(or if you prefer Snooker Cue Tips)
The billiard cue tip was first used in France. It is said that in about 1807 an French Infantry Officer Monsieur Mingaud cut some leather from his horses harness put it on the end of his mace (and early cue) and surprised his opponents by the way he could control the way the billiard balls reacted.
It is, perhaps, interesting to note that in the UK, tips have always been sold by their diameter measured in millimetres, eg 9mm, 10mm etc., which helps confirm that the first tips available in the UK came in from France.
The only British tip maker was E.L. Fletcher who made the once famous Baldock brand of tips. However, before producing British made Cue Tips they made the famous “Sticktite” wafers for Thurston. Described as “The finest medium on the market for all types of tip”.
The Baldock tips were made cut from 'bends' of leather which had been bonded on to a thin layer of fibre. The idea being that the fibre held the leather together and reduced the amount it might spread. These tips were know as two piece.
Fletcher's also produced three piece tips, bonding a thinner leather section between the fibre and the thicker leather crown. The leather Crown was turned to give the rounded shape that cue tips of that period had to have. The Baldock tips were favoured by that great Billiard and Snooker player Joe Davis.
Sadly, the British made tips couldn't compete against the Blue Diamond and Elkmaster tips that were produced in the USA. These tips were again produced from selected leather and were one piece of specially treated leather. These tips were the favoured cue tips used by almost all the UK Players up to the early part of the 21st Century.
Of late, multi layered tips have become the accepted cue tip used by the top cueists. They come in a range of hardness ratings to enable the player to select a variety that suits their style of play but still a lot of players stick to their Elkmaster and Blue Diamond rather than the new wave of cue tips.
The Talisman Cue Tips have proved popular. They are a laminated tip and come in a range of qualities; Pro, WB and Trinity.
Other layered tips are also available, such as the Kamui. Thes tips have been special designed for snooker and come in a range of hardness.
A recent addition, in 2018, to the range of tips has been the Elk Master Pro, this tip was developed by Tweeten in conjunction with the famous UK Cue makers Peradon and has proved to be a very successful tip giving the player good control and holds the chalk well.
To get the latest information on Snooker Cue Tips just contact the sales department at THURSTON on 0151 482 2700 or email thurston@eaclare.co.uk
