Reddit mentions: The best billiard cue tips

As said really, there is no best as everyone has preferences. I play with Xiguan tips which are a Chinese layered tip, they're pretty soft but I love them, best of all they're seriously cheap, current price is £6.48 for 10 tips on eBay. If you like something a bit harder then Cuesoul tips are also really good, come in different hardnesses and again are really cheap at £10 for 6 tips from Amazon.

I've tried many others such as Elkmaster, Blue Diamond, Kamui and Talisman. Didn't like the first two. Kamui's do play really well but they glaze over so fast so I end up scuffing them multiple times a session and they don't last 5 minutes. Talismans used to be great but they're crap now and always delaminate on me, not sure if they've changed the glue or what but they suck.

As for break cues, any phenolic tip will do the trick. They're kinda tricky to fit where you can't trim them to size easily without a lathe, so I'd suggest getting a professional to do that for you, but with regular leather tips you can fit them yourself.

If you're fitting them yourself btw (which I'd recommend if you're trying a few out, it's always a great skill to learn anyhow as tips don't last forever) then this video will help tremendously. Couple of things though:

I find the removal of the tip and old glue much easier if you rip off the tip, then apply some superglue debonder to a rag and then just rub back and forth over the ferrule where the old glue is until it comes off and you're left with a perfectly clean and flat surface. Then allow it to dry for like 10 minutes and you'll be good to go.

Also, you can trim down the tip flush to the ferrule with one of these tools which is basically a giant pencil sharpener, which you'd use like this. You can trim a tip flush to the ferrule in less than a minute with this thing.

I recommend you to read about cue tips. This is an exact point of impact . Having a good cue tip is crucial for decent сueing.

Here is some short tables for begginers, just to understand the difference.
When you look at the number of pool cue tips there are available today, it can be extremely overwhelming. That's why I've created this Cue Tip Tables. I hope it would help people. Anyway:
>You will just have to experiment & find what works best for you.


The methodology we use for testing tip density is as follows:

• Use a standard Shore A Durometer (0-100 hardness scale)
  
• 1Kg (2.2 lbs) of pressure
  
• Measure the density of three tips per brand
  
• Take the average of the three measurements to determine a density rating
  
  Soft tips
  
  
• more cue ball spin
  
• more maintenance
  

• frequent replacement
  

  
  

  Tip Brand | Tip Size | Hardness
  

  --------|:--------:|---------:
  Kamui Black (Super Soft)| 14mm | 67.5
  Elk Master | 10mm-14mm | 66.8
  Moori soft | 14mm | 72.8
  
  Medium tips
  
  

• balance between cue ball control and consistency
  
• usually preinstalled by manufacturers as the standard tip
  

• plays consistently with less maintenance
  

  
  

  
  

  Tip Brand | Tip Size | Hardness
  

  --------|:--------:|---------:
  Fuji (Medium)| 13mm | 78.5
  Tiger Emerald | 10mm-14mm | 78.2
  Kamui Black (Medium) | 14mm | 78.5
  
  
  Hard tips
  
  

• create less spin
  
  
• require less maintenance
  
  

• are more liable to miscue
  

  
  

  Tip Brand | Tip Size | Hardness
  

  --------|:--------:|---------:
  Zan (Hard)| 13mm - 14mm | 87.4
  Kamui Black (hard) | 13mm-14mm | 84.8
  Bufallo (Hard) | 14mm | 86.8
  

I use this tip shaper, then get it down to a perfect dome with an emery board.

Once it's a good shape, scuff up the leather with the rough part of the tip tool, chalk it up and tap it with the back of the tool a few times.

edit: idk who downvoted this but it's a pretty standard method, and the It's George is an excellent tool.

Over the years, I have collected a lot of different tools, but here's how I change out tips (I don't have a lathe):

After popping off the old tip...

1. A cue-top sander to sand off the old glue down flush to the end of the ferrule
   
   
2. A dab of Loc-Tite adhesive and a clamp to apply the new tip (put a rag between the clamp and your shaft to avoid denting it)
   
   
3. After the glue has dried, the Porper Cut-Rite shaper/cutter is a good tool for getting the tip close to flush, and the Mushroom Trimmer can take it the rest of the way easily. Gotta be careful not to cut your ferrule during that process.
   
   
4. I use the Last 4 Ever Tip Tool for final shaping (I like a dime shape) and burnishing. Also for trimming any future mushrooming, which is infrequent with the milk duds.

its george tip tool is my favorite.

https://www.amazon.com/Its-George-tip-tool/dp/B0002TX1S2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522141790&sr=8-1&keywords=its+george

I like the 'It's George'.

Billiard Cue Stick Tip Clamp Holder