Don't Be A Tool When It Comes To Your Tip
You've got your pool cue, you've got your pool cue case and you're ready to play, right? Wrong. If you're headed to the pool hall without tip tools, you're putting yourself and your game at a huge disadvantage. Tip tools are absolutely essential to take your game to the next level. They help reduce miscues, they improve chalk retention and they can even extend the life of your cue tip, saving you time and money in the long run.
Tip Scuffers
If you're going to get just one tip tool, get a scuffer. Nothing causes miscues more than an unscuffed tip. Using tools like the Tip Pik or the Cue Cube will rough up your tip allowing it to retain more chalk. That chalk retention will decrease your miscues and will improve your overall ball control.
ATROX 10 in 1 Tip Tool - $29.95
Tip Shapers
Why do you need a shaper? The more you use your cue, the more your tip will flatten out and mushroom. Simply put, shapers will help your pool cue tip regain its original arc. A properly shaped tip will give you a more accurate and truer hit. Shapers generally come as combo tools like the Willard scuffers and the Cue Cube.
It's George Shaper, Scuffer and Tapper - $19.95
Tip Tappers
Tappers are great tools. Even with a properly scuffed tip, you still aren't going to get maximum retention without a tapper. The easiest way to use a tapper is to simply tap it on the top of the tip to seat the chalk. You only need to tap it when you re-shape or re-scuff your tip, so it's really one of the easiest maintenance tools in your arsenal.
PoolDawg Blue Master Chalk - $3.00
One last word of advice: Make sure your chalk is fresh before you apply it to your pool cue tip. Pool cue chalk has a funny way of pulling moisture out of the air which effectively ruins the cube of chalk. If the chalk is dry and powdery when applied, you're good to go. If the chalk seems to be crumbling, toss it and grab a fresh cube.
