Why is a pool cue tip bigger than a snooker cue tip? can i play pool with a snooker cue without damaging it?

Question

Why is a pool cue tip bigger than a snooker cue tip? can i play pool with a snooker cue without damaging it?

Answer 1

I am not positive, but I figure it is based on ball size. And, I have seen people play straight pool with a snooker cue without damaging the cue, the balls, the table, or the tip.

Answer 2

The balls in pool are 2 1/4" diameter, whereas snooker balls are 52.5mm diameter (sorry, I don't have the conversion memorized).  So pool balls are larger.  The curvature of the tip for both pool and snooker is designed in such a way to maximize the amount of tip-to-ball contact.  For pool, the standard size cue tip is 13mm and the curvature is roughly that of a nickel when viewed from the side.  Snooker cue tips are often smaller than 11mm and have a different curvature to correspond to snooker balls.  I wouldn't worry so much about damaging your snooker cue when playing pool.  Cues are a lot tougher than people give them credit for.  You may not get the absolute best results by playing pool with a snooker cue, but many companies make replacement shafts that allow a player to easily go from pool to snooker.  M.D.-BCA Instructor/Referee.

Answer 3

Straight has the answer

Ive known a lot of people that use a snooker cue as pointed out you aint gonna hurt it but usually light weight I just dont like the hit plus the small tip i like a 13 nickel tip harder the better for control you can make a shot with a broom stick but what about control

                          Oh well 2 more points Later Johnny

Answer 4

You CAN play pool with a snooker cue (been there, done that), but you are more likely to "pop a tip".  

As has been said already the snooker tip is small with a crown shaped for smaller, lighter balls.  This means when you shoot English with a snooker cue and heavier balls that there is more radial force on the tip (at right angles to the shaft) and less glue to hold it.  I've popped a lot of tips off snooker cues, a lot fewer off pool cues.

Plus, trying to put backspin on a pool ball with a snooker cue is likely going to send the ball off the table or damage the cloth; using a heavier cue allows you to follow through the ball and impart more spin to it with less force applied.  It's much smoother.

Stick with the proper cue for the game you are playing, it will improve your game dramatically.

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