I'm sure that most people know this, but you really have to be carefull how you use those Tip Piks. they are a great tool, I use one myself, because I prefer the moori hards for My shooting tip, sometimes they don't like to hold chalk, so get kind of shiny as mentioned, and this tool is perfect for that without scuffing the tip all up. you cannot twist with this tool though, I have seen more tips come off or delaminate, then I'd like to, because these tools were used improperly. I have even done it myself when they first came out, before I understood how they work.
As for the tips in question, one of the time frames I saw mentioned about a bad batch sounds about right to me. a year or 2 back I talked to tony, about setting up to buy from him, because the word out was the tips were good. I found him to be a very polite & helpfull, and I am sure he is a standup guy like some have mentioned. Enough so that I was ready to start dealing with him, and still wish it had worked out. Well all of a sudden I started getting people coming to me that had someone else put one on for them, and they were even delaminating, or just all mushed up, and shaping was like trying to comb an untamed hairdoo. They liked the way they played, but they were'nt holding up for them. That turned me off to the idea of carrying them. I have continued to hear good things about them, but that's been a 2-way street, so I have continued to shy away. It's possible that the problem's solved, but I don't want to spend hard earned money to take the risk Myself, or put anything on a customers cue that I can't atleast somewhat stand behind. It's not just the price of the tip that's an issue, I have labor involed, even If I just have to keep trimming or reshaping for the customer, and not actually have to change the tip. I may be willing to try some of the medium or hards still just to see, because it sounds like what I saw may be the result of the bad batches, but think I'm staying away from the softs. If I can stand behind the tips, then I might use them. I am using simular methods to what sheldon uses, and sounds like he is having success, so possible I just need to give them a second chance.
Mooris- I have heard of a few delaminating, but I know I'm atleast in the high hundreds, if not well in the thousands by now, and only had that happen once to me from what I remember. The time it happened I had pressed the tip, so that may have even played a part in It, altough I have pressed many without that happening, so who knows.
Tiger has many type tips, and altough I have'nt carried them up till now, I am considering It. I used to shoot with their everest, and really liked them back then.
I do aggree with what was said about different tips requiring different methods, and alot of situations may be related to that. One common thing I noticed here Is alot of handtipping guys saying they have had success, so that maybe food for thought.
Greg