Tapper/Shaper/Scuffer combos

[MBelknap]

I'm one of those "try anything once" kind of nimrods who just can't make up his mind when it comes to the right tools. Are there any suggestions between the "Turtle Tapper," "It's George" tool, or should I just go with a porper little shaver and 4.95 tip tapper? I currently use the 9" sanding stick to shape (where by using it I always take off too much tip trying to get the shape I want,) a cross-angle-cut file for tapping (works rather well but I think i got it with too fine of teeth) and the porper tip burnisher (and if anyone can tell me the exact purpose of this thing, what it's and doing and why, that would be awesome!) So as you can see I'm trying to do right by my cue but ignorance has never helped anyone.

BTW, I've owned and given away my "UTT." Didn't like it, didn't use it.

[jkregan]

The purpose of the burnisher is to smooth and buff the sides of the tip so it blends smoothly to be an extension of the ferrule. Some people think, erroneously, that a mushroomed tip can be brought back into shape by using a burnisher.

When a tip mushrooms it is best to first trim the sides of the tip back to shape with the edges even with the sides of the ferrule with a mushroom grazer and then burnish the sides of the tip with a piece of leather until the side of the tip is smooth and shiny. DO NOT use a tip burnisher or the burnishing legs of a UTT on a layered tip as they will twist the tip apart like a dinner roll by grabbing the tip layers inconsistently and applying shear force between the layers.

Hope this helps.