I think you’ll see some successes- looks to me like you’re doing pretty well, anyway.
Since you seem interested in comments I’ll share a few, but they’re free and may be worth what you’re paying!
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Your tools should be fine. I also use a little screwdriver to hold clefts open, and I have a wooden mallet that I use to drive the knife into the end of the stub when I’m cleft grafting -the little taps seem to give me more control that rocking the blade back and forth, so I don’t split the wood.
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A bit of wax or glue over the end of the scion is good to help it stay hydrated if you don’t want to wrap first, which I do recommend.
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Chips almost teach themselves, don’t they?! But budding isn’t much harder, with a little practice, as long as the bark is slipping well.
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I’ve been cutting my scions pretty thin for clefts lately; I have trouble making trim enough cuts if the thick part of my wedge is very thick. And I like it if the rootstock doesn’t have too big a gap in it. I was taught to make the cuts on my scions in one swipe, but it doesn’t work that way for me- I end up whittling on them.
Whip and tongues take some practice, but once you get it it’s pretty straightforward. I’d suggest just doing a simple whip w/o the tongue. Make the cuts on the scion and the rootstock with your nippers, align, wrap and label. Then if you care to refine it a bit you can start cutting the tongues, but a lot of very good grafters don’t think it’s that much better than a simple whip, if at all.
Here’s a link to a discussion we had a year or two ago. Be sure to scroll down until the bark-grafting pictures show up. Basic Tips For New Grafters #2: Different Grafts (Discussion Needed)
Good luck and have fun!