I agree. Tip pruning is a hit or miss for me. when I cut the tip alone with the base, I get same 3-5 branches pushing results too. Plus, I get to use the top part that I pruned to graft elsewhere.
Oh the tip that i prune off is very soft, i can't graft that. I guess you wait longer then me so the scion is getting more hard/woody.
I didn't learn this from anybody but just tried it and it works. Any tips are welcome.
Also when i tipprune a flushed scion then sometimes more buds of the scion start sprouting, buds that were allready on the scion but didn't do anything yet.
Now i will wait a little longer before i prune them, i wait untill the first leaves have reached full size and then tipprune the scion. That way the big leaves will keep the sap flowing to the scion so the joint will harden faster (i hope).
I even had snakes jumping in my tree (from the roof) and squarrels jumping from branch to branch so it is important to have a strong graft asap.
Now i 'm experimenting with controlling the sapflow. I let some original buds from the mothertree sprout and grow some weeks and then cut them off. That way more sap is going to the area where the scions are and then when i cut the original sprouted branches off the sap has to go into the flushed/pruned scions.
It is all about sapflow-control but i still have to figure out the best way to control it. A small flushed scion can't use much sap yet but when it grows more leaves it can handle more sap.
I still prefer the v-cleft graf, works fast and is easy to do. I also use tie-wraps (cable-bundlers) together with grafting film. Sometimes when i take the film off i put a new tie-wrap around the joint so it won't break very easy. After some weeks i take that tie-wrap off as well.