy Wizz from Beverley, East Yorkshire on 5/3/2011 4:19:15 AM
I prefer to use Elk Master tips, as I tend to float my shots in. Also, in my opinion, the feel is greater with a softer pool cue tip.

I am currently playing in the English 8 ball U.K. leagues in Yorkshire GB, so I don't burnish the sides of my pool cue tip. Since a smaller sized cue ball is used, my pool cue tip size is 10 mm.

Also I wanted to say that these help articles on the Billiards Forum are superb and without doubt they have helped me improve my break-off shot and draw shots.

Many thanks.
Billy Wizz in East Yorkshire U.K

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